Military surplus farm trailer

[number9L]

So, I had a M116A3 chassis (pickup truck size) that I wasn't really using for anything and a couple of M105's (2-1/2 ton truck size) that I don't use since selling the M35 that I pulled them with. I needed a "farm trailer" to pull behind my tractor and decided to take the bed off the M105 and put on the M116A3 chassis.

Here's the M105 being stripped down. I was surprised that all the bolts holding the bed on the frame came out really easy.

And here's the M116A3, that was only being used to hold an old paddle boat that was on the property when we bought it.

First I had to take the M116 outside and get the paddle boat off and out of the way.

So with the boat off, I took the M116 in the shop and stripped the genset mounting rails, tool box and fenders off of it.

With that done, it was time to put both trailers into position for the swap.

 

[number9L]

Lifting the bed off the M105

Action shots from the cab.

Once the bed was lowered onto the M116 I was really pleased with how it lined up and was looking. Being bigger than the chassis was
designed for, I didn't know how it was going to turn out or how good the wheel wells were going to line up with the tires.

All the mounting points for the M105 bed sit well inside the M116 frame and happen to fall between the cross beams of the frame as well. The front mounts hit on top of the front of the frame, but that will be an easy fix.

So with the bed down on the frame, I pulled it into the shop and got to work on it.
First thing was to pull the bed all the way forward until the rear mounts on the underside of the bed butted up against the rear of the M116 frame.

Then I raised the bed with the tractor so I could mark where the front mounts needed some trimming.

 

[number9L]

Couple minutes with an angle grinder and cutoff wheel got the front mounts in shape to allow the bed to sit down flush on the frame.

I cut some pieces of 2" angle iron and welded the front and rear bed mounts to the frame.
I'll add some more at the middle of the bed later, I just had to get it good enough to haul a load to the dump the next morning.

And here it is all buttoned up. I was VERY pleased with how it turned out. Looks way better than I thought it would.
After taking this pic I pulled it outside and used the backhoe and a chain to remove that side board. It was jammed in there real good and actually picked that side of the trailer clean off the ground before it came loose. So, I know the welds are holding good.

 

[number9L]

Now, here's where it gets good.

The next morning me and the boys hauled the load of junk to the dump and the trailer did great.

This is a pic just after we got home from the dump - less than 8 hours after I finished it....

When we got home I was trying to find the hole in the surge brake to put the pin for backing up. I couldn't find the hole in the inner piece of the tongue. So, I backed the trailer to the edge of the driveway and lowered the 3 point hitch on the tractor and set the trailer on it's landing gear. I was going to try to move the pintle by hand and look for that dang hole the pin goes through. I got off the tractor and opened the top of the pintle hitch and got back on, lowered it a little and pulled out from under the trailer.

Parked it right here....

Well, the pintle hitch was about 1/2" too high and just kissed the pintle ring on the trailer as the tractor pulled out from under it. This was *just* enough to raise the landing gear off the ground and let the trailer start rolling backwards.......and boy did it roll. Right off the edge of the driveway and down the hill headed toward the pond!!!

I jumped off the tractor but it was too late, and there was nothing I could do to stop it anyway but just stand and watch it. It was picking up speed and done a perfect U-turn and headed back up the hill backwards. Just when I thought "GOOD, the landing gear will dig in and stop it".....NOPE!!!!! When it stopped backing up the hill, it took off forward and right out in the **** pond!!!!!!

It was floating and I was running around looking for a chain and wondering how in the heck I was going to get to it and get it out before it sunk. It was taking on water in the drain holes and I knew it wouldn't be too long before it went under. We've only owned the property for a couple months and I had no idea how deep the pond was. Luckily it wasn't as deep as I feared it was. When it stopped sinking I could still see the top of the bedsides about 6" or so under water.

We got chains and pulled the old pontoon dock down to the boat and the wife and boys held it still from the bank while I used it to get out to the trailer. I walked out on the tongue of the trailer and felt with my foot and found the pintle ring. I could *just* reach it with my right ear under water.

 

[number9L]

Once we got it hooked up, I backed the tractor down the hill and started pulling it out. VERY SLOWLY. as I was going up hill and the trailer weight, full of water and landing gear digging in the mud was a LOAD. Right when I got it to the bank the landing gear broke off the frame. I was afraid it was going to, but I really didn't have many options at that point.

 

[number9L]

Finally got it up the hill and back in the driveway. Luckily I was able to get the landing gear out of the pond. I like these crank landing gears and was really pissed when I thought I lost it.

After I took this pic I went in and took a shower and got on some dry clothes.

THEN, came outside and started pressure washing the trailer off and a big set of black clouds rolled in out of no where and opened up. Soaked AGAIN. You ever have one of them days when you get soo pissed off that the anger just goes away because you just really don't care anymore? I was there. :mur:

So, after finishing the pressure washing and putting on a THIRD set of dry clothes, I brought the trailer in the shop and got to work on the broken landing gear.

It mucked it up pretty good.

I cleaned it up as good as I could without taking off too much material.

Had a bit to build back up with the welder, but it didn't look too awful bad.

All welded up and ready to put back and and test it out.

I painted the areas I welded up and the landing gear worked just fine when I put it back on. It's not perfectly straight but it's close enough that you couldn't tell unless I pointed it out.

 

[number9L]

We got it out today and put it to use, hauling all the parts we took off both trailers out to the barn and put them up.
I am REALLY pleased with how this trailer turned out and actually like it better than the M101A3 I have, I think. The larger bed is really nice.
The wheel wells lined up really nice with the tires too.

The M116A3 wheel width lined up really nice with the M105 bed width too.

After we got done working it, we parked it in the stall we cleaned out for it. Looks good in it's new home.

This trailer is going to be very handy and get lots of use as opposed to just sitting around like it has been for the past couple years.

Good thing about these trailers is they WAY over built and can be picked up really cheap.

The M101A2 and M101A3 have surge brakes and are sized about right for a CUT or UT. The larger M105 would be better suited for a larger tractor, but they have air brakes - UNLESS you find an M105A3, which has surge brakes).

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[deezler]

Haha, good story.

I don't understand your motivation for swapping beds on the trailers. Why not just use the original one as is, that already had that bed on it? Just because it's a bit smaller?

 

[number9L]

Haha, good story.

I don't understand your motivation for swapping beds on the trailers. Why not just use the original one as is, that already had that bed on it? Just because it's a bit smaller?

Because it's WAY bigger, heavier and has no brakes (well, has air brakes). If you've ever seen an M105 in person, they are a BIG, HEAVY SOB.

Here's a pic of an M105 that does a good job of showing the scale.

And here's a pic of an M101A3 for scale.

By putting the bed on the other chassis, it is lighter, sits lower to the ground (although is still taller than I'd like) and has surge brakes.

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[Gale Hawkins]

Nice trailer. I have looked at these but just to heavy for an old man.

Have you check the brake system and hubs for water yet? Surge brakes are nice.