RE: [ihc] I need the rundown on the RA15 corportate axle

["Mac @ TRIAD" <mac@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

## >> Nope, never seen (or heard of) one.  The only RA-15 I've ever really
## >> been around is on a Heavy 200 I have at home.  Traded it for a good D
## >> series bed and haven't done much with it (yet).

i saw a Traction Equalizer in the boneyard once, as i said.  i had no idea
what i was looking at.  then i saw a cutaway of the thing in a manual, and
recognized it.  some of the parts shown in the cutaway were broken, but it
was definitely the Traction Equalizer.  it's a neat looking setup, but very
complicated.  i can't imagine trying to take it apart and fix it if/when it
breaks.  at least the No-Spin is very simple.  when you break it, you take
it out and replace it.  this Traction Equalizer thing...  just looking at
the cutaway, i'm not sure i'd feel confident about taking it apart, much
less putting it back together in working order.  if you like i can take a
digital photograph of the cutaway (i've still got that) and e-mail it to
you.

of all the axles i've played with, i like the IH Corporate axles the best.
they're a slightly better design than the Rockwells they copied, and a lot
more solid than any other axles found under "light" trucks.  our 1110 has
the D60FF from a 1210 under it, and as tough as a D60FF is, that thing looks
positively puny compared to the RA15s i used to have, nevermind the RA20 i
still have.  the diff housing of my RA20 is something like 16" (i thought i
measured it at just over 18", but now i'm not sure) or more in diameter.
that's pretty darned big.  the brakes on my TravelAll are 12"x3" all the way
around, fairly beefy.  the brakes on that RA20 are i believe 14"x5" or so
(might be 15"x5", i misremember now).  that's beefier.  the bearings are
absolutely huge, everything is heavy but well made, over-engineered in the
extreme.

one of these days i'd like to have a heavy 200 or a 500.  preferably all
wheel drive.  but that's a project for some other year.  i need to focus on
my B122 and get that back in operation (and maybe get the all wheel drive
conversion worked out) before i start trying to tackle new trucks.  the 1110
and the 800A both need a lot of attention too.  just too much stuff right
here in my own front yard (so to speak) to be trying to get into something
else.  but maybe someday.

## >> No offense taken, just repeating info I've read either here or in
## >> manuals.  That is why I welcomed corrections.

and i'm sure that i will be corrected as well.  isn't that what we're all
here for?  to learn and grow together as a community?  where would any of us
be without this group?  i know i'd be sitting on the bumper scratching my
head (or throwing rocks at the sheetmetal) trying to solve some of the
problems i've had.

--Mac

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Krystof "Mac" MacBryghde
TyrGothi

http://master.triad.ath.cx/