Got my new to me M1102 and a couple questions for you guys

[cyclic]

So I've wanted/needed a trailer to be a do everything trailer for camping, hauling, general moving stuff. Found a M1102 for a great price locally from an individual. Now its home.



Going to do the usual civi conversion. Replace the bulbs, remove the pintle and place a 2 inch hitch lower on the main tube, swap to dodge rims and 265/70r16 tires.

It's got some brackets in the back I'm not sure what they are supposed to mount, any ideas?

 

[tmaxxgod4]

They could be a generator mount?... I have never seen mounts like this..

 

[FloridaAKM]

These trailers have a multitude of varations done to them, depending on what the military needed @ that time. Some were actual field kitchens on a small basis; another was a self loading large (122mm?)mortar system. There are gensets mounted to them, etc. Your brackets are just the base for whatever was in there before the trailer got sent to DRMO. Are they bolted in or welded in?

Instead of altering the lunette ring, just use a pintel hitch adapter in your receiver hitch on your vehicle; that way you keep the surge brake feature to help with stopping a loaded trailer more easily.

 

[cyclic]

Got a bunch done this week, swapped out the surge system for a standard 2 inch ball hitch, and got the monster 37" tires off.
I mounted some tires I already had on some old dodge rims. Mounted them by hand in the garage and used airsoft bb's to balance.
The surge system was removed, using two 6x10 1/4 thick plates, I mounted a 22 inch long 3 inch square 1/4 wall tube. Drilled the plates to fit the surge pattern, bolted them on and the welded in the tube. Bolted on the hitch and painted it up.
Overall pretty easy conversion, still need to replace bulbs with 12v. Rewire the end to a civilian type plug and mount the license plate. I'll use some of the inside brackets but remove most of them.

 

[wvu dodge]

Looks like a nice job. The 285 or 265 tires is what I was thinking too. I've got some old dodge 3/4 ton 8 lugs that should work. What is your tow vehicle. Mine is a newer 1/2 ton dodge, no lift and I use a 8 hole pintle riser plate (about 4inch rise). Just curious how level yours sits and what you're dragging it with

 

[Shark Bait]

Looks like a nice job. The 285 or 265 tires is what I was thinking too. I've got some old dodge 3/4 ton 8 lugs that should work. What is your tow vehicle. Mine is a newer 1/2 ton dodge, no lift and I use a 8 hole pintle riser plate (about 4inch rise). Just curious how level yours sits and what you're dragging it with

If you have the original 37" tires and hummer wheels off your m1102 I may be interested. I'm down I-79 from you but up that way a couple times a week.

dave

 

[cyclic]

In the future I'll get some 235/85r16 tires for the trailer. I have a 1988 Suburban that's lifted 2.5 inches running 265/70r17 tires, should be pretty close. I actually converted the Suburban to use 2010 Hummer H3 front brakes so stopping is not an issue.
Future plans include electric brakes and 6 lug conversion to match my Suburban. With the bolted on coupler, I can always go with a different hitch style later. But for now the 2 inch ball makes for a much better road traveling trailer.

 

[wvu dodge]

If you have the original 37" tires and hummer wheels off your m1102 I may be interested. I'm down I-79 from you but up that way a couple times a week.

dave

I already promised them to a buddy of mine. He bought a m1101 from me so he's got a matching pair. If I still had my 3/4 ton Cummins it would have been on 37in run flats several months ago

 

[maxtor]

We were able to keep the stock lunette and add a standard hitch. The standard hitch is held in place by three 1/2 inch bolts. I will take pictures tomorrow. By removing the three bolts, the standard hitch is removed and you are back to the stock lunette/ pintle hook up. 1156 and 89 12 volt bulbs were used along with a 4 wire plug to make it 12 volt friendly.
The positives to the standard setup is that it makes the bed level while towing even with the 37 inch tires. The negatives are that the surge brakes do not work.
Using the lunette/ pintle hitch makes our trailer to high and rides nose low hooked to our stock height 2012 Ford diesel. I do have a 12 inch plate to raise the pintle, which helps.

 

[NEIOWA]

Removed an extremely strong functional hitch design and expensive functional trail braking system substituted a cheap 2" ball hitch and going with NO trailer brakes?

No accounting for taste.

 

[maxtor]

Removed an extremely strong functional hitch design and expensive functional trail braking system substituted a cheap 2" ball hitch and going with NO trailer brakes?

No accounting for taste.

Obviously you can not read... The trailer has both systems.

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

Or maybe he can read just fine, and was responding to the OP, who did exactly what he described?


Hmmmm.... Mebbe......

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

Some were .... a self loading large (122mm?)mortar system.

Are you sure about that???

I've seen what a Four Deuce does to an M113 chassis when it's fired. That's a whale of a lot more mass and strength, and it definitely notices the recoil. I cannot imagine that trailer handling that kind of recoil without being quickly destroyed. I doubt even an 81mm would be kind to it for very long.

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

The surge system was removed,

What are you doing for brakes on that thing? I don't know what your laws are in Texas, but in most states, that trailer is big enough that brakes are a requirement.

 

[FloridaAKM]

I was refering to a trailer that shut down the sales for a while in the early months of this year till DOD got it all sorted out. It got DRMOed without proper paperwork & the actual caliber of the mortar system escapes me @ the moment, it could have been an 81 mm, but I really don't remember. The deal is that a modified trailer for an auto loading mortar system (minus the mortar system) was sold to John Q Public & then recalled by DOD. The Buyer paid $2K+ for it.

The items that were installed into the trailer that the OP posted pictures were new to me! Sorry for the confusion!

Are you sure about that???

I've seen what a Four Deuce does to an M113 chassis when it's fired. That's a whale of a lot more mass and strength, and it definitely notices the recoil. I cannot imagine that trailer handling that kind of recoil without being quickly destroyed. I doubt even an 81mm would be kind to it for very long.

 

[cyclic]

Texas only requires brake for trailers more than 4500. I will be changing to electric in the future and six lug hubs. This trailer is going behind civ truck and has zero chance to ever need a pintle set up again. The gross weight not too mention the empty weight is well below the capacity on my suburban. My mildly built suburban limits how much mobility will be needed, the trailer should not be the limiting factor.

 

[cyclic]

Plate is mounted and lit. New running light LED's arrive this weekend.

 

[MarkM]

Looks good!

You could have gotten some of the new LED 1156 bulbs that run from 10v to 30v so it is the best of both worlds. I still kept the Lunette system on my M101A2


Nice work

 

[cyclic]

Nothing I own or plan to get is 24v, basically taking my tax money the Gov spent and making a good civ trailer that also works off road.

 

[cyclic]

Here's some good pics of the trailer and my suburban...........................



Probably going another inch higher on the suburban rear height to balance it better when loaded. Then will adjust hitch height to match. Notice how the ground clearance balances well with both the trailer and the suburban?

Anyone have any thoughts on mounting the spare under the rear of the trailer, right behind the axle?