Trailer idea - info needed

[number9]

Here's the deal. I currently have a 5x10 utility (think landscape) trailer that I haul our dirtbikes on behind my pickup truck. It doesn't have brakes and I wish it did. To add surge brakes would cost a few hundred dollars.

Since I now have the "green" bug (thanks to you guys) I have 5 M105's to pick up when my EUC clears. Three of them are A2's and two of them are A3's. I got one of the A2's with the sole intentions of trying to adapt the landing gear to the A3. If that is done I'll have the body/frame to sell, scrap, whatever.

I have seen the M116A3 trailer chassis on GL and got to thinking. They look like they'd be perfect to pull behind my pickup, have surge brakes, the same wheel lug pattern (I think?) as my truck which is an 8-lug GMC 2500HD.

Would the trailer body of the M105 fit onto the M116 chassis and look right? Not be too wide for the wheel track and not be too long? From what I can gather by looking up some specs it seems the body would probably hang off the rear of the M116 chassis a bit, but if bolted on right it probably would look fine to the non-MV layperson.

How heavy are the M105 bodies? I know the M101 can be had, but they are pricey and I am not sure the body on it would be big enough for the dirtbikes and gear we carry, whereas the M105 body being 6x9 would be close to what I am used to on the 5x10 utility trailer I have now.

Pictures of the M116A3 chassis I have seen and am talking about.

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[Wolf.Dose]

An A2 Chassis has the 8 bolt pattern you look for and a overrun (inertia)brake system as well. The overrun system is good for some 6000 lbs (it is stamped on the left side of the head after you removed all the colour). If you succed to fit the larger body on the chassis, it is ok. But I do not belive that this is a easy job, for the frames have differerent sices. You must adjust the M105 body the the M116A2 frame. Good luck!
Wolf

 

[number9]

Hmmm....... searching google for some info and found this Trailer for Sale: M116A3 1 TON MILITARY TRAILER WITH RAILS AND TOP BOWS - Sport Fishing Forums
the guy has lots of pics in his ebay ad (which is ended, but can still see the pics). So I guess it *can* be done.......... looks like it might be a little high off the ground though for loading.

Here's the link to his pics...
http://www.auctiva.com/hostedimages/showimage.aspx?gid=1095659&ppid=1122ℑ=307018565&images=307018565,307018598,307018540,307018511,307018621,307018642,307018666,307018472,307018352,307018368,307018395,307018425,307018447,307018746,307018736,307018718,307018694,307018336,307022573,307024538,307024564,307024590&formats=0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0&format=0

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[Scarecrow1]

The most over looked safety feature on trailers is the ability to stop them . A good friend found out the hard way when he hit the brakes and the trailer picked up the trucks rear end and promptly placed it in to the on coming lane . He got lucky and only lost his truck and trailer , not his life . I have wanted to pickup one of these and convert it to a utility trailer for a while but with a mid sized SUV I'm scared of the weight . Please let me know if you find a way for it to work for you.

 

[Recovry4x4]

For all intents and purposes, it probably wouldn't look bad at all. You have an extra foot of body. Depending on where the wheel well lands you could and should split that front and rear. It may look funny on an -A2 chassis but the -A3 is much wider and will probably work. Don't know about weight but it will certainly be heavier. The -A3 chassis are 1 ton chassis as well so should be no problem.

 

[number9]

The weight is also important to me - as is the brakes to stop it. From what I can find, the M116A3 chassis should weigh around 800#. I don't know what the M105 bed weighs, I was hoping someone who bobbed a Deuce would know that, but just a guess at 400#? If close to that, it'd be around 1200# empty. My utility trailer weighs 540# with a GVW of 3500# according to the title. I guess the M116/M105 combo would be a little heavy. You'd think the surge brakes on it would be able to handle the gen sets and what not they carry though.

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[Recovry4x4]

The M101A3 weighs in at about 1500#. I can't see this one being any lighter. BTW, you can feel the difference in weight between the M101A1 and the M101A3. I may end up trying this one myself.

 

[srodocker]

my 103a3 weighs 1650...

 

[number9]

Doesn't your trailer have a hard structure / shelter or something? If so, what does it weigh?

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[srodocker]

not sure on weight on the hard shelter...its really thin metal with a wood door

 

[xiongy]

I hate bringing these old threads back to life, but this is pretty close to what I want to do:
a M101A3 or M105 cargo body on an M116A2 chassis.

Does anyone know if either a M101A3 or M105 cargo body will fit on an M116a2 chassis?

I'd rather just get a full blown M101A3, but the M101A2's are so easy to find.

 

[number9]

The M101A3 body should fit on the M116A2 chassis, but I think the fenders would be wider than the tires unless the M116 chassis was the version that has the extended width axle - look for M116 on olivedrab.com, they have the model #'s and specs listed.

The M105 body will fit on the M116 chassis according to the pics in the link I posted in the second post of this thread. Looks a little wired but not too bad.

I too have been keeping an eye out for a M101A3 trailer to show up somewhere relatively close to home.

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