Hooks Trailer Pick Up 12/07/09

[M1075]

We are planning a Steel Soldiers convoy from OKC to Hooks to pick up some M105 and M871 trailers on Monday 12/7. As these are 8 miles away from the normal GL location, the site rep told me that no loadout equipment/facilities/assistance was available. I was hoping they would at least have a forklift to load the M105s, but they don't and I'll have to look into some alternative arrangements.

Anyway, if anyone else is going to Hooks to get trailers, you are welcome to convoy with us.

 

[M1075]

Well, the trip has been made and the recovery is complete! We picked up 2 M871 flatbeds and 4 M105A3 trailers. Thanks to Dave (M813A1) and Lindsey (Broman7 for being the champions to pull it off.

 

[M1075]

10 random thoughts from the trip:

1. Friends like Dave and Lindsey are hard to come by.
2. 14.00R20 tires are too much tire for M813 with a load
3. 395/85R20 tires are perfect for M818
4. GL personnel at Hooks are super nice, but...
5. When they say "buyer load" there, they mean it.
6. Recoveries always take longer than you can ever imagine.
7. Towing/recovery lightbar from wrecker is very handy.
8. It is no fun driving in sleet/freezing rain with no heater/defroster.
9. After a 600 mile road trip, you get very "acquainted" with your truck.
10.I ain't doing that again anytime soon!

 

[M1075]

Lastly, here are some pics of some of the other "stuff" parked along the miles of back roads there. I'll be keeping a watchful eye for some of this stuff.

 

[area52]

Cool, thanks for the pictures.

How did you get the M105's into the flatbeds?

 

[M1075]

How did you get the M105's into the flatbeds?

We pulled the six trailers offsite and paid a commercial outfit to load them.

There was equipment everywhere on site and I even spotted a forklift ramp/truck dock that we might have been able to use to winch them on. It was similar to being adrift at sea and not having any water to drink.

 

[M813A1]

Well it was a Good Day helping M1075 get the M871's and M105A3's !! We had Good Weather and some Luck !!! With alot of help from Lindsey we got everything and made it home without Murphy he missed the Buss !!

 

[M813rc]

Glad your recovery went well.

I will say that even though the GL folks offer no assistance whatsoever, they were very friendly and patient while we took two hours plus to get one 105 onto our trailer (the second one took about 15 minutes!).
It was an interesting experience, even with three fit guys and lots of the right loading equipment, I can just imagine trying to go in there on your own unprepared and trying to pick stuff up.

As for all the other stuff on the site, I felt like that cat in the Far Side cartoon, plastered to the truck window as we drove by.
I have 'drooling towel' on my list of recovery gear for the next time.

Having moved heavy things with my M813 on 14.00s, I know I will not ever try 16.00s! Way too much tire.

Cheers

 

[fuzzytoaster]

Dang, I keep reading about loading these railers and I never would have thought they could be so much trouble. But now since hooks is somewhat (200 miles +/-) close and theres a number out there...I may share in the "pleasure" one day.

Nice pictures BTW, I'd really like to go looking around one day. Did they have an deuces out there? I cant really tell whats what in the distance due to the weather.

 

[M813A1]

Ya I can say that 1400 on a M813 is just to much when loaded !!! It runs good empty on 1400's

 

[M813A1]

Ok let me try for the 4 time to put my photos on !! No Go again !! Out of ideas !!

 

[KsM715]

Did the GL people let you "pre-view" any of that stuff? Not many places you can just look into the backend of something with tracks on it.

 

[Warthog]

Great recovery. Wish I could have went. I didn't miss the cold though......LOL

 

[bryan70546]

10 random thoughts from the trip:

1. Friends like Dave and Lindsey are hard to come by.
2. 14.00R20 tires are too much tire for M813 with a load
3. 395/85R20 tires are perfect for M818
4. GL personnel at Hooks are super nice, but...
5. When they say "buyer load" there, they mean it.
6. Recoveries always take longer than you can ever imagine.
7. Towing/recovery lightbar from wrecker is very handy.
8. It is no fun driving in sleet/freezing rain with no heater/defroster.
9. After a 600 mile road trip, you get very "acquainted" with your truck.
10.I ain't doing that again anytime soon!

I agree with #10 pulling the 18 foot trailer with two 105s loaded in the back in pouring rain for 6 hours is no fun , and the fuel cost was crazy they did manage to break a air hose on one trailer and allmost did the same on the other except it was the light hook up hopefully the light hook up still works but the hose on the other trailer is trashed .Glad you made it safe and sound i wish i was able to take pics but i was being rushed because they had other stuff to load out on a 18 wheeler just glad i had justin werhing there to help me load the secound trailer hooks is one busy place i did get to see a bradly run around . I will go back for one trailer but not two .

 

[Pawnshop]

DAMMIT! I missed the boat!!!!

 

[NDT]

Couple things guys: Can you share the contact info for the "commercial outfit" that loaded you guys out? Others may need that in the future. Looks like there is lots more to come out of there. Did the pictures come from the reserve base where the 105A3's are? Also, for those of us that paid top dollar for our 871's in previous auctions, please tell us how horrible the two you got were . . .

 

[Pawnshop]

I recognized all that stuff from our trip out there last week, all on the NG base with the M105A3s (except the boat, I didn't see the boat!!!)

 

[CarlsonCustoms]

Maybe a stupid question but what's the dolly called that you have hooked up to use a fifth wheel on a regular pintle hitch truck? How much do they usually sell for?

Would using this type of dolly allow me to pull a trailer such as a M146 setup as a camper behind a duece?

Thanks for any help provided.

Zack

 

[Pawnshop]

NOT a stupid question (a little off topic, but not stupid). I don't know the military designation but I believe it's called a dolly converter? Several SS members have them and some use them exactly the way you describe, here are some photos from one of their posts:

 

[CarlsonCustoms]

That's awesome.. after I posted this I looked on the old SS forum and found some people using them. Someone mentioned that the duece doesn't have enough power to pull a M146 up hills so that worries me a bit. I really want a duece with a trailer camper and this looks like just the ticket but I don't want to struggle driving it anywhere (especially with all my crap in the trailer)

Thanks for the pics though, they were great.