Insert Dump Body Repair

[Don52]

The hinge got damaged when my customers father dumped the grass clippings so that I could repair the dump body. The problem was that when he backed up and hit the brakes to dislodge the grass from the dump body the hatch covers swung around and got damaged due to the hinge screws that were too long. I straightened out the hinges and cut off the protruding hinge screws.

1 & 2. show my method for using clamps to straighten out the bent hinge. (I have a lot of clamps and I like to use them.)

3. Shows the bracket that TIG welded together from two plates.

4. Shows the bracket MIG welded to the dump body.

5. Shows the hatch folded back with the slide bolt engaged in the new bracket.

[Don52]

6. View of the left side of the dump body. As you can see there isn't much holding it together.

7. View of the right side of the dump body. As you can see it wasn't as bad as the left side.

8. We removed about 1/2 of the garbage can of peat moss from inside the box beams and body.

9. For repair I had a friend bend up some two sided galvanized 16 gage sheet metal based on my drawing. To evenly space the holes I built a drill fixture from some scrap metal and left over hardware components. The two drill bushings are located 3" apart. To use the fixture you pick up the last hole with the arbor and drill a new hole in the other drill bushing. In this way all of the holes are 3" apart so the rivet pattern looks professional.

10. To temporarily hold the panels together I used Cleco clamps. This picture shows my assistant using the Cleco clamp pliers to install the Cleco clamp.

[Don52]

11. The installed Cleco clamp can be seen on the left side. The pneumatic rivet tool can be seen on the right.

12. Shows the sheet metal riveted in place. The floor in the fore ground was squishy and sunken by about 3/4". I had to jack it up so it was level in order to attach the sheet metal to it. When I was done it was level and solid.

Don