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M925A2 Trailer Made From M923A1 Truck

74M35A2

74M35A2

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Found a pictorial link of the trailer build I showed in the first post of this thread. Looks like they used an M35A2 rear suspension onto an existing trailer frame. Mine will be a little different, in that I am using the entire rear truck as-is, and fabbing my own trailer tongue via bending the frame rails into a V at the front.

http://www.xm381.com/xm381/AP_Trailer.html#0

They gutted their axles as I will also, but I am still trying to learn why A2 (CTIS) rear hubs are oil lubed outer bearing and greased inner. Meaning no outer seal, only the CTIS air seals and the inner grease seal. Greased hubs (inner and outer bearings) work on the front just fine, and I think first generation and A1 are rear greased hubs (inner and outer bearing). What do we call this, a hybrid lube design (grease and oil)? Anybody have any solid input regarding this?

I also studied the ABS electrical and pneumatic schematics, and it looks like I should be able to easily get that to work stand-alone, as well as the CTIS.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/upload/939/M939_ABS_maint_sustainment_tng_std_handout.pdf

For ABS it looks like I only need to route switched 24V power to the ABS controller, and the rest is already there. I will have 24V batteries on the trailer to run the hydraulic tongue jack cylinder, so that takes care of the constant 24v power wire, and those batteries will charge via the truck through the lighting connector (populate terminal K with +24V on tractors). I'll install an ABS diagnostic lamp in addition to the diagnostic connector for it, all on the trailer.

The CTIS will not be standalone, it will tie into the CTIS of my truck via a 3rd labeled glad hand with shut off valve, as the controller doesn't know how many wheels are on the system, so it should work just fine (pressure based, not volume). The only portions of CTIS on the trailer needed is the air delivery hose, the splitter block, and the wheel valve/hub delivery system.

Exciting stuff.
 
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74M35A2

74M35A2

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Fetching this trailer project tomorrow. Will post a pic of half-a-truck-on-a-trailer-behind-a-truck, and then hope to get the frame rails cut to length, notched, heated, and bent into an "A" with a gusseted drop flange to bolt the lunette ring onto before weekend end. We'll see.
 
74M35A2

74M35A2

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Location
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Went to pick this up couple days ago on my dads equipment trailer, and it is just too big. Having another go at it tomorrow (today), this time going to bring a fabricated hitch to bolt onto the exposed frame rails and tow it directly, hang some tow lights off the back.
 
74M35A2

74M35A2

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Touchdown! The 1/2 M923A2 is now at it's new location. Took my dad with me, and we bolted a cross member onto the very front of the frame rails, and then attached a lunette ring to it. Had to be careful with turns because the tongue is not into a "V" shape yet, took my civilian 2" receiver hitch off for more clearance, and it was fine, never touched (took up all the lanes on 90 degree turns). It is starting off as an M923A2 with everything removed from the cab forward, yet the frame rails were left full length. I could not take a bunch of pics, my dad's a Vietnam vet with less than zero patience. Anytime he saw my phone out he yelled to put it away, as it was not helping to meet our goal. He's my best friend. If I amount to 20% of what he is, I'll consider it a success. Thanks dad. Pulled it @ 65mph all the way home for 2 full hours. All 10 hubs were just barely warm at the end (truck and trailer). Thanks smittyjr for all the on-site help and tolerating the replay. If anybody needs any M939 parts, smittyjr355 parts out complete drivable 923/5 trucks, mostly A2's, so be it a single bolt or an entire truck (or 1/2 a truck like I bought), he likely has it in stock. He is in MI, but can and does ship.
 

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74M35A2

74M35A2

Well-known member
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83
Location
Livonia, MI
Next step will be to shorten the frame rails, notch, heat, and bend them in a V, and then reattach the 3" lunette ring to a gusseted plate. smittyjr was great in that he left everything: air tanks, air dryer, ABS unit, rear pintle, steps on both sides, tool boxes, etc.... I want the trailer as close to the truck as it can be without hitting in a sharp turn. Will then add a hydraulic cylinder, pump, and 2 batteries (with solar panel) as a tongue jack. Also remove the 4 axle shafts and center "pumpkin" "chunk" assemblies. Already acquired 4 front hub covers to use on the rear, but I need to study the manual as I believe the A2's use a gear oil lubed outer bearing and therefore no outer seal? If so, need to stuff grease in there and add a seal like the first gen's and A1's, or the fronts. Needs paint, a dent pulled out of the tailgate top edge, and a camo cargo cover, then hook up the air brakes, ABS, CTIS, cargo box on front tongue, and install the LED marker and tail lights, and a dump hoist (yep, dump trailer, and if I do one on the 925 also, it will be a tandem dumper!). That's all for now. It is currently 26F daytime temp and 6F @ night, so this sits until spring. More updates then. But wait, this trailer has a pintle on the back, so that means technically I could......yeah right. Michigan only allows one trailer for personally owned non-CDL, unless it is a 5th wheel travel trailer, of which they then call it a "recreational double". I'm pretty stoked. It will be a perfectly matching 5 ton capacity trailer with full articulating suspension (even though that probably really only matters for drive traction). Exactly what I wanted. Thanks all for the ideas and support.
 
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