M1102 from Barstow to Sacramento. Logistic help!

Hello all,

First time posting here. Very grateful for all the information that has been exchanged on this site thus far!

I won two M1102 trailers at Barstow in Mid-March. I actually wanted just one, but
did not see a "you won the lot" confirmation email at 5pm EST, so went and chased after the remaining lot that was still open. Bad move, as I unwisely paid much more.

So as I wait for Battle Creek to approve my EUC, I have a few logistic problems that I wonder if any of you can render some help. Thanks in advance!

Questions:
1. I will be towing with a 2011 Range Rover Sport. The hitch receiver is pretty low. I bought the tallest riser and a pintle-ball hitch, and that would still get me to about 22 inches above ground. The M1102 lunette ring is at 29.5 inches level. Can I tow this trailer back in this setup even though it will be uneven?
Amazon.com: Tow Ready 63058 Pintle Hook Receiver Mount: Automotive

2. My ball size is 2 in diameter. Is this ok to tow M1102?
Amazon.com: Curt Combination Ball and Pintle Hook: Automotive

3. Is there a company in Barstow that would pick up the trailer for me on a scheduled Friday, and I will pick it up from the company at Barstow on Sunday?

4. Do I request SF97 form now? Or do I really wait until I got the trailer as is recommended by GL?

5. Any problems getting titled at DMV?

6. Finally, most important question, can I flip the lunette ring? If not, then can
I ask the machine shop to customize it so the ring is on the bottom in order to
tow level?

Again, thanks for any comments and help for this novice enthusiast!

1. I think that pintle height should work ok for an empty tow. I suggest getting some trailer lights to temporarily mount to it, since it'll have 24V lighting and the NATO military trailer connector, and there's no guarantee that its lighting is in working condition anyway. Magnets won't stick to the aluminum bed very well, so plan some alternate means of mounting.

2. That should work. If I recall correctly, the hole in the lunette is around 3" diameter.

4. I recommend waiting in order to verify that they got the VIN right in the listing.

6. I don't think the lunette ring is easily flippable. I haven't looked at it closely, though, and I just got my first look at an M1102 when mine arrived at home on Friday. Maybe my pictures will help you get a better idea of what to expect? A few clicks will get you much higher resolution than the GL pictures:


In particular, the hitch is visible in this picture:


Maybe it's possible to move the whole surge brake assembly below the drawbar, but that'll probably take some custom fabrication work.

Here are a couple that I picked up in Barstow the other day--- pics will give you an idea of what they look like behind a Jeep and Dodge truck.

I do pick ups at Barstow for a fee. Call for info- 760 964 5123 Hundy

Thanks for the tips, nf6x! That's a nice M1102 you got! I just hope the ones I will get will be as nice. You never know about those GL pictures. They look good from afar, but no close up shots or videos, at least the ones from my event.

I looked very closely at the M1102 operator's manual to flip the ring. I am an electrical guy and
not a mechanical guy, but it looks like I will have to get some customization. If anyone has done this before, please share your methods/pictures. If not, I will post these info/phone as I get it customized. It will just not look right if the trailer is leaning forward. Presentation is what it counts!!

Thanks for your photos, Hundy! I will keep you in mind for sure. I am trying to get someone to go down with me to get both trailers. If no one is available, then I will need to have someone pick up both at Barstow, park at Barstow, and I will go down in 2 separate weekends to drive them up. I have heard the cost of having them delivered to Sacramento is more than the cost I pay for them, so will plan to do it myself/friend.

Is there a reason why you left the tarp on while transporting? Wouldn't that give you more drag and cost more fuel?

nanlin said:

Thanks for your photos, Hundy! I will keep you in mind for sure. I am trying to get someone to go down with me to get both trailers. If no one is available, then I will need to have someone pick up both at Barstow, park at Barstow, and I will go down in 2 separate weekends to drive them up. I have heard the cost of having them delivered to Sacramento is more than the cost I pay for them, so will plan to do it myself/friend.

Is there a reason why you left the tarp on while transporting? Wouldn't that give you more drag and cost more fuel?

Click to expand...

My shop/yard is only about 40 miles away, so wasnt too concerned with mpg. I would pull the covers if I was towing to Sac.

If you won two, as you say, you may want to have a buddy, that can tow one, go with you as well. Get both off the GL lot when you can, as the window is short. After your EUC clears, you have 10 days and you need to make an appointment, if I'm not mistaken.

Or have someone local (See Hundy) pick them up and recover them at a more leisurely rate.

Oh, and do get the temporary lights and ZIP ties or bungie cords to hold them on. Don't count on the magnets keeping them on the trailer at speed.

Thanks for the advice, Harold! I will try to do the move during day time and that may save me
from buying trailer lights. Already spend $600 on the hitch assembly to get the RRS tow ready!
I think the M1102 is rated to go 55mph max, so the drive will be painfully slow for almost 7 hours.
So hopefully GL will get me in first thing in AM and get me going.

nanlin, there are pictures and details in my blog: topohiker news The pictures are all thumb-nailed so click on them to see the larger versions.

If you have a stout truck, it may be possible to stand them both on end and lash them together and tow them both home at once. I saw some pictures in here somewhere where someone did that. It'll weigh about 3000#, so you may need to rent a truck, but probably cheaper than making two trips or having them delivered.

EDIT to add, the lights I used are from Harbor Freight and were on sale for about $25. If you want them, I'll ship them to you for $25 total.

The trailer body is aluminum, so magnetic lights won't stick at all.

Thanks Chris! You have so many links/picture at your blog, so I am having hard time finding the M1102.

I think my Range Rover Sport can tow up to 7700 lbs, but picturing it with 2 trailers behind it is
a bit out of my mental league...

nanlin said:

Thanks Chris! You have so many links/picture at your blog, so I am having hard time finding the M1102.

I think my Range Rover Sport can tow up to 7700 lbs, but picturing it with 2 trailers behind it is
a bit out of my mental league...

Click to expand...

The link I provided is where the pictures are. topohiker news and scroll down.

The way the other guy did it was to stand them both on end and attach them, then roll one onto its wheels. So it would look like one upside down trailer on top of another.

Thanks Chris! Sorry, it was totally there and I should have my eyes checked!

Yes, that does look pretty good.... You are giving me ideas...

nanlin said:

Thanks for the advice, Harold! I will try to do the move during day time and that may save me
from buying trailer lights. Already spend $600 on the hitch assembly to get the RRS tow ready!
I think the M1102 is rated to go 55mph max, so the drive will be painfully slow for almost 7 hours.
So hopefully GL will get me in first thing in AM and get me going.

Click to expand...

Um, the trailer lights are because you most likely don't have a 24v system. And you need lights to tow, day or night.

The only other option is to sit there and rewire the connector to work, which includes bring 12v bulbs with you to swap out. The temp lights mean you can do that at home, not in the rain at the GL lot.

Thanks Harold! Did not know I have to have lights on during the day to tow. I will now go pick up some temp trailer lights.

Yeah, re-wiring it in the rain or hot sun is not exciting...

In california you don't need DTRL (daytime running lights) with trailers; you just need brake lights & turn signals during the day. This comes from a CHP trooper I know. Of course, without license plates on the trailer, you can still be stopped & ticketed for an unregistered trailer....

Thank you Silverstate!
I am a novice at towing, and this will be my first attempt at getting a trailer. I did not realize I can get stopped while taking the trailer back to Sacramento. How do you guys take deliver of your trailers? If CHP stops me, will they understand that I just got this thing off the base? Will the ticket be a "fix it" ticket? My plan, of course, is to get a DMV plate, but it can only be done after I get the SF97 done.

You might be able to get a temporary movement permit once you get the SF97, but the way the CA DMV operates these days, they will probably want to mail it to you & you'll get it in the mail about 6 months after. But go to your local DMV office anyway, maybe they will have good news for you. If you have the TMP, you're good to go to tow it home without license plates.

The trooper I know said that usually if your equipment looks to be in good order, you won't get bothered...but all it takes is ONE trooper to pull you over....and without the proper documentation your day could be ruined.

In Nevada it's a little different than kommifornia, er, california. We don't have "permanent trailer" licensing; plates must be renewed each yer per trailer. BUT - trailers (NON-commercial that is) don't require separate insurance policies either, they are automatically covered under the policy of the towing vehicle (that is the DMV policy, NOT insurance policy; you CAN get separate insurance policies for your trailer if you desire, in order to cover theft, collision damage/loss, etc...). So nearly all of the NHP troopers I know don't bother with trailers missing plates, unless it looks like a train wreck about to happen (usually indicating that the tow vehicle is probably uninsured, plates expired, etc...).

So my short advice would be on that long of a trip, AND knowing that CHP patrols the 99 freeway pretty heavily (I've seen a LOT of vehicles towing trailers get stopped for doing more than the 55mph limit), to try to get the temporary movement permit or drive-away permit from the DMV once you get the SF-97. I've been travelling up & down 99 a LOT these past 2 years while cleaning up my Grandfather's farm near you, and you really have to mind your P's and Q's while on 99. 58 & I-15 are uneventful if towing a trailer, but you really have to watch yourself on 99.

Good luck!

If the TMP won't happen, then I highly suggest taking Hundy (100DollarMan) up on his offer to help remove/store/transport these trailers for you. He'll bend over backwards to help you & you'll be glad you did. I'd also suggest as others did earlier: for a fee, talk Hundy into transporting those trailers up to you during one of his pickup trips to Herlong or Rancho Cordova.

I'm trying to split these thoughts into different posts so you won't have to bore yourself while skimming through them.

An important reason for hiring Hundy to transport your trailers to you (most likely with his dually pickup & gooseneck trailer): do you have a spare 37"-tall tire on an 8-lug wheel? If not, there's justification enough to have Hundy bring them. A flat tire on a trailer can really suck; not all tire shops carry this size tire, and the cost of a mobile repair can easily run more than the purchase price of that trailer.

Military trailers being auctioned typically have been sitting for quite some time...that means that the tires are in the worst possible condition. Trailer tires need to be run on the road in order for the chemicals making up the tire to do their job properly...studies have shown that the more a trailer tire sits, the shorter its life span. We have a saying where I work that you will end up replacing trailer tires due to dry-rot & sidewall cracking long before the tread wears out. Do you know how to read the date codes on the sidewalls to get an idea of how old those tires are before you hit the road?

It's common for these trailer tires on auctioned equipment to be low on pressure (or flat). I hope you have a compressor with you to air them up if necessary. How about a bottle jack to lift the axle high enough to change a flat tire (not needed if you just call a mobile tire service, I know)? And tools for the lug nuts?

Trailer tires typically blow out due to under-inflation, excessive weight, and dry-rot/cracking on sidewalls...usually a combination of these 3. If a tire is over-inflated and not overloaded, you'll just wear out the tread crown, tires won't typically blow out due to being over-inflated. But under-inflation is VERY DANGEROUS! This causes an excess of heat to build up, usually leading to the sidewall blowing out and/or tread separation.

So this possibility alone should be enough to justify having Hundy do it for you, and he can bring both trailers at once for you (which actually saves you money in fuel costs).