MEP 802A Fix-up Thread

I add a 7 conductor RV cable to match my truck....something like this: https://www.etrailer.com/Wiring/Mighty-Cord/A10-7W6.html and change the tail light bulbs to 12 volt. I used regular bulbs but LEDs are available.

Search SS for 'wheels for m116a3' to get used wheel size needed and expected results.

Bulb info here: https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?76647-Bulbs-12-volt-24-volt-trailer-lights-info

Zed254 said:

I add a 7 conductor RV cable to match my truck....something like this: https://www.etrailer.com/Wiring/Mighty-Cord/A10-7W6.html and change the tail light bulbs to 12 volt. I used regular bulbs but LEDs are available.

Search SS for 'wheels for m116a3' to get used wheel size needed and expected results.

Bulb info here: https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?76647-Bulbs-12-volt-24-volt-trailer-lights-info

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Thanks for that link on eTrailer. I found one that was a plug & play on eBay but I have no problem making my own for 60% less. Found the thread on here for the wiring on the trailers. Will be extremely helpful!

I did see the thread with the bulb conversions. Going to go with LED so I only need to do it once.

As for wheels, I did already know they were a 8 on 6.5 patter... pretty standard. Going to try & find some take off wheels from a 3/4 ton truck that had the same pattern. Hopefully find some with matching tires to my truck... that would be cool!

Started looking at TM 9-6115-659-13&P & it seems like this trailer was from a PU-797 setup. In that TM, I can't find the parts diagram for the tongue jack. I'd just replace it with a commercial one, but everything with it works find except the missing handle for cranking it. Is there is a different TM that would have that part?

UPDATE: Added the pictures. Also, found a handle that I think should work from eTrailer. I can toss it in the toolbox when not in use. Here's a link;
http://www.etrailer.com/Accessories-and-Parts/etrailer/RVLG-HDL.html

From TM 9-2330-202-14&P, Fig 17

8 PAOZZ 5340013863974 19207 12441073 HANDLE,BOW.......................... 1
UOC:CT1,SPR,TC1,258,263

Some part number here: https://www.parttarget.com/5340-01-...choption=nsn&originalsearchtext=5340013863974

What many people dont think about, is how many TM's you might need for a PU/PP. Here for example is a list of what is needed for just the PU-797.

Zed254 said:

From TM 9-2330-202-14&P, Fig 17

8 PAOZZ 5340013863974 19207 12441073 HANDLE,BOW.......................... 1
UOC:CT1,SPR,TC1,258,263

Some part number here: https://www.parttarget.com/5340-01-...choption=nsn&originalsearchtext=5340013863974

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I ended up just ordering the one in the post above yours that I linked too. Downloaded the TM you referenced & it will cover other stuff I needed... thank you very much!

Guyfang said:

What many people dont think about, is how many TM's you might need for a PU/PP. Here for example is a list of what is needed for just the PU-797.

PU-797	TM-9-6115-659-13&P
PU-797	TM 9-2330-202-14&P			M116A3
PU-797	LO 5-6115-641-12	5 KW	MEP-802A
PU-797	TM 5-6115-641-10	5 KW	MEP-802A
PU-797	TM 5-6115-641-24	5 KW	MEP-802A
PU-797	TM 5-6115-641-24&P	5 KW	MEP-802A
PU-797	TM 9-2815-252-24	5 KW	MEP-802A
PU-797	TM 9-2815-252-24P	5 KW	MEP-802A
PU-797	TB 9-6115-641-13	5 KW	MEP-802A

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Yes, it's almost funny! Then add a few more if you want the commercial Lister manuals. I added the one for the M116A3 to my files that Zed254 referenced above.

So I placed an order with eTrailer. Got an adjustable pintle hitch. I have one already but it's a bolt on type. Since I will need to adjust more with this new trailer, it was my excuse to buy the quick adjustable one so it's easy to hook up to any of my trailers. Ordered the 7 pin wire pigtail & the tongue jack crank that were both linked above.

I may make a video showing how the cord hooks up to the military wiring. The info is on here but a video is always nice.

Here are links to all 3 items in case someone else ends up finding this;

https://www.etrailer.com/Wiring/Mighty-Cord/A10-7W6.html

[url]https://www.etrailer.com/Pintle-Hitch/Pro-Series/63072.html

https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories-and-Parts/etrailer/RVLG-HDL.html





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CallMeColt said:

Started looking at TM 9-6115-659-13&P & it seems like this trailer was from a PU-797 setup. In that TM, I can't find the parts diagram for the tongue jack. I'd just replace it with a commercial one, but everything with it works find except the missing handle for cranking it. Is there is a different TM that would have that part
UPDATE: Added the pictures. Also, found a handle that I think should work from eTrailer. I can toss it in the toolbox when not in use. Here's a link;
http://www.etrailer.com/Accessories-and-Parts/etrailer/RVLG-HDL.html

View attachment 766546View attachment 766547

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I have a couple mil-spec handles that are unpainted for $40+$13 shipping. Just let me know if you need one.

jamawieb said:

I have a couple mil-spec handles that are unpainted for $40+$13 shipping. Just let me know if you need one.

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I purchased the one from eTrailer for less than your shipping cost that works great, but thank you. I couldn't justify that much for a handle!

CallMeColt said:

I purchased the one from eTrailer for less than your shipping cost that works great, but thank you. I couldn't justify that much for a handle!

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Understand. Just so everyone knows the mil-spec handles go on the holder in the jack leg. Your picture shows the exact spot where the handle mounts (bracket beside the chain), so you don't have to worry about misplacing the handle. Really neat design.

If any part is missing from a PP, or PU set, that handle is it. Got to be the most lost, misplaced or stolen part in the Army inventory. If the trailer had a lockable OVM box, that was the first place to look. The next best place was in the bottom of the gen set. But leaving it in its bracket, was NOT a good idea.

Haven't done anything special to my recently acquired generator. It was a decent price with only 10 hours on it because something heavy got dropped on it, did some nice dents in some of the panels and twisted the entire enclosure. Managed to get it apart a little bit, charged up the batteries, replaced the fuel line, and straightened some of the panels enough to go back together. Did one hour of running at 74% load (2 space heaters, a toaster oven, and a heat gun were all I had for loading it) and burned out a lot of oil from the exhaust system.

Starts easily, runs great, relatively quiet for what it is, pretty much everything I remember from running them in the Army. I'm pretty sure I lucked out buying this one.

Now to decide whether to keep this one or sell it to a customer that lives off grid, or sell of the Generac QP75D RV generator I currently have attached to my house as backup.

Coug said:

...Now to decide whether to keep this one or sell it to a customer that lives off grid, or sell of the Generac QP75D RV generator I currently have attached to my house as backup.

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If it were me, I would keep the 802 in a heartbeat over the Generac since you are relying on it for your primary house backup. The 802 is a 1800 RPM Mil Spec machine while the QP75D is a 3600 RPM unit if memory serves me right. The 802 with its Lister Petter design engine will be running long after the GENERAC is in its grave or parted out.

Although, you know your situation best as to whether its best to pocket the $$ from selling the 802 or $ from selling the QP75D and living with the remaining unit as your backup.

Chainbreaker said:

If it were me, I would keep the 802 in a heartbeat over the Generac since you are relying on it for your primary house backup. The 802 is a 1800 RPM Mil Spec machine while the QP75D is a 3600 RPM unit if memory serves me right. The 802 with its Lister Petter design engine will be running long after the GENERAC is in its grave or parted out.

Although, you know your situation best as to whether its best to pocket the $$ from selling the 802 or $ from selling the QP75D and living with the remaining unit as your backup.

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The QP75D is an 1800 rpm 3 cylinder diesel liquid cooled. Belt drive to the generator to spin the powerhead at 3600 RPMs. Generac got out of the RV generator business a few years back, so mostly right now holding onto it as a spare if someone needs a quick replacement in their RV. My associate in the same business as me got contacted a couple months ago about one of these, but customer was still down in Cali at the time, he gave them my number but I never heard from them.

The QP75Ds I've seen mostly fail due to dust and grit getting into the brush area, eating up the slip rings. The only real advantages it has right now are it's smaller/lighter for higher output, and I have a 20 gallon tank hooked up to it.
Yeah, I really want to keep the MEP802 as opposed to the Generac, it will probably be whatever I have an offer to sell first. Even then I might just keep this one and watch the auctions for another one, they pop up once every month or two here in WA, and I'm a little over an hour from the auction site.

Coug said:

The QP75D is an 1800 rpm 3 cylinder diesel liquid cooled. Belt drive to the generator to spin the powerhead at 3600 RPMs.

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Ahh, I stand corrected regarding the engine RPM. I was going off memory from a friend that owned one a while ago. I knew something was running at 3600 RPM, forgot about it being a belt driven gen head that ran at 3600.

So, I started working on the trailer. Used the information I found here on the forum & wired up the 7 pin RV type connector that I ordered. Matched the green wire to 22460, Yellow to 22461, Brown to 21, & white to ground. Put in the proper 12v bulbs to the existing housing. Only the right side running light works. No left signal. Right signal put both on like the hazards. Hazard lights work. Brake lights work. Started getting late & I was a little annoyed that I didn't fully check ALL functions before closing everything up.

Things I'm going to try tomorrow;
-Make sure all the grounds are good.
-Make sure my connections are good.
-Swap running bulbs from side to side to be sure one of the LED's aren't bad.
-Confirm all connections to the light housings are good & proper.

Hopefully it's just a silly ground connection. Trailer lights are usually real simple.

Going to be a bit annoyed with myself if it all gets to deep since my original plan was to take all the wires off & just get the LED kit from Harbor Freight Tools for $40. I'd have a license plate light with that kit too.

Enough of my complaining for now. Just cranky after a long day. Starting fresh after work will help. At least I have A/C in my garage now! Tomorrow the new wheels & tires come. Should ride level with them.

Got it all figured out & finished yesterday. Will update with pictures later.

Apparently the required hook-up with the 7 pin harness I had was different. I noticed that the cover on my truck connection had what each pin was supposed to connect too. Confirmed with multimeter & changed up connections with the proper wires on the trailer.

For a 7 pin harness;
Green goes to 21
Brown goes to 22-460
Red goes to 22-461
White is the ground

For a 4 pin harness;
Green goes to 22-460
Yellow goes to 22-461
Brown goes to 21
White is ground


New wheels & tires came in. Bolted up nicely.

Ordered a plate bracket with LED light on it.

Went & registered it today so it's now road legal.

May need to check the surge brakes as it seems they're not working well.

Took a bunch of video along the way to share on converting this trailer, what I did, & what I purchased to make it happen.

Going to try & setup a time next week for the local generator shop to swap my MEP-802A over to this new one as my tractor won't to it safely.

I'm excited to see it all come together!

Depending on how often you trailer, if the surge is giving you fits there is a cross hole through it that you can use a long bolt through to 'lock out' the brakes (especially handy if you are trying to back the thing up an incline...). I wouldn't use less than Grade 8 personally for the bolt, but its at least there.

Light in the Dark said:

Depending on how often you trailer, if the surge is giving you fits there is a cross hole through it that you can use a long bolt through to 'lock out' the brakes (especially handy if you are trying to back the thing up an incline...). I wouldn't use less than Grade 8 personally for the bolt, but its at least there.

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I didn't even realize this! Will look at it. May be a temporary fix until I decide to troubleshoot more. Keep the clanking down.