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M1061 modifications

tobyS

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Yesterday looked at a wrecked truck, nearly new, with a 20' bed that self unloads to the middle for hauling animal bedding (wood shavings like I have to move). This was a near $200k truck but has extensive damage at several spots, especially the left rear corner of this fancy bed. Luckily, this bed unloaded from the middle, not rear, so only idle mechanism sprocket took the hit, not the drive end.

It has not one chain conveyor, it has 2 left and right....and it has mechanism with guide for each chain return with low profile, only taking up about 6". It's all hydraulic drive but I cannot tell if one side conveyor can function independently of the other.

They offered the bed for a little above scrap price. ...$750. It probably weighs 6k# or more. With all the steel, hydraulics, drives, chain, this seems to be a great deal. I'll completely disassemble it, straighten and reduce the length to 16', turn it to discharge in the rear and change the conveyor for side discharge. It's lots of work, but most components are there. Will do pictures when I'm further along.
 

Mullaney

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Yesterday looked at a wrecked truck, nearly new, with a 20' bed that self unloads to the middle for hauling animal bedding (wood shavings like I have to move). This was a near $200k truck but has extensive damage at several spots, especially the left rear corner of this fancy bed. Luckily, this bed unloaded from the middle, not rear, so only idle mechanism sprocket took the hit, not the drive end.

It has not one chain conveyor, it has 2 left and right....and it has mechanism with guide for each chain return with low profile, only taking up about 6". It's all hydraulic drive but I cannot tell if one side conveyor can function independently of the other.

They offered the bed for a little above scrap price. ...$750. It probably weighs 6k# or more. With all the steel, hydraulics, drives, chain, this seems to be a great deal. I'll completely disassemble it, straighten and reduce the length to 16', turn it to discharge in the rear and change the conveyor for side discharge. It's lots of work, but most components are there. Will do pictures when I'm further along.
.
Wow Toby... Great deal for you.
Not so wonderful for the previous owner - but it sure sounds like a good "running start" on your project.
 

tobyS

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Thanks Tim. Yesterday it hit me, why take all of the frame off the new bed off and mount the chain on the 1061 when there is a full frame in place and in addition to fixing damage, I could add 2 axles and have a complete second trailer. Luckily I had not mounted the engine or done anything that is specific to an unloader system on this 1061. I'm quite happy with longer tongue and side pockets. The engine was not mounted, so will go to the new bed.

I think 2 of these 105 axles and Isuzu 19.5 buds is about right for the new trailer. At 8'4" width, they seem wide enough and they are at least as heavy as a semi axle. I think they (from 105) are the axle same as is on the 1061.

Brakes.....the 1061 seems to have the same air over hydraulic as the 105, just with 2 actuators. Thus the new trailer can use the same air over hydraulic, making pulling with the 929, deuce or any air brake truck ....and have reliable braking.
 

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Jbulach

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Are you going to have enough flotation while off road? Not sure what your soil conditions and gross weigh are going to be like? Any crazy chance your new bed is a hopper or other shape, that you can run your Sand Trails out board, to gain floatation yet keep the height under control?
 

tobyS

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Jbulach, I'm in sand. For floatation in my field, you couldn't beat those 450s. How do you find they do on the road? My trip is 30 miles one way. I don't really want to get into oversized load (wide) but could.

Above is 31" tall tire vs the 450 at what, 46" ? Maybe using the above dual would need 3 axles. Height matters...... it is a big hopper with tall sides. Length of hopper is 20' and the side unloader adds about 4'.

I have wheels to put the 450 on a hub centered semi trailer axle with air brakes, if I were to use them. A little mod makes the outer ring from the sand trail assembly fit the other rim, making an 11" wide rim that uses the 1" bolts on 11.25. I could easily see putting 395 goodyears on it too. Those tires are rated at 80 mph and I'll be buying them for the deuce soon. Rod has some 90% ones at $150. Question is, two axles or three.....and 6 lug vs the modern hub center 11.25.
 

tobyS

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I'm tagging this picture on for Wes of a wheel that may work on the salvage trailer. The black one has the 11.25 bolt pattern and the yellow is from sand trail 450 wheels. With a little work at the oring, the yellow ring will fit with the black wheel body and make a rim that is 12" wide. While I think the 10 inch black rim will work great for the 395 tire, the idea of wider rim does have some appeal, like for 15.5 tires.
 

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tobyS

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This thread will have my new trailer project tagged on for now. I dug two air ride axles out that fit the above wheels. They are rated at 23,000 lbs each, so two axles can easily hold it up, probably one.

The Michelin 15.5 m1076 PLS tires would seem perfect for either the 10" rim or expanded 12", with 18 ply.

Do I need a third set/axle for holding it up in sand?

Being able to mock up this wheel and new drum with the axle is helping me to see why there are clearances built in the bolts. The rim is tight to the hub as should be.
 

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Last edited:

Coug

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more axles will allow more tires and increase flotation, so in soft stuff going in straight lines more axles is usually better.
On the other hand, adding more axles will make it more difficult to turn, especially with weight in it.
 

tobyS

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more axles will allow more tires and increase flotation, so in soft stuff going in straight lines more axles is usually better.
On the other hand, adding more axles will make it more difficult to turn, especially with weight in it.
If I can dump the air on a front axle while turning, it would help some. I'm going with 3 since I have 2 axles and all of the wheels, even a couple spares. Nice 395 or 15.5 should work great. Ebay (Rod) has 90% GY tires for 150.

I'm not so fond of the layout with materials offloaded in the middle. I want rear discharge or the optional side discharge. Also with 2 chains, I want each to have a hydraulic drive, not just one drive moving both chains. Flipping end for end is a starting point, back becomes front and front becomes back.
 

Jbulach

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You don’t have any 5 ton cargo trucks sitting around any more do you? You could fix that bed and just swap it in place of the dropside... also how are you on loading height at the mill?
 

tobyS

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IN
You don’t have any 5 ton cargo trucks sitting around any more do you? You could fix that bed and just swap it in place of the dropside... also how are you on loading height at the mill?
No, I have the 929 and deuce 4x4. The dump will pull the above trailer or the 1061. The deuce could handle a light load, as the new trailer has full air brakes.

I see what you mean about bolting it on, but it would take the 20' version.

Loading at the mill is with a large cat loader and they built a ramp that puts the loader 6 feet above the trailer, so no problem loading there.

Now that I'm committed on two trailers, the m1061 can be repurposed from the bulk wood materials to the finer, kiln dried planer flakes and sawdust, that could be put into totes, canvas bags, pallets with sides or any system to keep it dry and allow forktruck unloading into a dry storage.

The wood, compost, peat will be accumulated, stored like silage.
 

tobyS

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Location
IN
I got off track and have scaled back my trailer building projects, including my 1061. My plans are to finish the pockets on the sides and put a 3/8 x 3 flat on the outside, both sides. Makes it 8'4" wide. Uprights will hold steel deck sides, about 7' high and I will make bows for a canvas cover. That is way simpler at this time.

A note on hauling my sawmill and planer shavings for mushrooms, a friend suggested to use semi trailers and cut access to fill it in the top, then rig up bows and cover, but use out of the trailer, don't dump it. It's way simple and I can get a 53' one for only about $1k.

I'm happy with the 1061 mods that I have done. The pockets needed a seam ground out, inside, that slowed my install down. Now I need the flat.....can I get 14'?
 

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Mullaney

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I got off track and have scaled back my trailer building projects, including my 1061. My plans are to finish the pockets on the sides and put a 3/8 x 3 flat on the outside, both sides. Makes it 8'4" wide. Uprights will hold steel deck sides, about 7' high and I will make bows for a canvas cover. That is way simpler at this time.

A note on hauling my sawmill and planer shavings for mushrooms, a friend suggested to use semi trailers and cut access to fill it in the top, then rig up bows and cover, but use out of the trailer, don't dump it. It's way simple and I can get a 53' one for only about $1k.

I'm happy with the 1061 mods that I have done. The pockets needed a seam ground out, inside, that slowed my install down. Now I need the flat.....can I get 14'?
.
Dang Toby...

Funny how things work. When you mentioned an open top van trailer, the woodworking shop up the road from our printshop had two. They had a monster dust collector that dumped directly into the trailer. Rather than completely open on top, they used a screen on a 4x4 foot square hole at the nose of their trailers. Very course screen for air flow... It used to blow those 40ft trailers full in just a few days when they were making window and door frames.

The old planer shed at the lumber yard down the road had an open top trailer. Knew one of the guys there and their complaint was hustling that big heavy tarp is a pain in the (well, you know). They left a few ribs from the top in place to keep their trailer sides from bowing out...

Both places have moved so I can't really talk to them these days. Everything around here is growing like mad and every patch of flat dirt is being made into apartments. :-(

Going to have to come up with an unloading plan for the van trailer, but you can definitely move a lot of shavings with one.

The updates you made to your 1061 gives it a lot more useful options for sure. Sure looks good!!
 
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