In May 2021 I bought a m1061a1 trailer. I have wanted one for a while and Scrounger (steelsoldiers) had one for a great price. Needed TLC, finally had a chance to start working on it. One of my best friends helped me bring it home from Virginia with his 5 ton. The brake light cable was bad, just bought a new one and fixed the taillights, now I'm trying to figure out the brake system. The right front passenger hub is getting hot so might need to take it apart. Overall pleased with the trailer, plan to paint it and use it for cars, utvs, moving stuff etc.
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M1061a1 restoration
- Thread starter muthkw25
- Start date
So the right front hub driving home was getting real hot. We decided to close the valves to the gladhands and drive it back without brakes. Truck did fine, after getting it home the trailer sat until a week ago. I got a m1061a1 tm at the hagarstown military show and decided it was time to start working on it. Going through the tm it states if the emergency relay valve doesn't release air when you let off the brakes then replace it. Next step was figuring out where to source it from using NSN numbers and cross referencing to find the right part. After doing research this valve is very common on most mv trailers and can be used on a wide variety of setups.
Here are the numbers for the valve: Emergency Relay Valve EM36350 Ref. # Haldex Midland KN30300, AF71890, N04301AA.
Bought brand new fittings. ( if anyone is wondering it's 1/4 npt to 3/8 compression.)
Put a couple drops of air tool oil in the fittings and hooked everything back up. After hooking trailer up I heard the tank fill and when my girlfriend stands at the back of the trailer hears the air release so the valve is working. I decided to take it for a spin and see how it ran. My m35a2 pulled it without issue. Drove 16 miles at 50 to 55mph and the hubs were all ice cold and drums. Truck stops great with the added brakes. I'm very pleased. Attached photos will show you the old and new unit and how rusted the old unit was. Before hooking up the new unit I blew a lot of water out of the lines. Not sure why there was this much water but I made sure the lines were dry now.
Next step is to get some extra bearings and seals and gaskets on hand and take each one apart and inspect, grease and make sure trailer is in tip top shape before paint.
Here are the numbers for the valve: Emergency Relay Valve EM36350 Ref. # Haldex Midland KN30300, AF71890, N04301AA.
Bought brand new fittings. ( if anyone is wondering it's 1/4 npt to 3/8 compression.)
Put a couple drops of air tool oil in the fittings and hooked everything back up. After hooking trailer up I heard the tank fill and when my girlfriend stands at the back of the trailer hears the air release so the valve is working. I decided to take it for a spin and see how it ran. My m35a2 pulled it without issue. Drove 16 miles at 50 to 55mph and the hubs were all ice cold and drums. Truck stops great with the added brakes. I'm very pleased. Attached photos will show you the old and new unit and how rusted the old unit was. Before hooking up the new unit I blew a lot of water out of the lines. Not sure why there was this much water but I made sure the lines were dry now.
Next step is to get some extra bearings and seals and gaskets on hand and take each one apart and inspect, grease and make sure trailer is in tip top shape before paint.
Attachments
Well after looking at my issues with the relay valve being so rusted I removed the pipe plug on the air filters attached to each glad hand and water poured out of them. I blew the lines out and removed all water. If those filters go bad it could be why there was issues. So to combat that I'm installing new filters on this hoping the filter element was part of the issue. Will have photos soon. Fixed the wiring harness. The rubber boots that held the wire harness all snapped off and the harness was dangling. Just got my trucklite led tailights in today so I'll be painting them and then installing on truck.
Lots of mini projects but slowly and surely is coming together.
Lots of mini projects but slowly and surely is coming together.
- 5,635
- 2,953
- 113
- Location
- Metairie/La (N'awlins)
Water got in from the air hose gladhand being exposed open is my guess.
Open air tank petcock and apply brakes to blow more crud out.
Open air tank petcock and apply brakes to blow more crud out.
I did that first. After I did that I disconnected the old valve and opened the valves and blew anything in the line out. I assume it was because gladhands were exposed. They aren't exposed anymore
Today I Installed my trucklite brakelights. Wasn't sure what color I want to go with yet but I'll tape them off when the time comes. I also took the reflectors off in prep for paint. Gotta finish taking data plates off and grease the zerk fittings. Looks like most of the zerks have years of paint over them and are not salvageable. So I'll be installing new ones.
Attachments
Today I helped my girlfriend prep her m1045a2 for paint and while she was sanding, I installed a new drain valve for emergency tank. Next is to make a longer cable to reach back of trailer so I can drain the tanks appropriately.
Attachments
- 7,771
- 19,878
- 113
- Location
- Charlotte NC
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I already know you will, but eyelets to contain the pull cable will be a big plus - for safety's sake.
I planned on that as well. Instead of a T handle at the back I was going to just do a loop coming out the back.
Decided to replace the air filters on the m1061a1. Look at the corrosion inside the old one. It looks solid instead of a copper filter. New one you can see the nice copper mesh. Trying to take the old ones out I broke the u-bolts. After new u-bolts, put it back together and now when I hit and release the brakes you can really hear them. Especially on the release. No wonder, barely any air was getting through, should help stopping power alot now. Next is to replace zerk fittings and grease trailer before I paint. I will do a test drive prior to paint to make sure brakes are going to lock up. Very pleased so far with the progress.
Attachments
- 3,752
- 1,529
- 113
- Location
- North Carolina - FINALLY !
Not sure what you did, but they hook together to close up
- 5,635
- 2,953
- 113
- Location
- Metairie/La (N'awlins)
There should be glad hand blank brackets on the A frame to hook the hoses on when not in use.
- 7,771
- 19,878
- 113
- Location
- Charlotte NC
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And those brackets help keep the bugs and critters that will build a nest OUT of your air lines too muthkw25.
They are Kinda Important...
there is. Apparently they never used them. I do currently use them for my glandhands.
Yes sir, I use them. The previous owner did not and before that I'm sure that's why stuff got inside them. That won't be an issue again that's for sure.
I don't understand your comment wheelspinner. Can you elaborate?
I replaced all zerk fittings on the trailer and greased everything up. Clearly there wasn't much grease or any grease in any of the zerk fittings. Definitely made a difference on the brake handles, and jack stands. Next step is scuffing the trailer and putting down bedliner and then paint.
Attachments
- 3,752
- 1,529
- 113
- Location
- North Carolina - FINALLY !
Hook the hose ends together
10-4. Since I have owned it I always connect them so they aren't exposed to the elements. Shouldn't be any more issues with water and moisture
Today I moved the trailer so I could get some sun on it and sanded with 40 grit to scuff the surface. Wiped down with xylene and then rolled 1 gallon of herculiner on the bed surface. Taped up the taillights and tomorrow painting the trailer marine corps forest green.
