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MRAP 395's on a M105A2

peashooter

Well-known member
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Location
Hanover, minnesota
Well I figured I'd start what I expect to be a mini build thread for my trailer. I purchased 2 lots of MRAP wheels out of redstone this summer (8 wheels total). My plan is 6 for the M109 and 2 for the trailer. I figure it will make everything match, but I also want the trailer to have them because if I do get a flat on one of the truck wheels, i can just pull one off the trailer and move it up to the truck. I can replace the trailer one with the stock spare tire from the deuce.... of course I would still have to somehow get the 450 lb flat mrap wheel into the trailer.
First off I realize this doesnt fit the fender well. My plan is to at least trim off the fender skirt and make a new one that would make the wheel look as though it was supposed to be there. The clearances dont seem as bad as I thought they might. The inside of the tire clearance to the fender wall is about the same as the stock tire. The tire does stick out past the trailer an inch or 2 but the new fender/ fender skirts I'll make can address this. I honestly cant tell if its physically possible for the tires to hit the fenders (once the side skirts are gone). First off the trailer would have to be way over loaded, and I'd need to run over a pretty large object at a pretty high speed to get that much shackle movement. It still amazes me at the number of leaf spring on these trailers. So Im not concerned with the tires hitting the fenders, At this point I'd say its possible for it to happen, but probably not possible for it to happen unless the driver makes several bad judgements (overloaded trailer, driving over a large object too fast). Since its a trailer with 3 points of contact (2 tires & hitch), its not like the suspension is really going to articulate like the truck would.
I recently got a CBC (cargo box cover) that weighs 500 lbs, and it has at least 1000 lbs of stuff in it besides the cbc So its sitting with nearly 1 ton of stuff in the m105a2 trailer.
Since I live in minnesota Im basically done working on the deuce for the rest of the year since winter is about here. The only reason I mounted the wheels today was so I could get them out of the garage and start getting some cars in there for winter. I plan to finish the few mod parts I will need over the winter and then instal and paint everything in the spring. Please forgive the nasty paint scheme on the MRAP wheels, and camo'd cbc. I primed/painted the wheel adapters I made, and then primed painted over all the bolts and nuts after I mounted them to basically prevent any rust until next spring.
 

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peashooter

Well-known member
1,038
205
63
Location
Hanover, minnesota
Them are some "high dollar" trailer tires, but at least they look good.

Fortunately I won the tires pretty cheap at GL, probably have a total of $200 into each wheel with shipping & GL fees...... of course the trailer didnt cost much more than the wheels. I guess its like the teenager who has a $1000 car with a $3000 stereo:)
 

peashooter

Well-known member
1,038
205
63
Location
Hanover, minnesota
Well I had a sheetmetal company make me 2 metal forms to the below drawing that I'll use to make the new fenders. They charged $25 each. Now I just need some time to cut the stock fenders off.... a plasma cutter would be nice but I dont have one so it may be the sawzall and angle grinder with cutoff wheels. The new fenders will stick out farther, but I'll also change the shape of them so they will match the profile of the larger tires better than the stock shape.
 

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SLOrazorsedge

Member
415
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Location
San Luis Obispo, Ca
Nice concept! I see a new marketing venture. Your going to have to call this an M105A3.1. The M105 trailers with cargo covers are super plentiful and cheap. More guys would grab one for their deuce and particularly their 5 tons!
 

3dAngus

Well-known member
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Location
Perry, Ga.
I doubt we find many people will be putting $1000 worth of wheels and adapters followed by $500 worth of fender mods to a $350 trailer but it sure is unique and cool to see it done.
 
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