M989 11 ton trailer questions

I saw some of these on GL and am wondering about using it behind a deuce or a 5 ton truck.

Do these have brake and wiring connections compatable with the deuce?
are they air actuated brakes?

GL lists them as 22 feet long and 7000lbs, is this correct?

Any other info on them?

I am basically looking to tow my rockcrawler truck(88 Jeep Comanche) which weighs about 4,000lbs so total towed weight would be around 11,000lbs.
I figure with the brakes on the traile for 11 tons, this shouldn't be a problem for a deuce right?

or am i just crazy?

thanks

future crazy deuce owner(hopefully)

Saw those also and was wondering the same thing for hauling a tractor etc. Hope we get some good input.

Is the description on that right - or the picture? I thought that the 11-ton M989 looked like the one here:

http://www.primeportal.net/hemtt/m989a1_walk.htm

I can't believe that the M989 to M989A1 mod was that significant.

Dan

HEMAT trailers were designed for hauling rocket pods for the MLRS. They do have airbrakes, and military standard wiring connections... We hated them, and often used them for hauling trash.

Hi again,


I am the recent high bidder of GL's "1992 Southwest Mobile Corp M989A1, 11 ton, Hemat Trailer, 4 Wheel. SN 2035. Trailer is equipped air shocks.."

Does anyone you think I can pull this with my m109a3?
I think it's tough enough, but I'm not sure the brake system is compatible. M109 air over hydraulics, with glad hands to the rear for a trailer.

thats an awful lot of weight to be pulling for such a light truck. also it has flat ends which would make loading and unloading no fun at all. you would have to rig some sort of sideways ramp system and crab walk your way onto and off the trailer. Might be great for a backhoe where you can easily use the implements to work your way on the trailer but not a rubber tired truck. Besides the last auction i saw for these went for over 2 grand. thats allot of trailer money for a truck that cost 1500.00.

why not use one of these? M32K-4A Rough Terrain Trailer. seems like all the benefits with way less weight plenty of capacity and is more managable. Ive never ownded one but seems more reasonable and flexible.

Your right it's heavy, I have a 5 ton m820a2, I can use to pull it when loaded, but I just need to get this home.

And I have an 8 ton all terrain fork lift, should load ok.

Thanks

Oh sorry for the confusion i was answering the original posting, your 5 ton wont have any issues at all. or non that i can forsee anyway. I think it would be a great equipment trailer being how low it is. after pricing goosenecks for myself recently i will do whatever i can to stay away from civilian equipment. I can buy a lowboy AND M818 for what it would cost me to buy a new or good used gooseneck with just half the capacity. That may be worthwhile for someone who hauls fulltime but im not that guy.

There is a reason that the specified tow vehicle is a HEMTT. Think about it.

I am looking for a lowboy as well. Let us know how this one works out.

RWBROWN72, the M989 is not a lowboy. If you are looking for a lowboy for you M818, start looking for an M172/A1. Even those trailers are heavy (when loaded) for an M818. The M172/A1 weighs in the range of 18,000 pounds unloaded.

BKubu said:

RWBROWN72, the M989 is not a lowboy. If you are looking for a lowboy for you M818, start looking for an M172/A1. Even those trailers are heavy (when loaded) for an M818. The M172/A1 weighs in the range of 18,000 pounds unloaded.

Click to expand...

Isn't the M172 overwidth? I don't want that in top of all my other "issues"!

M172 is 114" wide. Need overwidth permit for public road. Pull m 989 with a m 109 ? Will the airpump keep up with the demand for air from four full air brake wheels ? We had a notice not to pull m 872 34t trailers with m52a2s which have the same air pump for that reason. M 818, 915-16 all have bigger air pumps.

turning and backing

after 4 years of working with these trailers I can honestly say they are the worst backing trailer I ever hooked up to. we used two ratchet straps to hold the lunette in place so it would back up with some sort of control. and I hope you have very large areas to turn. the tow bar style hookup has blocks to the left and right that limits the trailers ability to turn. I agree with the eariler post these trailers are crap. tough but crap none the less

Mark

Ok, I just wanted to say that I hauled my M989 800 miles across South Dakota with a M109, duece and it pulled pretty good, not lots of hill climbing power, but with the air brake system it stopped well.

I dont see a major problem with with this trailer, that a bit of time and ingenuity cant fix, 1--ramps on the rear, 2--mod the rear deck, remove the above deck cross member, 3--permanent angle ramps from the deck to the rear deck, 4--this is the big one drop the front steering and suspension, install a 5th wheel plate( some are for sale in the classifieds) and use a converter dolly, ( a 2 axle would look good but a single would work) this mod will help with the backing and tight turning problem.

For towing a rock crawler behind your deuce, I would not recommend the HEMAT trailer. Too heavy, too big, and you'll be competing in the auctions against the few out there who own HEMTT trucks to tow them with, and they got REAL money.

I'd get a M-1061 series trailer, the one with the 16 foot bed. Here's a couple pics of one I had years back, it is rugged, light enough for the deuce to tow it (although hills will make it a little slow), and you can get them for under $1K at auction. Only bitch is you'll have to attach some ramps at the back end to off-load your buggy.

If you have a M35A3 you just got to get one of these to go with it, that is the M989A1. I purchased one from GL out of Fort Sill Oklahoma for $908.00. I personally think this is the best trailer you could put behind your M35A3. I pulled it 832 miles to Slidell Louisiana. Stops on a dime, no problem up steep hills, you don't even notice it is behind you on takeoff. But on stopping, you have unbelievable stopping power. I don't know what it would do behind a M35A2, but a 5 ton would be great pulling it with a larger load. The automatic transmission ran cooler pulling the trailer all day and most of the night then hauling a load of wood 12 miles. I have heard a lot of negative comments about this trailer. It was designed for easy loading of rocket pods and cargo, not a vehicle. This trailer has military standard wiring connections and air brake glad hands.
A little info:
The M989A1 HEMAT is a two-axle trailer with the front axle featuring an Ackerman steering design; the rear axle is stationary.
The brakes are air-actuated while the air suspension is designed for on- and off-road mobility.
The suspension is automatically self-adjusting with self-levelling control.
Military mission profile is 50 per cent primary roads, 50 per cent cross-country.
The trailer meets all the requirements for a 0.55 g lateral stability.
The treated hardwood deck is surrounded by 22 tie down rings, evenly spaced for securing MLRS pods and other payloads up to 10,000 kg.

I going to Camp Shelby next week to pick up my HEMAT trailer. Don't have the inter vehicular cable. Does anyone know where I can buy one ASAP?