PLS system question

[Hawssie]

I have an idea floating around in my head, but right now I need to confirm from someone in the know, wether the Military's PLS loading system vehicle's cargo locks are of the same design and at the same dimensional locations as a typical 20 foot sea container.
In other words can a commercial 20 ft container be placed onto them, and if so are those the same locations that the other body modules also lock onto?
Its really just a backward way of me asking if the PLS body modules will mount in place of a typical ISO 20ft container? I am thinking yes but I ned to be sure. Thanks

 

[DRTDEVL]

Yes and no. A standard M1077 flatrack (I assume this is what you are asking about) has normal twist-locks up front, but the rear is different. It is a swing arm that pins into place through the side of the rear iso-lock. Pic found here: http://data.primeportal.net/transports/don_pics/m1077/Dsc01605.jpg

If your PLS has a Container Roll-Out Platform (CROP) rack, it will not carry a container. The CROP is designed to be loaded into an ISO-container and allow for quick loading onto the PLS one in the destination country.

http://www.seabox.com/catdl/sb5/SB9119S/SB9119S CROP.pdf


If you get your hands on a CHU (Container Handling Unit), the story changes. That is a rear mount kit and a front handling unit. The rear mounts will swing up and lock the standard way once the weight of a container is placed upon it while the front unit is essentially an X-shaped handler that is lifted to the container with the PLS hook and the top locks into the top ISO-locks. The bottom then is lowered to the right height and locks through the side of the iso-lock and then it picks the entire thing up and pulls the truck under (since there are no wheels out back). Those rear locks on a swing arm have rollers in front of them in order to roll the outer frame of the container up onto the back of the PLS without damage.

The CHU in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzW7-2o5H_8

 

[emmado22]

I had the first 2 CROPS in the US Army in operational use. Good flatracks, but the idea behind them would of never worked out.

 

[Hawssie]

The body module I was looking to use is a 12 or 14 yard ( i have heard them called both) dump module. I know I can adapt this to fit with what I am thinking of doing, but one thing I was trying to figure out was how long the modules are so I have a rough idea how much frame I need to have to allow it to fit. It looks pretty big.

 

[DrillerSurplus]

Both of these work with PLS or MK48-MK18A1 with the hook style loader and are very close to 20' long

 

[bikeman]

standard flat racks have just under 20' of flat deck. all should be 96" wide. CROPS are narrower, those are not what you want.

 

[jcappeljr]

I am looking for a flat rack ,I like the dump module.