Augi
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I won a pair of M101A3's at Barstow and I decided to take the HMMWV down there to pick them both up in one go. To tow them both at once required stacking one on the back of the other.
Flipping them was harder and more time consuming then I expected because of one thing: I assumed after reading other people's posts that the trailers would stand on their tailgates unsupported. They won't.
All we used were two guys, the winch on the truck, snatch block, one shackle, two tow straps, four 2" ratchet straps. and some wood to put into the bow pockets. Of course I also had the tools to check over the trailers for roadworthy-ness as well.
Once we figured out the right method, it worked out great. Nobody got killed and only a few minor scratches to the paint.
This was the first attempt that didn't work:
1. Position the truck behind the first trailer.
2. Attach the winch line to the tongue using a tow strap and pull the first trailer up vertical. It helps to have the second person lift the tongue up as high as they can (so the tail of the trailer hits the ground) before letting the winch take over.
3. Position the second trailer between the truck and the first trailer with the pintle facing the truck (picture below).
4. Strap the two trailers together with a ratchet strap. This keeps the first trailer from falling down when the when the winch line is unhooked.
5. Unhook the winch line and move the truck around to the other side (picture below).
6. Attach the snatch block to the tongue of the vertical trailer and run the winch line through the snatch block and hook it to the tongue of the second trailer.
7. The intent is to winch the second trailer up vertical as well. To keep the first trailer from falling back down, crank the ratchet strap as the winch pulls. Ultimately this did not work and both trailers fell down right side up. The ratchet strap couldn't keep up with the winch because we had to keep unwinding it and resetting as the ratchet spool filled up with line.
This was the second attempt:
1. Position the trailers back to back with about two feet of space between the tailgates (enough so that when they both flip up, the tops are touching).
2. Position the truck facing the trailers so all three are in a line.
3. Attach the snatch block to the tongue of the far trailer using the tow strap and shackle.
4. Run the winch line over the top of both trailers, through the snatch block at the tongue of the far trailer, and double it back to the tongue of the near trailer. Attach it to the tongue of the near trailer using the tow strap.
5. Reel in the winch line and the trailers will stand up like a clamshell. In theory. Actually both trailers will raise up until the tails hit the ground, and then the far trailer will be pulled vertical because it is being pulled twice as hard as the near trailer (I hoped they would both pull up vertically together, but physics had other ideas).
6. Once the far trailer is vertical, strap the trailers together with 2" ratchet straps at the front bed lifting points (picture below).
7. Disconnect the winch line and move the truck around to the other side (behind the far trailer).
8. Connect the winch line to the tongue of the far trailer (which is now the near trailer, and vertical) and take up the slack. This is to prevent the vertical trailer from pulling over on top of the horizontal trailer as you ratchet it up.
9. Use the ratchet straps to ratchet the horizontal trailer up to the vertical position. We actually used two straps on each side. Ratchet until the spool is full of strap. Then ratchet with the second strap until it is full. Then release the first strap and reset it. Repeat until vertical (picture below)!
10. As the horizontal trailer comes close to the vertical position, insert the wood into a couple of the bow pockets to lock the two together.
11. Tighten down the ratchet straps now that the trailers are together.
12. Use the winch to pull on the tongue of one of the trailers until they fall down, one on top of the other. The fall was not violent at all and nothing was damaged.
13. Remove the straps and replace them in the X configuration below (front and back) and you are ready to move.
In hindsight, I think the best way to do this is a combination of the two methods (the first part of the first method combined with the second part of the second method).
1. Use the winch to pull the first trailer vertical.
2. Move the second trailer between the truck and the first trailer.
3. Lift the tongue of the second trailer by hand until the tail hits the ground.
4. Strap the trailers together using 2" ratchet straps at the front bed lifting points.
5. Move the truck around to the back and hook the winch line back up to the tongue of the first (vertical) trailer. Take up the slack.
6. Ratchet the horizontal trailer up to vertical.
7. Strap them together and drop.
I hope this helps others who plan to try this out!
BTW the trailers look great. The bottom one can basically be used as-is with the exception of the surge brake shock. I've also drained and re-bled the brake lines. The old fluid was yellow and there was a little water in there, but nothing major. Nothing seriously rusted, just a little discoloration in the master cylinder output side. The top one needs a little brake work I think. The handbrake cables have an inch too much slack and one brake is sticking a little. The rest of the hydraulics look good. Probably needs a surge shock too. It also needs a new electrical cable as the pins are all pushed in.
Augi
Flipping them was harder and more time consuming then I expected because of one thing: I assumed after reading other people's posts that the trailers would stand on their tailgates unsupported. They won't.
All we used were two guys, the winch on the truck, snatch block, one shackle, two tow straps, four 2" ratchet straps. and some wood to put into the bow pockets. Of course I also had the tools to check over the trailers for roadworthy-ness as well.
Once we figured out the right method, it worked out great. Nobody got killed and only a few minor scratches to the paint.
This was the first attempt that didn't work:
1. Position the truck behind the first trailer.
2. Attach the winch line to the tongue using a tow strap and pull the first trailer up vertical. It helps to have the second person lift the tongue up as high as they can (so the tail of the trailer hits the ground) before letting the winch take over.
3. Position the second trailer between the truck and the first trailer with the pintle facing the truck (picture below).
4. Strap the two trailers together with a ratchet strap. This keeps the first trailer from falling down when the when the winch line is unhooked.
5. Unhook the winch line and move the truck around to the other side (picture below).
6. Attach the snatch block to the tongue of the vertical trailer and run the winch line through the snatch block and hook it to the tongue of the second trailer.
7. The intent is to winch the second trailer up vertical as well. To keep the first trailer from falling back down, crank the ratchet strap as the winch pulls. Ultimately this did not work and both trailers fell down right side up. The ratchet strap couldn't keep up with the winch because we had to keep unwinding it and resetting as the ratchet spool filled up with line.
This was the second attempt:
1. Position the trailers back to back with about two feet of space between the tailgates (enough so that when they both flip up, the tops are touching).
2. Position the truck facing the trailers so all three are in a line.
3. Attach the snatch block to the tongue of the far trailer using the tow strap and shackle.
4. Run the winch line over the top of both trailers, through the snatch block at the tongue of the far trailer, and double it back to the tongue of the near trailer. Attach it to the tongue of the near trailer using the tow strap.
5. Reel in the winch line and the trailers will stand up like a clamshell. In theory. Actually both trailers will raise up until the tails hit the ground, and then the far trailer will be pulled vertical because it is being pulled twice as hard as the near trailer (I hoped they would both pull up vertically together, but physics had other ideas).
6. Once the far trailer is vertical, strap the trailers together with 2" ratchet straps at the front bed lifting points (picture below).
7. Disconnect the winch line and move the truck around to the other side (behind the far trailer).
8. Connect the winch line to the tongue of the far trailer (which is now the near trailer, and vertical) and take up the slack. This is to prevent the vertical trailer from pulling over on top of the horizontal trailer as you ratchet it up.
9. Use the ratchet straps to ratchet the horizontal trailer up to the vertical position. We actually used two straps on each side. Ratchet until the spool is full of strap. Then ratchet with the second strap until it is full. Then release the first strap and reset it. Repeat until vertical (picture below)!
10. As the horizontal trailer comes close to the vertical position, insert the wood into a couple of the bow pockets to lock the two together.
11. Tighten down the ratchet straps now that the trailers are together.
12. Use the winch to pull on the tongue of one of the trailers until they fall down, one on top of the other. The fall was not violent at all and nothing was damaged.
13. Remove the straps and replace them in the X configuration below (front and back) and you are ready to move.
In hindsight, I think the best way to do this is a combination of the two methods (the first part of the first method combined with the second part of the second method).
1. Use the winch to pull the first trailer vertical.
2. Move the second trailer between the truck and the first trailer.
3. Lift the tongue of the second trailer by hand until the tail hits the ground.
4. Strap the trailers together using 2" ratchet straps at the front bed lifting points.
5. Move the truck around to the back and hook the winch line back up to the tongue of the first (vertical) trailer. Take up the slack.
6. Ratchet the horizontal trailer up to vertical.
7. Strap them together and drop.
I hope this helps others who plan to try this out!
BTW the trailers look great. The bottom one can basically be used as-is with the exception of the surge brake shock. I've also drained and re-bled the brake lines. The old fluid was yellow and there was a little water in there, but nothing major. Nothing seriously rusted, just a little discoloration in the master cylinder output side. The top one needs a little brake work I think. The handbrake cables have an inch too much slack and one brake is sticking a little. The rest of the hydraulics look good. Probably needs a surge shock too. It also needs a new electrical cable as the pins are all pushed in.
Augi
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