M105a2 trailer cable?

[paulfarber]

I read a few M105a2 recovery threads and have a good idea what I need to do to get the trailer.

I will be using me M35a2 to get the trailer, but I am unsure about the inter-vehicle cable.

Is this attached to the trailer? Do I need to buy one? Pics show some black hose/cable looking things on the trailer.. but they might be air brake lines (which I don't plan to hook up).

Looking for some guidance..... thanks.

 

[jbingvtx]

The air lines and cable for the lights should be attached to the trailer.

 

[KsM715]

Show us the pics. Should be 3 black hose looking things. 2 air lines and one electrical connection.

 

[91W350]

If you are missing any of them, I have the parts you need.

 

[rosco]

The "Inter-vehicle cable" is attached to the trailer via junction connectors that are ment to provide an easy change out of the cable, if it becomes dammaged. Otherwise, it would be considered to be permanently attached to the trailer. Its on the left side in the tongue area. There are also , the air hoses: Service & Emergency. They are ment to be connected too. DOT, firmly believes too, that these should be applied! If the trailer is still charged with air from its last use (unlikely), a parking/emergency break-away valve will have applied its brakes. If the air has leaked off, or drained off (most likely), the brakes will be free.

My guess is, that if the trailer is in fair shape, the brake system probably works. You should connect the hoses. Check the trailes master cylinder/top up. The brake hoses: Emergency - right side/ Service - left side (same as the truck/DON'T CROSS them)! Also check the wheel lug nuts for "tight", and the tire air pressure.

Its a mighty fine trailer for that application! Good Luck

 

[paulfarber]

The TM I read shows a brake controller attached to the steering wheel, I don't have that... so I am thinking that the trailer would use just a surge type brake?

I would rather not hook into my service air for anything.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Some of the older trailers did not use a relay valve. Those would only have a single air line. I would humbly suggest that you at least attach the airlines even if you leave the valves closed. Stopping the empty 105 wiith the M35A2 should present no problem but if the DOT folks see airline not attached, it might raise an eyebrow.

 

[jasonjc]

You should reread the TM as you missed some thing.

As for hooking into the service air, that is what it is there for!

 

[rosco]

You don't need a controller on the steering wheel - its all done with the foot peddel. The single brake line (A1), or the double brake lines (A2).... Who cares? If you don't know and understand the brake system, and are comfortable with it, you don't have any busines driving 20,000# of truck/combination vehicle on the road. The designers of MV's tried to make them fool proof, but almost daily, that is proven impossible!

 

[KsM715]

Uh-oh (insert popcorn smiley here)

 

[91W350]

The TM I read shows a brake controller attached to the steering wheel, I don't have that... so I am thinking that the trailer would use just a surge type brake?

I would rather not hook into my service air for anything.

What are you worried about? There is no reverse pump on the 105 to pollute your system with. When you charge the service line, it uses a diaphragm to actuate the master cylinder on the 105.

 

[paulfarber]

I have been going over my truck as I can.. brakes were high on the list... but I have zero 'sperience with the air system past the air pac and have no parts if anything breaks.

For an empty trailer I don't think I will lose much braking performance if I just let it roll.

For all the things that can go wrong (bad seals on the glad hands, trailer air/brake system busted) I think for the ride home it is best to keep it uncoupled. Once home I can connect it up and test/repair/adjust what I find.

Working on anything on the side of I-81 vs my comfy garage..... one is not fun, one is

 

[Castle Bravo]

It depends on your towing vehicle's weight and braking ability as to whether no trailer brakes are a good idea or not, but typically the law has a limit about what weight vehicles can be towed without brakes. In Arizona, this limit is 3000 lbs. I believe that last time I looked, the limit was similar in other states. What this means is that an empty M105A2 can be towed legally without hooking the brakes up in the state of Arizona. Whether or not that is a good idea is a different story...

 

[91W350]

Like somebody else said, just hook the lines up and leave the valves off. That should keep some DOT Nazi from stopping you just because. Although, it would be highly unusual for DOT to stop a military truck. Your deuce will have no trouble stopping it. Most of the time I cannot tell my 105 is back there, even with ten tires and wheels in it...

 

[stancanpara]

When I tow one of my 105s behind my Deuce, I ALWAYS hook up all lines.

That being said, this is the reality. You need to hook up the lights for obvious reasons. The airlines are connected BUT, if the trailer is EMPTY, I don't turn on the air. I only turn the valves for the air IF I am hauling a load in the trailer.

It's been 'my' experience that DOT LIKES to see all connections made but more importantly to me, is if I have to hit the brakes HARD for any reason and the air is active to an EMPTY 105 trailer, more often than not, the trailer brakes will lock up, screech and smoke..... and depending on the road surface and truck speed, can fish tail, thus becoming a danger to anyone within slapping distance... Not to mention that, depending on how long they are locked, a large flat spot is NOT uncommon...

However, when hauling a loaded M-105 ( I haul wood, dirt, mulch, gravel etc) the trailer brakes are necessary and, with the trailer brakes functional, I can stop just as quickly with a couple tons of dirt in the trailer as the truck will stop with no trailer at all.

 

[Sephirothq]

the trailer weights under 3000 empty. Your duece won't even know it is back there brakes or not. the only thing you can do by running brakes is causing yourself a problem when the brakes on the trailer lock up and you are dragging it. There are a few threads on here when that happened to some people.

 

[jbingvtx]

The M105 pulls great! If you don't want to fool with the brakes till you get it home, your truck will have plenty of brake to stop it. Enjoy your recovery, take lots of pics.

 

[paulfarber]

I'll have to find out about the valve for the rear air ports... I'm sure they are there, but I don't recall seeing them (I check the glad hands at every pre-start walk around.. lights to while I'm back there).

I think hooking them up, but keep air off is the best of both worlds.

 

[AceHigh]

They are there, else all your air would leak out. Behind the gladhand a few inches.

 

[dittle]

The valves should just be a simple ball valve just up the line from the glad hands. 1/4 turn between on/off.