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International 4700 Low-Pro Suspension - frame stretch and mods

272 Views 2 Replies 2 Participants Last post by  Eric Turner
I have purchased an early 2000's Int 4700 that started life as ambulance but was turned into a 12 ft flatbed. It has the DT 466, 5 speed Allison automatic, Spicer rear end, hydraulic brakes with air emergency/park.

I'm getting ready to have the frame stretched a bit to accommodate a slightly longer 14 ft+ bed and a heavy rear pintle hitch plate. I am wondering if there is any way I can turn this into a tandem 4x6 while keeping the low-pro suspension, and if I will have to lose the air suspension on the rear to do it. Is it a simple axle or hub swap from 10 to the smaller 8 lug hubs? Should I just find a complete tandem rear half from the junkyard and have that welded on instead when I do the stretch?

I am in the telecom construction biz and this it going to be pulling things like smallish directional drill or an excavator on bumper-pull trailers. The bed will have a water tank(s) and mixing system plus tools etc. I do plan on changing out the instrument cluster and adding everything needed to be able to pull an air brake trailer behind it sometimes.

Thanks for any input.

Also, as this isn't specifically/entirely engine related, if you know of another forum(s) that these questions would be better posed in, please point me towards it.
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I don't think there is a low-pro tandem setup. I would just have a tandem setup put underneath when you have the frame stretched like you said.

It seems to me that you are in the right sub forum.
Make sure to post pictures as you build this unit, it sounds interesting.

Thanks for the response and sorry its taken me a couple days to get back round to it. I'm still in the planning stages and have only begun doing some work upgrading the interior (adding a center console etc). Am still kicking around some ideas on the final chassis config with the possibility of tandems and such. Mostly trying to learn what all is possible so I know what my options really are before I start cutting and buying components. Plus its Winter now and the weather has been pretty dodgy & wet. Am hoping by late Spring or so I can really get wrenching on it.

I'll definitely be documenting with pics as I go, just not much to show now.
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