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How crazy am I? Pulling an M105

Outdoorsman

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Arcadia, Ca.
Oh, not so crazy...I just picked up my recent purchase of a reconditioned M105 that was in San Clemente, Ca. I had to first drive 150 mi. out ot Grandma's near the Salton Sea area to pick up my 1975 Ford F250 Crew-Cab 4X4 with the standard class 3 receiver and a borrowed max. adjustable pindle slider. I ran simple temporary magnetic trailer light kit spliced into my taillight wire. No Brake Lights or Trailer brakes. Even at max. adjustment, there was still quite a bit of an angle there. Unloaded...not an issue. I traveled nearly 200 mi. back with it, and even took the steep short-cut mtn. road that dropped nearly 6,000 feet in about 10 miles. STEEP downgrade. All with horrible brakes on that old truck...that was crazy, but controlled. Towed beautifully, and cruised no problem @ 60mph.
I have just installed a 535 gallon elipticle water tank, which fits perfectly. To addresss angle issue...I am removing the tailgate, and bolting an inverted (flipped over) class 3 receiver on TOP on the bed floor and through the TOP rails of the frame. With the adjustable pindle slider, the trailer will be level and this configuration will increase max. tongue weight a bit too. 4300 lbs. of water must ride level or tongue weight will be exceeded, especially while stopping.
Advise to get that max. adjustable pindle slider to help reduce the tongue angle and weight distribution...also +1 on the braking distance; give yourself time and room...remember: that is a ton of weight back there. :!:
 
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rottiedog

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New Bern, NC
I towed one of my m-105s with an old Range Rover. I dad to open the tailgate on the trailer to get up to 50mph. It was acting like a parachute back there I think.
 

RedHeadTarn

Member
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6
Location
Colorado Springs, CO
Well obviously you made it back safe and sound... however, here's some pics of when it goes badly.

Couldn't stop in time for a disabled vehicle in the road... trailer swung me around and dumped over...

Anybody know a good way .to get 105 brakes working without an air system?
****...can't upload photos from my phone for some reason... Here's the link to my Facebook album...

Truck Mishap | Facebook
 

91W350

Well-known member
4,414
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48
Location
Salina, Kansas
Thanks for being man enough to post that, it seems like guys just do not want to listen. My M1008 was also overloaded with the M105 behind it, I could pull it and stop it, but not in a panic situation. Maybe your sharing these images will wake a few up, it is just not safe to pull more than about 25 percent of GVW without brakes. Some states have GVW brake laws, normally set at 33 percent or in other words the towing vehicle has to be greater than 66 percent of the GVW if there are no trailer brakes. Guys abuse this all the time, especially pulling bass boats with small pickups or even cars. I think of all the miles I towed my 18' Cajun with my 36 Chevy two door sedan and I was beyond lucky.... Seeing the other side, I would never do it again now. Glen
 

gunboy1656

Active member
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Beaver Falls, PA

BigRig379

Member
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Location
Ozark/Arkansas
I don't know if it's a good way but it is a way. You can go to just about any trailer store and get a hydraulic brake pump and a electric brake controller. hook it up to your brake lines and run a wire to you brake controller, or I suppose you could get electric brakes if you can find a backing plate for that axel.
 

DUG

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Mesquite, NV
Thanks for posting those pics up. When I think of the Jeep towing the stacked 105s or the guy training towing two 105s it sends shivers down my spine. They were LUCKY.

To make M105 brakes work without air -

Remove all the M105 braking system (Including park brakes)
Remove M105 axle/wheels/hubs
Order and install civy axle of the correct rating.

Enjoy!
 

RedHeadTarn

Member
36
0
6
Location
Colorado Springs, CO
And I was on my way to get firewood... I can only imagine what might have happened going back down the pass with an extra 1200 lbs in the back....

And I missed that vehicle in the road by about 10"... it was a small Toyota pickup and I know it would have just been crushed.

Got a ticket from the State patrol for "Careless Driving" (cause if they show up they will write Somebody a ticket)
but the officer didn't file his paperwork so the ticket went away. (I think he felt sorry for me. Also the only one on-scene that recognized a CUCV...)


Almost no body damage to the truck and the trailer only lost the rails...... But oil seeped up on top of my number 7 cylinder and even though I let it sit for several hours, when I started it I blew out the #7 rod and wrist pin.

Had to get a new enginge, and I kick myself even more when I think that I had tools with me that i could have pulled the glow plugs with and prevented that.....


Even wise men make mistakes... they just try not to make them more than once!


P.S. Anybody know what civy axle would work to replace the 105?
 
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AMX

New member
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Location
Walland tn.
To make M105 brakes work without air

Get someone to ride on the trailer tongue to pull the parking brakes when the truck brake lights come on!:jumpin:
 

terrynash

New member
5
0
0
Location
Lilburn, Georgia
I have an '08 Honda Ridgeline (V6) and my M105 towed just fine with the Honda. The rear end was a bit up in the air but that hurts nothing but the looks and gives all the naysayers that always want to gripe about everyone something to do, lol. I got some magnetic towing lights from Harbor Freight for $19 and it was just great. You'll have to be the judge about pulling 2 at once, that might get really tricky stopping and going up hills.
 
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