Rise Pintle Hook Setup

[Crawdaddy]

The EUC cleared unexpectedly fast (8 days, first EUC ever) on my M105A2 I won at Fort Polk. This is a 4.5 hour drive each way for me. So now I'm in a scramble to assemble everything I'll need to tow it home. I've been trying to locate a trailer to load it on, but can't find one. So, I'm going to need a rise pintle hook plate and pintle hook. I'm trying to keep all the pieces I need to source local so I can just drive and pick them up. The local places I can think of that would have pintle hook stuff are TSC, Habor Freight, Lowes, Home Depot, and the local trailer shop.

At Tractor supply, I found an 11 inch rise/drop pintle hook plate: Farm & Ranch Pintle Mounting Plate, 11 in. Shaft - 1891593 | Tractor Supply Company .
I'm assuming that'll work with the pintle hooks they're selling like this one: Farm & Ranch 8 Ton Pintle Hook with 7 Ton Ball - 1890806 | Tractor Supply Company .

Other things that I've identified as things I'll need for this recovery are magnetic lights, spare tire from deuce, floor jack, 2-1/2" socket and breaker bar, other wreches, sockets, etc, fire extinguisher. I'm trying to find a friend to make the ride with me, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to find one in time.

I know that the lunette ring on the trailer is right at 36" off the ground in it's stock configuration, and that they typically do not like to come loose in the GL yard to flip them to get them low for more level towing. I'm going to be pulling it with a 3/4 ton 91 Suburban. Do ya'll think the pintle hook parts I've outlined will be acceptable for me to make thing long of a recovery with this trailer? I'm not looking for perfectly level towing, I just don't want to flip the trailer, truck, or both.

 

[Crawdaddy]

I just called the local trailer shop and they can get me a 13" rise plate for $101 and the pintle for $100, so I can get 2 extra inches out of it and the trailer shop is on my way home from work.

When I get home I'll measure the Suburban and figure out how close I'll be to the 36" mark.

 

[Recovry4x4]

You will be fine with what you outlined. I have a nearly identical setup on my 91 Burb and have recovered many a 105 with it. Let me think.....4 that I recall and one had a canned multifuel in the back. I run with the tailgate flat and tarps removed and they move just fine. The cheaper magnetic lights won't hang on even to a flat tailgate so add some duct tape. One of my observations of late is that the combo hitches with the ball are much more sloppier than a straight pintle. I will be swapping mine back as I have other hitches.

Link to pics http://www.steelsoldiers.com/military-vehicle-road-trips/53483-m105-recovered-today-pics.html

 

[Crawdaddy]

Thanks for the tips Recovery. The lady on the phone gave me the option between a true pintle and a "combo" pintle/ball and I figured more options were better. It's also encouraging to hear that the Suburban shouldn't have much issue towing it.

I'm just really worried about this recovery because it's the longest one I've done and with my luck and not previewing the lot (I know I should have...this was an impulse bid I didn't expect to win), I'm bound to get there and find the brakes locked up, catch the bearings on fire, or have a flat.

 

[Preacherboy]

I purchase a hitch with 8 bolt holes (4 on each side) about a 10" rise. I then went to a local steel place and purcahse a 20" long, same width as the hitch, 1/2" thick plate steel. I drilled holes in the steel, bolted it to my hitch, and bolted the pintle hook to it.

At this point I added a piece of angle iron which went from the hitch to the top of thenew piece of steel for reinforcement.

This set up cost around a $100 and gave me a hitch height of 36" which I needed, I recovered it fine, 8 hours round trip.

 

[Recovry4x4]

You should be just fine. In my life I've probably recovered 20 M105s and towed everyone of them home with my dually or burb. Take grease some bailing wire, hammer and chisel and lug wrench so that in the event you had a super dry bearing, you can fix it up. Bailing wire is always necessary and you can use it as a cotter pin if you need to. Other than weighing 2650# they tow like a dream. My burb even has a slighly sick 6.2 diesel.

 

[Preacherboy]

I recovered mine with my wife's 2004 Tahoe!

 

[dittle]

If you're going to keep towing the trailer with your civi vehicle once you get it home flip the trailer lunette so it will tow flat as well.

 

[TIGERFANS2]

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/members/tigerfans2-albums-m105a2.html


you'll do fine, I prefer staying in the slow lane of a divided, limited access hiway, remember you have no trailer brakes and drive waaaaay ahead

 

[drgreg]

I extended my hitch with channel iron, it is now full height with room to go up. The ratchet straps are for side movement, the trailers would sway some without it.
An extended hitch will require longer safety chains. Take along a length of chain and a few chain couplings.

 

[Crawdaddy]

In the future once I get it home, the deuce will be doing the towing of it, except in certain extenuating circumstances. Flipping the lunette at my convenience when I get home will likely be done if I tow it with one of my civy trucks after this. I'm going to give it a quick try to flip the lunette at the yard, but I don't expect to suceed and therefore won't spend a lot of time trying. From what I've read it takes a big combination wrench and lots of penetrating lube and patience.