New M105A2

[voodolord]

Just got a M105A2 and drove it 500 miles home. Luckily it pulled fine at 75 mph with my Duramax 3500. If I had read these threads before I hooked it up I would have been more careful but I had no problems braking or with any kind of swaying on the way down. I do have a few questions though.

Is there a place to get the rails and canopy as my trailer didnt come with one.
Is there a jack substitute as mine didnt come with one.
Is there a solid fix for the Air brake VS electric or surge brake?
Is there a thread that addresses all the workarounds on converting it to a civy rig?
Has anyone lowered the trailer height?

Ill keep looking in the mean time, Thanks for any input and by the way nice forum.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Most of your issues can be addressed by buying an M101A2. Lots can be found with the top so that pretty much covers everything unless you need a trailer to tow behind your medium duty truck. Unless you have free trailer axles around, the cost of making it pickup truck friendly will outweigh the cost of the 101A2. 105s are cheap for a reason, they are not practical for most folks.

 

[glcaines]

I agree. If you want a trailer to pull behind a pickup, even a larger one, I would recommend getting an M101A2. M105A2s are great trailers behind a Deuce.

 

[drgreg]

The other answer is to take some time and read the Trailers Forum, most of your questions and many more will be answered there. The Search function (under the "IE" in Soldiers) can be helpful to find specific answers.

 

[amaverick88]

there are ways to modify the trailer to your liking but you have to take into considerations about the pros and cons of all the fab work vs getting a smaller trailer. as to what drgreg said all the answers are most likely here on the trailer forum already.

 

[voodolord]

Thanks for the replies. I do alot of fabrication and welding so I dont have a problem with the work. I like the large and heavy aspect of the M105 and my truck pulls it fine. Im just trying to figure out how to adapt the air system to my electric brake and convert it to a 12V system. Ill keep looking on the forums. **** just the steel is worth what I paid for the trailer so I probably wont be looking for a M101. Thanks for the input.

 

[onegmjack]

Now you need a Deuce to pull your trailer,no modifacation needed.

 

[amaverick88]

if you are looking for a way to convert it to electric brakes it will be difficult. but there was another member here that talked about a electric over hydraulic system but it was a little pricey. i looked up the parts for it and you are looking at about a grand after all said and done. you could also just take the air out of the brake system and just do surge brakes. but it is all about what you want to do and what will suit your needs best.

 

[voodolord]

Now you need a Deuce to pull your trailer,no modifacation needed.

Ya and the wife would be wearing my balls as a necklace.

 

[onegmjack]

Now we would not want that,just a ideal.I won a 105A2 at Richmondwe pulled it with a 2000 Chevy 2500 had a 6.0 liter engine.You could not even tell it was behind us we had to look just to make sure it had not got off.If you lowered it, used axle with electric brakes.I think bumper pulled horse trailer used them.I remember the one I had would stop the truck,even if you had it full with 4, 1000 lb horses.

 

[NEIOWA]

Ya and the wife would be wearing my balls as a necklace.

Not using them apparently. Want/need the duece buy one.

Buy her a trailer mounted green genset for when the power goes out.

 

[TIGERFANS2]

Ya and the wife would be wearing my balls as a necklace.

you just need to do some of that voodoo that you do and you can have both.......

 

[top_prop]

The other answer is to take some time and read the Trailers Forum, most of your questions and many more will be answered there. The Search function (under the "IE" in Soldiers) can be helpful to find specific answers.

I've spent the day searching for info on these trailers... to say its hard to find even with the search function is a major understatement... thanks to all who post answers to questions...

Perhaps we need to make a faq, or newbie area for trailers, and pin good threads to the top of the forum...

 

[top_prop]

Thanks for the replies. I do alot of fabrication and welding so I dont have a problem with the work. I like the large and heavy aspect of the M105 and my truck pulls it fine. Im just trying to figure out how to adapt the air system to my electric brake and convert it to a 12V system. Ill keep looking on the forums. **** just the steel is worth what I paid for the trailer so I probably wont be looking for a M101. Thanks for the input.

If you get a good answer to this please post it... I've been looking for the same all day... I don't intend to buy a duce, but I've haulled 9000lb trailers daily for work with my 2500HD... all I needed was electric breaks to help stopping them...

 

[ryker725]

I got the M105A2 specifically to pull with my deuce. Otherwise I would have never considered one even though they are cheap.. By the time you modify one to pull behind a PU, you've spent pretty good money and effort... For civi use, I buy civi trailers.. But that is just me..

 

[drgreg]

If you get a good answer to this please post it... I've been looking for the same all day... I don't intend to buy a duce, but I've haulled 9000lb trailers daily for work with my 2500HD... all I needed was electric breaks to help stopping them...

The search function will only work with what you put in it, spelling the searched words correctly may greatly improve your results.
Not to be mean, but you may want to try "deuce" and "brakes".

 

[Recovry4x4]

Conversion to electric brakes is very easy. Just add an axle set up with them and wire it in with a battery on board and presto. I've dealt with the M105 for a long long time and I've never seen a brake retro fit for that big arse axle. Converting to 12V is only a matter of switching 4 of the 8 bulbs. If you want to come up with an electric version of operating the air over hydraulics, you will have to design that one off. You might also look to the M105A3 surge coupler too. None of these mods are as cheap as an M101 unless you get really good deals on the stuff.

 

[m16ty]

They do make electric over hyd brake actuators. Do a google search and you'll get many results. They convert your electric brake controller signal to apply hyd brakes. All you would need to do is remove all of the air brake portion and put the hyd controller in it's place.

I pull a unmodified M105 with my Dodge all the time. I prefer the extra cargo capacity and bed space over the M101.

 

[voodolord]

Thanks guys, great ideas.

 

[top_prop]

The search function will only work with what you put in it, spelling the searched words correctly may greatly improve your results.
Not to be mean, but you may want to try "deuce" and "brakes".

DrGreg, I appreciate the help, and I don't want to hijack this thread, but from a newbie perspective... who is trying to figure out what trailer to bid on, and why... how in the world would I know to find out about M105 trailers here, I'd need to search for "deuce" and "brakes"... and also some folk may misspell things, so then I'd need to ad "breaks" and 'duce' and various combos.. then read through all the results there as well...

But I'll try that search and read through the results just like you suggest... so thanks for the help...

Thanks to all who post answers!

Mods: please consider a FAQ for trailers and thumbtacking some of the better threads!