Just Purchased a M105 Trailer and need some help.

[Xterratuff]

I purchased the trailer from a guy in Winchester. Not sure where he got it from.

I have been looking for a manual for it or a -10, but haven't had any luck. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Also, I want to keep the orginal lights,but re-wrie to use 12 volts. Has anyone doen this before an can give me a quick how to?

One other question I have, has anyone ever put a smaller wheel and tire on one to help level the trailer when being pulled by normal truck? I love the look of the original wheels, but it's not very practical for any of the things I will be using the trailer for.

Are there any wheel and tire combo's I can use that look like the originals, but is only about 33 inches tall?

I apologize if these questions have already been answered elswhere, but my search and internet connection is not the greatest.

Thanks!

 

[mangus580]

Do a search using the link on the left hand side, the manual should turn up in the TM section.

 

[maddawg308]

I have two .pdfs of M105 trailer manuals, one is TM 9-2330-213-14&P, the other TM 9-2330-324-14&P. I'll upload them to the site ASAP.

 

[CGarbee]

Also, I want to keep the orginal lights,but re-wrie to use 12 volts. Has anyone doen this before an can give me a quick how to?
Thanks!

You don't say what you are pulling it with... but:
To change it out to 12v, just swap the 24v bulbs that are in the light fixtures with equivalent ones in 12v (I have a table on my website with the cross numbers), or install LED lights so that you can go 10-36v (there are more than one thread on this site with LED info, just do a search...).
http://www.garbee.net/~cabell/12voltconversion.htm

For the plug: If you are going to be pulling it behind a non-MV, you can remove the intervehicular cable (it plugs into the trailer harness on the tongue) and replace it with a civilian setup (get the parts at your local trailer supply place). Or, if you think that you might pull it behind a MV at some point, get a trailer receptacles from Saturn Surplus (or similar), and wire up an adapter that you can plug into your tow vehicles' plug that you can then plug your trailer cable into...

Where are you in Lynchburg? It's my hometown...

 

[Xterratuff]

RE: Re: Just Purchased a M105 Trailer and need some help.

Right now I live on Fort Avenue, but we are in the process of buying a house in Wildwood off of 460. Thanks for the help guys. I have an 01 Xterra that I am pulling this with right now. As long as I don't load it down and try to pull up long steep hills I'm okay.

I would love to keep this trailer as close to the original setup as possible. I think I will check into swapping out the light bulbs like you mentioned and then get the adapter at Saturn Surplus.

 

[Recovry4x4]

RE: Re: Just Purchased a M105 Trailer and need some help.

Find a pair of wheels and tires off an Int'l lowpro. Think they are 19.5s but they are low!

 

[CGarbee]

RE: Re: Just Purchased a M105 Trailer and need some help.

Grandma used to live on Rhode Island (off Fort Ave...). My parents are off Boonsboro... Used to swim at the pool in Wildwood with friends when it was new...

To clarify: Saturn isn't selling an adapter, they just have the recepticle with pigtails that is mounted to the towing vehicle that the cable on the trailer plugs in to... You'll have to get a plug that mates to your towing vehicle and hook it up to the pigtails on the recepticle, then you'll have an adapter...

 

[Xterratuff]

RE: Re: Just Purchased a M105 Trailer and need some help.

Boonsboro is a nice area. Fort Avenue is starting to go down hill now though.

Oh, thanks for clearing that up. My trailer still has the original recepticle, so I just need to wire it to the pigtails then.

 

[rdixiemiller]

RE: Re: Just Purchased a M105 Trailer and need some help.

I think the little Hino trucks have a 16 or 16.5 dual wheel that has the deuce bolt pattern. They might be good on the M105 trailer, just have to watch the drum clearance.

 

[Xterratuff]

Thanks! I found a dealer about 30 minutes from where I live and will check on the Hino wheels.

 

[Xterratuff]

Well, bad news... I can't get smaller wheels or tires. My only option is to swap out the axle which I hate to do, but I plan to use this trailer and it needs to be practical.

So now I'm looking at trailer axles with 6 lug 5.5 " hubs. I need to measure the current axle to get the width when I get home.

I think I've found the female plug from a duece that I can plug my trailer into also. I'm going to mount the female plug onto my truck and wire the modern harness to it on the back side of it. This way I can plug my trailer harness into my civilian truck just like on a duece..

Anyone know of a cheap place to get the trailer axle I need?

 

[rdixiemiller]

There are other choices. You can weld deuce wheel centers into any wheel that will clear the drums. I have seen HMMv wheels modified for this purpose. They are plentiful, inexpensive, and look right.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Why not get an Xterra axle from the bone yard?

 

[ARMYMAN30YearsPlus]

Xterra:
Look in my album to see what I did to my M105 when I did not have a duece to pull it with. I can easily cut off what I welded on and it has hauled 8,000 pounds gross in our move from PA to MD it was full of tools. It tows very well with my Suburban or a pick up truck.

 

[Xterratuff]

Armyman, that's a pretty nifty solution. The only thing though is I have my Xterra lifted as high as it will go without doing a solid axle swap. and I still can't see behind the trailer with the duece wheels on there. I've found a brand new straight axle for about 150 bucks and it's rated at 6k lbs. It has the right bolt pattern I'm looking for also. Getting a rim to clear the hubs wouldn't help me much because they are huge too. This way I can get a steel 15 inch rim and put a meaty looking 31 to 33 inch tire on it and still look okay. It will drop the trailer down at least 7 inches, plus reduce the weight quite a bit to make it easier to pull with my 6 cyl. X.

I'm checking into finding an old Xterra axle at the junk yards too. Just incase that would be cheaper.

One of my main uses of the trailer will be to take it with me when I camp and go offroading. So would like to keep the articulation of the pintle reciever vs. a ball hitch.

So my plans so far are:

1) swap axles and put smaller tires on there.
2) Swap the 24v lights for 12v lights
3) Sand / sandblast it.
4) Repaint it OD green
5) Hurculine the inside of the trailer.
6) Have the original wire harness attach to the bumper of my truck.

 

[CGarbee]

I know that you already have the M105, but have you ever considered that a M101 might be a better match for what you are planning to use the trailer for? Heck, if you got a M101A2, you'd even get one with surge brakes and the CUCV bolt pattern for the wheels...

M101 has a cross country payload of 1500 lbs and a highway rating of 2250. Empty trailer weighs in at 1340.

Same bassic look and feel as the M105, but a closer match in size to your Xterra...

Photos of one of mine are located at:
http://www.garbee.net/~cabell/photos9.htm

They have been cutting them loose at Bragg off and on for the last six months or so for reasonable money...

 

[Xterratuff]

Yea, I would have prefered the 101, but the 105 was practically given to me... (almost). I think I'll be happy with the 105 once I drop the height down a little. It's a fun project to say the least. I'll be keeping the axle and tires just in case my dream of owning a duece and a half comes true one day. I'll slap the big tires and axle back on and just pull it behind the duece. For now it this gives me a fun project to work on and if I can come across a 101 I can always sell the 105 if I need to, but I'm looking forward to the body work, sanding, and painting it so it will look like new again... just with smaller wheels...lol..

 

[CGarbee]

I hear ya'... I'll have to stop by and check it out the next time that I am in Lynchburg visiting familly...
Take lots of photos...

 

[Xterratuff]

Will do!