M149A2 Water Buff- Brakes

[skytroop232]

Doing a pickup in Columbus tomorrow of a Water Buffalo. I am towing it home (25 miles) and have heard the brakes are engaged until the electric is hooked up to them or you can crawl underneath and unhook the brakes.
Anybody give a little more info on this issue before I get there and can't tow it home?

Thanks Guys
Bob

 

[Barrman]

The M149 is basically just a M105 with a different body. Those all have air brakes. Unless you hook it up to an air source, then unhook it. It will drag just fine and free.

If you are pulling it with a 1 ton civi truck. Take along a hilift jack because the landing leg won't let the tongue go down far enough to hook up. You really need two people to hook up and unhook unless you have some wheel chocks and a hi lift. A small kid hanging onto the back of the trailer might work in a pinch I have also found as a counter balance.

 

[clinto]

The brakes on a water buffalo are (to the best of my knowledge) the same as the M105 family of trailers.

Meaning they are air-actuated hydraulic systems. There is no electrical component to the brake system (except for the brake lights).

There is an air cylinder under the trailer, which takes air pressure from the gladhand on the towing 6x6 and exerts pressure on the master cylinder, which then sends brake fluid to the wheel cylinders.

So if you are towing it with a vehicle which has gladhands, you will have brakes, assuming the trailer's brakes are operational.

If not, it freewheels.