From: Darrell Ramsell (daram@comcast.net)
Date: Sun Mar 19 2006 - 02:53:12 PST
Dave, Glenn
Thanks for all the great info. I think I have everything covered now. The
only thing I need to do is check the spring sag when I load it and check the
bearings more frequently.
Darrell
----- Original Message -----
From: "MV" <MV@dc9.tzo.com>
To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
Sent: Friday, March 17, 2006 6:54 AM
Subject: Re: [MV] M101 trailer weight capacity
> Yes, bias ply tires heat up a lot more than radials. Heat kills tires -
> if they get hot enough the cords separate and a blowout occurs. Radials
> run much cooler.
>
> I have to admit that I'm not that familiar with the specifics on the M101
> trailer, and the government tends to greatly underrate the MVs.
>
> You need to look at your trailer from a "weakest link" perspective. If
> the tires are rated at 6600 lbs in total and the everything else can
> handle that but the wheels are only good for 5000 lbs total - then you are
> stuck with weak wheels and a reasonable rating of 5000 lbs.
>
> Also, you need to think about axle rating. Most 3" diameter axles - tube
> axles (which I think the M101 has) - are good for at least 5000 lbs. Some
> 3" diameter tube axles with .25" wall are used in on the road application
> at up to 7000 lbs.
>
> Make sure your bearings are well greased. At every stop while traveling
> with a load I do a walk around and touch each hub and tire. You can
> usually spot failing bearings that way before something catastrophic
> occurs and tell if you are pushing your tires too hard. In 20 miles not
> much should be heating up at all. If something is getting hot in 20
> miles - you may have a problem. But keep in mind that hubs can also get
> hot from hot brake drums on long downhill descents.
>
> Regarding springs - most trailer springs are at full load when they are
> deflected or pushed up 1 inch when loaded statically and you are not
> moving. I know that doesn't seem like a lot but you need to remember
> that they deflect a lot more than that due to shock loads like bumps and
> potholes.
>
> So you can check for spring overload rather easily - measure the axle to
> frame dimension when unloaded (only the trailer itself is resting on the
> springs), and then load up the trailer. If the new dimension is has
> decreased by more than 1 inch, then you are definitely overloading the
> springs. (Remember that the empty trailer was already deflecting the
> springs somewhat before you put the load on it.)
>
> Another thing to consider is the trailer frame. The M101's tongue doesn't
> look all that heavy. Keep a look out for cracks - they would most likely
> appear near where the tongue comes out from under the trailer body.
>
> You need to keep about 15% of the trailer weight on the hitch. Some
> people try to run 10% or less, but that is asking for trouble especially
> with a tall trailer that can rock backwards and unload the tongue under
> some circumstances. That means that if you have a 5000 lbs trailer you
> should have about 750 lbs on the tongue. Seems like a lot, and it is, but
> loosing control of your truck and trailer due to a whipping trailer makes
> for a very bad day if you make it. This is why gooseneck and fifth wheel
> trailers are so popular.
>
> I was involved in a wreck with a large travel trailer and a car that had
> insufficient tongue weight on the Pennsylvania tollway - we did a 360 on
> the tollway before the car stopped nose first into a bridge abutment. No
> one was seriously injured. Car and trailer were totaled. I was quite
> young at the time, but you only live through that mistake once and then
> you will make sure it never re-occurs!
>
> Dave
>
>
>
>
> Darrell Ramsell wrote:
>> Thank you Dave for this info. This is a character of the bias tire that
>> I was not aware of.
>>
>> I actually have a set of radials but I've kept the bias tires because I
>> have run-flats for them but not the radial. The cargo I carry is very
>> heavy and expensive. The last thing I want to see is the trailer
>> flipping from a blow out and spewing my merchandise all over the road. I
>> figured that should a tire go the run-flats will prevent this.
>>
>> I have another question for you. What is the proper way to calculate the
>> weight load on the tires? From your reply is sounds like I might not be
>> doing right. It is my understanding that you add the max weight of the
>> tires and make sure the load doesn't exceed the combined tire rating. So
>> if each wheel has a max rating of 3,300lb that 6,300lb minus the load of
>> 4,500lb (3,000 load + 1,500 trailer). That leaves an excess of 2,100 lb.
>> I thought this was more than sufficient safety cushion. If this is not
>> right please let me know. (I'm sure many of you trucker's can help me
>> with this one.)
>>
>> I also want to mentioned that before I started doing this. I asked
>> several people who owns an M-101 trailer as well as people on this list
>> was and what was the risk of exceeding the weight rating? Most told me
>> that with military trailers, their weight rating is for off road but for
>> HWY use you can essentially double that.
>>
>> I also replaced the shocks with a new heavy duty type and replaced the
>> leaf springs with one that has an extra leaf. I don't know if this
>> increases it's load capacity (Does it?) but I didn't do it for this
>> reason. I did it as an added safety measure. I also replaced the U
>> bolts with new ones too. I also know the axle rating is involved in this
>> equation too but I don't know enough about the M-101 axle's capability.
>>
>> I've been towing a load, with my HMMWV, of approximately 3,000lb once a
>> month for over a year now. The distance I drive is 20 mile and almost
>> all of it on the HWY. I always try not to exceed 50 mph when I'm driving
>> with this load. I inspect the trailer after every haul and have not
>> noticed any damage. The only thing I have notice is that the inner side
>> walls of the tire occasionally rub against the trailer (this most likely
>> occurs when I hit a pot hole or a large bump) but it has been light and
>> there has been no noticeable loss of rubber on the tire. Anyway, the
>> main reason I'm mentioning this is to simply share my experience.
>>
>> If anyone has anything useful to add, I'd like to hear it.
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> Darrell
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "MV" <MV@dc9.tzo.com>
>> To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
>> Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2006 10:28 AM
>> Subject: Re: [MV] M101 spacers
>>
>>
>>> While that trailer might be able to handle 3000 lbs on it (but just
>>> barely?) those tires would have about 2000 lbs on each one at that point
>>> and while that is not a lot, bias belt tires really don't handle running
>>> at the limit on load and while driving at high speeds. Radials do much
>>> better and can be pushed a lot harder than bias belt tires without
>>> failing.
>>>
>>> Life is short and can be shorten even further by using lousy tires.
>>>
>>> Dave
>>>
>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.
>>>
>>> djslager@mail.icongrp.com wrote:
>>>
>>>> Well I have seen alot of miss use of equipment all so, the trailer is
>>>> not
>>>> rated for that, why not put 6 ton in it and kill it faster........ My 2
>>>> cents.......... Just dont kill someone else..........Doug Slager
>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: <M35A2USA@aol.com>
>>>> To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2006 5:49 AM
>>>> Subject: Re: [MV] M101 spacers
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> I had a friend who was towing a M101 trailer with over 3K lbs in it
>>>>> and
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> both
>>>>
>>>>> bias 900s blew at the same time on the interstate... interesting ride
>>>>> RAM
>>>>>
>>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>>
>>>
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>>>
>>
>>
>> ===Mil-Veh is a member-supported mailing list===
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>>
>
> ===Mil-Veh is a member-supported mailing list===
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> To reach a human, contact <ackyle@gmail.com>
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>
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