Towing a M105a2 w/ civilian Pick Up ?

[wreckerman893]

I pulled an MKT with a 3/4 ton pickup a few hundred miles.

For those not familiar that is a Mobile Kitchen Trailer that uses the M-105 frame.

I used the offset hitch thingy with a pintle hitch to make it ride level

Even without trailer brakes I had no trouble stopping but I always left plenty of distance between me and the vehicle ahead and stayed off the interstate as much as possible.

If you are pulling it empty you should have no problem.

 

[m715mike]

This topic has been covered several times.

The M105 and M1101 trailers pull great behind my Nissan.

 

[saddamsnightmare]

July 7th, 2019


If its a one way trip, be very cautious, use the right height hitch and plan your stops. If it's going to be a daily thing, I'd say not because your truck doesn't have the right (air) brake system. The lawyers will be waiting to eat your carcass in the case of a wreck. I would move my M105 around the yard with a Unimog S404.114, but without the air brakes working you felt that trailer back there.

 

[nattieleather]

Yes I use to pull a M105 and also an MKT behind an Ford F250. I even pulled the M105 from Cleveland Ohio to Ft. Drum NY in 1994 with a 5KW Generator and a boat load of tools to Ft. Drum and a completely torn up cut up M151A2 in the truck and trailer from FT. Drum to Cleveland with no problems. I had made an adapter to go from the military lighting to the Fords trailer lighting so I could use the Military lights. Just change the bulbs to 12V for safety. Had no problems.

 

[Slate]

Made this to use the pintle from my m929A2. No problem coming from Ohio. Used a piece of pipe opened up a bit welded to old hitch.

Gonna go a similar route thanks

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[Tinstar]

Towing isn’t the issue.
Stopping and handling it is.

Unless you have the correct towing truck (M35/M939), it means no brakes.
The M105 is a big heavy trailer.
Most vehicles do not have big enough brakes to handle the extra weight.
It sits high and when hooked to most civilian vehicles it isn’t even close to sitting level and looks silly like that.

Sure, plan your stops in advance and you won’t have an issue.
The panic stops are a completely different thing.
Especially if the trailers loaded.
Any accident, your fault or not, will result in a very bad outcome for you.
Like mentioned, the lawyers will have a field day and your insurance company will probably drop you.

I know, guys here do it every day without issue.
They will get away with it for years, but someday, the luck will run out.

The M101A2/3 or the M1101/2 are more appropriate trailers and have brakes.
They don’t sit as high and look much better behind a civilian truck.

 

[Slate]

Made this to use the pintle from my m929A2. No problem coming from Ohio. Used a piece of pipe opened up a bit welded to old hitch.

With your modification I thought about it and fashioned my own.

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[Slate]

One more

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[DHennon]

I regularly pull my 105 with a com shelter back and forth from the storage yard to the house,; about 3 miles with som medium-sized hills (My development is called "Rolling Hills). I have a 1500 lifted Silverado pick up with a small block chevy engine. I allow for longer braking, but never have had a problem.

 

[Cape Coastie]

Towed mine home from Fort Dix, NJ to Cape Cod, MA all interstate roads in an ice storm with my F150. It is just what happened. Actually towed pretty nice behind the truck and stopping was not a problem. Used a raised pintle hitch to tow with. Would not be good for everyday use because of the height difference and the weight. But I would tow another one if I needed to move it empty.

 

[SCSG-G4]

With your modification I thought about it and fashioned my own.View attachment 770496View attachment 770497

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You better put a brace on that upper bend similar to the one on the top of the square channel, and actually have it (them - one on each side) overlap the upward triangular brace or you risk having the metal deform when you would prefer it not to!

 

[Slate]

You better put a brace on that upper bend similar to the one on the top of the square channel, and actually have it (them - one on each side) overlap the upward triangular brace or you risk having the metal deform when you would prefer it not to!

Thank you Sir, I was thinking of that after I put it together. The tounge weight on this one is 5,000. Maybe a little less since I put hitch off the end but an empty m105 even with some rough roads would never get close. If I run it loaded I may brace it up.

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[tennmogger]

Anyone on the road pulling an M-105 trailer with no brakes and smaller vehicle should put their wife/kids/GF in a car in front, as a buffer. I don't want that behind me or my family in an emergency situation. You HAVE to plan on an emergency situation! We have all had them.

And why do you ever want to artificially lift the trailer tongue with some hodgepodge offset adapter? Make it look nice and level? Think about the physics. That light weight towing vehicle has probably 3/4 of it's weight on the front wheels, leaving 1/4 on the rear wheels. A vehicle braking hard will transfer much of it's own weight off the rear and transfer braking to the front. I have heard 70% front, 30% rear for hard braking.

Now consider that "lifted" trailer tongue. The higher you lift it with some contraption, the more force you transfer OFF the rear end when braking hard. Can't draw a picture here but it might be obvious if you think about pushing over a heavy box. If you want it to roll, not slide, you push on the top edge to lift the edge at your feet. The towing vehicle is the box, the trailer is pushing against a lifted tongue, and the higher, the "worser".

IMHO the safest way to pull such a mismatch (2500 lb trailer behind 5000 lb vehicle for example) is to leave the trailer tongue low so the trailer's forward push (during hard stop) will transfer to downward force on the tow hitch, increasing effective weight on the rear of the towing vehicle. Then hope the stop is straight ahead because if you are turning, you are screwed.

Some of the advice given over the years troubles me. "Leaving a wide gap ahead" is head-in-the-sand thinking, again IMHO.

 

[Slate]

Anyone on the road pulling an M-105 trailer with no brakes and smaller vehicle should put their wife/kids/GF in a car in front, as a buffer. I don't want that behind me or my family in an emergency situation. You HAVE to plan on an emergency situation! We have all had them.

And why do you ever want to artificially lift the trailer tongue with some hodgepodge offset adapter? Make it look nice and level? Think about the physics. That light weight towing vehicle has probably 3/4 of it's weight on the front wheels, leaving 1/4 on the rear wheels. A vehicle braking hard will transfer much of it's own weight off the rear and transfer braking to the front. I have heard 70% front, 30% rear for hard braking.

Now consider that "lifted" trailer tongue. The higher you lift it with some contraption, the more force you transfer OFF the rear end when braking hard. Can't draw a picture here but it might be obvious if you think about pushing over a heavy box. If you want it to roll, not slide, you push on the top edge to lift the edge at your feet. The towing vehicle is the box, the trailer is pushing against a lifted tongue, and the higher, the "worser".

IMHO the safest way to pull such a mismatch (2500 lb trailer behind 5000 lb vehicle for example) is to leave the trailer tongue low so the trailer's forward push (during hard stop) will transfer to downward force on the tow hitch, increasing effective weight on the rear of the towing vehicle. Then hope the stop is straight ahead because if you are turning, you are screwed.

Some of the advice given over the years troubles me. "Leaving a wide gap ahead" is head-in-the-sand thinking, again IMHO.

Appreciate that. It's a 3/4 ton Duramax. And I pull my 14,000lb backhoe on my 6,500lb 35 foot gooseneck with it plenty. Go nice and slow. There is always some not so smart person driving too close. That's the awesome part of living in this country, you can make your own informed decision on how to do things and yes you are responsible if stuff goes wrong. And yes I would like it to ride more level. Since I was a little kid I have been pulling trailers that were way too heavy without brakes. We try to make a living out here the best way we can. I seriously doubt an unloaded M105 is going to push my back end out from under me. I hope you have an amazing day and God bless you.

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[porkysplace]

Appreciate that. It's a 3/4 ton Duramax. And I pull my 14,000lb backhoe on my 6,500lb 35 foot gooseneck with it plenty. Go nice and slow. There is always some not so smart person driving too close. That's the awesome part of living in this country, you can make your own informed decision on how to do things and yes you are responsible if stuff goes wrong. And yes I would like it to ride more level. Since I was a little kid I have been pulling trailers that were way too heavy without brakes. We try to make a living out here the best way we can. I seriously doubt an unloaded M105 is going to push my back end out from under me. I hope you have an amazing day and God bless you.

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But when you cause a major accident because your to cheap to put brakes on a trailer it effects everyone in the hobby.

 

[Slate]

But when you cause a major accident because your to cheap to put brakes on a trailer it effects everyone in the hobby.

While thats possible "not likely" but possible. I will be responsible and have to deal with the consequences if I hurt someone. And when my deuce is able to drive 8 hours in a day at 75 or 80, to pick the silly thing up I'll do that. So untill I get it home I'll use my pick up truck and no trailer brakes. P.S. I'm not too "cheap" I have an obsession.... MV's that I probably can't afford!

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[tobyS]

"your to cheap to put brakes on a trailer" You sure do like to get nasty, Porky....not a nice fellow.

My state does not require brakes on a single axle trailer and empty, is not beyond the GVW. It's not a regular thing and I'm fully insured. I would advise against trying to bring the trailer level with a long arm because the square within a square can allow a lot of movement. On my last recovery, the ride was very stable and totally under control. When home, I wondered why I dreaded it so much....now I remember...thanks.

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

URGENT SAFETY VIDEOS...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mW_gzdh6to

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPmnBpQmX1g

 

[Slate]

URGENT SAFETY VIDEOS...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mW_gzdh6to

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPmnBpQmX1g

Hahaha. That's a perfect fit for the conversation. Thank you Sir. Guess I shouldn't tell you about the time we towed our one ton Chevy home with our little 1950's GMC win h truck. It was so heavy about six of us had to sit on the hood to keep the front end down enough to turn it.

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[Slate]

But seriously yes I understand weights and how to properly load a trailer and the importance of brakes on a trailer. I don't do anything to just skirt the law or just because I can. Just don't like it when someone is rude and insulting for no reason. Treat others how you would like to be treated. Have a little fun in life. Don't be the "wear a helmet on a bicycle" kind of guy. "And don't forget to strap it up .0895 in/lbs to be in spec cause someone might not like it if we don't". These MV are amazing pieces of machinery not "just a Hobby" to a lot of guys. I use an M54 for a fire truck. Had it spayed with the red fire retardant several times by the forest service planes, we get down and dirty attacking the grassfires out here. One deuce is now a dump truck that brings caliche so I can build up my several miles of road. And lastly my last deuce is now a Bobbed Deuce and it is not as ugly as the other two. I'm using it to haul supplies to town and when I get my hitch built , like one I saw on here I will haul small loads of Livestock with it too. In short don't be a jacka#@. It's ok to let someone know if you are concerned but ya don't have to run them down in the process. Ok enough of my rant. Have a great evening fellas. P.S. Found the picture of the hitch I want to build.

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