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What did you do to your trailer today.

M813rc

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I really kick myself for not buying one or two when I could. Now they are just in the ridiculous price range!
I wish I had bought more too.
I got used to buying M105s and M101s off Ft Hood for $125-$150. Pawnshop, Eric, and I splurged bigtime buying like-new M105A3s, which went for an exorbitant $260 apiece! (Somehow, I later ended up with all three :shock:).
I thought M1102s and the CMT-F were expensive when bought for around $325.
My M146, M348 and a freshly rebuilt M128 were all $600 each.

But most everything I bought (including trucks) was done when there were a bunch of the same thing coming up in the GL auctions every Thursday. Those days are gone, unfortunately.

We may not have thought GL was fun to deal with, but GP pricing put me out of buying at auction. Just as well in one respect - I reeeally don't need any more stuff to maintain!

Cheers
 

Buffalobwana

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When I first got the fever and started watching the M939A2’s selling on auction, I was shocked. I texted a friend in the biz and said “wow this M923a2 went for $4000, and this one for $3500”

the reply was “They are not worth it”

I’m thinking, how can that not be worth it? It’s a huge 6x6 Cummins truck that runs that is under $4k? So, I started buying them anyway. Trailers too. Compare new flimsy 3500k axle utility trailer for $1000 to these M1101’s and M101’s. I bought 4 trailers one day (then kicked myself ... how are you going to get all of them?)

I managed. Glad I did.
 
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winfred

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port allen la
if you snoop around online things pop up, got my M105 with everything but a good tarp for $500 90 miles away off a local sportsmans site, and scored my water buffalo from a public online auction for around $400 like 20 miles away.
if you've not checked the local craigslist and for the surrounding area things pop up on that too, sometimes crap sometimes cool

I really kick myself for not buying one or two when I could. Now they are just in the ridiculous price range ! I also should have bought a couple of M105 trailers too. There even asking to much for those.
 
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dmetalmiki

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Well, "what did I do to my trailer today"?,
I am preparing it for this years events, Starting with the brakes, then a full service, And then, A paint job.
That's When the weather gets warmer though, As of right now the U.K. climate is trying to 'Do' A 'Siberia!.
 

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Floridianson

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20 minute job replaced both spring brake pancakes. They were not bad yet but better to know they a fresh than have one lock up on the road, Took trailer to other property and came home.
 

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dmetalmiki

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Yes, That is the Austin radio truck circa 150-60. Used in Aden Africa, Cyprus. Amongst others.
My trailer is somewhat rare, (well, There is only one over here).
When the repairs to my M62 Wrecker are complete, That is the truck that will be towing it with the AFV-432 On it.
G710
  • Trailer 20-Ton & 22-Ton, Low bed, Fruehauf Model CPT-20 & CPT-22 - Jahn Model LKD-620 Fruehauf trailer
 

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dmetalmiki

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Right now the trailer is parked in the barn with the fire truck on it, As the firetruck is longer than the 'Tank'.
This is an Historic (class) 1943 trailer, and thus exempt testing and plating etc. As is the wrecker.l
 

Tinstar

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I actually hooked up my tan M101A2 today and moved it about 300 feet with my M1008A1
It’s still hooked up and ready to receive firewood as I cut it this weekend.

Has been almost two months since I’ve touched it.
Out of state for almost that entire time.

Way too long.........
 

shotty

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Northern VA :(
Rebuilt the surge brake assembly on my 101A2. New master cylinder, new shock, new "bearings" (bushings). After all that, the hole to insert a pin to lock out the brake STILL didn't line up. I have no choice but to believe that some of these trailers never had the holes all line up so you could insert a pin all the way through. I had no choice but to drill it out.

Of couse the copper sealing washers on the bolt going into the master cylinder are leaking now, so I need to try and source replacements. Hopefully i can find something locally.
 

tobyS

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Rebuilt the surge brake assembly on my 101A2. New master cylinder, new shock, new "bearings" (bushings). After all that, the hole to insert a pin to lock out the brake STILL didn't line up. I have no choice but to believe that some of these trailers never had the holes all line up so you could insert a pin all the way through. I had no choice but to drill it out.

Of couse the copper sealing washers on the bolt going into the master cylinder are leaking now, so I need to try and source replacements. Hopefully i can find something locally.
My M1101 didn't have any holes for a lock out bolt at all....so I drilled and put one in that stops the main shaft. There really is only one good spot to drill on the 1101 brake actuator that is apparent when it's apart.
 

Tinstar

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My M1101 didn't have any holes for a lock out bolt at all....so I drilled and put one in that stops the main shaft. There really is only one good spot to drill on the 1101 brake actuator that is apparent when it's apart.
You don’t need the lockout to back up a 1101/2.
They have the freeback brakes.
I installed them (Dexter) on mine (M101A2’s) and they work great.
 

tobyS

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You don’t need the lockout to back up a 1101/2.
They have the freeback brakes.
I installed them (Dexter) on mine (M101A2’s) and they work great.
Yea, I know about the freeback. But I don't have the hydraulic line replaced yet and brakes bled.... yet still want to move around and don't want it pushing on the master cylinder. Parts inside had suffered bending before i got the trailer. I have made all straight again and knew the line would be a last item. This was a trailer that GP could not get a bid on and I bought for $200.....so lots of things wrong and bent.

If there is a brake problem where the brakes do not stop the trailer, there is a long distance to travel to be stopped by thin metal and a spring loaded MC. Mine must have had issues. It looked as if it operated without working brakes for a while (hitting hard when taking off or stopping)...like 1 1/2" or so. The bolt makes that travel less than 1/16"...so essentially rigid.

I don't know what inside the drums looks like yet. My 1/2 ton seems to stop it fine (I'm not going on the highway) for around here. When the build is a bit further, I'll fix the brakes right and take the bolt out. Maybe freebacking never fails and I'll never need it again.
 

TOBASH

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OK, please explain freeback axles to the noobie. Pretty please.
 

tobyS

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OK, please explain freeback axles to the noobie. Pretty please.
Short for "free backing". The (surge) brakes release when the trailer is pushed backward, where normally without such a thing, one would have to put the locking pin in prior to backing up (which these trailers are not equipped with normally). Some surge brakes have an electric solenoid lock pin that comes on (locks) when the reverse lights come on, preventing brakes from actuating.

Here are some details of my surge brake, I don't have the wheels apart yet to show you the "freeback" mechanism.

The first photo shows the main body and the hitch/plunger. It hits the crossbar that has the brake MC push rod attached and pushes the plunger back. See the plunger and how the T is bent? The part next to it that mounts the cylinder is also bent in the photo. Those were straightened. Bending that bar and mount tell me that the cylinder was completely bottoming out, taking the force of the stopping trailer.

If the brakes don't work, that crossbar and plunger take the weight of the stopping trailer after it travels about 1 1/2". The third photo shows position of the bolt that stops the main plunger from acting against the cylinder. It's the only place a pin like that will work with this style surge brake.
 

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