Loading and unloading military trailers

Before you transport your military trailer, such as the M1101 or M1102, you’ll have to decide how you’ll load your light tactical trailer. It’s not as easy as backing it up into the driveway, depending on the method and company you decide to use. Here are some useful options and tips we’ve learned.

Since we haul loads of US Military light tactical trailers a month, we find have resources and people to make it easier. We usually load them using a forklift with extensions. We recommend at minimum 8′ extensions. We use either 8′ or 12′ forklift extensions. If you have questions, experiences, recommendation or pictures comment below or drop us a line.

The Forklift

The M1101/M1102 trailers are light, 1460 lbs each. If you approach them with the forklift from the rear of the trailer and put it on the back of the flatbed one person can push or pull the trailer into position. If you don’t have much room to move around or for the driver to part and need to load them from the side of the flatbed, it’s still possible. Pickup the M1101/2 trailer from the rear and place it on the flatbed sideways. One or two people can rotate it around so the tongue is facing the front or the rear. It’s too wide to fit on any trailer or road sideway.

Click here to view the M1101 M1102 dimensions and specification.

Unless you have wide forklift extensions it’s near impossible to pick the trailer up from the side because of the wheels being in the way. You’ll have a teeter totter situation, which can turn into a disaster. Pick it up from the rear and swing it around once it’s on the flatbed.

The other thing to consider is whether to you’ll haul the trailer with the landing gear up or down. If the landing gear is down, you can fit five (5) trailers on a standard flatbed or four (4) with the tongue and landing gear up.

Regardless of which method you use, be sure to manually set the parking brake to each wheel before departing.

The ramp method

If you’re hauling on a flat bed and you don’t have a forklift, but you have a ramp connect your M1101/M1102 to your truck and back it up the ramp into place. Disconnect and let the driver do the rest. If you don’t have your own truck to load one of these trailers, what you are doing with a military trailer anyway? Every capable man should own a truck!

The winch method

If you don’t have a forklift or a truck and still need to load your own trailers, you can use a winch. Think about how car towing companies load damaged cars unto their truck. They might not let you use this method or have a solid enough anchor for the winch so be sure to check with the trucking company beforehand. With the winch connected and the landing gear down let the winch do the work by “dragging” your trailer into place. The trailers weigh 1460 pounds empty and there isn’t any friction except the incline so it should be easy.

The car hauler

Yes and no. If the car hauler is at least 8″ wide with a complete flat bed without fender wells sticking up, you can load and haul your M1101/M1102 trailer(s). If you have a car hauler with only ramps for the tires with a gap in-between, you’ll have more trouble trying to load it than it’s worth. Most car hauler won’t move your trailer on the standard car haulers because of this one reason. The car hauler is designed for vehicles with motors to self drive into place and they don’t have experience or desire loading trailers.

If you want to haul it yourself use a truck and car hauler. You can rent a 1/2 ton truck or van from most major car rental agencies. You can also rent a standard 16″ car hauler for less than $100/day from your local heavy equipment rental place. No, we don’t recommend Home Depot and they don’t have what you need here.

I’ll use Uhaul or Budget Truck

Don’t even think about it. For one, the M-1101 & M-1102 aren’t designed and don’t fit on these type of car haulers. The tracks aren’t wide enough and the wheel wells are right in the way. Secondly, you have to get special permission from HQ to haul any non-standard car or truck. That alone take at minimum 24 hours for approval and you’ll more than likely be rejected.