I just won a Govt. auction for a M101A1 2 Wheel 3/4 Ton Cargo Trailer

[Mojavejohn]

I won the auction for a M101A1 trailer today. First off, I know very little about these, except the little that I've read on here. I've seen a few builds, and they look pretty cool. Since this is my inaugural run with one, please let me know what I need to do to it to make it road worthy. I've read something about converting from 24 to 12 volt, what's this about. What's a lunette? Hand and electric brakes? Tires and wheels?

I plan on storing my camping gear in the trailer so that I can just back the truck up to it and go. I'm sure in the future it'll get fancier than that, but for now that's it. I'll be towing with either a Chevy Silverado 2500 or the FJC.

Thanks for the help.

http://www.govliquidation.com/auction/view?auctionId=6343805#

 

[rockwood]

Will work very well behind the Chevy and wont be too hard on the FJC. Doesn't look to far for you to go and get it either. You'll be amazed at the amount of stuff you can get inside a 101. Nice buy!

 

[Pccruiser]

I just picked one up a few weeks ago and pulled behind my FJC. Barely noticed it.

Go to Harbor Freight an get their cheapo magnet trailer lights. I caught mine on sale for $9.99.

Bring zip ties for the lights. Zip the wires to the tarp hooks on the side. Also - zip the lights to the trailer as well. The magnets work but hard bounces will knock them off.

I brought a portable air compressor and an inverter to plug it into (no CO2 tank or on board compressor....yet). My trailer's tires were brand new cooper discoverer ATs but they were at 10psi and 3 psi.

It uses a pintle and lunnette hookup. The lunette is the big eye and the pintle is the hook that will be on your hitch. You can get one at any trailer store, northern tool etc.

I found mine on Craigslist for $50. It's a pintle with ball hitch so I can use the hitch for normal trailer hookups too.

 

[silvrzuki77]

Head over to steelsoldiers.com tons of info. Ive missed out on two of those for less than $200 bucks!!!! Good score.

 

[robertwalker2003]

I have been building on one for a bit know. Not sure what your plans are but if you have any questions I may be able to answer them.

My build is here.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/83339-M101-3-4-Ton-Expedition-Trailer-Build

 

[Scrapdaddy]

Well, if that's your's in the picture, then it has no surge brakes, just parking brakes. The wheels are the 5 stud wheels, with a split ring. You might be better off, just getting a new #3500 axle with electric brakes. That way you can get the wheel stud pattern of your truck. It's a good trailer and will last as long as you want it to.

 

[Mojavejohn]

That's mine. So the large box on top of the hitch, that I've seen on other models, is a surge brake? What is that for? Is it that important that I have one?

Well, if that's your's in the picture, then it has no surge brakes, just parking brakes. The wheels are the 5 stud wheels, with a split ring. You might be better off, just getting a new #3500 axle with electric brakes. That way you can get the wheel stud pattern of your truck. It's a good trailer and will last as long as you want it to.

 

[robertwalker2003]

It senses the g force from the tow vehicle slowing down, i.e the surge of the braking force of the tow vehicle then sends fluid to the brakes on the trailer to slow it down. I don't like them because they don't work well at slow speeds. I took mine off and added a custom hitch.

I was in the army for ten years and used these trailers a lot. The reason its green and the trailer is sand color is because it was replaced. It was a common failure item especially if the trailer sits for a long period of time.

 

[garwhal]

Here is my setup. I cut the bows so that it would fit in my garage and so it is always ready to go. I LOVE these trailers.

 

[Scrapdaddy]

John,

You won't have a problem stopping without brakes, if you use your Silverado to tow with. As you know brakes are good, though. The model you have is the older type and uses the split ring wheels, which are hard to find spares, etc. To solve the brake problem, you might have to buy a #3500 axle with brakes and a bolt pattern for your truck ( only one spare ). easy!

 

[Pikeman]

John,
I have a pintle hitch you could borrow or buy from me if you want. I bought it to pull mine home from Nellis and then converted the hitch system to a Max Coupler and don't need the pintle anymore. I am down near March Air Base.

 

[Mojavejohn]

Thanks for all the help guys. Keep it coming. Hopefully I'll be able to pick it up later next week.

John,

You won't have a problem stopping without brakes, if you use your Silverado to tow with. As you know brakes are good, though. The model you have is the older type and uses the split ring wheels, which are hard to find spares, etc. To solve the brake problem, you might have to buy a #3500 axle with brakes and a bolt pattern for your truck ( only one spare ). easy!

 

[Mojavejohn]

thanks for the offer, I'm up near Victorville so I'll probably just pick one up locally. How hard was it to convert? Did you do it yourself or have it done. I'm not very handy, don't know how to weld.

John,
I have a pintle hitch you could borrow or buy from me if you want. I bought it to pull mine home from Nellis and then converted the hitch system to a Max Coupler and don't need the pintle anymore. I am down near March Air Base.

 

[Mojavejohn]

That looks just about like how I'll be using mine. Looks good. Where can I find a set of those rims? Are they from a Hummer?

Here is my setup. I cut the bows so that it would fit in my garage and so it is always ready to go. I LOVE these trailers.

 

[Pikeman]

Mojave,
It wasn't hard to convert, I could have done the job myself, however I have a good relationship with a fab shop and they ended up doing a good portion of the job.

Also on the rims that is the 1101 or 1002 trailer which is as wide as a HMMWV and does in fact have the HMMWV rims on it.

You can get a dexter axle with matching bolt pattern, electric brakes and even parking brake. This way you can use your factory levers and change the ends of the cables to have parking brakes and electric brakes.