M101A2 leaf spring capacity questions

[Diesel_Zuk]

New here! I purchased an M101A2 with the M116 chassis recently for dirt cheap. I sold the box for what I paid for it. I have a question though regarding the leaf springs. Does anybody happen to know what each individual spring is rated for? I know that the payload is 1500 pounds with the cargo box installed. But I am curious if the leafs could handle up to a 3,000 pound load, or if that would be way over doing it. I saw a guy on youtube put about 4,000 pounds in his, he still has the carbo box though. If need be, I will order new trailer springs that are rated for the load, just wanted to verify before I purchased.


Also wondering if anybody on here has any experience replacing the hydraulic brake system with electric backing plates actuators, and hub assemblies. When I got this thing, the hydraulic system was already ripped off and it was used as a utility trailer by a college campus.

 

[Barrman]

I don't recall that question ever being asked before.

What exactly are you wanting to do with the frame? I ask because for most vehicles the military weight rating is for off road when operated by a 17 year old idiot with a heavy right foot. If you are building an expedition trailer out of it then you might want to switch the axles to match the tires and wheels of your pull truck and get electric brakes. If doing that then springs are an easy thing to do at that time.

I don't have an exact answer to your question though.

 

[Diesel_Zuk]

I don't recall that question ever being asked before.

What exactly are you wanting to do with the frame? I ask because for most vehicles the military weight rating is for off road when operated by a 17 year old idiot with a heavy right foot. If you are building an expedition trailer out of it then you might want to switch the axles to match the tires and wheels of your pull truck and get electric brakes. If doing that then springs are an easy thing to do at that time.

I don't have an exact answer to your question though.

I want to be able to haul a Suzuki Samurai. Building a sub frame on top of the existing frame, and dropping to spring under to make a crawler hauler. The axle is plenty heavy duty enough, with at least a 5200# weight rating (conservatively). I have seen a guy do pretty much the same thing before with one of the 1.5 T rated trailers, and it turned out awesome.

 

[DMax82]

I want to be able to haul a Suzuki Samurai. Building a sub frame on top of the existing frame, and dropping to spring under to make a crawler hauler. The axle is plenty heavy duty enough, with at least a 5200# weight rating (conservatively). I have seen a guy do pretty much the same thing before with one of the 1.5 T rated trailers, and it turned out awesome.

Not an exact answer to your question, but I have hauled 4700 pounds of sand in my M101a1. It is pretty much stock as far as I know. Now I only traveled about four miles and didn't get above 40mph, but it pulled fine. Wouldn't have wanted to go any faster though.

 

[Barrman]

The stock axle and springs will probably do what you want them to do.

You might want to check local and federal laws about what is required of the trailer to legally haul another vehicle before you get too far into this though.

 

[Buffalobwana]

A Suzuki Samurai? Eh ... I think you got the wrong trailer. Best sell it to me for what you paid for it.

Seriously, that’s a lot of weight. I have hauled a yard of decomposed gravel, at 3500+/- and that really squats the springs. Small bumps will bottom it out.

Just today I hauled 90 gal of diesel and 275 gal of water. Right at 3000 lbs. Resting it was almost touching the bump stops. Can it do it? Yes. Should I? Probably not.

Also, its kind of high to put that rig on. The wheelbase isn’t very wide and the frame sits up there pretty high. 36” or so? I’d be scared to pull that down the road, much less off-road.

you can probably make money on that trailer if you need to sell it.

I did put electric brakes on one of my 101’s. Not difficult. There is a thread here that tells you how to do it.

 

[Diesel_Zuk]

Converting to spring under axle, the samurai weighs about 3k.

I had the trailer for sale for $500 for about 6 months with no bites, not even a single call or text, so I decided to make it a dedicated crawler hauler. If I buy new springs that are rated for 3k each, 6k combined, I'm not concerned if it'll handle it or not, I know the axle is strong enough. I'm building a subframe that will be welded to the existing frame, and moving the leaf spring hangers.

I'll just spend the $80 on a set of strong enough leafs, and I'll post up pictures once I have it done.

 

[Buffalobwana]

That will probably work. There is a good thread on converting to electric brakes. I may have even posted one ... I forget.

 

[Bthor1]

New here! I purchased an M101A2 with the M116 chassis recently for dirt cheap. I sold the box for what I paid for it. I have a question though regarding the leaf springs. Does anybody happen to know what each individual spring is rated for? I know that the payload is 1500 pounds with the cargo box installed. But I am curious if the leafs could handle up to a 3,000 pound load, or if that would be way over doing it. I saw a guy on youtube put about 4,000 pounds in his, he still has the carbo box though. If need be, I will order new trailer springs that are rated for the load, just wanted to verify before I purchased.


Also wondering if anybody on here has any experience replacing the hydraulic brake system with electric backing plates actuators, and hub assemblies. When I got this thing, the hydraulic system was already ripped off and it was used as a utility trailer by a college campus.

Just curious how much you sold the box for? If you don't mine me asking, you can private message me if you don't want to post on here

 

[Tinstar]

You will probably have DOT issues with that trailer and the 4x4 on top unless a lot of modifications are done.
Check your states requirements also.

As already mentioned, it will sit high and have CG issues.

The axle and springs should work for that amount of vehicle weight but with all the modifications needed, total weight will add up fast.

Dexter and Redline will have exact axle and spring. Ratings will be listed online.

 

[CUCVm1028a2]

New here! I purchased an M101A2 with the M116 chassis recently for dirt cheap. I sold the box for what I paid for it. I have a question though regarding the leaf springs. Does anybody happen to know what each individual spring is rated for? I know that the payload is 1500 pounds with the cargo box installed. But I am curious if the leafs could handle up to a 3,000 pound load, or if that would be way over doing it. I saw a guy on youtube put about 4,000 pounds in his, he still has the carbo box though. If need be, I will order new trailer springs that are rated for the load, just wanted to verify before I purchased.


Also wondering if anybody on here has any experience replacing the hydraulic brake system with electric backing plates actuators, and hub assemblies. When I got this thing, the hydraulic system was already ripped off and it was used as a utility trailer by a college campus.



The axle is a 7k lbs dexter axle and is plenty strong for what you need however the springs are rated for roughly 3500 lbs which I have tested numerous times and strongly don"t recommend doing as I have had about 2yards of road millings in the back which resulted in loosing the bump stops on the axle and the arch of the springs to become negative. If however you replace the springs with 5k lbs ones you should be okay.