Trailering an MEP 803a

[jwhite9787]

Hi,

I'm about to buy an 803a off of gov planet. Plan on towing the thing out. I own a 1/2 ton chevy. I was advised that the pintle hook hitch is going to have to be raised quite a bit. Does anyone have experience pulling these things in a regular truck and not a BMY haha? Haven't got one of those yet. I'm just looking to get an idea of how much higher the ring is going to sit relative to my stock truck's hitch receiver.

 

[simp5782]

Hi,

I'm about to buy an 803a off of gov planet. Plan on towing the thing out. I own a 1/2 ton chevy. I was advised that the pintle hook hitch is going to have to be raised quite a bit. Does anyone have experience pulling these things in a regular truck and not a BMY haha? Haven't got one of those yet. I'm just looking to get an idea of how much higher the ring is going to sit relative to my stock truck's hitch receiver.

Usually they are 32 to 34in off the ground

 

[Andyrv6av8r]

Hi,

I'm about to buy an 803a off of gov planet. Plan on towing the thing out. I own a 1/2 ton chevy. I was advised that the pintle hook hitch is going to have to be raised quite a bit. Does anyone have experience pulling these things in a regular truck and not a BMY haha? Haven't got one of those yet. I'm just looking to get an idea of how much higher the ring is going to sit relative to my stock truck's hitch receiver.

I made a 4 hour trip with my 4wd 2014 F150 towing my 803a in my M1101 without a hitch. The angle was off a bit but it towed fine.

 

[jwhite9787]

Thanks for the replies!

 

[kblazer87]

Hitch height is going to be quite a bit different. I have towed a lot of trailers home from the auctions though with no problems.

 

[jwhite9787]

To be clear I am buying a model that comes on a trailer. I ordered a pintle hitch plate that adds about 8 inches. It still won't be level but should do the trick.

 

[jwhite9787]

One other question. Trailer lights. Is this a standard 7 pole round connection or is it something else? If it is 7 pole, is it going to blow my fuses by drawing too much?

 

[jwhite9787]

Yea nevermind I'm just gonna tack some magnetic lights on and call it a day

 

[kblazer87]

Wiring will be 12 pin military. Easiest way to get lights on is a set of magnetic trailer lights. Have zip ties, string or tape to help hold the magnetic lights on. They will bounce off if not supplemented. I have nylon cord tied onto my walmart set to keep them mounted.

 

[frank8003]

contact Valence, He at least can point you in the right direction.

Which tailer to sell, or none?

With the purchase of an MEP-803A 10kw generator mounted on an M116A3 trailer, I have once again acquired (probably) too many trailers. At the time of this writing I now have the below 5 trailers. I fully admit I don't really use my trailers all that often, but I sure do like them (they're...

www.steelsoldiers.com

 

[Valence]

contact Valence, He at least can point you in the right direction.

Thanks Frank, but I've removed that thread you linked as you helped me answer my question so well I didn't feel it was warranted leaving up.


But for you @jwhite9787, you don't have much to worry about. Your 1/2 ton truck is more capable than my little Dodge Dakota and even then the typical military 3/4 ton trailer is well within my towing capabilities, even if there is a 1200lb generator on the back. This is helped if the trailer's own surge brakes work (if the trailer's surge brakes don't work, or doesn't have any, then I do need to go slower and have larger stopping distances because my Dakota's brakes are a lot smaller than your 1/2 ton's).

Just last Friday I towed home an M116A3 trailer mounted MEP-803A generator. You and @kblazer87 are correct, just use a set of magnetic tow lights and zip ties to get the trailer home and you can fiddle with the wiring at home if you desire. Some sort of receiver hitch pintle riser will work wonderfully. Such as this, many others are available many places too:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/CURT-Ad...nk-10-000-lbs-13-High-12-Long-48342/205632071

With my pintle riser, trailer nose ride height was of zero concern.



Now, what you need to be focused on hasn't even been addressed. And that is if you tow the trailer via a receiver hitch, the stock military safety chains on their 3/4 ton trailers (all M116 variants, and probably the HMMW M1101 trailers too) are 3/8" in diameter and are going to be too short. You will need several extra, properly rated, chain link extenders to link together to get to the right length, or something like this so you can cross the chains under the trailer tongue (there a lot of different options out there as well):
https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories-and-Parts/Roadmaster/RM-910648-10.html


I will admit that I didn't do this, but it was about 18 miles, so I just hooked the stock chains to the angled support brace behind my pintle hitch riser and wired them in place so they couldn't/wouldn't fall off. At a glance, it looked like the safety chains were properly attached (so I wouldn't get pulled over). Yes, it defeats the purpose of the safety chains but well, here we are.

These images sort of show it. The ebrake chain had no problem reaching my truck though.

 

[Light in the Dark]

If you are pulling out of PA, you need to watch for the local cops. They make a fair amount of revenue from folks pulling unregistered trailers out of the depots..

 

[Valence]

If you are pulling out of PA, you need to watch for the local cops. They make a fair amount of revenue from folks pulling unregistered trailers out of the depots..

Well, at least we don't have that problem in Utah (yet?). You have a grace period after buying a vehicle or trailer (usually to go straight home). I can't register said trailer without it being titled (maybe you can, I might be wrong). I'm not registering mine though, I just want that documented, legal proof of ownership. I can't title the trailer without 4 other forms of paper work, repeating the same info over and over:

• TC-843 - Bill of Sale
• TC-656 - Vehicle Application for Utah Title
• TC-569A - Ownership Statement
• TC-661 - Certificate of Inspection (VIN Inspection)
• Photos showing all sides of vehicle (printed color photos preferred), exterior and interior

Buy it, take it home, then jump through the ever increasing government hoops like the trained, subservient monkey you are.

 

[quartermeter]

I made a 4 hour trip with my 4wd 2014 F150 towing my 803a in my M1101 without a hitch. The angle was off a bit but it towed fine.

How did u tow w/o a hitch??