Mack Trucks, Inc.: Safety Recalls in 1979

THE CAB ELECTRICAL FEED CABLES MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES WITH AN INADEQUATE CRIMPING OF THE TERMINAL TO THE CABLE. AS A RESULT, THE CABLE COULD SEPARATE FROM THE TERMINAL.

THE SPRING SEAT PLATE, LOCATED BETWEEN THE AXLE HOUSING AND THE SUSPENSION SPRINGS, MAY DEFORM DUE TO SPRING BENDING. AS A RESULT, THE CLAMPING FORCE IN THE ASSEMBLY MAY BE REDUCED. LOSS OF CLAMPING FORCE COULD CAUSE SPRING FAILURE AND THE AXLE WILL DISLOCATE. ALSO, THE TIRE COULD COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE SPRING.

THE FLANGE HEAD PINCH BOLTS USED IN THE YOKES OF THE STEERING SHAFT ASSEMBLIES MAY HAVE BEEN OVERSTRESSED DUE TO THE BOLTS NOT BEING TIGHTENED TO SPECIFICATIONS. AS A RESULT, THE PINCH BOLTS COULD BREAK WHILE IN SERVICE.

THE PINCH BOLT HOLE CENTER TO STEERING GEAR INPUT SHAFT ON THE LOWER YOKE DIMENSION EXCEEDS SPECIFICATIONS. IF THE PINCH BOLT BECOMES LOOSE, IT WILL NOT ENGAGE THE STEERING GEAR INPUT SHAFT NOTCH AND THE SHAFT COULD SLIP OFF.

THE PITMAN ARM RETAINING NUT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TORQUED TO MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATIONS. THIS COULD RESULT IN INADEQUATE RETENTION OF THE NUT AT THE OUTPUT SHAFT, ALLOWING THE PITMAN ARM TO BECOME LOOSE.

IN THE EVENT OF TURBOCHARGER COMPRESSOR WHEEL FAILURE, ONE OR MORE OF THE FOUR CAPSCREWS THAT HOLD THE TURBOCHARGER TOGETHER MAY BE STRUCK BY PARTS OF THE COMPRESSOR WHEEL, RESULTING IN THE CAPSCREWS BEING DAMAGED. IF THESE CAPSCREWS ARE DAMAGED TO THE POINT THAT THEY ALLOW THE COMPRESSOR BACK PLATE TO DISLOCATE FROM THE TURBOCHARGER BEARING HOUSING, ENGINE LUBRICATING OIL MAY BE ALLOWED TO ESCAPE UNDER PRESSURE, CONTACTING THE ENGINE EXHAUST MANIFOLD SECTIONS OR TURBOCHARGER TURBINE HOUSING.

IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT TWO SCREWS THAT ARE PART OF THE BEARING ASSEMBLY LOCATED AT THE CAB DASH SHEET MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TIGHTENED PROPERLY. AS A RESULT, THE UPPER STEERING SHAFT MAY BE FREE TO "FLOAT" THROUGHOUT MUCH OF ITS LENGTH WHICH MAY RESULT IN INADEQUATE ENGAGEMENT IN THE SLIP SPLINES OF THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT. AXLE ARTICULATION COULD RESULT IN DISENGAGEMENT OF THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT SLIP SPLINES.

IN THE INVOLVED TRUCKS IT IS POSSIBLE THE ADJUSTABLE STEERING COLUMN REAR MOUNTING BRACKET COULD FAIL, ALLOWING STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY TO FALL DOWN ONTO THE OPERATOR"S LAP.

AN IMPROPER PINCH BOLT AND NUT MAY HAVE BEEN USED IN THE CLAMPING OF THE STEERING SHAFT TO THE STEERING GEAR INPUT SHAFT. DUE TO CLAMPING FORCE LOADS APPLIED AT THE BOLT, THE NUT COULD YIELD, RESULTING IN LOOSENESS OF THE INPUT SHAFT YOKE. SHOULD THIS CONDITION GO UNNOTICED, SPLINE WEAR COULD CAUSE SHAFT SEPARATION.

THE STEEL BRACKETS ON THE SUSPENSION BEAM WERE FOUND TO BE DEFICIENT DUE TO EXCESSIVE SHRINKAGE AND LOW MECHANICAL PROPERTIES. FAILURE OF ONE OR BOTH OF THESE BRACKETS COULD CAUSE A SEPARATION OF THE AXLE HOUSING FROM THE SUSPENSION.

A CASTING DEFICIENCY EXISTS IN THE LOWER SECTION OF THE CAPS RESULTING IN A REDUCTION IN THE THICKNESS OF THE MATERIAL. FAILURE OF A CAP CAN ALLOW THE END OF THE REAR SPRING TO DETACH FROM THE AXLE HOUSING.

A DEFICIENCY IN THE ROUTING OF THE HEATER DUCT HOSE COULD ALLOW THE HOSE TO REST AGAINST A TERMINAL POST OF THE ACCESSORY RELAY. VIBRATION WILL EVENTUALLY CAUSE THE TERMINAL POST TO PENETRATE THE HOSE FABRIC AND SHORT CIRCUIT THE WIRE REINFORCEMENT AND OVERLOAD THE CIRCUIT.