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m101a3 axles max weight load?

3dAngus

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Perry, Ga.
Here ya go. Posted by Blackfox...


By the way, here are the specs for the M101 and A2/A3 (which are a little bigger.)
Also keep in mind that the measurements given are for the cargo body and not the bed which I measure with a tape measured.

DIMENSIONS
Overall:
Length .................................................. ............................147 in. (373.38 cm)
Width .................................................. ............................73.5 In. (186.69 cm)
Height of Chassis .................................................. .................35 in. (88.9 cm)
Height of Cargo Trailer (M101A2 and M101A3):
Empty............................................. .....................................83 in. (210.82 cm)
Loaded............................................ ....................................79 In. (200.66 cm)

Cargo Body (Old Style):
Length............................................ ...................................76 in. (193.04 cm)
Width .................................................. ...........................65.5 in. (166.37 cm)
Height .................................................. ...............................18 in. (45.72 cm)
Tread .................................................. ..............................72 in. (182.88 cm)
Cargo Body (New Style) (M101A2 and M101A3):
Length............................................ ......................................100 in. (254 cm)
Width .................................................. ...........................73.5 in. (186.69 cm)
Height .................................................. ..........................19.84 in. (50.39 cm)

TOWING INFORMATION
Towing Attachment .................................................. ...............Drawbar Coupler
Towing Vehicle .................................................. ...............CUCV Series, HMMWV
Series, 2-1/2 Ton series,
5 Ton series

WEIGHTS
Payload (Maximum):
Cross-country .................................................. ...................1500 lb (681 kg)
Highway .................................................. .......................2250 lb (1021.5 kg)
(Personal note. I've towed 3,000 lb many times with no problem)

Empty:
Wheels .................................................. .........................1225 lb (556.15 kg)
Front Support Leg............................................... ................115 lb (52.21 kg)
Total 1340 lb (608.36 kg)
With Payload:
Wheels
Cross Country........................................... ....................2640 lb (1198.56 kg)
Highway .................................................. .....................3360 lb (1525.44 kg)
Front Support Leg
Cross-country........................................... ............................200 lb (90.8 kg)
Highway .................................................. .........................230 lb (104.42 kg)
Total
Cross-country........................................... .....................2840 lb (1289.36 kg)
Highway .................................................. ......................3590 lb (1629.86 kg)
 

Chief_919

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Western NC
I would love to learn what the TRUE capacity of the axles is. Might have to research the manufacturer and see what they say.

2 M101A3 axkles might make a nice start to a homebuilt trailer...
 

3dAngus

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Perry, Ga.
Use the M116A3's instead. They rebuilt the M101A3 to the M116A3 axle for that purpose, though they did not go up on the Highway spec much.
The manufacture wrote the Tech manual under contract for the military. I would just go with the 2250 pounds, but you could always call them and see if they budge any. I like the fact that they have shocks in these small trailers and not just springs.
 

indy4x4fab

Banned
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Location
indy, indiana
been thinking of using two or three of these axles under a goose neck build, and running daully bud rims in them. i have a very bad habit of hauling 2 or even 3 times what the trailer is rated for and i love how tough these axles are built, but im also flipping around the use of 105 axles instead.
 

Chief_919

Well-known member
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Western NC
Use the M116A3's instead. They rebuilt the M101A3 to the M116A3 axle for that purpose, though they did not go up on the Highway spec much.
The manufacture wrote the Tech manual under contract for the military. I would just go with the 2250 pounds, but you could always call them and see if they budge any. I like the fact that they have shocks in these small trailers and not just springs.
The 101A3 and 116 A3 use the same axles, unless I am missing something.

And remember we are talking axle capacity, not trailer capacity. The axle will be rated higher than that because it also carries the body weight, and the max trailer rating may not be the max for the axle, because any number of factors could make the trailer rating lower than the axle could handle- the frame, the center of gravity, the lunette, the brakes could all make it be rated lower.

And it could be rated for 2250 because the military said we want it rated for 2250. The M1101 and M1102 trailer are the EXACT same trailer. Same axle, same everything. But the M1101 is rated for 1940#, and the M1102 for 2740#. Why? Not because of the trailer, but because of the vehicles each one is intended to be paired with- they limited the rated capacity based upon the ability of the tow vehicle it was intended for, not the real ability of the trailer.

Bottom line- the rated capacity on the data plate doesn't give you a realiable indication of the real performance potential of the axle.
 

Nonotagain

New member
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Parkville, MD
The 101A3 and 116 A3 use the same axles, unless I am missing something.

And it could be rated for 2250 because the military said we want it rated for 2250. The M1101 and M1102 trailer are the EXACT same trailer. Same axle, same everything. But the M1101 is rated for 1940#, and the M1102 for 2740#. Why? Not because of the trailer, but because of the vehicles each one is intended to be paired with- they limited the rated capacity based upon the ability of the tow vehicle it was intended for, not the real ability of the trailer.

Bottom line- the rated capacity on the data plate doesn't give you a realiable indication of the real performance potential of the axle.
Chief, the M1101 and M1102 don't use a tube axle but use stub torsion axles.

The ground clearance is right up against the bottom of the trailer frame now instead of the axle height.
 

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Chief_919

Well-known member
2,050
100
63
Location
Western NC
Chief, the M1101 and M1102 don't use a tube axle but use stub torsion axles.

The ground clearance is right up against the bottom of the trailer frame now instead of the axle height.
I realize that.

The point I was making is that the trailers are exactly the same, but the rated weight capacity is not.

Rated weight capacity on the data plate is not a relaible indicator of real world ability. It reflects what the government wanted it to hold, and that may or may not be what the real world ability is. Those two trailers are a perfect example of that. It will give you a bare minimum to go off of, but not the maximum.
 

3dAngus

Well-known member
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Perry, Ga.
The 101A3 and 116 A3 use the same axles, unless I am missing something.

I understand better now, thanks. The GL wording on many of their auctions, and mine in particular, was confusing as written. It said, "1996 M116A3 1 Ton Cargo trailer, 2 wheeled, Vin-Unknown, Mfg-Pribbs Steel Manufacturing Company, Trailer is a M101A3 Chassis with axle modification..."

... and I took it to mean it was a M101A3 that had been upgraded to a M116A3 by way of an axle upgrade. After reading the Tech Manual and finding the M116 is the chassis for the M101, it makes better sense now. Both axles are the same.

Prior, I thought the M101a3 and the M116A3 were different by way of the axle. where the M116A3 was the better of the two. I was wrong. Some of the language used in learning these things are ambiguous. After you understand it a little better, not so much so.
Still learning...always a student.
 

Chief_919

Well-known member
2,050
100
63
Location
Western NC
The 101A3 and 116 A3 use the same axles, unless I am missing something.

I understand better now, thanks. The GL wording on many of their auctions, and mine in particular, was confusing as written. It said, "1996 M116A3 1 Ton Cargo trailer, 2 wheeled, Vin-Unknown, Mfg-Pribbs Steel Manufacturing Company, Trailer is a M101A3 Chassis with axle modification..."

... and I took it to mean it was a M101A3 that had been upgraded to a M116A3 by way of an axle upgrade. After reading the Tech Manual and finding the M116 is the chassis for the M101, it makes better sense now. Both axles are the same.

Prior, I thought the M101a3 and the M116A3 were different by way of the axle. where the M116A3 was the better of the two. I was wrong. Some of the language used in learning these things are ambiguous. After you understand it a little better, not so much so.
Still learning...always a student.
Rule#1- never, ever, ever take techincal advice from anyone who has ever written a description for Governmnet Liquidation...........;-)

FWIW, I just drug home an M101A2 that has an M101A3/116A3 axle under it.... I think it is trailer salad, just toss parts together and see what you get.
 

rosco

Active member
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Delta Junction, Alaska
Trailer Salid --- that's good

They will all carry adequately, much more then their rated capacity. That is refreshing, compared the the civi-ratings..... especilly the ones with the wheel barrow tires on them.
 

lavarok

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Location
Fellsmere, FL
I was hauling some scrap today with a M101A3, I thought the trailer was squatting a bit...the spring stops were not touching so I figured it was ok. I only had to travel about 500 yards down the road to the recycler.

Once we unloaded, the total weight came to 3,841 lbs!! Yikes. Too bad that haul was only .05/lb :(
 

chevyCUCV

New member
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Location
Massachusetts
I was hauling some scrap today with a M101A3, I thought the trailer was squatting a bit...the spring stops were not touching so I figured it was ok. I only had to travel about 500 yards down the road to the recycler.

Once we unloaded, the total weight came to 3,841 lbs!! Yikes. Too bad that haul was only .05/lb :(
What kind of scrap was that??? Light iron is 11-12 cents/lb up here, picked up by a dumpster truck.

What was your max speed with that load?
 

lavarok

Well-known member
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33
48
Location
Fellsmere, FL
Steel cased absolyte batteries..I think they ripped me off but I was tired of looking at them.

I was probably driving about 15-25 mph tops, like I said previously it was only 500 yards or so down the road.
 
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