Towing an M332 with a pickup

[gonorth]

Just got my first M332 and plan to tow it home with my pickup. I am worried about the hitch height. My truck is a diesel 3/4 ton 4X4 so plenty of power and the reciever is about 5 inches below knee high for the average person. Don't have a pintle hitch so I hope to borrow one instead of forking out $100 or more for a hitch and raised adapter. I am thinking if I borrow one there is a good chance the hitch will be about level with the reciever. Is that trailer towable with the ring at that elevation? Need to go about 120 miles, mostly freeway but I could use state 2 lane highways for most of the trip if I need to.

I assume being that low that I should probably also bring a floor jack along to lower the trailer down to the hitch. Opinions?

Sounds like I don't need to worry about the brakes, other than that they won't function which is fine for geting it home.

Only other thing I guess I should have along is some temporary lites to strap on the back of the trailer.

Thanks for your shareing your knowlege in advance. I have a 53 jeep but am new at this bigger stuff.

 

[dm22630]

I towed mine over 100 miles home with my 06 F150. So your truck will be fine.

The 332 has a military adapter for lights. Make sure you get a set of magnetic trailer lights at lowes/tractor supply so you will be safe. No brakes are required by law since it is a single axle trailer. Your car insurance will cover any accidents since you are towing it.

You need the pintle hitch as HIGH as you can. The trailer is a lot bigger than you think. The front will aim way down & the back will be way up.

I use a Hi-lift jack to move mine up and down on the hitch.

Good luck!

 

[dm22630]

Also.....go slow! It is a very heavy trailer & likes to bounce all over the road with every bump you hit. You will not be able to stop fast & maintain control. So if you come up on traffic, be prepared to swerve onto the shoulder.

 

[docfarmall]

just make sure you are the defensesive driver and take your time we pulled 2 behind duece and they do like to bonce i would call them tigger trailers just be aware of suroundings and you will do fine

 

[tjcouch]

Is the bouncing at its worst when empty?

 

[nk14zp]

You need a hitch like I built.

 

[wsucougarx]

I have a 2001.5 3/4 Dodge Cummins. I bought a commercially available pintle mounting plate like above. It has a 12" plate perpendicular to the ground. I mounted my pintle towards the top. When I picked up my M332 and M105A2, I had no problems at all as far as pintle heighth was concerned. When the wheel was in the fully levered up, I had about 1" clearance underneath the wheel. Here's link of what I bought:
http://www.onlineproductsusa.com/products/Class_III_and_IV_Solid_Pintle_Hook_Mounting_Plate,63058
when looking at the pic, I flipped mine up to maximize the ground clearance.

 

[wiggall]

I picked up a M200 at Ft. Lewis, Wa. last week I made up a pigtail, and changed the bulbs to 12 volt bulbs. When are you leaving to pick it up? Tomarrow I can give you the # of the plug that you will need to disconnect, and plug your pigtail into. FTG2 Wiggles USS EDSON DD 946 1969-1973

 

[groundog]

you can turn the ring on the trailer upside down----thus raising the front of the trailer

 

[wiggall]

Wire #21 is the tail light. Wire #22-460 Right turn signal/ brake. Wire 22-461 Left turn signal/brake. You will need 3 Male plugins, and the ground wire goes to one of the nuts that hold the plugins bracket. FTG2 Wiggles USS EDSON DD 946 1969-1973

 

[gonorth]

Looks like I will buy a 2" reciever Pintle plate like the one WSUCOUGARX posted, that with the actual hitch will run me $110 and tax, ouch. Maybe I can still find one to borrow/rent but things are looking slim, I called all the rental places and half of the trailer sales places near home with no luck.

So, does the M335 use 1662 bulbs? If so it sounds like I can change them to 1157, file a pin off and insert them backwards. Then run the lites from my civy trailer wires on my pickup:

Taillites Brown to E 21-489

RIght blinker Green to J 22-460

Left blinker Yellow to B 22-461

By the way, I think the ring on this trailer is already turned 'upside down'. At least it looked that way to me. The shank has a curve downward from the trailer frame as it goes to the ring.
Ground White to D 90A

I hope I got that right. So is it possible to buy a plug that will match up with the military plug that is on the trailer? Would be nice if I could be all wired up ready to plug in when I get to the trailer. If not I am going to hope I can find the right pins on the trailer plug to match the above wire colors and just wrap and tape wires from my truck to those pins to get the trailer home. (and change out the bulbs)