Just bought a water buffalo, M107A2 I think. What do I need to pull her home?

[cogniz55]

Hi folks.
This site has been a great source of inspiration (maybe some envy, too) and I finally dipped my toe into the world of military surplus.
I just won a Zero Mfg. Water trailer. $550 plus fees. It's in Albany, GA and I'm Savannah. Any tips on showing up prepared for the tow home is greatly appreciated. Specifically, how to unlock the brakes. My vehicle is rated to 10k lbs. and I'm comfortable towing heavy weights. But I've never snatched up a military style trailer.

Thanks, y'all!

Cog
Savannah, GA

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

Welcome to the site.
Looks like a stainless m149a2 buffalo, the m107 is much older. The brakes will roll free if there is no air in the tank.
You’ll want a pintle hook, some chains to extend the safety chains (they’re often too short depending on the hitch), and you’ll want some magnetic lights or other tow lights (the lights on it are probably 24v with a military 12 pin plug).

 

[cogniz55]

Hugely helpful. Thank you, Dr.!

 

[NDT]

Maybe check under the wheel bearing caps for rust or water given the sale disclosure.

 

[SgtMajHarper]

Also if you are towing it home with something other than a military vehicle and NOT using the military lights that are mounted on the trailer, BE SURE to tie up the trailer wiring plug in so it doesn't fall to the ground and get ground off against the pavement. 1 minute of safety wiring that puppy to the trailer frame will save you lots of internet searching, trowing tools, spending money and using the curse vocabulary later trying to buy a replacement. (Not that I would know of a guy that suffered thru that myself)

 

[cogniz55]

Bearing caps, bring a grease gun. Thanks, NDT.
SMH, I hear you loud and clear. Wisdom. Thank you.

 

[DMax82]

Congratulations! I had that item on my watch list but forgot about it until seeing this post...lol. Looks like a real nice one. What is your intended use if you don't mind me asking?

 

[DeadParrot]

Something to check and adjust air pressure in the tires. Proper sized tool to remove tire, just in case. Jack to handle same. If you have it, you won't need it. If you don't have it....

Most military trailers expect a more elevated hitch then the average civilian trailer. Most under bumper receiver hitches are too low unless the tow vehicle sits high. Imagine all that stuff behind the ring in your picture being 4 or 5 inches off the ground. Now imagine the results if your tow vehicle enters a nice deep pothole or steep driveway slope.

Nice looking trailer BTW.

 

[glcaines]

That is definitely an M149A2 water buffalo. I have one I recovered from Camp Lejeune several years ago. Looks like a nice trailer. I agree with the previous comments. One caution I have is to not lift the front end any higher than you need to as the trailer can flip over backwards very easily. I towed mine home with an F150 pickup without difficulty and used a set of portable towing lights for the trailer. If you plan on using it for potable water, I highly recommend thoroughly washing out the tank with clean water and chlorox to decontaminate it. You will have no idea what someone may have put in the tank previously - assume the worst. You can likely smell it if anyone has put fuel in it.

 

[porkysplace]

Welcome to the site.
Looks like a stainless m149a2 buffalo, the m107 is much older. The brakes will roll free if there is no air in the tank.
You’ll want a pintle hook, some chains to extend the safety chains (they’re often too short depending on the hitch), and you’ll want some magnetic lights or other tow lights (the lights on it are probably 24v with a military 12 pin plug).

Unless the handbrakes are set and don't want to release.

 

[juanprado]

some wd40 / jb blaster to spray onto the 2 pins/round cylinders that slide back and forth to lock the landing gear. The handle is pulled up but those pins like to seize/bind up. could be why the leg is not extended for storage.

a farm / hi-lift jack might be handy to bring that puppy level to hook up unless you are bring some help

 

[cogniz55]

This is all fantastic information. Thank you, gentlemen.
I'm making a list of brings...

 

[porkysplace]

This is all fantastic information. Thank you, gentlemen.
I'm making a list of brings...

Here is the link for the Technical Manual for it ; [h=1]Trailer TM for M149 Water Buffalo[/h]

 

[Zed254]

Search the SS site for info like this: https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?29458-M105-Trailer-Recovery-Brakes-on-Fire

https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?160947-Getting-a-MEP-803a-Home

I've only picked up 4 trailers but all needed air in the tires: take an air tank and/or air pump. I bought a civ truck to mil trailer adapter and took some 12 volt light bulbs....but had the magnetic trailer lights as back up with lots of zip ties. A temperature gun is nice to have to check wheel temps....or use your hand periodically. I had a hot bearing on an M1101 out of Bragg. Wish I had the correct wrench to back off the axle castle nut on that trip....had to keep stopping at every rest area for the bearings to rest. As noted above the safety chains will be too short: bring some extra shackles and/or chain so you can stretch them. I've never messed with a 105 type trailer but understand they are very heavy and yours shows as having a broken landing gear: plan for that. Sometimes the guys at the pickup point (Chambersburg, PA did for me) will set the trailer onto your pintle hook. Call ahead and ask. And take a Check List for your inspection and preparation tasks: you don't want to forget something and get on the road and notice......the trailer brakes are still engaged. Hopefully, it will be a fun recovery.

 

[Scrounger]

As already posted, that is a M149A2 water trailer. They are based on the M103 trailer and will tow like a M105.

If one looks at thread
https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?38402-Towing-a-M105a2-w-civilian-Pick-Up/page10
post number 98 there is a full listing of things to have.

On your trailer it has a new tire on the left and a near new on the right so I would suspect there shouldn’t be a tire issue. If you don’t have a portable air supply just bring a tire gauge to check the air pressure. If it needs air, even a low tire can make it to a place off site to fill it.

The power cord has been unhooked from the connector group; however, the group has been zip tied down so that is already covered. The air lines will need to be secured before towing.

The only issue that I can see is there is something in the right hole that the locking pin for the landing gear goes in when the gear is up. There are a couple of ways to address it if the item can’t be removed and the gear can’t be locked in the up position. A quick and dirty way is to remove the nut that holds the gear and remove the gear, one can see the nut and the item in the hole in this image.



The other would be to bring a metal bar to place across the front of the trailer and some chains to secure the gear.
It looks as though the handle on the back of the landing gear has been bent. That will have to be addressed sometime in the future. This image shows the bent handle and a different angle of the item that is sticking up that may prevent locking the gear up.

 

[cogniz55]

Zed.
The 12v bulb idea is very logical. Do you have any guidance on what style bulbs would work in this trailer? And the mil trailer adapter, where might I find one?
Point taken on the bearings and landing gear. I was planning on a floor jack and bottle jack too.

 

[Zed254]

Scrounger caught the fact that your trailer's electrical wiring has been disconnected, so no need for 12v bulbs or the mil trailer adapter until you get back home. Search the SS site and you'll find LED options, too, for lights: https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?76647-Bulbs-12-volt-24-volt-trailer-lights-info

Erik's has the mil trailer adapter: https://www.eriksmilitarysurplus.com/mitradcamtro.html

Again, your trailer's electrical cord has been disconnected, so you'll need the magnet/zip tie assembly to get home. Trailer adapter is needless expense unless you plan on several more trailer recoveries.

A floor jack may not provide adequate height to get trailer tongue to your truck's pintel hook without a lot of dunnage: juanprado suggested a farm type hi-lift jack. These jacks will give you the height you need but can slip on you if you don't have a secure lift point....at least mine did one time.

 

[cogniz55]

Got it. Farm jack. Magnetic tow lights. Thanks again, Zed.

 

[Another Ahab]

Congratulations! I had that item on my watch list but forgot about it until seeing this post...lol. Looks like a real nice one. What is your intended use if you don't mind me asking?

What's the plan?


Drip-feed your prize Orchid?

 

[maddawg308]

I'd go one step further, and suggest getting a flatbed car trailer to winch your new water trailer onto, for the ride home. Bring some of the heaviest duty ratchet straps, or chains and binders (whichever you prefer, the latter is better but not necessary) to strap it down to your car trailer. That way you don't have to worry too much about bringing a new, unfamiliar trailer home on its maiden voyage, it's strapped down to something you are familiar with, and probably is a lot safer to tow behind your truck.

Better to bring the trailer home, then work out any possible mechanical, electrical, or safety related problems at home or at low speed around your local area, then taking a leap of faith and testing all these things out on a main road at high speeds with others on the road around you.