Delayed recovery conclusion, finally! Lessons learned...

[blacktop_one]

I finally got my m105a2 home. I couldn't recover it completely upon pickup from GL due to car trouble. See this thread: http://www.steelsoldiers.com/trailers/45777-hooks-m105a2-recovery-tomorrow-gotta-bad-feeling.html
Lessons learned:
1) If you need to rent a tow vehicle, almost nobody will let you tow with their rental pickups. Toyota dealers rent out brand new Tacomas and Tundras with class 3 receiver hitches ready for your pintle hitch setup. And they WILL let you tow with them.
2) Don't store your trailer in a soft surfaced storage lot. Wet dirt is called mud and it's easy to get stuck in it. AAA got me unstuck.
3) Magnetic trailer lights don't stay put very well when you hit big bumps. Next time I'll take 2 sets.
Here's the obligatory trailer/tow rig photo:

 

[Stan Leschert]

3) Duct tape works!

 

[markmontana]

Lessons learned:
3) Magnetic trailer lights don't stay put very well when you hit big bumps. Next time I'll take 2 sets.

I noticed a BIG difference in the magnetic holding power of the 'Walmart' light kit vs. the 'Harbor Freight' kit. Walmart has much better magnets. The bad news- the Wally kit was $47 and the HF kit $15. I was going to return the Wally kit, but I tried both first and will give the HF kit away- to someone with 'light-duty' needs.

 

[srodocker]

my HF light kit was 8.99 on sale and it worked like it was supposed to...i did have zip ties tho...i think i cheated...

 

[clinto]

I always use zip ties.

But BFR doesn't!

 

[dittle]

I didn't use magnetic ones, I got ones that you closed in the tail gate of the trailer, never had an issue with them moving. These are the lights that are designed to be used on cars and you use the trunk to hold them on. Got them at Wal-Mart.

 

[TIGERFANS2]

hf ones here, removed the paper from the magnets so to hopefully get a little better grip (not too worried about the magnets messing up the finish on the carc ) and Then zip tied 'em everywhere.

as for "3) Duct tape works! " Never, Ever leave home without it!

 

[DUG]

I finally got my m105a2 home. I couldn't recover it completely upon pickup from GL due to car trouble. See this thread: http://www.steelsoldiers.com/trailers/45777-hooks-m105a2-recovery-tomorrow-gotta-bad-feeling.html
Lessons learned:
1) If you need to rent a tow vehicle, almost nobody will let you tow with their rental pickups. Toyota dealers rent out brand new Tacomas and Tundras with class 3 receiver hitches ready for your pintle hitch setup. And they WILL let you tow with them.
2) Don't store your trailer in a soft surfaced storage lot. Wet dirt is called mud and it's easy to get stuck in it. AAA got me unstuck.
3) Magnetic trailer lights don't stay put very well when you hit big bumps. Next time I'll take 2 sets.
Here's the obligatory trailer/tow rig photo:
View attachment 167478

Two trips, a rental and storage.........
Expensive trailer! Glad you got it home safely. Your Ranger would probably be more comfortable riding in the back of the M105 than towing it.

 

[blacktop_one]

Not too expensive - it's like new, so it's worth all of the extra effort. Some pix with and w/o cover.

 

[frodobaggins]

as for "3) Duct tape works! " Never, Ever leave home without it!

When my buddy and I left to go recover a couple of deuces we had a crapload of tools etc in the trunk. Both of us stopped and checked again to make sure we had plenty of duct tape before we rolled out

 

[two.fiveM35]

Alan, that trailer sits better behind that Toyota than it does behind my 3/4 ton Suburban. I picked up mine out of Oklahoma City.

 

[FireFighterHill]

those trailers make the truck look small. How did they handle the load? Im wondering how my Dodge dakota with a 3000 pound tow capacity would do towing a m105 about 150 miles.

 

[SCSG-G4]

I used an F-150 to bring home an M-105 from Montgomery, AL to Columbia, SC, which is about 350 miles. I did have a raised pintle hitch and used wally world magnetic lights and the rear tailgate down to reduce the wind resistance. At 60 miles/hr, all did fine!

 

[two.fiveM35]

those trailers make the truck look small. How did they handle the load? Im wondering how my Dodge dakota with a 3000 pound tow capacity would do towing a m105 about 150 miles.

I knew is was back there, it's a heavy trailer. Couldn't drive in overdrive, had to stay in 3rd. I drove around 60mph and pulled over to see if the wheel bearing were getting warm after 10 and 20 miles. Had no problems. I took the spare from my deuce with me in case i got a flat and bought a 48" farm jack from Harbor Frieght before I left. You'll need some kind of jack to lower it to the level of your truck. The M105a2's tongue jack won't go low enough.

 

[Nonotagain]

Alan, that trailer sits better behind that Toyota than it does behind my 3/4 ton Suburban. I picked up mine out of Oklahoma City.

First off, if you flip the lunette on the trailer, it will give you about 6 inches of additional height.

Next, purchase a height adjustable plate/pintle.

I tow my M105's with a Suburban, F350 dually and a Toyota 4Runner. The dually sits the highest, so I have one plate set up just for it. The 4Runner and the Suburban share a pintle/plate, as they both sit at the same height.

I recently got what I thought was a really good deal on a 14 hole plate and a 2 5/16" ball/pintle combo made by Valley. The lunette is so thick that it won't fit over the ball and allow for the lock to operate. Buyer beware.

 

[mistaken1]

Here's another vote for cheap magnetic tow lights and ty-raps.

I had to rewire my cheap lights as the taillight circuit activated the bright element.

 

[blacktop_one]

I used one of these to elevate the pintle so that the trailer rode higher in the front. The trailer pulled like it wasn't even there.

 

[Jimma]

I just got home today with my new M105 from Ft. Stewart GA. A member picked it up for me and I towed it 200 miles home. I used my new magnetic trailer lights from Harbor Frieght that I purchased with a coupon for $9. They worked great and never moved an inch. Running empty on the way there my 2009 Dodge Ram Crew Cab with 5 passangers got 24 MPG and 12 MPG on the way back. Thats a heavy and wind resistant trailer behind a pickup truck.