Flipping an M101 without help

[Ratch]

I've searched this question a dozen times and haven't really found anything comprehensive, so I decided to put something together for other novices like me...

edit:
I'm taking someone's advice/request and removing the "how to" section of this post. I'll leave the photos for interested party's perusal... I can PM or email my step by step to anyone interested.


Long story shortened, these are photos of an M101A2 flip I did alone.
I did the same thing with an M101A1 when recovering two trailers, then hauled them home stacked. Photos of those units are in the second post.

You can be killed or seriously injured attempting this, so I don't recommend you attempt it without a plan...

 

[Ratch]

Just a few more pics of the process, and then the unload and un-flip with the backhoe.

 

[Ratch]

Holy cow this is a long post...

 

[dobyg75]

why would you not go over on the side of the trailer? seems like a shorter fall less slam factor

 

[Ripcord01]

Wow! Note to self ,don't but a trailer from Ratch.

 

[3dAngus]

Wow! Note to self ,don't but a trailer from Ratch.

Funny post

 

[Ratch]

Wow! Note to self ,don't but a trailer from Ratch.

These are my diamonds... I treat them way better than the government does...

By the way, the A1 with the damaged sheetmetal was that way when I bought it from Uncle Sam, I just checked and it's clearly visible in the auction listing. The damage I did while flipping was scratching up the near-perfect carc I had on an A2.

 

[Ratch]

why would you not go over on the side of the trailer? seems like a shorter fall less slam factor

Going front to back is already stacked in your favor by way of the axle and tires creating a pivot point in the middle of the trailer. Trying to pull it over the side means for a part of the flip process, you're depending on the side of a single tire being the only pivot point, too much likelihood of it rolling forward or backward and becoming unpredictable.
The trailer also has a flat end at the tailgate, while the sides have a lip that would prevent a good balance that helps control it.
Front to rear also puts the pressure on the ends of the side panels, which are naturally stronger that way than they are from the side. It's pretty likely that while flipping it by the side, the side wall of the cargo box would buckle, or at least take some damage.


But I'm not an authority by any means, so to each his own.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Thats better than some of the ways I have seen! Good documentation, thanks!