1985 Freightliner cabover semi truck : Walk around & inside

[@pupweiller1]

Nice Ol" FreightShaker, Love those old cabover Freightliners & cabovers period.

[@LifewithJames]

Oddly enough, I used to think cabovers were so hideous and I haaaaated them. I don’t know what happened, but at some point they just got to me and I thought they were one of the most awesome things ever. After I get this one successfully making money, I hope to find an old long nose Peterbilt to bring back to life.

[@pupweiller1]

@LifewithJames I grew up riding in mostly cabovers & some long & mid nose too, But my Pops had several cabover Freightliners of his own & spent alot of time in them & learned to drive in his 81 Queen bunk cabover Freightliner, I was 9 yrs old & other than forklifts it was the first thing I ever drove by myself & it made me love them.

[@LifewithJames]

@pupweiller1 My dad has driven ever since I was old enough to remember, but he’s always been a company driver. I grew up around trucking and always liked it. I remember somehow knowing it was Friday even though I was little and watching out the window, waiting to see the truck come around the curve. He pulled flatbeds back then and flatbed has always been my favorite trailer. When I finally went to CDL school, I went immediately to flatbed after getting out.

[@KennyPowers-l2k]

Cool old truck hope you get everything fixed an it makes you some money good job man

[@GTSTWINCAM16]

I like your attention to detail James!

[@LifewithJames]

Thanks. I’m aiming to make it exactly what I want, but also fix any issue that could affect reliability. As the old saying goes, “If the wheels ain’t turnin, you ain’t earnin”

[@donaldmiller2654]

That Reyco rear suspension would be one of my first changes.Just my opinion.

[@LifewithJames]

The spring ride rear suspension is definitely a way different ride. I’m used to 2010+ trucks with air ride (Not by choice on the 2010 part) and without any weight on the back end of the truck, I found myself getting bounced around quite a bit in my seat when hitting rough sections of road. That’s a big project though and for now I’m just buttoning things up on it and trying to get it ready for DOT inspection so I can get it on the road with some weight behind it.

[@mtvjackass74]

I agree.

[@jamesabernathy4025]

It looks like You got a good one James. I have driven many of these cabovers and love it. Your tractor looks very clean to be so old. Enjoy it and Have fun. I love the look of that truck.

[@LifewithJames]

Thanks! The prior owner had a paintjob done before I got it, and they did a lot of little things to it but just got too busy with other things and didn’t have time for the truck anymore.

[@DriveTFY]

Man we love cabovers!

[@positivevibesonly8334]

Nice rig💯💯🔥 I’m putting my 1996 Mack ch dump truck together now and im almost done just gotta change out air bags and pto cable and shocks and I’ll be ready

[@LifewithJames]

Nice. Front shocks are one of the things on my list also. They look like they’ve never been replaced so I’m tossing some on before it starts going to work. Knocked out an alternator install yesterday. Pretty much just waiting on parts to arrive now.

[@jerrycollins-doc9959]

awesome truck!

[@workinghardusa]

Great well done James!

[@LifewithJames]

Thanks!

[@PeteRoberts-sy6ug]

Beautiful Truck brother, congratulations!❤❤❤

[@LifewithJames]

Thanks!

[@jamesmayo3383]

Looking good i have a 96 Freightliner flb cabover 😊

[@LifewithJames]

Awesome. You running it down the highway?

[@keepontruckinoutlawlife1248]

New SUBSCRIBER here driv,ah very nice rig hope to see some driving videos soon...

[@LifewithJames]

Thanks & glad to have you on board! 🤟

[@harmonysprogress]

Curious to know how much you paid for it. I started looking for a k100 coe aerodyne cab.. when you finish this it's going to be very cool!!!

[@mtvjackass74]

Im going to watch this build, should be fun.

[@LifewithJames]

Nothing much exciting right now but once I get everything going I’ll try to film work on the truck. I wish I would have filmed the exhaust but I’d never done semi truck exhaust so it wasn’t a pretty sight but it eventually got done 😅

[@andyl1156]

Beautiful truck. I just bought an 85 myself, but I have a B model cat

[@LifewithJames]

Thanks! What are the plans for yours?

[@andyl1156]

@@LifewithJames she's already stretched with an air ride cutoff. I've got a couple little things to fix, then I'm gonna hook her to a step deck and start moving equipment

[@LifewithJames]

@andyl1156 Nice. Mine had a lot of little issues but it was a solid start. I hopped in and drove it 4.5 hours back. It has the typical seals that need replacing from age, and loose steering but the main thing I had was electrical gremlins. That was rather “fun” to diagnose and fix 😅 I plan to run end dump/flatbed. I started off with flatbed when I got out of school and love it but also like end dump and there’s a lot more local end dump here than flatbed. Once truck is finished up with the little things, I’ll get an old trailer project and begin repairing it to use.

[@andyl1156]

@@LifewithJames pretty similar to mine. I picked her up in Oklahoma, drove her back 7 hours to Texas. With no speedo, tach, or fuel gauge. The o rings are bad on the cab jack, and there's a pretty bad power steering leak. But at least the cigarette lighter works. My biggest priority is building a little more power. 310 isn't gonna cut it. And installing a set of Jakes.

[@LifewithJames]

@andyl1156 I forgot to include hat my tachometer and speedometer didn’t work 😂 I had to just go strictly by ear on shifting gears and I had a GPS speedometer app going on my phone and the phone was sitting on the dog house so I could glance down at my speed every so often. I didn’t even bother trying to find what the issue was with the factory wires. I just ran my own, straight from the sensors to the gauges and did new sensors and gauges. I wasn’t even about to start tracing wires because parts are so reasonable if you shop around.

[@yankeeapple5615]

My dashboard braces were busted underneath my trailer/tractor air valves. I ended up making custom aluminum brackets. All the epoxy in the world won't put them back together again with any strength.

[@LifewithJames]

That sounds like the exact same thing I plan on doing, but I’ll probably use steel flat stock instead of aluminum. They’ll be hidden behind the dash and I can rattle can them after making them and nobody will ever see them once they’re installed.

[@flights47]

All and all not a bad freight shaker

[@LifewithJames]

Thanks! It’s got rough edges here and there but I was really surprised and pleased with how nice it was and the seller was super nice and threw in brand new parts he had never gotten a chance to install.

[@flights47]

@LifewithJames i.learned to drive in one of those was a great truck no volvo plastic crap was a real work horse

[@LifewithJames]

@flights47 Volvo 🥴 I wish I had the chance to have learned in a cabover. They were long gone from everyday trucking by the time I was old enough to drive. I learned in various older but plastic trucks in school, then my first solo company truck was a “newer” model international with a 10 speed.

[@mikehiggins5233]

🤘👍 nice

[@Mark-t3s2f]

Man that's a nice ol freightliner. Just give it a good detail on the out side redo the inside in black or gray that thing will be sweet.

[@LifewithJames]

Thanks! I plan on putting a new bumper on it later on and some other things. The interior will probably be black and have some grey accents. I’ve been focusing mostly on stuff for reliability and passing dot inspection right now but once all of that is done, I’ll do some small things to it. Trying to get it on the road, hauling freight as soon as possible.

[@Mark-t3s2f]

@LifewithJames Good luck be safe I love your truck. I drove a 95 freightliner with a 9 speed.

[@Mark-t3s2f]

@@LifewithJames Please keep us updated and take us on ride alongs.

[@LifewithJames]

@@Mark-t3s2f I have a newer video that shows updates that shows things I’ve done to it since this initial walk around video. I will find the link. Definitely going to be filming my runs with the truck.

[@LifewithJames]

1985 Freightliner cabover semi truck | UPDATES kzbin.info/www/bejne/anrNe4Jvn9efftk

[@chrisoconnell5143]

Just dont let robert patrick get his hand on it hahaha

[@MattBerg-t3w]

I'd just find a whole newer dash with a full gauge package and swap everything out even the panels they made the same dash up till 06 then get a set of Jakes and a 13 spd and get it mechanically sound and reduce the interior and run it otr but I use to haul logs with a 85 flc with a bc400 and 9 spd and it was a hoss

[@LifewithJames]

I have the stuff for Jake brakes but not installed. I plan on running the 9 for now but I’d like to swap out to a 10 later. My plan is to run this truck locally. I’ve still got some things to work on but haven’t done anything with it in a bit. I’m planning to run local end dump if I can work a deal with this place. If not I will look elsewhere but I have someone in mind that I would like to do regular business with. I’ve worked with them in the past already. There’s an update video to the walk around. I did a lot of work since the initial walk around.

[@diegodie2016]

It´s Optimus Prime!

[@gundamboi2244]

It's Nemesis Prime.

[@georgewilson1184]

Very interesting possibilities but you said your going to work it good luck me I would restore it as a Consolidated Freightways Linehaul Tractor their fleet tractors were very plebian bare bones very little interior encroachments just warning ⚠️ lights for all engine functions just your speedometer no RPM tach your Air preasure primary & secondary and sometimes a fuel gauge no temp or oil gauge no music radio only one sun visor & one seat very strange they did not care about their drivers health they made sure each tractor was equipped with a functioning Cigarette lighter and illuminated ash tray they really cared about your longevity No Power steering no air ride suspention No A/C no air ride bostrom seats until the 1970s loud Air Starters and some of the tractors going back to the 1960s had a huge Air tank the size of an old water heater in the cab over where the Helper seat was suppose to be how comfortable would that make a driver feel ?? LOL and this was suppose to be a high end premier Teamsters Union Job that everyone wanted

[@LifewithJames]

I like old school, basic trucks without a million computers on them, but I think that may be just a touch too old school for me 😅 I do have the no passenger seat & spring ride suspension going on,haha! I plan to keep this one fairly simple. I just recently replaced all of the battery wiring and the wire from the alternator output. It was all junked. I’ll have to do an updated video eventually. I’ve added a few custom items to the interior but I’m trying to spend all my money right now towards functionality and safety. Eventually I hope to purchase a second truck to fix and put someone I trust into it.

[@madelinemoran4]

Ngl, they used that for the bumblebee movie lol

[@franco24ist]

not badd freight shaker

[@shawnwalsh6252]

I love that rig there's nothing wrong with the the girl you got standing in front of it however I wish you knew a little bit more about trucks when you buy a seat it's pretty much what you going to have you don't build a bracket you both to the floor no matter what seat that may be secondly some people like sitting on the floor do they look like they're a lowrider in the driver's seat I wish you well what you need is experience first driving any rig don't stack it up

[@LifewithJames]

The seat that is in the truck right now, isn’t the seat that came with the truck from the factory. At some point, someone has replaced it and they just welded it to a plate that’s in the floor. The seat does lift some, however it’s barely. I’ve looked at a used seat out of a Peterbilt that’s reasonable and I’m pretty sure has more max lift but I’m looking at price difference between making a minor modification to the base, versus buying another seat. Eventually I’ll drop $1,000+ or so on one of the super nice seats I’ve seen with all bells and whistles but for now it just needs to be taller so I can actually see properly from the mirrors. I’m familiar with the kenworth/Peterbilt seat height. I rode with the seat aired out in the Mack that I was driving and found it more comfortable. I don’t mind sitting low in this truck either, but I literally cannot see out of the passenger convex mirror which is the issue. This was a my first truck I’ve ever owned personally. I’ve driven various company trucks. Experience isn’t necessarily and issue with driving, but I am however learning more when it comes to the mechanical and electrical aspects of the trucks due to the fact we never had to dive very deep into the trucks. Everything was done at the company shops so we never got much opportunity to get our hands dirty except for checking over the trucks and topping off fluids and occasionally fixing minor things so it could make it down the road to the shop.