Truck & Transportation History

A couple of International brochures have on early Transtars (71/73) show the International FA-139 center tread axle as the stock 12,000 lb front axle; and the FA-112 center point axlesas  the optional 12,000 axle. The FA-139, manufactured by International, was only available with wedge brakes and was used on Loadstars, Fleetstars, Transtars and Paystars. The FA-112, manufactured by Rockwell, Rockwell designation FE 970, was available with either wedge or s-cam brakes. I suspect your truck has the wedge brakes.

By 1976 the stock axle on the Transtar glider was a 10,800 lb center tread axle with cam brakes. I don't appear to have any info on the 10,800 lb center tread axle. Likely International given the "center tread" designation.

I believe the Rockwell designation FE 970 was a fairly common axle.I would start by calling White and Bradstreet (heavy truck parts supplier and salvage yard) in Augusta to see if the have the parts for your axle, have the lighter 10,800 lb axle with cam brakes, or can match up an FE 970 with cam brakes for your truck.

Perhaps someone with a little more mechanical knowledge/ability can jump in and help.

Another option is front brake delete on a tractor although I like the brake options better. See you at Owls Head.

Clayton

ATHS Online Division Member

73 Transtar spec sheet 001.jpg (50 views, 307.84 KB)
IH Axle 001 001.jpg (62 views, 152.48 KB)
IH Axle 002 001.jpg (40 views, 121.48 KB)
IH Axle 003 001.jpg (40 views, 116.17 KB)

Welcome aboard.Heres a 4270 spec sheet from '73, it shows two more axles in addition to the ones Clayton listed, an FA136 and an FA228 straight beam.

Like Clayton mentioned, get in touch with ( or better yet, drive down to ) White & Bradstreet in Augusta.  http://www.white-bradstreet.com/  I havent been there in a while but they used to have quite a few 4200 and 4300s in the yard and they are pretty sharp on interchanges.Good people and easy to deal with, it would be worth youre time to get to know them face to face if youre going to own an old truck.Drive axles bring a good price at a yard, but steer axles usually end up going with the frame for scrap once everything else has been picked clean.Since they dont sell alot of them the price should be pretty reasonable.You could probably buy a whole axle with cam brakes and bud hubs for as much as the new parts to fix youres would cost, maybe less.The guys at White & Bradstreet would know for sure, but I believe the newer style axles from a 9300 series will retrofit into a 4200/4300, I dont think International changed steering box placement or spring size for quite a few years.Heck, I wouldnt be surprised if a 9900 axle would fit.Also, Stewart's towing up in the Bangor area used to have a pretty decent sized parts yard out back, but I havent been there in a long time.

First thing you ought to do is have the dealer get you a copy of youre trucks VIN number build sheet from the factory archives so you know what youve got under it for parts.What dealer have you been going to, CB kenworth or Daigle & Houghton ?.If they just dont want to take the time to look up old parts, then get ahold of Morrison and Sylvestor down in Auburn  http://www.morrisontruck.net/  Good people and they are used to tracking down parts for old binders thru the system.Worth the drive.I think they might even have an old 4200 parts truck out back if I remember right

Definatly make time for the Owlshead show july 18th and 19th.  http://www.ohtm.org/events_2000.html  John

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John Costley

ATHS Online Division Charter Member

Sabattus,Maine

'87 Autocar AFT64B 425 Cat Cranked up, 8LL, 46 Rears with 4:11's on Hendrickson Restored by My Father and I