M1101 trailer for expedition use. Experience and advice needed.
I just picked up a 2010 Silver Eagle M1101 trailer from a guy online. I plan on using this as an expedition trailer for off-road camping and hunting trips here in the CO high country. I started looking at these trailers a month ago on the gov planet site and decided shipping/recovery, auction fees, and bidding without eyes on, was not the way to go. I found a almost mint 2010 about an hour and half south of me and decided to go take a look. This trailer looks to be unused besides a small ding on the canopy strap hook on the pass side, and spot weld broken on the gas can holder up front. Tires still had knobs on them! First impression is this thing is massive, and could take anything I threw at it. It had been converted to the standard 4 wire plug and was plug and play on my ride.
I know a lot of guys here have probably used these trailers in the service. What kind of things should I be aware of? It towed straight on my way back and kept it at 65mph. Tires were at 23psi upon pickup. Thinking 30 might be better for my application, but I have no experience with these trailers. The ride height is what concerns me the most. My ride, GX470 V8, lifted 3 inches with complete Old Man Emu kit, all air parts removed and coverted to coil springs. Tubular control arms, 285/70/17 tires, etc etc. I bought a drop hitch pintle mount and flipped it to give me an extra 4 inches. Rear gate still opens and it's not the crazy tall 12 inch that people run. Thought about converting the luinette ring with surge brakes on the front to a slight drop, 2.5 ring, and convert the brakes to electric with parking brakes. How much rake it desired on this trailer? I would like to get it as close to level as possible, but realize this might not be possible. The center of the pintle on my truck is 21.5 inches. Trailer height to center of ring is 29.5. If I got rid of the surge and dropped the ring as stated above, I would be at 25.5 trailer and 21.5 truck. Only other way I can see getting it close is put a set of 6x5.5 hubs on it for 200 bucks and run the same wheels and tires as my ride. That will get me within 1.5 of level.
Anyone else have one, and what did you do? Lifting my truck more is not an option. Wife's truck sits at 24.5 and considering just only towing it with that, but it's a 2014 Tacoma and doesn't have near the power my V8 has up in the mountains. But I could keep the 37s on the trailer then.... Putting on 33s with same wheels as the tow vehicle would make it easy as I wouldn't need to buy another spare 37. Could use tow vehicles in a pinch.
Input is appreciated. And if you already did one, and wish you did it differently, what would you have done. Keep the surge brakes? Go electric? Keep or replace the 37s? Pintle or ball? I like pintle for off-road... Thanks in advance.
Photo is from pickup.
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