M116A3 question

[smokem joe]

I have one that sits a little higher than I'd like for towing with my vehicle. I know I could change the tires and wheels and lower it, but it would be far cheaper to be able to lower the pintle by a few inches. I think the DRASH trailers had an adjustable pintle setup welded on most of them instead of just a welded pintle. The other advantage would be the ability to put a 2" or 2-5/16" ball hitch on it with only a couple bolts to change. Anyone know the part number for this part on the DRASH or made this themselves? The adjustable channel with pintle or ball hitch is about $50 and I can weld it together, but if it is available already made that would save me some time.

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

Not sure the part number but that would be a good way to get the hitch a little lower. I’ve got one I’m saving in case I ever want to use it on an m101a3. I got mine as part of a complete front hitch setup.
Here’s a comparison with a stock m116a3 hitch:

 

[smokem joe]

That is exactly what I am looking for! It can be made easily enough, but I'm sure cutting the pintle ring off the existing won't be fun. Can you confirm a model number on a trailer that would be on?

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

I'm not real familiar with the DRASH trailers and the model numbers of them but from what I understand the earliest had a regular lunette like your m116a3. The next generation had the adjustable lunette and then after that they switched over to a different style hitch on the later ones and that's a totally different setup. The complete hitch assemblies on the earlier ones are the same as on the m101/m116 series trailers with surge brakes but they're reinforced and welded to another plate to fit the DRASH trailer frame. If you find the whole thing you can keep the master cylinder, shock absorber, etc. for spares. I found my hitch on eBay a couple years back.

 

[harleyhouse]

Here are a few dropped lunette rings I found on the web.
I do like the adjustable channel design though.

 

[smokem joe]

I might keep an eye on fleabay before I fabricate my own then.

harleyhouse I had found a couple that people had made like that. I'd weld a brace in those for sure if I were to do something like that. Not that an 803 is much weight to be pushing a trailer around, but I have seen to many single axle trailers wrecked on expressways. They tend to walk around more, and if it started to sway some there would be a lot of stress on those drops. I wanted the channel just to be able to adjust height for different vehicle or to switch to ball coupler if I wanted to.

 

[smokem joe]

Actually there is a new one on fleabay right now. I'm not paying $500 for it though! I can make one for about $50 and I wouldn't have but a couple hours in it

 

[harleyhouse]

My Surge lunette was trash from the previous owner so I went with an adjustable channel on my M101A2
Works great. I also use a combo 2" ball pintle.

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

Actually there is a new one on fleabay right now. I'm not paying $500 for it though! I can make one for about $50 and I wouldn't have but a couple hours in it

Yeah I would pass at $500. I think I paid around $200 for the whole assembly I bought. Not terrible considering the price of the shock absorbers as of late.
It's hard to see in my picture but the DRASH hitch also has plate welded on either side in addition to the gussets for the channel.

 

[j10jim]

This is from Mendenhall industries https://www.mendenhallindustries.com/

850626 5 pos. coupler $151.00

Im ordering one next week for my M101A3.

 

[smokem joe]

harleyhouse that one reason I want the channel, to be able to switch from ball to pintle.

Evil Dr Porkchop $200 would be more reasonable for a complete working unit. I'm sure someone will give the guy $500 for a new one but it won't be me!

 

[smokem joe]

This is from Mendenhall industries https://www.mendenhallindustries.com/

850626 5 pos. coupler $151.00

Im ordering one next week for my M101A3.

Hey that is a pretty neat site! Is what you are ordering just a coupler that goes on the military master cylinder or is that a whole replacement? They don't have pictures with a lot of item numbers so hard to tell.

 

[j10jim]

yes, just the coupler. They sell the whole assembly for $398.00. part number 850633.

Mendenhall Industries
4773 Northgate Blvd.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

P: (843) 293-0835
F: (843) 293-0851
calvin@mendenhallindustries.com

 

[smokem joe]

That is better than fleabay pricing!

 

[smokem joe]

Just to provide closure and ideas for others this is what I ended up doing. Channel and pintle were like $40. I cut the old one up and welding this together and hit it with some spray paint I had.

 

[Zed254]

Nice job on the fabrication.....but I can't hold fire.

I believe our couplers are the TA-6 Hydroact from Mendenhall. Croft Trailer has a parts break down. Pages 6 & 7 of the pdf file has the 5 position coupler shown. I cannot find the part listed for sale, though.

https://www.crofttrailer.com/hydro-act-actuators-ta6-ta7-parts-breakdown/

 

[smokem joe]

That helps because while I was in there I discovered the shock is shot. I was going to start looking for the part number. This the most reasonable place to find them?

 

[Zed254]

I saved that pdf file when I first got my generator in early 2017 in case I had problems. I recall seeing shock prices way higher for the M116A3 than for the LTT series of trailers and that did not make sense to me. Armed with the part number you need I would start searching various sites. I think etrailer has parts for the LTT trailers. Marine supply sites also sell trailer parts. Croft, I think, is pretty high for that piston.

Just stumbled around the net: cheapest price I found was at Croft for the 1844-2 Hydro-Act Actuator Damper Shock. Now if you need HMMWV shocks they are all over the auction site for WAY less $$.