My M101A3...new to MV

Hello all, great site you guys got here.

First off, I just found out maybe a week ago about GL. Well I got an itch after about the first 15 minutes on the site and well I done bought me a trailer now. I am waiting on my EUC now. But I plan to make this thread a start to finish and plan to update it as I go.

Here is the trailer as she was on the GL site.
http://www.govliquidation.com/auction/view?auctionId=5914630&convertTo=USD

She was the best looking one in that round and has a receipt date in 2010, according to the markings on the front.

My winning bid was 231, so far with the buyers premium and tax it was 273. Which I am happy with. Just have to wait till I get it to get the form for the title, then the trip to the DMV.

I live in So Cal, near Riverside. And the trailer is in Barstow, so not to far at all.

For recovery and towing, my TV is a 2005 Ford Expedition 4x4, 5.4L V8.

I plan on going to the lot with a old military trailer jack, some tools, Dot5 brake fluid, some grease, some oil and wiring and crimpers.

I plan on making a trailer to truck harness and unplugging the NATO plug at the junction box, and using bullet connectors and hooking it up there, as well as changing the bulbs to 12v, I know it is a long shot, but I am hoping if they redid the trailer at anytime, it got the multi-volt LED lights, but I doubt it.

My long term plans are:
-Installing the multi-volt LED lamps.
-lining the bed
-and I know it is taboo, but I plan on using this trailer as a regular cargo trailer, or SHTF trailer so I would like to paint it, either a nice all black, or all white, same white as my Expedition so it will match.
-I also want to add LED marker lamps to the fenders and side. They help a lot with night towing when they are on the fenders.
-I want to add some type of tongue box, and I have seen another post somewhere where someone added fender well boxes and they look pretty good, may look into those as well.
-I want to get a mount for the military jack and mount it on the front somewhere
-Add chains to the tailgate to allow it to stop level with bed, and if I can find one cheap, add one of the extend a bed things if I can mod it to work.

I think that is all I can think of for right now. I am just trying to get ideas so I can start a project for it. I am not made of money at all so I plan on everything taking a year or so little by little.

Bad part is, I am already looking at other trailers that I want now, one even has the bows and rails that I may want to get to get take those off and sell the trailer. But I have a feeling this may turn into a hobby for me.

This is my First EVER MV, and like I said, just found out I can buy this stuff so now I am looking at all the other stuff I can buy, which now I want to get stuff just to go get it with my trailer . I am pretty much in the middle between Barstow and Camp Pendleton and San Diego so lots of stuff to buy. Jerry cans, and ammo cans are on my shopping list to try to resell and also they are just cool.

Well about me, I am 29, and mostly my interests are law enforcement, firefighting, emergency vehicles and equipment, and two way radios, specifically Motorola. Ask me about lighbars and sirens and I know, ask me about military vehicles and well I will probably ask you if I could put a lightbar on it.

I have also been a sworn police officer, corrections officer, and volunteer firefighter. Have never served in the military. So thank you to those that have.

Anyway I will post some pics of the Recovery when it happens, and then when I get her home, and as I progress with stuff on it.

I just need to hurry and buy a pintle hitch and riser now. I have read that some first time EUCs can clear in less then a week, so now I am worried that it may clear faster then I expected and I have no hitch to get it home by the time they say it has to be removed. I am not sure of any places that actually sell a 7-10 hole riser in a store.

Welcome ang congrats on your new trailer. That is probably the most useful mil trailer in civilian hands. No worries about modding it, you paid for it. It's very obvious that you have done your research on these trailers. That is commendable. I think you are going fit in well here and I know the trailer will exceed expectations.

Welcome aboard and congrats on the trailer. You may want to edit your post and put pics up instead of the link to GL. It will expire and no one will be able to see it.

I do plan to add pics but right now I do not have any of my own, and I am also posting from my phone. The way GL is set up, I can't save any of the large phones, only the thumbs so it sucks. But as soon as I get on my laptop I will see what I can do.

But thank you for the welcomes. I can not wait to get my trailer. I think they had about 20-25 trailers for sale in this lot, or so it seemed. But I think mine was the only one that went to 230. Others went for 190-210 range. But mine was also the best looking, but then again everyone says that about their kid lol. I also think it had something to do with the holiday, and everyone having to spend money on gifts, it left the prices down.

Welcome, you poor sucker! You've just been hooked but good!


Hey, at just over 2 bills, you did REALLY well on that beastie! Congratulations!

I like your plans. I've got an A1, and I'm planning some of the same lighting additions (clearance markers) and leveling the tailgate. I haul firewood with mine, so I sometimes have longer logs hanging out.

As for mounting the jack, have you considered a farm jack? Those things are hard to beat for versatility. Don't get one of the Big Red or other HiLift knockoffs. Look at how the handle is attached - the knockoffs crimp a tube down flat, and that makes a very weak point if you ever need to put some sideways pressure on the handle. The HiLift does it right.


Menifee, eh? I actually know where that is without looking it up! I have worked in Riverside and Colton, and lived in Homeland, San Jacinto & Hemet.

Hmmm. About that riser.... Try some of the big RV places. The are a ton of them down the hill in the San Bdoo, Colton, and Riverside areas. You've got a farm store in Nuevo, too. Dunno what they carry, though. Might want to do a search for other farm stores around there. Should be a few more between the dairy in your area and all the vineyards and avocado farms down Temecula way. Likely the RV places are your best bet.

I've got a combo hitch that's working just great for me. It's got 3 balls and the pintle setup. Works great.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/buyers-tri-ball-with-pintle-hook-10-000-gtw-1891048

Make sure you take a copy of the trailer picture with you as yours has the handle for the jack for the landing leg on it. The trailers on either side of yours don't and at some GL yards those thing disappear fast.

A few things to consider:
1. The trailer safety chains may be too short to hook to your truck. Might take some extra chain just in case.
2. Might want to pickup a set of magnetic trailer lights. Trailer electrical changes often involve unplanned hard to find problems.
3. Even if you can't find a hitch riser, the trailer should tow just fine nose down.
4. Save everything you take off of it. If you get hooked on the hobby, those parts might be useful on a restoration. Or you might be able to trade them for parts you need.

Welcome....those A3 trailers have the real heavy Humvee tires/wheels, so it will probably be to high for that truck you have.
Also if your on a road trip and need to find a tire....those are only available at some surplus yards.
You would be better off putting some regular 16" tires and wheels on that and it will lower it some, be lighter, and way easier to get replacement tires about anywhere.
The surge brake internal shock goes bad in those trailers sometimes and when you put on the brakes, the trailer hopps and shutters until your stopped.

Welcome! You stole that trailer for that price! I paid 3 times that for mine. You will love that trailer. I just hauled 3500 lbs. of oak rounds from my mountain property home to Marin and 0 problems! Surge brake performed perfectly. Did your's come with bows,sides,and cover? They complete the package. Good score.Post pics after recovery.

Thank you for all the replies.

Again on my phone, so hard to quote back to those exact person so, if I mention something you said, then you know its it you lol.

-never thought of the farm supply stores, will have to check those out. I live in Menifee and work in Riverside lol. So should be some close or in between.

-I want to switch out the axle maybe at some point, but I do not know how to weld, and don't really want to pay anyone to do it, but one of my plans is to keep watching other auctions and seeing what tires I can find, and if ,I can get some at a good price, trying to mount one under the trailer as a spare.
-I have considered the safety chains, but totally forgot to put that, thank you for reminding me. I want to, at some point switch them out for the coil cables for a cleaner look, but for recovery I will probably go to Lowe's and get a length of high strength chain to be able to extend the length till I can get home.

---in reff to the fact mine has the handle on it. What if I go to recover it and they are now missing? Am I able to ask for one or anything like that and show my pics as proof? Is there anything I can do? They only thing I can tell so far that is wrong with that trailer prom the pics, is that the fender lip on the inside of one of the wheel wells is bent in, just the lip on the inside so I am thinking I can just bend it back.

-as far as being to high, that is one thing I am worried about, but I think with a riser it would be okay, and I do want to look into getting a combination ball but I think the ball maybe too high to use with my civy homemade trailer, and I do not really want to have to unbolt the bolts to lower it if I have to tow something else, so I am probably just going to stick with a dedicated pintle hitch for the A3 or any other trailer I get in the future

-the lights. I am also probably going to get a cheap set of HF lights just incase the wiring does not work as planned

- for my jack. Well I do not even know what it is, it is the type off roaders like to mount on the bumper of their jeeps or on the hoods. My mom has had it since before I was born, so I plan on stealing it, since we have never ever used it for anything. I just have to find the mounts for it on eBay or something.

And thank you for posting the pic.

I am really happy with the price after reading post from less then a year ago with people paying 400-800 for their trailers. I think the next round that will start the 31st at Barstow is having trailers with 2012 dates on them, but I will not have recouped my funds by then to try on one of those.

I added two pics I saved to my phone, and will also try to upload a pic of the jack I plan on repainting and fixing up.

-oh how I love tap a talk. It crashed as I used the camera option to take a pic of the jack, thought I lost everything I wrote, but it still saved the draft. I did not wait to retype that lol.

And no sadly it does not have the bows or rails or covers. I want to get some at some point and may buy a trailer at some point just to take them off of it. Lol

Congrats on your new toy, and welcome to the Forum.

Once you pick up, get your EUC and have the registration done, I would love to hear how the whole experience went for you.
I have read so many horror stories about that process that I was looking at a private party to buy a trailer from.
But if you have a relatively easy experience, the cost savings looks to be worth the paperwork and the wait.

Lost of local MV folks around here. High desert, Inland Empire, and San Diego have plenty of knowledgeable folks if you are looking for local help.
Here is a thread you might consider..http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?77983-California-Peeps

Good luck and keep the pictures coming.

Yeah, that's the jack I'm talking about. Those things can so some amazing things for you. You've got one of the good ones. I'm planning to mount mine on the front of the trailer. 4-wheeler stores sell mounts for them, but I think I can make something up for a lot less.

As far as your trailer being too high for your Expedition... nah.

I tow mine with my Jeep Cherokee on a regular basis, including towing with some pretty heavy loads, and your vehicle is taller than mine.

I have an A2, though, so maybe those humvee tires set yours up higher, but I have a hard time believing you'll have any trouble with your setup. Maybe some folks who know more about the differences between the A2s and A3s can chime in on that.

EDIT TO ADD: I've been looking at your pictures, and I'm going to go out on a limb here and say I can't see any way you are going to have trouble with your tow vehicle. Unless those tires are WAAAAY bigger than the A1-A2 tires, it's just not a problem. Yes, a riser might be better, but I don't think you need it. I think you can get a pintle type hitch for your receiver, and go get the beast, then evaluate whether or not you need a riser.

Anybody else want to chime in?

Have they still got the museum there at March alongside 215? Or is that all shut down now?

baldyviewdesignlab said:

Once you pick up, get your EUC and have the registration done, I would love to hear how the whole experience went for you.
I have read so many horror stories about that process that I was looking at a private party to buy a trailer from.
But if you have a relatively easy experience, the cost savings looks to be worth the paperwork and the wait.

Click to expand...

I've heard the horror stories too, but I've bought my trailer, two trucks and a few other things. Each deal has been no problem. I did have one glitch with the EUC process on my 1028, because GL didn't want to accept my expired passport as proof of citizenship. (What, my identity is now suspect because a date passed on a calendar???) I emailed and quoted a few state department web pages, and that was that.

I guess it's largely dependent on the staff at the particular location.

March Field Mus is still there and it looks like it is getting bigger. They even have their own hangers in back of it that can be seen from the freeway to work on their planes that they are restoring. I have not been there in probably 15 years but I pass it everyday on my way to work, and several times a night when I am at work lol.

I think I will need a riser no doubt, but too bad I just could not use a ball mount and a crap load of duct tape, get it home and see what I need later. JUST KIDDING lol. But it would be fun to see.

Great job on the trailer what a deal.
Towing with the Expedition will be no problem and be close to level with the right hitch combo.
The 8 bolt hubs are 8 on 6.5 the expedition are metric so no using the expedition spare.
I like the matching trailers and look forward to your build.

This is my build: http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...ry-trailer-to-build-a-family-hauler?highlight=

now you need a real truck to pull that trailer, i think a 5 ton would do

You got a great deal on a great trailer. I love my M101a1 and use it often behind 2500 Suburban. Lots of good surplus coming out of Barstow.

Hahaha Yes I would LOVE a 5-ton, I was actually bidding on one, the only one that said it started (without or a jump or otherwise) But sadly it went beyond my 400 Max bid. But it was fun while it lasted lol. It ended up going for 3800, was a nice 1984, 14 foot dropside, with hard top cab.

But if I got it, I would need a commercial DL here in CA and well, I do not have one lol. Nor the money for the up keep on it. But I do want to look into something someday. May go to trucker school just to get one, but then again registering it in CA would be an arm, two legs, and an eye. And well, I cant even afford a cut fingernail.

So its like 32 degrees outside and dark, and I am bored at home, so I decided to do some measuements on my truck.

My recv height is about 19 inches, from ground to the bottom of it. The hole is about 2 inches from the front, and it is 6 inches long, open ended, but the spare tire is in back of it, but about and inch to and inch and a half from it.

So I figure if what I read is right, with the M101A3 lunette height being about 24 inches, I can get away with a 5-7 hole riser. That will give me enough height to compensate for the sag the trailer will put on the Expedition, and keep it level for the most part.

I also measured my homemade trailer tha is a frame with an OLD GMC/Chevy pickup bed on it. And its ball sits up about 20-21 inches, in its raised up position from when it was last towed. (IE when it was raised to clear the ball on the towing vehicle) So it is kinda level at that height, and will tow kind of nose up with a higher ball then 19-22 inches, but I can live with it.

SO now that I have the measuements. I think I may go with a Convert-a-ball cushioned pintle mount, 5-hole riser for a few reasons. One I like the cushioned idea, may smooth the ride a little, second, the support for the riser runs the entire length of the plate, and is also welded the entire length. It is not like some others that is only a 2-inch flat piece that is welded to one place on the shank and then another on the plate, with a space inbetween that may cause a felx in that area, doubt it, but just looking at options.

I also am going to get a pintle/ball combo, so I can tow both trailers with same hitch, and not need an extra. I hardly tow trailers anyway, so just hvaing and needing one set-up will help. I also plan on getting a lock kit to lock the shank to the truck, as well as lock the pintle down on the trailer for safety and security, and also the same pin can be used to lock the ball mount latch on the trailer when I use that.


***Now for my plans to repaint the trailer. Well I LOVE the stincle look, and plan on taking photos of all the writing that is on my trailer when I get it, minus the GL spray paint.

I want to paint the trailer a nice flat black, or semi-gloss black, not white like I was planning. And then repainting the stenciles back on in a dark gray or light gray, maybe even an OD to give the trailer and modern, everyday look, with a touch of military look. I think it will be a nice look. Will also make the trailer stand out less then the camo, but will still keep the original memory alive in a way.

But I do plan on getting more, which I will not repaint, and maybe someday I will own a duece, and will keep that camo as well.