Hooks M105A3 recovery

[Pawnshop]

I've been using my A3 for about 6 months now and can let you in on a little secret when backing one of these up while loaded.

Take a small C clamp and clamp to the slider portion of the brake cylinder slider plate.

I live on a large hill that when I back into my driveway I need to back up the hill so that I can see the trailer. Without clamping the brake slider the surge brakes will lock up the brakes. Once the C clamps is in place it backs as any normal trailer.


My trailer has LED black out lights but regular bulbs for the marker, stop and turn signal lights.

THANKS! That's good to know, I will check on it. The one trailer we tried to back up was empty and still would not allow it, I will have to play around with the system...

I want to convert my lights to all LED so I can use my M1009 to shag it around town if I have too.

 

[NDT]

Very important when picking up at RRAD "Hooks": Bring a copy of your vehicle registration paperwork! They will not let you past the gate without it.

 

[Pawnshop]

We didn't get on the base for these, in fact they didn't even look at IDs at all! Good to know if you are going on RRAD though...

 

[jkdave]

The A3 is quite a bit wider than a standard M105, I don't have mine on me at the moment but I will try to get a precise measurement for you.

thank you, now just have to wait on the EUC

 

[Pawnshop]

thank you, now just have to wait on the EUC

Scott answered your question above, 7.5' min clearance between the fenders for the A3

 

[M813rc]

Edit- (Looks like y'all were posting like madmen while I was writing this since I am s-l-o-w, so bits are redundant but I am too lazy to edit it all out!)

Thanks for posting this Sam.

It was a good (if long) trip, and big "Thank You's" go to Reloader64 who not only provided truck and trailer, but drove the whole way too!
Didn't seem to bother him when his prediction that his trailer fenders would hold up Sam's 105 proved somewhat optimistic (read- crushed like tinfoil). He plans to just build proper steel decks over the wheels instead, so they WILL hold up next time, and he'll teach me how to weld at the same time...woohoo!

The 105's themselves are pretty immaculate.
Mine had minor damage to a couple of top bow corners, looks like it got pushed down from above, should be easy to straighten.

From reading all the papers this morning (logbook was sealed in a multilayer cocoon of cling film in the trailer bed) it appears that they were all dispatched brand new to Qatar, stored indoors there and never issued, then fully serviced late in 2007 and returned to the US.
Once here they were stored in the open, but with blue tarps tied around them at waist level. This means everything below that was protected from the elements, including the tires, so the only part that suffered was the top of the cover.
The blue tarps are returning to nature now, thus the blue hula skirts on the trailers. They did their job though.
Most, if not all, have the levelling jack attached to the wheel well. Ours had the ladders attached to the tailgate inside, didn't look in the others to see, but I imagine they have theirs too since they bolt on. All the spare tires looked new (still have lettering on tread).

If you got one of these trailers, you should be happy!

A cautionary note- the track width on the A3's is a LOT wider than on earlier 105's (10" or more I would guess. Mine isn't here to measure at the moment). We were not ready for that, thought Scott's trailer deck was wide enough, it was not. Take that into account when you go to get yours so you don't have the issues we had.

Entertainingly, it took around two hours to get Sam's trailer (the front one) loaded. Took about 15 minutes to get mine on there!

Cheers

Pic 1- Pawnshop shows his disappointment over his trailer
Pic 2- Qatar tracking label

 

[Pawnshop]

That is 15 minutes kids, not hours!

 

[M813rc]

That is 15 minutes kids, not hours!

Duly clarified!!

 

[Nonotagain]

What you are calling a leveling jack is the jack used to lift the trailer to change a flat tire. I a pinch it can be used to lift the trailer tongue if you can get low enough for the grap handles on the "Y"

Having the tie down rings mounted in the bed makes for easy load securing. It would have been nice if the tailgate would have the ability to drop all the way down, but the marker lights would have to be moved.

You will really like towing this trailer with the wider track, it's very stable.

 

[Pawnshop]

The jack also fits on the little blocks on the rear of the trailer to act as a stabilizer while loading.

 

[Pawnshop]

And YES, Reloader64 (aka Scott P) is WAY in the lead for recovery driver of the year!!!

 

[M813rc]

What you are calling a leveling jack is the jack used to lift the trailer to change a flat tire.

I called it that because the book said it was for leveling and/or stabilizing the trailer when not attached to the tow vehicle!
MWO 9-2330-324-23-1 specifically refers to it as the "rear stabilizer assembly" and gives instructions for use as such.

Thanks for the C clamp tip, that will help a lot.

Cheers

 

[maplehillfrm]

Yea my two are at the lonestar ammuntion plant ,I am using my 04 powerstroke and a 18 foot trailer , Guess i need to go to tractor supply and get a pintle so that i can maybe just back um on there just to be on the safe side
CARGO TRAILER, MDL#M105A2, 1. 5 TON, 2 WHEEL, WITH RAILS AND NO COVER, S/ N 5662. LOADING OF THIS ITEM IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BUYER. *PLEASE CALL AHEAD FOR APPOINTMENT* TRAILER LOCATED AT LONE STAR AMMUNITION PLANT.

18 feet I think you are pushing it, and to have them backed on you are going to have a lot of tongue weight,, I am assumming this is a bumper pull trailer?

also how aare you going to back them on with the trailer disconnected from your truck? the trailer is just going to slip out from underneath, and also lift when you get the trailer on, without anything to hold it in place,,

I backed mine on with the help of another truck doing the backing, my trailer was hooked to the truck still, and it still moved a little, not too bad because the ramps bear the weight,,

my trailer is 24feet to the back, to give you an idea,, also you will want to open the tailgates if you even get them on your trailer,, good luck,be safe,pat

sorry guys I didnt mean to hijack the thread,,,

 

[Pawnshop]

Not at all, part of the reason I started this thread was to try to help others with their recovery. The front trailer on our 20' car hauler had it's lunette directly over the trucks hitch, with the rear trailer's tongue underneath the front trailer and about a foot between the spare tire and the front body. the rear trailer still hung out past the back of the flat bed. I think 18" might be too tight.

 

[bryan70546]

its been done with 16 foot trailers and less so i dont think 18 feet is out the question , I am hoping they have a fork lift , I will call tomorrow to make sure if not I will just have to figure something out.

 

[bryan70546]

this is a 16 foot trailer so i would think a 18 foot should work , i will just have to strap um down real good and drive safe . I really dont have any other options right now guys I have to get them next week are i will lose um and really cant afford to do that .

 

[Pawnshop]

You are right, tongues to the rear should fit better than tongues to the front.

 

[bryan70546]

well you could allways go get um for me pawnshop those pics are from a member here on SS I sent him a pm and he said the trailer was a 16 footer .I am renting heavy duty 18 foot trailer this weekend , I will have to call tomorrow and see if they have a fork lift to help me out probley will bring some goodies for the guys and girls to try and win um over. i also plan on removing the rails so that should give a little more room to set the trailers as close as possible.

 

[Pawnshop]

We have done our trailer loading for the month! And we still have to get them OFF that trailer! We hopefully will have crane help with that part (hopefully)...

 

[bryan70546]

I think once i get these that will be it for me also its just to much of a headache , if i would of waited i could of got me some closer like a fort polk are something , But I got both of these for minuim bid now its just getting them home .