I have a new to me M1101 and have a very similar plan for it. basically to make it into a big XV2.
Do you have any complaints about the drawbar length? I would like to lengthen it provided there are no negative consequences, for a few reasons.
- It would allow room to install a utility cabinet such as the one used on the XV2.
- it would reduce the tongue weight from 13-15% depending on how much I lengthen it (12-14").
- It would minimally reduce the angle the trailer sits at if I do nothing with the stock H1 size wheels.
- It may lengthen it enough to give a greater margin against a jack knife situation when backing.
Having not measured either exactly, from what I have been able to get from the web, I think lengthening it 14" would give it a drawbar distance to the bed equal to the XV2.
Did you do any engineering to come up with the "V" brace for your draw bar extension? How did you decide on the drawbar length you used?
What was your solution for installing the parking brakes horizontally?
Any suggestions are welcome.
Good morning,
I went to an industrial welder friend for advice. He works on aerospace and oil rig structural welding - I think ~30yrs. He also does a lot of farm work given our community and that type of demanding use can not be underestimated, I have learned. I would have preferred the drawbar length to be longer, the XV is another 12 or 18" iirc but he and I went back and forth settling on this compromise. He was only willing to agree I was ok at this length if I included the vertical support skid bracing below.
- We plan a 72" by 24" tongue box, bigger than the XVs and with canted corners to allow for better articulation at parking 90deg
- If you use the measurements I listed and still have the pintle assembly you could come up with the differential but I think overall we're lengthened +12" or so at the max coupler's hitch pin
- This depends a lot on your drawbar placement, hitch and towing vehicle but it 'could', slightly
- Single axle short wheel base trailers are inherently more darty, of course, but what it may do it give you a better chance to visualize when backing. We tow tens of thousands of miles a year with various rigs. That started about 2003 hauling a track car so the miles of experience have accumulated. That said, I do like that after dragging this m1101 around a lot through the wilderness it makes towing our large trailers (horse, car, etc) seem like a breeze.
Agreed, we measured an XV when we were trying to purchase one and then measured the m1101 when we got it instead. It was somewhere in the 12-18" range longer from hitch contact to bed. I'm an engineer but not materials, we used experiential reckoning of a trusted friend HAHA! That said, I think our margin of safety is well within my preference of 50% of stated specs. We have a 1 tonne fullsize truck and keep tongue weights and gvw at 50% or below of stated metrics.
Parking brake brackets aren't done yet but I'll post once finished. Same for our tongue box. I've been largely out of the country recently and there isn't much time for projects after catching up on normal things.