Seriously modding an M105a2

[Trango]

Hey Guys


I think this is the right forum for this.



I picked up an M105A2 trailer from a guy on this board, and it's missing a bed. This is perfect, since all I want to do is make a rig hauler from it. I was full steam ahead to put my buggy in the deuce bed, but that would have taken 12' long ramps and some bed mods... i.e. heavy ramps and some serious work on the bed, and even then the top of the roll cage would have been about 12'6" high! TALL!



Has anyone chopped up or messed with one of these before? If so, does anyone have pics? I want to extend the front by 3 feet and also add about 3 feet to the back, and dovetail it in the process for easier loading. I'll probably also put in "dips" for the 53" tires to keep the Center of gravity low...



Also, can you dually these axles - that is to say, can you put two 9.00x20's on each wheel? It looks like this would significantly raise the load rating and safety factor - heck, this thing just looks like it has about a 12,000 lb axle, easy.



Cheers

Bob

 

[Recovry4x4]

Bob, search the web for info on the M353 trailer. It's a big genset trailer with a wild dropped axle configuration. It's rated at 3 1/2 tons and has 11.00x20 tires. They are usually cheap on GL. A friend bought 8 of them in ALbany GA for around $300. Out of the 8 trailers he got I think 5 trailers with new tires. Considering your penchant for fabbing things up, I'll bet this one would be great for what you want.

 

[baja_power]

like this one??


http://cgi.govliquidation.com/auction/view?id=610977&convertTo=USD

 

[Trango]

Hunh. That would still require alot of work...I am almost still better starting with a M105, since I'm still going to have to drive over the wheel wells!

Ah well. I guess I'll just do what I do best - cutting everything apart so I can put it together in my head, and then do my best to put my imagination into metal.

Bob

 

[rdixiemiller]

Bob
I was looking at my trailer, looks like it would not be hard to do. You might build a tilt bed trailer, that to me is often easier than dovetailing.
What about a deuce bed mounted on the M-105? Use deuce Budd nuts to make it a dual wheel trailer. Hinge the bed a little in front of the balance point to allow it to tilt back via gravity, mount a heavy hand winch to pull it back down to the level position after you unload.
I saw a really neat tilt trailer a while back, maybe a factory setup. The trailer has a pair of 15 gallon tanks, one at each end. I believe they are filled with antifreeze and water. There is a little electric pump that shifts the water from one tank to the other to tilt the bed one way or the other. Really cool!

 

[Desert Rat]

Ken and I are looking to do just that with our spare bed and spare 105 chassis (he has two) and make a dual axle dually for the bed to ride on. Lower CG and stable towing characteristics are what we're aiming for.

 

[ken]

Yea you can dual these trailers. I have one i dualed already. Just use the same lugs and inner nuts as on the duece. I have a weight recipt showing were i had 11000# of wet sand in mine. If you decide to dual it the stability improves alot. It's easier to back up also, the wider track keeps it from turning as quick when backing.

 

[Trango]

Hrm... tilt bed sounds interesting....but at the rate I'm going, dovetail will be just the same amount of work, if not easier...

Well, at the very least, it's reassuring to know that other people are thinking along the same lines!

Cheers
Bob

 

[Trango]

Getting there... I ran out of plasma tips this morning at 0300 but I switched to a backup system that took more time but still got me there.

Should have the thing finished 100% by midweek.

Bob

 

[jasonjc]

I think the limt is 8 1/2' or 102" in most states???

 

[Gatnom]

Jason: I think your right, 102 is the max now in just about every state. A large number of trailers have been being built to that spec for the last 8-10 years or so. Dave

 

[stagehc]

hmmmm, bob'd duece pulling a regular duece bed on a dually 105 trailer. Best of both worlds, perhaps worst of both. My wife is going to make me stop reading this metal/porn site if I keep building crazy things and driving them home and parking them in her yard!

Cheers from over here,

Cole

 

[Desert Rat]

Cole,

There's always the 'puter at the office to use, right?