New guy - First post - Just picked up my M101A1!

[ProximityX]

Welcome to the group! Yours looks like it's already flipped - mine is normal in the down position (for HMMWV). I recently picked up an M1101 from Fort Bragg and flipped the lunette ring to the UP position. Thought it was going to be a big deal but did it by hand in less than a minute. The bad part is the surge brakes don't work with it flipped since there's no groove for the lever when it's flipped (not sure if yours is the same). Now it tows level behind the 1078 and looks great too. Congrats on your purchase - looks really nice behind the jeep!

 

[harleyhouse]

Excellent purchase. Now that you have the trailer bug it will be fun.
Matching paint with natural Oak wood would be very nice.
The 101 trailers are a nice size behind the four door Jeeps.
Have you been over to Expedition Portal yet to see the crazy builds there?

I love my M101A2 it has been a great adventure rebuilding it. Red one
My build. http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?82301-Rebuilding-MY-m101a2-BY-harleyhouse&highlight=

 

[escher]

Hey!!! You sir are the reason I started this!!! I read your build thread and decided to go for it! LOL!! Great work by the way!

Excellent purchase. Now that you have the trailer bug it will be fun.
Matching paint with natural Oak wood would be very nice.
The 101 trailers are a nice size behind the four door Jeeps.
Have you been over to Expedition Portal yet to see the crazy builds there?

I love my M101A2 it has been a great adventure rebuilding it. Red one
My build. http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?82301-Rebuilding-MY-m101a2-BY-harleyhouse&highlight=

 

[escher]

Welcome to the group! Yours looks like it's already flipped - mine is normal in the down position (for HMMWV). I recently picked up an M1101 from Fort Bragg and flipped the lunette ring to the UP position. Thought it was going to be a big deal but did it by hand in less than a minute. The bad part is the surge brakes don't work with it flipped since there's no groove for the lever when it's flipped (not sure if yours is the same). Now it tows level behind the 1078 and looks great too. Congrats on your purchase - looks really nice behind the jeep!

I wish! Nope - My jeep is a bit lower than the lunette... I think it will be perfect once flipped... kindof dreading the process.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Just loosen the nut and drive around the block. Maybe hit some railroad tracks!

 

[ageregunner]

Nice trailer. Welcome from PA.

 

[escher]

WOOHOO!!!! Got it flipped!!!

I bought the Walmart trailer ball wrench and a 10lb sledge. I WD40'd everything this morning before work and re-applied when I got home.

It took about an hour of putting the wrench on - hitting the wrench to move the nut 1/8 of a turn at a time and then taking the wrench off and repeating (its a box end wrench - open end would have been nice!).

After about 20 minutes of that process, the lunette broke free on its own... once I got the nut far enough of, it flipped with no issues.

Got 'er all back together and had to run to a dinner meeting... so I'll do the wiring tomorrow and hopefully a test drive!

Thanks to this forum for the info on the Walmart wrench as that was the part I needed! Best $10 I ever spent!

 

[DeadParrot]

I recommend you check the bearings soon. When I bought mine via a GL auction, it was on a nearby Guard base. During the 20 or so mile tow home, the bearings stayed cool. But when I later pulled them to double check, I found one side had a race that could have passed for a NASA moon terrain simulator. The other side had been torqued so tight that the bearing supports were bent and rubbing the race. They were well greased which probably helped keep them cool.

You will need a 2 9/16" 8pt socket. I got mine from Autozone.

You got lucky on the lunette nut. The rust and paint holding mine on was so effective that the nut broke during attempts to loosen it. Four foot cheater bars were involved.

 

[escher]

I recommend you check the bearings soon. When I bought mine via a GL auction, it was on a nearby Guard base. During the 20 or so mile tow home, the bearings stayed cool. But when I later pulled them to double check, I found one side had a race that could have passed for a NASA moon terrain simulator. The other side had been torqued so tight that the bearing supports were bent and rubbing the race. They were well greased which probably helped keep them cool.

You will need a 2 9/16" 8pt socket. I got mine from Autozone.

Thanks for the advice - I had planned on it, but I'll move it up the list. Also - thanks for the info on the socket!

 

[escher]

Ok - School me on tires!

I found a place nearby that will replace my tires. Its a Fleet service company that deals with Semi's. They will do it for $45 per tire.

So - I need to know what all I will need. Is it mandatory to replace tubes and flaps (not sure what those are?) with the tire change? If so, do you have a list of sizes, etc?

I found some sources for new 900X16 NDT tires, so I'm good there.

 

[escher]

Dug out some info on Garbee's site - included here for future reference:
"Mike (who is an tire guy with many years experience) sent me the following information from his Michelin truck & off the road tire data books (1971 Michelin technical data book):

• 9.00R16 - Michelin tube 16N9, with a 1-16 or 170-16 Michelin flap, valve stem on tube is # 570 (metal)
• 11.00R16 - Michelin tube 16P9 or 16P, with a 6M16 Michelin flap, valve stem on tube is # 1339 (metal)

The1971 Michelin technical data book shows the 9.00r16 and 11.00r16 made in the XS "Sahara" design which in these sizes were all "tube type" at the time as they were fitted to the Power Wagon 6.50x16 wheel as the Power Wagon chassis were in use all over the world.
The later type XL, XZL, XML are all decendents of the "SAHARA" desert tires.
Always check with your Michelin truck /off the road tire dealer..."

 

[gimpyrobb]

It can't hurt to use new tubes, you don't want to have to do.it again do ya?

I have some new tubes if your interested.

 

[escher]

Thanks - I'm not quite ready yet, but possibly in a few weeks. Wife is still having palpitations over the purchase of the trailer... if I tell her it'll be almost as much for tires I'll need to seriously consider sleeping in it.

 

[escher]

My sympathies for not being able to keep the camouflage.

In an interesting turn of events - well maybe not surprising given my previous post... When I was telling my wife my "trailer plans" (all the while she was chanting something about me being obsessed with the trailer.. no idea why??)... She said "wait, you need to buy a new cover, and paint? How much is this going to cost?"

My reply... wait for it...

"Well, it won't cost ANYTHING if we just keep the camo!"

She grunted "Fine.."

Done and done - camo it is! LOL!!!!

Edit to add: I am still planning to redo the wood as its paint is flaking badly and I'm sure it needs a good drink of oil.

 

[Whiterabbit]

Hello from Georgia!
If you do any sanding of that paint either keep it wet or use a fan and dust mask. That dust is bad stuff.

Nice trailer too!

 

[Cape Coastie]

Welcome from Cape Cod and nice trailer. My military trailer purchase, M105A2, caused me to have to buy a 5 ton M923! Watch out the green disease is pretty bad. My trailer is a little larger than yours as you can see I the photo!

 

[escher]

Hello from Georgia!
If you do any sanding of that paint either keep it wet or use a fan and dust mask. That dust is bad stuff.

Nice trailer too!

Thanks - and thank you for the warning!

So - I finished things up today. I lopped off the end of the NATO connector and used my continuity tester to trace each wire back to the junction and marked them all - then used the wiring info sticky to get my 4-flat connector going.

I also had to add some quick links to my hitch as the chains weren't long enough and topped it off with a rubber coupling over the pintle to quiet things a bit.

To top it off we hitched up and went to the grocery store!

I never thought I would want to pull a trailer for fun... but well, yeah, now I'm that guy! Going to have to find reasons to haul it..lol!

 

[paraclete comes]

WELCOME! Glad to see you got yourself a nice trailer, they are so well built. I have had a couple myself and loved everyone of them. I sold my 101a1 and blessed a friend with my a2 after tuning her up. He loves it just as much as I did and likely gets more use out of it. were now running an a3 and a 416 and love both of them. I have no doubt that trailer will serve all of your needs. We too kept ours loaded up for emergencies as we've been through our fair share of hurricanes and earthquakes we understand the need to have a little back up plan.

Something you might consider if you haven't done the new tires yet is to match the trailer to the tow rig. If you pick up a set of spare rims (maybe 3) from a junk yard or craigs list you save big money. The hub pattern doesnt match the jeep, but a good trailer shop can order you proper parts or just get an adapter. On our 416 we swapped axles to match the tow vehicle how nice it is.

Our larger trailer already matched our tow vehicle, so that was handy. But that way you carry just one spare for everything and in a inch can ditch the trailer and keep rolling in the tow rig if you have multiple flats. we also found a dirty deal on CL for appropriate sized tires on our m101a3 as well, just a thought. I find for our uses the matching tires and rims is time and money well spent.

Again welcome and looks like you and the kids will love that trailer. My wife really came around when we moved and when we go camping. Allows us to bring what we want to be very comfortable and saved tons of money on the move. Also like you mentioned loaded and ready to go provides a whole lot of peace and comfort, just hook up and roll out.

 

[escher]

Thanks for the welcome! Sounds like you've been having a lot of fun with your trailers!

Yeah, I've gone down the thought process of matching the tow vehicle and having common spares, etc. While that makes a LOT of sense - I really dont want to change the trailer in any way from its original form except for maybe adding some anchor points or custom hold downs and possibly benches.

The funny thing about this is, now that my wife has decided to live with the Camo - I really want to keep it as original as possible.

I've temporarily added my flat-4 adapter but I think I may go so far as to get the NATO adapter and actually wire a separate circuit so I can run the black-out lamps as well via a switch on the dash.

I can see what you guys mean when you say this hobby is addictive. Luckily I don't have the funds for a truck, or the space! I can totally see me buying a deuce and my wife making me live in the garage!

 

[escher]

Is it a bad sign that I'm researching adding blackout lamps to my jeep? lol!