Which trailer(s) would be suitable for mounting my MEP-803a to??

[TrailLifeBill]

I just got my new (to me) MEP-803a serviced and checked out - and want to pick up a trailer for it. I know a common pairing is with a M116, but wanted to get some more experienced feedback on which other trailers to consider - in case I found one at a good (cheap) price. Was looking at the M104, M105, M1102, etc. I will be pulling it with a civilian vehicle with a 6000 lb towing capacity. Any thoughts??

 

[fsearls92]

The m105 is too darn big to pull around regularly with a civilian vehicle. Personally if I was you I would look for a m101 to mount it in or a gen trailer.

 

[Chainbreaker]

Not sure what your going to use to pull it with (a 1/4 ton PU,SUV type vehicle, or ?). With a 6000 towing capacity I would vote for a M116A2/A3 series trailer. They pull real nice with a genset on them and have surge brakes. My M116A2 placard indicates 2040 payload capacity and 2780 total weight. Shows a Max GVW of 3,000 lbs.

I think you might find the M1101/02 trailers too tall and wide for the smaller towing vehicles.

 

[TrailLifeBill]

Not sure what your going to use to pull it with (a 1/4 ton PU,SUV type vehicle, or ?). With a 6000 towing capacity I would vote for a M116A2/A3 series trailer. They pull real nice with a genset on them and have surge brakes. My M116A2 placard indicates 2040 payload capacity and 2780 total weight. Shows a Max GVW of 3,000 lbs.

I think you might find the M1101/02 trailers too tall and wide for the smaller towing vehicles.

Thanks for the input - I have a 2001 Ford Expedition that's my tow truck until she dies (running great with 250,000 miles). Surge brakes would be a sure plus.

 

[TrailLifeBill]

The good news - I picked up a M116a3 in pretty good shape for $350. It tows great, just like everyone on the forums said.

The bad news - the previous owner sold the original tires/wheels and put smaller ones on to lower the deck. Now the rear stand is too tall to be lowered. I guess I'm faced with either having a new stand fabricated or looking for bigger tires to gain deck height.

Now my project is to service the hubs, replace the bulbs with 12v, and repaint the OD green trailer to match my desert sand MEP-803. Also want to find some storage bins for electrical cables, and mount a spare tire up front.

 

[Digger09]

The good news - I picked up a M116a3 in pretty good shape for $350. It tows great, just like everyone on the forums said.

The bad news - the previous owner sold the original tires/wheels and put smaller ones on to lower the deck. Now the rear stand is too tall to be lowered. I guess I'm faced with either having a new stand fabricated or looking for bigger tires to gain deck height.

Now my project is to service the hubs, replace the bulbs with 12v, and repaint the OD green trailer to match my desert sand MEP-803. Also want to find some storage bins for electrical cables, and mount a spare tire up front.

Is the foot cranked all the way up?

 

[TrailLifeBill]

Is the foot cranked all the way up?

I think so - it was frozen pretty well from unuse, but I greased it up and took a pipe wrench to it until I got it freed up - and spun it up until it felt like it stopped solid. There's about 4" sticking below the outer tube before the top of the wedge shaped foot braces. Will get a total length and see if I can either find something in the manuals or find someone on here to compare theirs with.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Just buy a Hi-lift jack to use as a rear stand. Eventually the tires will wear out or rot and you can get the right size once that happens. A Hi-lift is handy to have around, it will get used after serving as a stiff leg.

 

[Haoleb]

That rear support leg really doesn't do much. I can stand on the back of my trailer (200lbs) and the front end doesn't even lift up at all... This is without the support leg down.

You could probably cut it down quite easily as well so it would be short enough to be functional with smaller tires.

 

[Chainbreaker]

My 1st M116a2 came with LT235/85/16 tires (2nd trailer had LT215/85/16 tires) on the OEM 16 wheels. Just for reference - the rear stability leg (with front landing leg locked down and on level concrete) measures 22-1/2" from bottom of foot to top of leg as it meets the rear frame member. I guess what you choose to do (stick with existing wheels or go back to OEM wheels with larger tires) depends how often you plan on towing it and the height of your existing/future tow vehicle's pintle hitch.

Have you tried to unscrew/remove just the foot portion extension (not sure how they come apart) to allow more clearance and then use the remaining outer support tube with shims underneath to level it. If that doesn't work and you are concerned about your trailer's unhitched operational stability you could, in the interim, cut and place a 4x4 or use a round fence post cut to size (or whatever you have on hand) and then secure it under it with the stability leg in the stowed position.

 

[TrailLifeBill]

Have you tried to unscrew/remove just the foot portion extension (not sure how they come apart) to allow more clearance and then use the remaining outer support tube with shims underneath to level it.

That's a great idea! Will give unscrewing the foot a shot, and if it comes off then fabricating a temporary foot would be a whole lot simpler than the entire assembly. Thanks again.

 

[juanprado]

humvee tires and rims can be found cheap out there. If you go to Wilmington, NC, southern metal sells for $100 each like brand new

 

[TrailLifeBill]

Any best practices for mounting gen to trailer?? Most M116's I have seen have a couple of rails installed on the deck. Mine doesn't - it does have holes pre-cut that I believe will match my MEP-803a. Was concerned about metal-metal abrasion/corrosion so had thought about putting either 1x4's or 2x4's between the gen and deck, and then electrically bonding the gen/trailer with cables at a couple of points for redundancy.

 

[Guyfang]

I just uploaded the manuals for authorized Power Units, in the TM upload section. There is one manual for the 802A and one for the 803A. Both manuals show how the rear leg is put together and how it is lubed, etc. You might be able to get a few ideas on how to do your mounting of a gen set from looking through these TM's. I assume, all ways a bad thing to do, but I assume the basic trailer manuals are uploaded in SS also. If not, let me know, I might have them.

 

[DieselAddict]

I had to drill a few holes to bolt it down but this is how my MEP803a looks on a M116 with civilian tires on it.

 

[TrailLifeBill]

I just uploaded the manuals for authorized Power Units, in the TM upload section. There is one manual for the 802A and one for the 803A. Both manuals show how the rear leg is put together and how it is lubed, etc. You might be able to get a few ideas on how to do your mounting of a gen set from looking through these TM's. I assume, all ways a bad thing to do, but I assume the basic trailer manuals are uploaded in SS also. If not, let me know, I might have them.

Thanks!! Excellent information there. I had looked through the other TM's, but was missing a few pieces that these help fill in.