Recovered my M101A2 last week

[robertss]

Got it from RRAD. has good Uniroyal tires, good tarp, both parking brakes work, surge brakes seem to work (does seem to jump a little during hard braking). All lights functional. Pulled like a dream at 70 mph on the interstate for 3 hours.
I have been lurking for a month, and learning all about the M101 trailers. i even put together my hitch and light setup based on other members posts (thank you).

I caught the MV bug from a co-worker. These little trailers seem to be a gateway drug into a larger addiction.

 

[armadillofz1]

congrats! incredible little trailer, you'll start looking for stuff to haul just to have an excuse to hook it up.

 

[rosco]

Congratulations on the great buy, and welcome to the site. You even got a tongue jack on the trailer. As a tip, on pulling your 101 empty, pull the pins on the one side of your head gate, and fold it around to the side - less wind drag. I secure it back, with a couple of bungees.

 

[robertss]

One thing that is not so good is several of the ropes on the tarp are either badly frayed or knotted beyond use. I had to cut a couple to get the tarp off for travel.
I remember the M35a3 duece tarps had a black rubber band type tie down, has anyone tried something like that to replace the tarp ropes on the M101s?

 

[TBRYANTJR]

I just bought some new rope, used some black wire and black duct tape to make it look more like the origional. I've got 3 101a2s and 4 105a2s

 

[harleyhouse]

Very nice pintle / plug set up you made.
Looks like a nice condition trailer. Will you be painting the truck or trailer to match?
Too bad it does not have the metric FORD bolt pattern then all would match.

What are your plans? keep it the same or customize?

PS: That lunette ring looks tight in the pintle, watch off camber tilts.

 

[trooper632]

how exactly did you work the light plug, it looks like the original military plug, what did u use to plug it into the civilian truck plug

 

[Darwin T]

it looks like Erik's (i think that's where i saw those) 7 flat blade x12 pin plug. very clean hitch setup. look like it's factory.

PS. Welcome from Texas.

 

[indy4x4fab]

My wife helped me recover my m105a2 from docfarmall this past weekend and she saw a m101a1 at his house that she really liked, she said and I quote, "I think that little trailer would look cool be hind my dodge (ramcharger)." So I may be recovering one after the first of the year. Her birth day is in march.

P.S. welcome from the Indy platoon.

 

[Darwin T]

My wife helped me recover my m105a2 from docfarmall this past weekend and she saw a m101a1 at his house that she really liked, she said and I quote, "I think that little trailer would look cool be hind my dodge (ramcharger)." So I may be recovering one after the first of the year. Her birth day is in march.

P.S. welcome from the Indy platoon.

so she has the green disease also, or is this the onset.

 

[indy4x4fab]

so she has the green disease also, or is this the onset.

No I think shes got the green and tan disease, her 810 is tan, but yes, shes says if the army made horse trailers then we would be getting one. She loves horses too.

 

[robertss]

I did buy the 12 pin to 7 blade cable from Erik's Surplus. Bought the pintle and receiver plate from Tractor Supply. It does have a snug fit, but worked fine for the highway pull, but that part will get an upgrade soon.
I bought the plug cover from ebay for $9. went to a local pick and pull and bought a decent 3500 GMC van rim with a good tire for a trailer spare and pulled a couple of Ford truck factory trailer plug brackets. Little work with a grinder, drill and Rust-o-leum and there she is!

I dont remeber the member that posted, but I found a nice pic of a similar hitch setup on this forum and modeled mine after that example.

I wont paint it for a while. This tan one is my 2nd M101a2. I bought a green M101A2 two weeks before this one and immediatley wanted a 2nd. The green one is in better shape, better paint and better Discoverer tires. However the tan one has the rear support leg and front crank down leg.
I want to replace the ropes on the tarp, get the GL graffitti off of it and just kind of see where it leads me. I like the camper ideas Ive read about. I bought it with the intent of using it to haul rocks, dirt and trash but now with 2 M101s, I can have the best of both worlds.

 

[robertss]

Few pics of the green one

 

[wilfreeman]

Man I wish mine would have had a top - anybody know where to get bows and a green top?

 

[wilfreeman]

Yeah, I like that military plug setup too. I guess the flat 4 pin would work the same. I've got a couple of old mil plugs - I'll have to try it out

 

[goodguyzy]

Man I wish mine would have had a top - anybody know where to get bows and a green top?

G/L has them from time to time, picked up 3 sets a few months ago. As far as the trailer "jumping" sounds like it has a worn shock, common problem.

here is a thread on it:http://www.steelsoldiers.com/trailers/53540-m101a2-violent-braking.html

 

[wilfreeman]

I've been looking at the local auctions since I bought my trailer- of course theres been none for sale around here! A side note on the surge brake shock - I remember reading a thread here about a 60 cj5 master cylinder being a direct replacement, and monroe (?) having a shock for it. If I remember in the morning I will try to find that thread - it's just too much of a PITA to do much searching on this phone

 

[TBRYANTJR]

Trooper632 i disconnected the cable under the protective cover and ran some commercial 4 wire through some plastic conduit which i painted to match. The connections are in the tm.