M1061 modifications

[tobyS]

I'm making some modifications to my M1061 for hauling sawdust, mainly behind my m929A2. I don't want to make it into a dump but I still want a way to offload that is not my back operating a shovel, although bagging it up directly from the trailer is an option. I'm leaning toward a mechanism to push it out the back hydraulically....a moving front wall. Maybe it could help with compacting while loading....planer shavings are very light and fluffy.

I'm adding pockets to the side of the trailer and a 3/8x3 flat for chain connect now. Sides are planned 6'. The back gate will swing at the top and the front....a moving wall.

One of the problems on pulling a 1061 is that it wants to go straight because of the type suspension and long distance between axles. I'm going to lengthen the tongue to gain some leverage AND be able to dump the dump truck while still connected to the trailer. I'm thinking about 10' added.

I could run an aux hydraulic from the truck and would if I used it continually, but the slow speed of a battery unit is okay too, and self contained would let me use the deuce as the tow vehicle.

First I have a question about the M1061 hitch ring and its weld connection. Has anyone removed the ring and left the underlying 1" plate un-damaged? How exactly is that forged steel ring welder to the plate? Does that plate have a 2" hole inside where there is additional heavy weld, in addition to what you see on the outside perimeter. IF it does not have the inside weld, simply cutting off would be easy, but if there is an inside weld, I will have to take more of the plate with the ring. That will be a precision torch job.

Another question is....has anyone seen Isuzu duals on a 1061?

Note the side of my trailer, it's a channel. My finished width is 8'4", whereas a 1061 that has the normal boxed outside would end up over the 8'6" limit.

Please post pictures of modified m1061s here or make construction suggestions for what I post up.
Thanks, Toby

 

[juanprado]

Check out a m1073; bigger 7 1/2 ton step brother to m1061. It has the channel on outside. I dont recall exact width.

It has a slide out arm so it can be hitched at 2 different heights specifically for towing behind a m113 I think. Arm is longer than the A frame.

I think the front a frame is longer than a m1061.

It uses 17.5 rim's but I think the bolt pattern is the same.

I have a post here with pics on mine and tm is here also.

 

[tobyS]

Thanks juanprado, but the materials are not heavy and I have to make use of what I already have.

Here is an update. The trailer tongue gets lengthened and made removable, so could pull by the original ring. I used the cut off ring from my 1101 trailer. It's welded inside and out with 7018 over 6011. Darn buzz box struggled with 5/32 6011 but not the 1/8 7018. It's time to dig the big Hobart out.

When I get it, 3/8" x 3" flat welds outside the pockets for hooking to. The sliding tongue will go in a 6x6x1/2 and be boxed for the long setting.

What kind of a floor will self unload and not just dump? Planer shavings will bunch up but not bad, since they are dry killed material? Chain, belt, auger, pushing with front wall? Any ideas for self contained?

 

[tobyS]

Making a bit of progress on the extended tongue. I settled for a permanent 6' addition. Almost everything is 3/8" thick. It leaves the entire inner tunnel unobstructed. Wow, These are heavy trailers.

 

[Mullaney]

I'm making some modifications to my M1061 for hauling sawdust, mainly behind my m929A2. I don't want to make it into a dump but I still want a way to offload that is not my back operating a shovel, although bagging it up directly from the trailer is an option. I'm leaning toward a mechanism to push it out the back hydraulically....a moving front wall. Maybe it could help with compacting while loading....planer shavings are very light and fluffy.

I'm adding pockets to the side of the trailer and a 3/8x3 flat for chain connect now. Sides are planned 6'. The back gate will swing at the top and the front....a moving wall.

One of the problems on pulling a 1061 is that it wants to go straight because of the type suspension and long distance between axles. I'm going to lengthen the tongue to gain some leverage AND be able to dump the dump truck while still connected to the trailer. I'm thinking about 10' added.

I could run an aux hydraulic from the truck and would if I used it continually, but the slow speed of a battery unit is okay too, and self contained would let me use the deuce as the tow vehicle.

First I have a question about the M1061 hitch ring and its weld connection. Has anyone removed the ring and left the underlying 1" plate un-damaged? How exactly is that forged steel ring welder to the plate? Does that plate have a 2" hole inside where there is additional heavy weld, in addition to what you see on the outside perimeter. IF it does not have the inside weld, simply cutting off would be easy, but if there is an inside weld, I will have to take more of the plate with the ring. That will be a precision torch job.

Another question is....has anyone seen Isuzu duals on a 1061?

Note the side of my trailer, it's a channel. My finished width is 8'4", whereas a 1061 that has the normal boxed outside would end up over the 8'6" limit.

Please post pictures of modified m1061s here or make construction suggestions for what I post up.
Thanks, Toby

Toby,

Going in on the cheap, what about using something like I have for my pickup truck? It is a tarp that rolls onto a pole that is strapped to the tailgate. I bought it a long time ago but it has unloaded mulch and gravel. Adding another tarp under the "rollup tarp" gives is something to slip on. Definitely a problem without it if the bed has any rough spots on it. Plastic bedliner would work really well too.

Having a hydraulic ram would be good, but it will take more effort and time.

Got a crummy picture I lifted off the web (below) because mine is leaned in the corner of the storage building at home



The part you can't really see is the 18 inch crank handle that is attached to the roller. It just rolls up the tarp onto the roller and the stuff falls off the back of the truck. I have unloaded a full bed of gravel several times with it. Need to sit down and take a break about half way through the unload - but it beats a shovel for sure! Maybe called a Load Handler?

 

[tobyS]

Tim, I understand completely. It's end mounts must be strong.

Here are a couple photos of under the 1061. Can you see the tunnel? Once the air tank is relocated and it's mounts re-purposed or removed, there is about 32" for a return chain or belt.

I have a low speed hydraulic motor to turn it. Maybe use a engine, self contained or tractor supplied hydraulic.

I'm wanting to make about 600' long bed 4" thick and 40" wide.....30 of these rows eventually.

The 1061 is an overlooked heavy trailer, probably because it is so heavy that people underestimate its desire to go straight AND the size of vehicle to pull it. I plan to use my m929 and stop trying to sell the dumper. I think the deuce will be fine too, since I kept the axle back toward the pintle and air overloads.

I thought I had a chain and sprockets and shaft and bearings, but the chain is rusted heavily. I know I could free it up, but I really prefer new. I've done this before. I expect to use 81X chain and weld on drag bars. It all adds up to a major investment......I hope I'm right about this trailer.

 

[Mullaney]

Hi Toby,

Yessir, it is amazing for what it is. Chances are there are cheap chinese knock-offs and the better versions too. One or two pickup truck loads unloaded is pretty good - but what you have in mind is a LOT more than that!

I almost wonder if the dumper with the gate chained short would work. That way it is a one man job...

Those pictures of the M1061 would be the trick with that tunnel. I had a guy with a trailer deliver a pre-built gazebo. That trailer was pretty amazing. He tilted his trailer to the ground and the gear driven chain eased it off the trailer with no effort. It would be a heck of a long chain!

I could imagine that a higher pusher attached to the chain would push your mulch smoothly. The hard part will be getting another person to drive the truck while you work the hydraulic levers.

Figure looking at it together might be a plan. Of I can come up with any other ideas - I will let you know for sure.

Making 600 foot beds and 40 of them is no joke!


Tim

 

[juanprado]

If you take off the rear wheel chock brackets and want to make a few $ back for your project; I would be interested as my xm1073 did not have those.

 

[tobyS]

How about this piece in the tongue? I like the strength it adds.

Interesting thought about behind......maybe a camera or 2 would give visibility...would want to see behind anyway while on road.

Sure juanprado. I'll be careful not to damage them with the smoke wrench.
All four jacks come off. I will use one on the tongue, drivers side.

 

[Mullaney]

How about this piece in the tongue? I like the strength it adds.

Interesting thought about behind......maybe a camera or 2 would give visibility...would want to see behind anyway while on road.

Sure juanprado. I'll be careful not to damage them with the smoke wrench.
All four jacks come off. I will use one on the tongue, drivers side.

.
Toby,

That nice long tongue will make that trailer really easy to "back".

A camera or two on the back would be great. I bought a 4 camera setup and it
works - but I learned that looking at specs is pretty important. Bigger screen
with higher resolution and high resolution cameras too.


Tim

 

[tobyS]

I'm about decided to use chain sweep in the bottom, 30" wide. Unfortunately the material could form a bridge inside that I must deal with. I ve thought about auger or some moving arm or steep angle funnel sides, and most seem to place more mechanism in the way, while taking space that could be product.

Last night I thought about a side wall and floor that pivots up 90*, to bring materials from side . I have the hydraulic cylinders to power such a contraption. The huge open space of 8 x14 bed is a lot of product if I don't mess up the feed system.

Also a belt conveyor to the side, to windrow left or right, may get incorporated..

 

[tobyS]

Here is the repurposed jack. I kike the heavy spring loaded pin that they use to keep it up going down the road, but don't entirely trust it. So I made a support for its up position.

 

[juanprado]

You are wise to beef up the jack. Mine had 2 pins/handles totally trashed. I suspect the trailer was moved with the jacks still down but who knows if that was military or the GSA folks where I got it.....

 

[Mullaney]

Here is the repurposed jack. I kike the heavy spring loaded pin that they use to keep it up going down the road, but don't entirely trust it. So I made a support for its up position.

.
Wow Toby... This is looking good! That jack and the safety chain to keep sumpthin goofy from happening is a good deal.
.

 

[tobyS]

I'm looking for a sure fire way of unloading the ground wood and shavings and have been researching a live floor or walking floor. I've watched them in action and wonder about building one on the floor of the 1061.

Let me know how the drive works if you have seen it . I could see just using cylinders but need to know more details.

I have a bunch of hydraulic cylinders 1 1/2" to push U channels or tubing or ???

The 1061 bed is 8' x 14' and if I go to same height as the top of the dump truck, will have 7' sides. That is around 750 cubic feet of materials that can range from 5 lbs/cubic foot to 15 wet.

 

[tobyS]

A moving floor seems to be simple. I'm sure they are not. There are 3 slats. When they all move in one direction, the load is carried toward the door. Then they retract individually in a 1-2-3 sequence, where the materials slide against the retracting slat, until they are all in the home position. Videos of the drive mechanism show rather small hydraulic cylinders (3) pushing every 3rd slat, first in a cascade movement to retract and then simultaneously to move the load. Stroke seems to be about 8". Volume of hydraulic fluid is 1/3 while retracting, and will work best on a pressure compensated system.

Most of the drive mechanisms are mounted in the middle of the trailer, not the ends on Kieth brand and others, although a push-pull could be worked out as well, considering I have a surplus of cylinders.

How would one improvise to make such a system? Slats seem to be mostly extruded aluminum riding on a block of phenolic on commercial units. I'm looking for alternatives. Perhaps a channel (steel) and a flat top (cold roll would be nice). Hot rolled I could get full 14' length. Straightness matters for tight joints that don't clog with materials. What to use for the linear bearing slides? Maple? HDPE plastic?

 

[tobyS]

Back in the GL days I bought an Isuzu diesel then mounted a rexroth hydraulic pump to it. This trailer seems like a good time to use it. Oh yes....have the governor too.

Maybe I can extend the hopper a couple feet on the front and back to get around 1000 cu ft.

Also if the floor was operating on the center but not the sides, would it lay a narrower wind row of the wood materials? What about running in reverse on the sides? Remember, my goal is making windrows of mushroom substrate AND applying it evenly and consistently.

 

[Jbulach]

Our manure spreader just had a slick wood floor that the apron chain rode on with a crap ton weight, or five on it.

If all your slats move in unison, you could probably just run them all off two larger cylinders using a single gear drive flow divider. Maybe even put a middle cylinder in pushing through slots in the floor if you had enough room to work between cross members?

Cant think of a good hinging slat design at the moment tough...

 

[Mullaney]

A moving floor seems to be simple. I'm sure they are not. There are 3 slats. When they all move in one direction, the load is carried toward the door. Then they retract individually in a 1-2-3 sequence, where the materials slide against the retracting slat, until they are all in the home position. Videos of the drive mechanism show rather small hydraulic cylinders (3) pushing every 3rd slat, first in a cascade movement to retract and then simultaneously to move the load. Stroke seems to be about 8". Volume of hydraulic fluid is 1/3 while retracting, and will work best on a pressure compensated system.

Most of the drive mechanisms are mounted in the middle of the trailer, not the ends on Kieth brand and others, although a push-pull could be worked out as well, considering I have a surplus of cylinders.

How would one improvise to make such a system? Slats seem to be mostly extruded aluminum riding on a block of phenolic on commercial units. I'm looking for alternatives. Perhaps a channel (steel) and a flat top (cold roll would be nice). Hot rolled I could get full 14' length. Straightness matters for tight joints that don't clog with materials. What to use for the linear bearing slides? Maple? HDPE plastic?

.
What if you created a motorized roller on the back... With a belt wrapped around an "idler" roller on the front.
That way you could move a little or at some metered speed.
It could still be hydraulic powered.
Maybe less likely to get fouled with slats that won't lay back down?

Roller would be a steel pipe.
Heck, if you could attach some sort of really heavy canvas - it could roll up on the pipe,
dump the load, reverse the canvas onto the ground and sling it back onto the trailer.

Just trying to think simple.
Like this - but on steroids maybe?

M1061 modifications

I'm making some modifications to my M1061 for hauling sawdust, mainly behind my m929A2. I don't want to make it into a dump but I still want a way to offload that is not my back operating a shovel, although bagging it up directly from the trailer is an option. I'm leaning toward a mechanism to...

www.steelsoldiers.com

 

[tobyS]

Here is the motor mount. It's solid with no isolation. I'm wondering about putting the entire unit on a thin rubber pad. Also, here is a rough sketch using steel roof corrugated material for sides, front, gate. The moving floor is all added to the back, about 30", and a conveyor is to be tucked under or extended to make a row at the side. Thus it can dump straight out or to one side.

Anybody notice the HUGE cost increase in steel? Wow!