Found A Cool ARI Legacy...

I found an Intercity Lines truck yesterday... they always have the coolest ARI Legacy sleepers. This isn't a pic of it, but this is what they look like: But this one was a Cascadia (I couldn't find a good pic of a Cascadia)

Actually - that looks like a Pete.

Here's a Cascadia from ARI

Looks like they all start out as Daycabs - they stretch the frame & driveshaft, then add the sleeper.

Rick

Actually - that looks like a Pete.

Here's a Cascadia from ARI

Looks like they all start out as Daycabs - they stretch the frame & driveshaft, then add the sleeper.

Rick

Yeah I couldn't find a good pic of a ARI Cascadia with Intercity Lines on it so I put that one in.

They don't stretch the frames, they order the chassis with a longer wheelbase.

They don't stretch the frames, they order the chassis with a longer wheelbase.

Bingo, they get ordered with the frame rail length needed or the costumers request. It's illegal to stretch a frame.

They don't stretch the frames, they order the chassis with a longer wheelbase.

Bingo, they get ordered with the frame rail length needed or the costumers request. It's illegal to stretch a frame.

It is not illegal, it is done all the time. Last place i worked had 3 that were stretched and working on putting together a 4th.

You hear people all the time talking about illegal welds but I have yet to have someone even show me a photo of one. Welding is how you fix steel.

But the steel has to be re-hardened so it doesn't become brittle & crack. That's why "illegal welds" are actually unauthorized welds that are not properly re-heat treated - like welding on accessories, etc.

Most accessories (like tool boxes and APU's , etc.) have to be attached with clamps to the frame (not welded or drilled).

Most of the stretches I've seen involve bolting/welding additional lengths of frame rail, and cutting/welding an elongated drive shaft.

Rick

APU:

Auxiliary Power Unit

On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.

Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.

APU's:

Auxiliary Power Unit

On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.

Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.

People and shops do them all the time but ask any of the manufacturers or dealerships and they'll tell you cutting, welding or drilling on the frame rails of a big truck is illegal. When I certified at Freightshaker in Chicago at their body tech school, they made us more than aware of the legality and liability of it.

Show me the regulations. I believe it has more to do with warranty and liability than laws. If you could not weld frames then there would be a lot of trucks off the road.

If you actually read the stickers on the frame it says not to drill or weld on the flanges. Believe me, it is not illegal.

I had the frame on a Freightliner tractor stretched at the Freightliner dealership. We bought an older OTR truck which had a rebuilt engine, then converted it to a straight truck and mounted a 20 ton crane on the back of it. This kind of work is done all the time.