I have this frame for a TT that was made by the ROWE company I was wondering if any one has any info on it. As you can see by the pics it moves the rear axel back and makes the frame almost 6 feet longer. there is a regular TT frame laying on top so you can see the difference

Here you go Lonnie. It also seems to me that the Rowe Co sold kits from a factory on the West Coast in the mid to late 20's. I'll keep watching for you as this looks like one of those 2 ton kits.

Fred

Cant help here but i had a kalamazoo tt frame made it about 3 feet longer had a exstended drivesaft part neat but to long for my barn
Kinda wish i still had it for my new prodject

This is all a learning experience for me, so let me ask a question .... how does one
ID the maker of an extended frame or frame extension kit ??? My 25 has a frame
extension. Looks like two well fitted pieces of channel iron grafted into the center of
the frame with a whole lot of bolts holding each end to the spanner pieces. I had
just assumed this was a "Billy Bob Special".

Burger, do you have a Warford or similar accessory transmission? Then your frame was likely lengthened for the transmission since it's easier than shortening the driveshaft and radius rods with farm tools.

Yes, it has a Warford.

So, was this frame chop and extension a readily available kit to
accommodate the auxiliary transmission ?

Yes, Warford supplied frame extensions too.

The frame extension kit on my frame has a plate on it with the name of the company that made it ROWE

In my experience, the truck frame extensions were usually much longer than is necessary to just fit an auxiliary transmission. Most added a couple of feet or more, came with a pair of eliptical springs, and lifted the load rating to a couple of tons. Two I have worked on had auxiliary transmissions and a second short jackshaft to link it all together.

One had a Moore gearbox on the differential end and a Warford at the front.

Both appeared to be factory made rather than blacksmith created.

Allan from down under.

Indeed Allan, there are two different frame alterations discussed in this thread. Alterations to fit an auxiliary trans were just for that (ok, the loading area was increased somewhat) and other more extensive alterations were to add loading area and capacity like from one to two tons. Well, an auxiliary trans would indeed help with two tons

Interesting stuff. I guess I need to get the 25 in the shop and under some
good lights where I can look it over real hard. Thanks for the intel.

Does anyone have photos of a TT frame extension? We recently found a reference that the rail bus built by the Oahu Railway and Land Company was extended two feet although there is no indication that an aux gearbox was used. This may be something we will have to fabricate for our replica rail bus.

Thanks,

Jeff Livingston

Here are some of the TT truck I had. Thought I had more/better ones, but I can't find them and am unable to take more because I sold the truck. From a discussion here about 3 1/2 years ago, I believe the conversion on this truck was a Unitrux. At one point, the rear axle on this truck was moved forward, but I do not know when or for what reason. You can see where it was originally riveted in a couple of the pictures. One theory was that it had an auxiliary transmission that was removed (it was not on when I bought the truck and no holes in the floorboards indicating an auxiliary shifter, but too those may have been replaced). Another theory was that the axle had been moved forward to help take some of the weight off the front axle.

I will go out take some close up pics of the one I have and post them tomorrow the one I have was made by the ROWE company and they used a lot of parts that are already on a TT. the spring shackles are TT the spring hangers are TT the drive shaft is mounted to a bracket in the frame using a 4th main cap the only parts you have to find is the springs. The one I have must be a 2 ton set up I am 270lbs and I can jump up and down on the back and the springs don't move

Thank you Gentlemen,

It appears that these frame extensions also included replacing the leaf springs. The rail bus photos do not show such a set up and indicate the original TT rear springs were used. A frame extension, if used, was likely shop fabricated. Still, I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of extension ROWE developed. The body of the rail bus definitely has a fair amount of overhang to the rear.

Jeff Livingston

here are some close up pics of the ROWE frame I have as you can see they used as many TT parts as they could in there design

more pics

Thanks Lonnie,

The photos are most helpful.

Jeff Livingston