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Dump liner attactment ideas

case310350

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2006
Messages
137
Location
rochester
Putting in a UHMW liner in an ez dumper. Looking for attachment ideas. Not much on the subject. Not going the adhesive route. So will be mechanical fasteners. I see one person did z strips. Since the most, i can load is 3 ton, and the liner has a low coefficient of friction, thinking metal strips bolted down through the plastic should do.

But why reinvent the wheel when someone might have done this already. Ideas?
 

treemuncher

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2006
Messages
733
Location
West TN
Occupation
eatin' trees, poopin' chips
I have a heavy conveyor belt liner in the bed of my Yanmar C60R2. The bed is only about 10' long, if that, and hauls 5-6 tons in a pass. I only bolted the liner at the very head of the bed as it is cut to fit the bottom and does not run up the sides. I used about 8 carriage bolts and, to the best of my knowledge, I did not even use a metal strip across the top of the belting. Any time material gets under the liner, I just leave the bed at full tilt and then lift & slap the liner a few times. This has worked well for me since 2007.

If I had put in a "real" liner with sides, I would have used the Z strips. Those worked well in another bed that I had. However, the Yanmar has fold down sides so for that I would have likely bolted sections into place without trying to fold up the sides with a bevel cut. Just remember that UHMW will expand and contract significantly with heating/cooling and that is why Z strips are normally used on the sides and bolted down at the head. You're gonna love that liner!
 

case310350

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2006
Messages
137
Location
rochester
The bed is only 4x8 and purchased a 4x8 sheet, fit nice but I am concerned about expansion. I used stainless round head screws at top and sides. Not sure z strips would work in this application, but if it expands may have to cut it down and use. Hope it works, It was this or a vibrator, this was the cheaper and quicker option. Seems like the repro which is cheaper is a better option than the virgin in this application or am i missing something?
 

treemuncher

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2006
Messages
733
Location
West TN
Occupation
eatin' trees, poopin' chips
My engineering skills are rusty but.... thermal coefficient of expansion of UHMW is 11 E-5 in/in/deg F so for your 8' long length (96") @ 50 degree temp change => 96"x50x0.00011=0.528" if my math is correct.

Basically, your 8' long length will increase by just over 1/2" length in a 50 degree F increase in temp so expect 1/4" deflection in the width if it is 4'x8' section. If the liner material is black in color, that sun will heat is up significantly. I doubt 200-250 deg F would be unreasonable on a summer's sunny day if the material is black in color. Take your ambient temp at which you are working the material, calculate the deflection with a change to the highest temp you think it will see and then deduct that amount from your cut. Center the piece side to side and loaded full to the head. Missing an inch or two from the tail won't make a difference as the head will push the tails out anyways. Only bolt down the head section and you should be good.

You could also bolt down loose fitting side slats to cover the edges if you felt it necessary but I don't see it as being required with such a small piece of material. This size liner should be relatively easy to flip up if material gets under it. A 3/8 thick strip 1"-2" wide would be a prudent cap mount to bolt through but be sure to install bushings the same thickness as the liner and oversize the holes in the liner material as required to allow expansion/contraction if you want to be anal about it. Center holes can be same diameter as bolts but calculate your expansion/contraction amounts as the holes get further away from the center. Liners are the best way to go - cheap, easy and almost no maintenance if done right.
 

alaskaforby4

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Messages
536
Location
Alaska
Occupation
Owner Operator
Secure the top, let the rest flop. As stated above the expansion is amazing, I tried securing it and it will buckle and pull with each temp swing. Sure is nice though
 

case310350

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2006
Messages
137
Location
rochester
Had to cut it down due to expansion. elongated the holes as well. I was not sure it was going to work better than the steel bed, didn't appear to be more slippery, but it works great, should have done this sooner.
 
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