M1000 Trailer

[m16ty]

Well today I got all the brake lines and valves repaired, and energized the air system for the first time. Found out that at least on the axles I checked, brakes and linkages are frozen. It appears that this trailer has sat for a long time, and any grease on it has turned as hard as a rock. Pulled one hub off, cleaned everything up, and put it back together. The one I took apart now works fine, only 19 more to go.

Earlier this week, I got the last of the hyd lines on and did a hyd function test. The steering wedge was frozen, but with the use of a porta-power I was able to get it freed up. Now all the hyd seems to be working like it should.

 

[Tinstar]

Updates?

 

[m16ty]

I guess I need to take some pics to make this thread more interesting.

I have removed all 20 hubs, cleaned everything, packed the bearings, and put back together. Everything seems to be brand new, just frozen from lack of use.

I had 10 bad tires and several bent wheels. Picked up 12 new mounted tires from simp5782, which will give me a full set of tires and 2 spares.

Got a big 5th wheel from gringeltaube and need to get it mounted. Preliminary measurements show the 5th wheel mounts at a tight 34" wide. On my Mack, the rear suspension frame actually bolts to the outside of the truck frame. This makes the overall width at 34.25" where the 5th wheel needs to attach. Looks like I'll be able to mill .125" off of each 5th wheel keeper ring to get an extra .25" width.

In between all that, I've managed to fool with the lights a little. Either the military or GP forklift driver left his mark in that area also. In two spots a forklift fork cut the main harness completely in half, and knocked most of the side clearance lights off. I've still got a long way to go on that.

The APU is giving me a few fits. It runs fine, but I can't get any of the electrical to work, besides the starter and glow plug. The oil pressure light won't light and it's not charging. I've found a service manual for the Kubota engine but it is very vague about diagnosing electrical problems. I can live without the oil pressure light, and I'm thinking about running a hot wire from the truck to the battery to keep it charged.

 

[Tinstar]

I love these trailers and have absolutely zero use for one and would never buy one.
But.....
Really enjoying reading about you bringing one back to life.

Yes, Pics would be great

 

[m16ty]

Got the 5th wheel mounted today and was able to finally hook the truck up to it for a function check.

 

[tatra813]

Agreed, just for hobby piece or hauling legal loads, it's way too much trailer. There is no way I would even think about a M1000 if I didn't need one for it's capability. Also, every job it will be used on will have lifting equipment, so hauling it to the jobsite won't be a problem.

A comparable civilian trailer of the same size (think Goldhofer) would run you $100,000+. I've looked at the Goldhofers, but just can't justify that kind of investment, no more than we will use it.

I'm just waiting on my EUC to clear so I can get it home and find out how many repairs will need to be made. Does GP even sell a M1000 without bent wheels? Every one I've seen run through GP has at least a couple of bent wheels. Probably kin to the same guy that goes around to all the DRMO yards and bends all the CUCV driveshafts.

Make sure all the tires are aired up to rated pressure , or you’ll lose the tire off the bead when taking sharp turns! Learned the hard way with my m1000

 

[tatra813]

Well, I reached out to DRS about parts and this is the response I got.

"Unfortunately we don't carry or sell spares to the general public. The spares we do
sell are in large quantities to DLA, and manufacture them only after being
contracted to do so. We are contract defense manufacturers.

Good luck finding whatever parts you need. There are a number of old M1000s that
have been sold to the public, so maybe you can find someone who is cannibalizing
one."

At least they took the time to respond.

Any parts I've needed so far, I've been able to source locally, mostly brake parts from NAPA. I do need a couple of hyd hard lines that were damaged by forklift, I guess I'll just have to make them.


Another problem I've got to solve is a APU oil leak. When I first did a test run of the APU, after adding fuel and a hot battery, it fired right up. I did a limited function check on what I could (some hyd hoses damaged), but after running the APU for about 5 minutes, it started blowing oil everywhere. After inspection, it's coming out of the crankshaft seal, but I couldn't understand why it was coming out with such force (spraying several feet). After more inspection, I find the crankcase vent and discover it is plugged. I got the crankcase vent cleared, but the damage was done, the crank seal is shot. Now I've just got to figure out how to replace the seal, all I've found in the TM says "excessive oil use or leaks, replace APU".

Watch eBay for parts, they come up every now and again.
Look in the parts manual and get the cage number

type the cage number in a internet search, there are places you can get them. Most of them ask high prices, but you can negotiate with them.

 

[m16ty]

Watch eBay for parts, they come up every now and again.
Look in the parts manual and get the cage number

type the cage number in a internet search, there are places you can get them. Most of them ask high prices, but you can negotiate with them.

I needed new pressure gauges, as half of the original ones had broken needles. I did a parts inquiry to one of the places you speak of. They wanted $60 per gauge. I ended up finding aftermarket gauges for $15 each. Only difference is the original gauges go to 6,000 psi, and the ones I got go to 5,000. Max system pressure is 4,100 psi anyway.

 

[m16ty]

Did I commit a cardinal sin?

I’m normally against this, but this one will be used for commercial work.

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

Did I commit a cardinal sin?

I’m normally against this, but this one will be used for commercial work.

Sin?!?!? No, it's not on the list that's found in the Book this Chaplain reads.

HOWEVER, you just might have desecrated a HOLY IDOL of those here who worship GREEN or TAN IRON.



By the way... It's lookin' good. Can't wait to see the finished paint job.

 

[Tinstar]

That’s a lot of trailer to paint!

I would like to see one painted gloss black
Red would work.
A few other colors too.

Sure, a fresh coat of tan or OD would look great, but isn’t always fitting in a commercial application.

It’s the bad paint jobs I hate.
Nothing or very little taped off and overspray on everything.

You can tell a lot about a commercial operation by how their trucks and equipment look.
A truck/trailer that is always dirty and looks like it hasn’t been washed for a year speaks volumes.

Clean and maintained equipment almost always means they care and are squared away and will treat their customers with same respect.

 

[Treemover]

Owner

I just recently bought 2 m1000s and looking for any one that may have parts Manuel or any other kind of service Manuel’s they would share.

 

[m16ty]

I just recently bought 2 m1000s and looking for any one that may have parts Manuel or any other kind of service Manuel’s they would share.

All the manuals are available on-line. Just do a Google search for "m1000 trailer TM" and you pull up several free sources.

 

[m16ty]

That’s a lot of trailer to paint!

I would like to see one painted gloss black
Red would work.
A few other colors too.

Sure, a fresh coat of tan or OD would look great, but isn’t always fitting in a commercial application.

It’s the bad paint jobs I hate.
Nothing or very little taped off and overspray on everything.

You can tell a lot about a commercial operation by how their trucks and equipment look.
A truck/trailer that is always dirty and looks like it hasn’t been washed for a year speaks volumes.

Clean and maintained equipment almost always means they care and are squared away and will treat their customers with same respect.

Took 5 gallons. I'll probably order another gallon for touch-up, as I've already spotted some places I've missed underneath.

Right now, I've got the rear taped off and working on painting "oversize load" permanently on the back. It will be oversize anytime it moves, so I figured I'd just paint it on there.

 

[m16ty]

Finally got everything ready to go. After I painted it, I noticed one of the neck cylinders developed a leak. That was a job to remove and get apart, and had a little trouble finding the parts. I liked to have never got the end cap off. The TM makes it sound easy, but it took the better part of a day, barrel fastened to a heavy welding table, solid steel bar welded to the end cap (I kept breaking a spanner wrench that fit the cap), lots of heat, and a 10’ cheater pipe. I also had to drill out the setscrew for the end cap, I didn’t put one back upon assembly, I figure as tough as it was to remove, there wasn’t a threat of it ever getting loose.

It’s a Parker cylinder, but no Parker dealers ever found a rebuild kit. I did have one dealer say he could get a whole new cylinder from Parker, but you had to order a minimum of 5, to the tune of $7,500 each. I ended up taking it to a local hydraulic shop, who just matched the seals up and got me going for $100.

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

Finally got everything ready to go. After I painted it, I noticed one of the neck cylinders developed a leak. That was a job to remove and get apart, and had a little trouble finding the parts. I liked to have never got the end cap off. The TM makes it sound easy, but it took the better part of a day, barrel fastened to a heavy welding table, solid steel bar welded to the end cap (I kept breaking a spanner wrench that fit the cap), lots of heat, and a 10’ cheater pipe. I also had to drill out the setscrew for the end cap, I didn’t put one back upon assembly, I figure as tough as it was to remove, there wasn’t a threat of it ever getting loose.

It’s a Parker cylinder, but no Parker dealers ever found a rebuild kit. I did have one dealer say he could get a whole new cylinder from Parker, but you had to order a minimum of 5, to the tune of $7,500 each. I ended up taking it to a local hydraulic shop, who just matched the seals up and got me going for $100.

I am SO IMPRESSED ! ! !

Bigger IS better, huh?

 

[m16ty]

We’ve got a 150.000 lb transformer to move coming up, that will probably be it’s first load.

 

[gringeltaube]

Congrats; nice rig; great job!


So you needed one of these kits, then: https://www.govliquidation.com/auction/view?auctionId=12599993?



All 60 kits (total of 4 lots, that day) were bought by the same GL-customer (#77000960). And a week later there were another 4 lots; 52 kits in total, and they prob went to the same highest bidder.

I'd suggest to contact GL if you ever need something they sold. They will eventually forward your email to the right address, and if you are lucky enough (and all of this wasn't sold back to DRS), then the buyer might email- or call you back, one day.
It happened to me more than once!

 

[m16ty]

Congrats; nice rig; great job!


So you needed one of these kits, then: https://www.govliquidation.com/auction/view?auctionId=12599993?

View attachment 762274 View attachment 762275

All 60 kits (total of 4 lots, that day) were bought by the same GL-customer (#77000960). And a week later there were another 4 lots; 52 kits in total, and they prob went to the same highest bidder.

I'd suggest to contact GL if you ever need something they sold. They will eventually forward your email to the right address, and if you are lucky enough (and all of this wasn't sold back to DRS), then the buyer might email- or call you back, one day.
It happened to me more than once!

I’d seen where some new suspension cylinders sold for cheap, but I guess I missed the lots above.

What I’ve found that there are a lot of parts to the trailer made by commercial suppliers, but they are just a little different than their commercial counterpart and the OEM just don’t want to deal with you on them. Seems almost everything is made in bulk lots and no inventory kept on hand in the private sector.

You do have those places where you send a NSN request and the send you back a price, but their prices are sky high also. I have heard that you can negotiate pricing with them, but I haven’t tried it.

 

[cucvmule]

Looks Great , a lot of work in fabrication has happened. With more to happen as some jobs will have special welded secure points to bind a controlled load down. Every load is a custom operation.

I have in the past worked for an outfit that all they did was moving injection molding presses and equipment, in plant or shipped in or out. Its hard to believe that is possible to move anything weighing hundreds of thousands of pounds anywhere overland. Even a million plus. I also worked for a crane outfit with large mobile cranes, largest they had was a Grove GMK7550 550 ton. I seen one transformer done that I could not see how the roadway even stayed together. I am glad those days are behind me. I think I still sweat hydraulic oil.

Very Kool and Dangerous Gig you are always thinking , calculating, and demonstrating lessons in physics., I do miss it.