trailer recovery and data plate question

[rory1919]

Won this fancy trailer out of WPAFB a couple weeks ago and all other options for transportation fell through. today from 8:00 AM to 10:30 AM was my final chance. so i had to throw it onto the back of my poor little 4cyl escape and hope for the best.


WPAFB is about 40 minutes from my work or an hour from home so i went first thing this morning. and drove it straight to work. Dayton construction meant I75 was 45 MPH, i was lucky.


all the way to work with no issues. hubs are nice and cool and everything is as smooth as can be. at $185.00 i was pretty happy.


now what do i do if there is no dataplate? it is in great shape other than the back of the canopy is missing. funny 3 weeks before this auction other trailers were selling at $5-700 with no bows or canopy!


i've done a cursory inspection but could not find any place on the frame with a serial/ vin.

r

 

[rickf]

opcorn:opcorn:
Here we go, I see it coming.

 

[rory1919]

country roads after i got out of the construction zone, low speed with magnetic flashers.
and all terrain was flat. it is ohio after all
kept it as safe as i could

 

[bigbe5678]

Holy Cow

country roads after i got out of the construction zone, low speed with magnetic flashers.
and all terrain was flat. it is ohio after all
kept it as safe as i could

You got guts my friend

 

[rory1919]

its not guts really. i had 3 good drop off points en route. if things were not good the trip could have been as little as 5 miles or i would have dropped it in a shopping lot until this weekend where i had access to a larger vehicle. every other option i had dropped out over the last week. even the local Lowes truck are no more. phased them all out.

lots of spring left in my suspension. and i left as much clear space in front of me to stop as possible

the photo looks way worse than it actually was as the hitch is at the crevasse of two small slopes.

class 3 hitch and the last year the escape had a real truck frame. just an under powered engine....

 

[rory1919]

but it still was not ideal on any level.

 

[bigbe5678]

Good Planing... I would have never thought of a lows truck

 

[goldneagle]

Have someone scan a data plate for you and have one made with your Vin # on it. Should be about $23 for the plate from dataplates.net

 

[rory1919]

lowes truck would have been large enough to strap it on top of the back as they did not have a hitch. and then would not have to deal with any brake issues or anything else during transport.

next idea was the home depot truck. same price but these are like f25s with a bigger flat bed. bed is only 7x8ish. not large enough to carry the trailer. but wait thats a 2" hitch hole on the back.... right on this is gonna work out great... oh, no its not. they've welded a bolt through the hitch retainer pin hole so no one can use a hitch with the truck. found that out late last night as i was measuring the truck bed.

2 friends with trucks both backed out last minute because of work obligations. can't complain about that.

not that i plan on doing this again, ever, but it turned out pretty ok in the end.

 

[FloridaAKM]

Wow Rory, you pulled a M105A2 with your Escape. That thing weighs 2750 lbs empty with nothing attached & yours had the bows & canvas with it. You are using up all your good luck @ a fast pace; hope you have lots more. I have pulled stock M1102's with my Toyota Tacoma, but they weigh only 1460 lbs empty & have a surge brake to boot instead of air brakes like the M105A2. The M105A2 I have will only be pulled by my Deuce as I don't want to see how good the Toyota brakes & rear suspension are.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Rory, i know some guys scrapping out 105s. Let me know if I should ask for a data plate for you.

No worries guys, i told him if he ran into trouble to call.

 

[FloridaAKM]

Thanks Gimpy for looking out for Rory as he gets settled in. If you have another spare data plate for the M105, mine is missing the plate on the left hand side (drivers) of the tongue. The SS member that I got it from passed away earlier this summer & didn't get the plate or a bill of sale for me. Thanks in advance!

Rory, i know some guys scrapping out 105s. Let me know if I should ask for a data plate for you.

No worries guys, i told him if he ran into trouble to call.