M101 on-road weight capacity

[jas67]

I'm looking into getting a cargo trailer to tow with my F-350. I want this to increase my firewood-carrying capacity. The M101 and M105 trailers can often be had cheaply on GL.

I was looking at the specs of both trailers over on the Olive Drab website. Although the M105 is a "1 1/2 ton" trailer, they give it a 5500 lb on-road rating. The M101 is the "3/4 ton" trailer. Does this similarly have a higher on-road rating?

 

[319]

The TM for the M101A2 gives the on-road, or highway payload as 2250 lbs.
If buying an M101, be sure to hold out for the M101A2 as these have surge brakes.

 

[LanceRobson]

US DOT and NY regs say it's what the data plate states or what weight you registered it for, whichever is lower. your state may vary but I doubt it.

Lance

 

[1stDeuce]

I don't think I'd pay much attention to the weight rating of the trailer as deemed by the military... The 101A1 trailer I had had about a 5k axle under it, and I'd bet the springs could handle most of that... I think 2250 is pretty conservative, particularly if you're talking about an A2 with surge brakes. The axle, bearings, and hubs are way more HD than any civilian parts I've seen... Even axles rated for 5200 or 6200 lbs don't have as much beef as the ones in a 101 that are rated for a measly 2250.

I would be the reason for the lower weight rating is more due to tow rig capability than anything else... Remember, these trailers originally were towed with M37's, then 715's, then perhaps M1008's, and finally the HMMWV. The first two of those at least had less than stellar brake systems by today's standards...

How much weight in firewood you think you can fit in one?? I put a yard and a half of gravel in mine, and it was fine... I think that's about 2500lbs. ?
C

 

[319]

US DOT and NY regs say it's what the data plate states or what weight you registered it for, whichever is lower. your state may vary but I doubt it.

Lance

Good point Lance, I'm sure LEOs will look at the registration and data plates just before they point you to the scales.

 

[1stDeuce]

Hmm. So far as I know, at least in MI, they look at the tires and the hitch. The do not look for any "data plate" at all, as most trailers don't really have one. But that's MI. If it's commercial, it would have to be plated for the weight you intend to carry, but I think the first break point for that is pretty high, like 10k lbs or something...

Tires being rated for about 3000lbs each, you'd have a hard time putting 6000lbs of wood in a 101.

C

 

[taildragger03]

I'm with deuce. I swapped out axles on my trailer. I have a +6000lb. axle under my M101A1, with tires rated to 3048 lbs. My trailer can hold 1.5 cords in one shot and the springs are the weak link. Only with solid oak would I get anywhere near the load capability of the trailer. I don't have surge brakes on the trailer but with a 3/4 ton truck and some common sense driving your F-350 would not have a problem. I get stopped for wood tags in California and the officers tell me they wish more woodcutters would use these trailers. I would definitely look into regs. though where you live. The 3/4 ton trailer was what I looked for and waited to find just for the purpose of hauling more wood. One of the biggest advantages is size compared to the 105. An empty 101 can be lifted off the hitch and pushed around if need be. That is just my experience that I have come across in the field, though I would like the volume of the 105.
Here are some pictures of my set up. One load for me is 2.5 cords:

 

[citizensoldier]

to 1st deuce. The Heavy 3/4 ton rating is based on extreme off road conditions. On a flat surface double that. Some of the newer A2's have a 1.5 ton rating with a extra leaf in the springs and taller thicker frame rails. I have maxed out a few older M101's with fire wood and they still took it in stride with the springs being the weak link like taildragger said. They are tough little units that's for sure..

 

[jas67]

Taildragger -- that is precisely what I want to do -- stake sides and all.
Looking at the specs, I did just notice that the M101 bed is only 76" long. I'm liking the 110" bed of the M105 a bit better.

To answer another poster's comment about the weight of wood, 1 cord of unseasoned hardwood, such as oak can weigh as much as 4600 lbs. I can easily fit a cord in the 8' bed of my F-350 with the stake-sides on (top the the stake sides is 4' above the floor).

 

[saddamsnightmare]

March 26th, 2010.

jas67:

You may want to rethink the use of an M105A2 trailer behind an F350, as the trailer starts out heavy, and its on road tare is 2750, GWVR is 5750, and unless you can find some variant with surge brakes, these animals do not want to stop easily without the air over hydraulics working....
I move mine around the place at low speeds with a 1963 Swiss Cargo Unimog, S404.114 which is a 1-1/2 ton truck. much heavier built then any equivalent civillian truck, and it does not like the trailer, especially as there is no way for the Unimog to activate the service brakes on the M105A2. The deuce is a whole another story, as it can handle the trailer either way with no problems, but having the correct receptacle and air brakes makes life much easier..... The M105A2 is, to use wreckerman's favorite (almost) saying, is "As tough as Woodpecker lips"........ It can mess your day up if the towing unit just doesn't "Pack the gear".

Good luck, happy hunting, NOW you have a reason to get a deuce and not mess around with those tinny toys other boys bring to the woods.....


Cheers,

Kyle F. McGrogan

 

[taildragger03]

One thing you should look into is the relative size difference between the 101's and 105's. If you haven't actually been up next to one it is hard to visualize the size difference. I originally was going with the 105, till I got up next to one and saw the height at the bed level. Canceled that real quick for me. I am really happy with the size and versatility of the 101 I have. My advice though is to get close up and personal with both trailers to decide which is best for you.

 

[Medic5050]

Yet another reason why I've grown to love this place. When we(people with questions) ask for advise, we don't just get a "do this, not that" answer. It'a about "this is what I would do, do again, or do next time, and this is why".

 

[Cigarjoe]

I saw a 105 being pulled by an F350 not long ago and the trailer was way low in the front because of the height deference. and as low as it was I would think you would need one heck of hitch riser just to get it level.

 

[RJM27]

With the price of a M101A2, I was glad that is what I purchase. When I load it with gravel it pushes my 40hp Masey around like a little Craftsman lawn mower. Also the surge brakes is what has saved the whole deal. With my 2500 Dodge B- Van conversion, hauling topsoil was nothing. Not so sure I would like 3,000 # behind me with out some sort of brakes. Since I brought mine home 2-local firewood guys have been online and purchased the M101A2. Never presonally hauled wood with mine, but a friend borrows it and just loves it. Remember the 101 A1, A2 & A3 dump as well.

 

[LanceRobson]

Taildragger -- that is precisely what I want to do -- stake sides and all.
Looking at the specs, I did just notice that the M101 bed is only 76" long. I'm liking the 110" bed of the M105 a bit better.

That 76" may be a typo 'cause the M101 bed is 96" In fact the tailgate usually closes tight on a sheet of plywood or a 8' table.

Geez, this is asking a lot of my brain cell with only one cup of coffee but I thought the M105 bed was just over 10'? I'll check in a bit when I go out to the shop. I think the M105 is about a foot wider than the M101.

The weight issue with an M105 behind a pickup is not a small one. My f-350 dually weighs a little over 7K and a loaded M105 wants to push the back end around on curving stops. I'd hate to have a panic stop on a downhill curve, especially with any water, sand or leaves around. Also with the tongue being low I suspect that the weight transfer on braking will put additional down weight on the hitch with the attendant lowering of the front axle loading. That is going to increase the stopping distance and increase the chance of a slide.

Lance

 

[jas67]

With the price of a M101A2, I was glad that is what I purchase. When I load it with gravel it pushes my 40hp Masey around like a little Craftsman lawn mower. Also the surge brakes is what has saved the whole deal. With my 2500 Dodge B- Van conversion, hauling topsoil was nothing. Not so sure I would like 3,000 # behind me with out some sort of brakes. Since I brought mine home 2-local firewood guys have been online and purchased the M101A2. Never presonally hauled wood with mine, but a friend borrows it and just loves it. Remember the 101 A1, A2 & A3 dump as well.

I'm liking the M101 (A1 and above) better and better. I looked at your avatar, and it isn't so much dump as tilt for loading, which would be great for garden tractors, ATV's etc. I'm esp. interesting knowing that it is an 8' bed.

I'm also thinking it might be really cool to add a hydraulic dump hoist to it. That would make unloading the firewood quick and painless!

I was doing more reading on the M105 vs. the M101, and it seems the M105 is air brakes. This is fine for those of you with Deuces, but no good for me. The surge brakes on the M101 are much more useful to me. A little more info on my F-350 Super Duty, it is a 2006 4WD,SRW, crew cab, long bed with 6.0L Powerstroke Diesel. It has a GVW of 11,200lbs, and GCVW of 20,000. It has the integrated brake controller, so electric brakes would be really nice -- are there any conversion kits to convert the 105 to electric brakes? I would assume that would be tough considering electric brakes are pretty integral to the backing plate assy's of trailer axles -- again, I think the M101 wins here.

The bed height on it is about 33", so the M101 should ride pretty level behind it. I'll get an adjustable pintle hitch to hook it up to make it level. I tow a 9000GVW travel trailer, so a a fully loaded M101 shouldn't be a problem.

I started looking at this site because I bought a couple of MEP's Now I want a military trailer..... The disease as started. I really don't have the room to park a deuce on my property, although I'm in a rural area, neighbors couldn't really stop me parking it out front -- although my wife might have something to say. I could certainly haul a s**tload of firewood with a duece + M105. The Deuces do look pretty cool!

I do, however think I'd have a tough time getting used to the power to weight ratio after having 325 HP/570ft-lb of turbo-diesel power in my F-350.

 

[taildragger03]

Went out an took some photos of my trailers bed dimensions.
Front to back 96"
Inside-side to side 65 1/2"
Side walls 18"

With my racks up: 4ft above the floor
So 8ftx5.5ft(roughly)x4=gives me just shy of 176 cubic feet. Roughly a cord and a half of fire wood in the trailer alone. With you 8' truck bed, well you do the math.

The ability to dump with these is really nice. Replace the bolts at the front of the bed with pull pins and it will swing back with help from something to give it a push and waa-la!
As for trailer brakes on mine, I can add them anytime I want. Mine did not come with a surge system but had the parking brakes (no levers though). With my 3/4 to truck having four wheel discs and common sense using the transmission, I haven't had problems controlling a full loaded trailer. I do agree that additional braking ability definitely adds to safety.

 

[jas67]

I have plenty of confidence my F350 can stop a loaded trailer in the dry, esp. with a few thousand pounds of firewood in the back of the truck, providing more down force on the rear axle. The problem comes in if the road is wet, or otherwise slippery, then you definitely want braking on all axles.

Jay

 

[Nonotagain]

I have plenty of confidence my F350 can stop a loaded trailer in the dry, esp. with a few thousand pounds of firewood in the back of the truck, providing more down force on the rear axle. The problem comes in if the road is wet, or otherwise slippery, then you definitely want braking on all axles.

Jay

Hey jas67,

Don't overlook the M105a3 trailers.

The weigh a little less than the M105a2 but unlike the a2 the A3 uses surge brakes.

I don't make a habit of pulling my A3 with my Toyota 4runner, but I have moved them 250 miles with the 4runner without problems.

I'd like to find a couple of bolster trailer wheels and install them on a M105a3 since the reduced tire size would drop the deck height 8 or so inches.

 

[LanceRobson]

I don't make a habit of pulling my A3 with my Toyota 4runner, but I have moved them 250 miles with the 4runner without problems.

Uh-huh....and guys have walked through minefields before without getting hurt, too. That doesn't mean it's safe to do. It also doesn't mean that its not putting others at risk due to our choices.

Lance