First good load haul

[Nick]

Last week I made a trip from central Ca to Orange County Ca with a load of four Dodge Flathead motors in my '52 M101. We estimate the total weight around 300 to 400 lbs a motor.

My M101 was spectacular!! I was worried when we got em all loaded as the trailer continued to squat lower and lower. By the time we got em all in, the leaf springs were completely flat and level, no arc either way. There was about three inches between the axle and rubber bumper.

I made it over the Grapevine in no lower than third gear with my Dakota V-8, trailer pullin so nice and calm, no swaying. Just the NDT's were movin a little, but thats to be expected with bias.

I've heard it before, and not that I didnt beleive anyone, but I am sure impressed at how nice these trailers are.

I felt so cool with everyone lookin at the trailer and givin me thumbs up. Can't wait to get the Power Wagon done and pull it behind that and see what kinda reactions I get.

I got some pics of it, but I gettoa get em off my camera then I'll post em if anyones interested

Nick

 

[taildragger03]

Seeing is believing. This was last year. Right around 1000 lbs. in the trailer.

 

[mistaken1]

I loaded just over 1800# of batteries into the M101A2 and the wife hauled them to the recycler behind the expedition. No problems. Surge brakes make such a difference. No pictures though.

 

[cessnatwin]

too much work!

 

[Recovry4x4]

The 101 series of trailer is probably the most usable MV trailer out there. Can be towed with just about everything, goes straight as an arrow, can be moved by hand (empty) and the models with surge brakes stop nice. My favorite is the M101A3 as it has 55" between the inner fenders, same as an M105. Shelters and full sheeets of plywood fit easily. The only mod I need to do is rig the tailgate so it can run open and flat unstead of hanging down covering the lights.

 

[Nick]

My Dakota is a manual five speed, so I was worried aobut braking since my 101 doesnt have surge brakes. But since I could down shift it wasnt an issue.
Now, when I put it behind the power wagon,....not too sure i'll be haulin heavy loads like that!!


Nick

 

[Nick]

One of my stops to make sure everything was ok. I was kinda paranoid at first so I stopped a few times to check the wheels, bearings, springs.... The last pic is just a reference to how much it squatted and its normal stance.

Nick

 

[rosco]

That is a super sharp looking trailer! In the Old Days, we pulled those with the M37, and they were hard stopping by themselves, even empty. If you get into and emergency stop situation, they can make you "jack knife", so try to keep it going straight.

I think it was one, or maybe two, of those 3/16" "quick links", that I added to the tail-gate chains, to make it lay flat on the A2

 

[Nick]

That is a super sharp looking trailer! In the Old Days, we pulled those with the M37, and they were hard stopping by themselves, even empty. If you get into and emergency stop situation, they can make you "jack knife", so try to keep it going straight.

I think it was one, or maybe two, of those 3/16" "quick links", that I added to the tail-gate chains, to make it lay flat on the A2

Thanks Rosco. I got lots of thumbs up on the trip. I like to think this trailer has the best of both worlds, its still a strong military feel with a civilian twist.

Ive been thinking of doin the tailgate thing to allow it to stay flat, without going all the way down. Since I added tie down anchors to the rear, the tailgate hits those anchors and its already scratched the paint. But I was hesitating cuz I heard the tailgate wasn't that strong???? is that true. I have a pic of a quad in the bed and the ramps go to the flat tailgate, so that leads me to believe it should be strong.

Nick

 

[bobski]

very nice looking trailer. I very much like the wood sides.