M416 Offroad Jeep Trailer Project

Rolled the Trailer

2010-12-10T09:23:00.000-08:00

We were camping near Vail, CO this past summer. I had just unloaded the trailer so it was completely empty. I was driving through a field that had been logged 20 years ago and there were stumps everywhere. The jeep goes over them like they weren't there, but my friends watched the whole thing and said that the trailer was just about to go over a stump when I gave it a little gas. It "popped" the trailer up and it went up on one wheel.. as I kept going forward since I didn't see what was happening, it just tipped and dragged the trailer right over. We just flipped the trailer back over and no harm was done. Very stout!

Lifted Tow Rig

2010-12-10T09:19:00.000-08:00

My jeep has been built up since the completion of my trailer. So, my final planned ride height of both rigs matches perfectly. I have 6" lift and 37" tires on the jeep and the spring over and 33's on the trailer match perfectly. I have an aftermarket Expedition One Bumper with a custom hitch welded into the bumper, which raises it about 4-6 inches from the stock location (which was a dropped hitch under the bumper).

Update on Paint

2010-12-10T09:05:00.000-08:00

Last winter I took the trailer on its maiden voyage to Moab, UT. On the way we drove through a massive blizzard. Highway crews were laying down tons of magnesium chloride chemicals on the highway to keep lower the freezing point of water and keep ice off the road. The chemicals did a number on the paint job. By the end fo the trip, you could see rust on just about every surface area of the trailer!

Another thing that happend after a couple summers of camping, was I was consistently loading gear on top of the trailer in the rack. The bouncing offroad of the gear (like plastic tubs of firewood) wore through the paint on the lid. I realized that because I painted the bare metal I built the lid from without sand blasting it first, the paint peeled off easily. When I would go through high pressure washes, the paint would just fly off.

So, reluctantly, I sanded down most of the areas I could get to with a flap disk on a grider.

I decided to try this product from Rust Bullet. Its EXPENSIVE.. $167.00 a gallon. Standard Rust Bullet is gray in color. But "Black Shell" is black, so I decided to use that so I would not have to paint over the rust bullet.

Here is the finished trailer. I'll report back in a few seasons of use to let you know if I see any rust. This product is supposed to stop any existing rust and prevent any future rust.

Lastly, I put two coats of Duplicolor bedliner on the top of the lid. I am hopiing that this will prevent the gear from wearing through the paint.

Before & After

2009-05-18T08:28:00.001-07:00

Trailer Completely Finished!!!!!!!!

2009-05-16T14:51:00.001-07:00

Its completely finished and I couldn't be happier with the way it turned out! Everything works great and it pulls perfectly. I'll update the blog after I take it offroading to see how it performs.

New Tow Rig!

2009-05-16T14:48:00.000-07:00

I bought a 2009 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon. I'm selling my 2000 TJ to pay for upgrades to this new jeep. The jeep towes the trailer perfectly with the extra towing capacity Jeep added to the JK.

Follow the build-up on my new "Project Blue Bruin" blog!

Finished Trailer with Bikes

2009-05-16T14:45:00.000-07:00

We loaded our bikes up today to bring them to the bike shop and to give the bike-trailer combo a test run before our Moab trip in June. The bikes were rock solid when driving. The lid opens under its own power even with the extra bike weight.

Solar Charger

2009-05-14T20:40:00.000-07:00

To keep my Xantrex battery topped off, I added a cheapo solar panel from Harbor Freight on top of the tounge box. The directions stated you could add a bead of silicone on the top of the solar panel where the glass meets the plastic housing in order to water proof it. I ran the wiring inside the box and it plugs into the 12V cigarette lighter outlet in the Xantrex unit.

I bought a blocking diode on ebay to keep the solar panel from working in reverse at night and discharging the battery.

Safety Chains

2009-05-14T20:38:00.000-07:00

I opted for cable type safety chains rather than linked metal chain that will bounce around on the trail making annoying clinks. These recoil nicely to prevent dragging. I bolted them to the stock 3/4" bolt that passes through the tounge.

Lunette Lock

2009-05-14T20:37:00.000-07:00

I ordered this on ebay for $30. It locks the lunette so you can't tow off the trailer when its parked. The box on the bottom helps keep someone from getting to the pad lock with bolt cutters.

LED Interior Light

2009-05-14T20:33:00.000-07:00

A long time ago Lowes had a bunch of lighting on a sales rack and I picked up a bunch of LED undercabinet lights. They are 120V that plug into a regular outlet. I mounted one inside the lid and then ran the wire into the tounge electrical box where it will plug into my Xantrex power plant. Its not very bright, but it will be fine when you are out camping in the pitch blackness. The nice thing is it takes VERY low wattage, is shock proof, and will last virtually forever.

Here's a look at where the wire comes in the tounge box. You can see the weather stripping I added around the box lip to keep water out.

Bike Rack - Rocky Mounts

2009-05-14T20:29:00.000-07:00

I bought some locking rocky mounts and bolted them to the top of the lid near the edge. This way the rear tire will be able to be strapped to the 3/4" square tube of the rack to keep it from bouncing around on the trail. You just take your front tire off and put the fork on the mount and tighten it down.

I added a 1" square tube cross member ahead of time when I built the lid so that I could mount the bike mount after painting. Here's a look under the lid where the mount bolts come through.

Weather Stripping - Lid Seal

2009-05-14T20:20:00.000-07:00

To help keep water out when driving in the rain, I've added weather stripping around the lid where it meets the tub lip. In addition to the adhesive backing on the weather stripping, I applied a bead of Gorilla Glue and closed the lid tight over night. The result seems like it will hold well. Here is what the weather stip looks like from the outside:

Here is the rubber weather stipping I got a home depot, I got the thickest I could find:

Paint

2009-05-10T11:34:00.000-07:00

Spring finally has come to the Rockies and it was warm enough this weekend to paint. The wind was too strong, so I tented the garage with plastic drop clothes, switched off the circuit breaker to the garage, and ran an extension cord into the house to run the compressor and a fan. I just left the garage door open and with a respirator, it worked no problems. I didn't have any lights set up so it was a little tough to see what I was doing so I missed a few spots. I'll have to go back and touch them up. Now its time for finally assembly and then wiring and lights, gas struts for the lid, and bike rack attachments. The end is in sight! I hope to finish soon since we have a trip to Moab planned in a few weeks.

Gas Spring Ordeal

2009-04-13T09:39:00.000-07:00

I went back and forth with http://www.internationalgassprings.com/ about which size to order. After I finally settled on a size, they sent me this email:

"I have not been able to get back to you as our normal business has picked up. IGS is a wholesale operation which typically ships high volumes of springs at a time. We are not set up for small quantity orders. I had some spare time when you contacted me the first time and offerred some help but at this point cannot spend any more time on it. Your best bet is to buy the springs from Mcmaster-carr who will offer a similar size http://www.mcmaster.com/. "

So, save yourself the hassel and go to McMaster to start with. Their gas spring page here.

Ball ends and mounting brackets here.

I just completed my order. Based on the info from IGS, I picked the 9416K22 gas spring. It basically has the same specs as the one IGS recommended: 28" extended length, 12" stroke, 25o lbs force. Since its an M8 rod end instead of M10, its one third the cost, only $18.77 each! Hopefully it is not too wimpy to stand up to offroad use. Guess we'll see. I ordered some extra ball brackets to allow me to use multiple mounting positions. This should allow one position for lid empty, and one for lid rack loaded up. I plan to start with the mounting positions IGS gave me and see how they work.

Hitch Extension/Riser

2009-03-23T08:08:00.000-07:00

When I did the spring over lift on the trailer it really made it tall. The lunette is about 30" off the ground. When I get my Jeep Unlimited (4-door) with a 4" lift and 37" tires, it should sit level. For now, with my 2.5" lift and 33" tires, the trailer has to really lean down. I've seen the adjustable ball hitches that all those huge lifted pickup trucks have, so I thought why not make something like that for the pintle. I started with a 12" receiver hitch tube from harbor freight which was on sale for $6.99 and grinded the paint off and cut it down to size.

Using 2" square tube I measured out enough length to clear the spare tire.

Then I welded it all together and added a angled piece for extra strength.

It looks kinda funky, we'll see if I end up using it. Once the trailer is painted I'll do some test runs to see if I like pulling the trailer with or without the hitch extension.

Lid Bondo

2009-03-23T08:02:00.000-07:00

This weekend I filled in some of the small pinholes and pitted surfaces left by my poor welding skills on the top of the lid. The two sheets of 22 gauge metal were pretty tough to get a nice welded seam. So, rather than battling with spot welding hundreds of spots, I decided to fill it in with body filler.

Gas Springs

2009-03-19T12:00:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in a previous post, I found this company International Gas Springs on the internet. You fax them in the specifics of your project and they plug it into their computer program to figure out the correct strength, stroke, and mounting position of the gas springs for your lid. I'm not sure yet how I'll mount the springs since they have only a 1/2" long threaded stud on the end of the metal ball joints. They are pricey too! $215 with shipping. So, don't forget to budget that into your project.

Bedliner

2009-03-15T19:39:00.000-07:00

Today it was warm and sunny enough to tackle bedlining the inside of the trailer tub. I picked up a duplicolor bedliner kit at Advance Auto Parts on sale for $46. I wiped down the inside with a scuff pad and solvent based cleaner first. Then I put two coats of goop on with the special brush.

Lid Mounted Trail Rack

2009-03-05T19:42:00.000-08:00

After skinning the lid, I added a trail rack using 3/4" square tube. I went with 3/4" to reduce weight and make it easier to strap things to since most straps have a hook on the end that won't fit over 1"square tube. This is just extra storage in case I run out of room inside the tub on an extended trip. I purchased some "Clutch" fork mounts from Rocky Mounts to hold a couple bikes and bolt those to the lid.

Tail Lights

2009-03-05T19:36:00.000-08:00

I've broken my TJ's tail lights on the trail before, and dented in the back of jeep quarter panel hitting them as well. I didn't think exposed tail lights would last long on this trailer, so I went for something flush mounted. The drawback is I am comprimising my water tight seal of the floating tub concept. However, the rubber bushing on the light does ok, and I'll add some silcone to seal it when everything's done. The lights are $15 each from Harbor Freight.

As seen from the inside picture, the light is pretty well tucked above the angled part of the tub, so I don't think it will interfere with packing gear. The light does have a small rectangular part that sticks out the back.

Cutting in the Lights

2009-03-05T19:33:00.001-08:00

I ordered a nice hole saw set on ebay which made quick work of cutting the perfectly round holes for my LED marker lights. I wasn't too concerned about weakening the frame since mine has 1/4" thick plate of steel welded over the whole thing which increases its rigidity. After the hole was cut I popped in the light for a test fit. Works great.

Skinning the Lid

2009-03-05T19:13:00.000-08:00

Above is a photo of the lid after I welded 22 gauge flat plate steel to the frame. This was a HUGE pain. I don't know if my welding skills are that bad (probably) or if I am missing a more obvious way to attach it and make a water tight seal.... The welder was on its lowest setting, but not burning holes in the thin metal was near impossible, as was getting a nice bead. Anyway, I finally finished after draining an entire 10lb tank of gas and then I grinded down my bumpy mess. This has left a pretty rounded edge, but I think its good enough. Here's a close up of some edges...

Here's a view of the underside. I tacked the skin to the frame on every cross member every 4 inches or so. I've heard drumming can be a problem on the highway, so hopefully not having more than 2.5ft x 2ft spans will keep noise to a minimum.

Unfortunately, the steel yard couldn't provide a single sheet big enough for the top. So, I had to use two pieces and weld it together.

Working Lid and Road Test

2009-02-23T12:33:00.000-08:00

Here's a look at the lid in operation. I found a company called International Gas Springs who build custom struts. You fill out a worksheet with dimensions and desired operation and they make the size and strength you need to open the lid, keep it open, and close it easily. We'll see how that goes, hope they aren't too expensive. Here is another option at McMaster Carr

I took the trailer out for a highway test yesterday since it was warm and dry out. I got up to 70mph and there was no signs of swerving, fishtailing, or tracking problems. I was concerned the spare tire might add unbalanced load to the tail of the trailer. So far so good.

Lid Frame Finished

2009-02-19T20:40:00.000-08:00

Here's a look at the finished lid frame. All that's left to do is order 22 gauge plate steel cut to size and weld it onto the frame to make the skin. Its really coming along well!

Electrical Box

2009-02-19T20:38:00.000-08:00

Today I welded on a lockable latch. But to keep the lid from rattling when on the trail, I welded a rubber strap to the lid, and stretched it over a L-shaped knob I welded onto the front of the box. Then I used caulk to seal all of the inside joints in the box to help keep it water tight.

License Plate Mount

2009-02-19T20:34:00.000-08:00

The back end of the trailer is almost entirely taken up by the spare tire and tail lights. I didn't want to mount the plate hanging off the bottom of the frame since it would likely be ripped off four wheeling. So, I fabricated a mounting bracket that is welded to the spare tire mounting plate. Its small enough to allow the hub-hole in the wheel to slip over it and onto the studs.

Lid Handle

2009-02-19T20:32:00.001-08:00

I found a stainless steel boat cleat which normally is used to tie off ropes for a good price at Harbor Freight tools. I thought it would make a nice sturdy handle. So, I welded in some veriticle supports spaced to match the bolt holes in the cleat.

Hinges & Latches

2009-02-19T20:25:00.000-08:00

I bought some heavy duty hinges at Home Depot and welded the pin in place to prevent someone from breaking by pulling the pins out. I decided to bolt the hinges to aid in replacement if they are ever damaged, and to allow the lid to be removed if I need to use the trailer to haul something large with the lid off. The hinge bolts to the 1.5" square tube that I welded below the tub's lip.

It took quite a bit of searching to find the right type of latches on the internet. I got them at Nielsen Sessions. They are smaller than I was thinking, but they will do the job. I wanted them to be stainless steel, lockable, adjustable, and a draw-latch. Making them adjustable ensures a tight fit so you don't have to drill your mounting holes perfectly. Plus, once I add a weather strip around the lid I'll have to re-adjust the latches to make them work. The bottom of the latches bolt to the 1.5" square tube I welded under the tub lip on the driver's side of the trailer.

UPDATE: I had to reverse the latches putting the catch on the top (lid) instead of the tub. When you tried to close the lid, there were three latches dangling which hit the lip of the tub and caused it not to close all the way. With three latches you don't have enough hands to simultaneously pull them out from the tub to allow it to seat properly. Flipping them around keeps the body of the latch on the tub rather than the lid, so when they dangle, they don't get in the way of the lid closing.

Hi Lift Jack

2009-02-19T20:16:00.000-08:00

I added some vertical supports using 1" square tube in the box lid spaced to accommodate the Hi Lift 4x4 mounting brackets. The jack is on the hinged side of the lid, which reduces the dead weight you have to lift when you open the top. Once I skin the lid, I'll redrill the holes to remount the brackets.

Fire Extinguisher

2009-01-27T16:35:00.000-08:00

Today I added something I hope I will never use. The fire extinguisher seems to fit nicely up front with the fuel cans. Its a tall commercial type cylinder so this was about the only place I could find to mount it. It sits on the angle bracket that butts up against the tub. Then I just added 4 eye bolts and used some old bike rack rubber straps along with some carribeaners. It is held solidly in place, but is quickly accessible.

Electrical Box - Tounge Storage Bin

2009-01-26T19:39:00.001-08:00

Since I decided to mount the AT fuel can holders up front, that didn't leave much room for the store bought plastic truck box that I planned to mount to the triangular tounge space. I used some tape to mark off the approximate limits of where I could mount gear before it would interfere with sharp turns on the trail. The space I was left was about 11 x 18 footprint which is enough to house the battery unit.

With 1/16" thick plate steel I had in the shop, I used a circular saw and metal blade to carefully cut out the sides, top and bottom.

In the next photo you can see the box taking shape and how the battery unit fits nicely inside. On the driver's side of the box, I mounted two electrical junction boxes. One will house a weather-proof outlet which will be wired to the outlet in the battery. The second is a weather proof light switch which will operate the LED lights inside the lid.

Here's a look at the box mostly finished sitting in place. I made the same height as the AT fuel can holders.

The last picture here is of the mostly finished box with the lid in place. I welded hinges on. The large gap in the back of the lid is unimportant since I welded a piece of angle iron underneath to form a tight seal. Later I'll be adding automotive weatherstrip.

Spare Tire Mount

2009-01-26T19:25:00.000-08:00

After various design iterations I decided to mount the spare tire on the back of the trailer, similar to a jeep wrangler. Due to the weight of the 33" tire, I decided against a fold-down tailgate since my wife would be unable to close it. The other draw-back to a tailgate would be sacrificing the "tub" concept of the original military trailer which allows the trailer to float when doing deep river crossings. My fabrication skills are not precise enough to make a water tight tailgate. The first step in creating the tire mount was to welt two 1/4" thick sections of steel flat bar together to create an 8" square. I bought bolts to match the thread pattern of the stock trailer wheel studs. (boltdepot.com) I dipped the heads in muratic acid (available at home depot for pool cleaning). This allowed me to drill holes in the plate and then weld the bolt heads in place.

Next I began working on the spare tire mount frame. I decided against welding it directly to the tub since it would make things easier later if it was a bolt-in-place unit. I can change it out if I ever change wheel diameters, tire thicknesses, or have problems with the trailer balance etc..

After the frame was fabricated I bolted it in place with six 3/8" carraige bolts. I made the depth of the frame equal to the depth of the tire with the wheel's backspacing so that the tire rests snuggly against the frame and lip of the tub. Hopefully there will be enough clearance for the tub lid since the tire sticks up higher than the lid.

Relocating the Hand Brake

2009-01-16T10:25:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned in my last post, to mount the jerry can holders up front, I had to relocate the hand brake. This is a nice feature since it keeps the trailer from rolling away when you have it disconnected at camp, so I wanted to keep it intact. I just unbolted the original mounting bracket and moved it out to the side of the trailer. You can see the old location where its rusty in the photo. The j-bolt was now too short, so I used a turnbuckle to extend it. This assembly now sits underneath the jerrry can holder frame.

Mounting the Jerry Can Holders

2009-01-16T10:06:00.001-08:00

This is the location I originally wanted to mount the jerry can holders. This frees up space on the traingular tounge area for a dry box to house my electrical components. These projects were my inspiration: Pic 1 Pic 2

However, I'm not sure how they accomplished this. When I tried mocking it up, I was having alignment problems with the metal strap that holds the can in the holder. The holder physically fits in the spot along the tub in front of the tire, but when you try to get the can out, the metal strap hits the lip of the tub that hang out over the holder. See the green line below. I didn't want to try to mount the holder titled since it would difficult and would look strange. Plus it would be hanging out there... an easy target for rocks and trees.

I decided to sacrifice the space up front and mount the cans back to back standing vertically. This keeps them safe and easy to access. By redesigning my dry box using steel (rather than a store bought truck box) I can still make it fit.

I had to relocate the hand brake to fit the cans in this orientation. To allow the brake cable to sit under the cans, I had to elevate them off the tounge rails using 1.5" steel tube. Then I welded a frame to separate the jerry can holders (the can't be mounted back to back since the metal straps hit eachother at the top of the holder where the pad-lock hole is). The frame also provides stability to keep the holders from wobbeling/vibrating too much.

Reinstall Drain Plugs

2009-01-16T10:02:00.000-08:00

I decided to reinstall the original drain plugs. They were totally smashed when I got the tub from the guy's field it had been sitting in. But, I was able to bend them back into shape and bolt them back on. This will keep water from spraying up from the tires on the road on the underside of the tub and getting inside. I could have just welded the holes shut, but I thought it would be nice to have a way to drain the tub on the off-chance water ever gets inside.

Painting Underside of Tub

2008-12-23T08:33:00.001-08:00

I spent an hour wrangling the tub onto the frame. Getting the mounting flanges on the underside to line up with the slots I cut in the steel plate covering the frame is always a challenge. Once I was seated properly I drilled new holes in the mounting tabs around the outside of the frame and bolted down. Once I knew it was going to fit ok, I took the tub back off and painted the underside of the tub and the top of the frame plate. I want to "permanently" mount the tub for the remiander of fabrication. Once the lid, rack, spare tire mount etc are all mounted in place its going to be to heavy to take on and off for painting.

Sandblasting Complete

2008-11-24T09:15:00.000-08:00

Wow! I just picked up the trailer on Friday from sandblasting. They did a great job getting into every little nook and cranny. Luckily it was a clear dry day and I made it home without getting the trailer wet (which equals instant rust). Now I'm ready fo the next phase; fabrication of the 4x4 trailer design.

Spring Over Lift Done

2008-11-17T14:11:00.000-08:00

Here is the trailer after the spring over lift. I don't know if you can tell by the picture, but there is significantly more clearance after the conversion. Until I get a bigger lift on the jeep, this isn't going to sit level.

Hitch - Lunet Swap Done

2008-11-17T14:01:00.000-08:00

After a bit of persuasion with a grinder and cutting blade, I was able to take off the civilian style hitch that was welded to the frame. The military style lunet (for a pintle) bolted right on.
Pictures Here

Lug Nuts

2008-11-17T13:52:00.000-08:00

I stripped one of the studs on the trailer last night trying to put the wheels back on after the spring over lift. I took one of the stock lugs into the store. Turns out its a 7/16"-20 nut (3/4" wrench). (Advance Auto Parts Scew 080358177111, part # 98900.1)The studs look too long to put on acorn type nuts, so I went with an open nut like the one pictured. To fix the stud, I bought a cheap tap and die set on ebay.

Spring Over Lift

2008-11-14T09:47:00.000-08:00

This week I decided to start the suspension spring over lift. The idea is you mount the axel below the leaf springs instead of the way it was originally mounted, which is on top of them. Here is another webpage about doing one. I tried to take the axel out without disconnecting the leaf springs; it doesn't work. When taking the greasable bolt (zerked bolt) off the front leaf spring mount the head snapped off.

I've called around Denver and nobody carries them. Luckily we have the internet! I found these bolts at http://www.currieenterprises.com/ for $8.95 each.

I lifted my TJ a few years ago and I kept the shocks. The Jeep gas charged shocks are much bigger thatn the trailer shocks, but upon initial inspection, it seems the shocks might actually fit on the trailer once the spring over is done. So, I drilled out the bushings so I could install the trailer bushings and slide the hoop over the trailer mount. I just need to pick up some new cotter pins. UPDATE: The trailer came back from sandblasting. The shocks, fully compressed, fit on the shocks studs, but this would leave no further room for compression under load. So, they dont' work and I just reinstalled the stock shocks.

Spill Proof Regulations

2008-10-29T08:16:00.000-07:00

It seems that recently regulations regarding fuel cans have been changed to require "spill proof" gas cans. This makes military style cans illegal to sell since the just have a regular cap I guess. So, http://www.brigadeqm.com/ emailed me after I purchased the Scepter fuel can and said they were canceling my order. Why the don't just take the cans off the website I don't understand. I found an alternative, a Crown 5 gallon Jerry Can from Rompalicious. Its $39.95 plus shipping. Hopefully they don't cancel my order too.

UPDATE: Rompalicious has refunded my money. Seems like you just can't get these anymore. I'm considering using a water can for gas.... Have to do some research, but initially it seems like they are both made of polyethelene, so what's the difference?

I contacted Scepter. They will not answer the question whether you could use a water can for fuel. They did confirm that regulations changed. They said "Sounds like you’re in the U.S., correct? That would explain why you’re having trouble finding MFCs.As a civilian you can’t get them in the U.S. anymore (Effective January 1, 2008). Our MFCs don’t meet new CARB / EPA regulations for portable fuel containers.The military is exempt…for now.It’s a shame people are becoming so desperate that they are considering putting fuel into MWCs. (you’re not the first)"

After doing more research, its seems that some people believe fuel breaks down plastic containers and contaminates the fuel, making it hard on your engine. I guess I'll be ordering a metal Wedco can and keeping an eye out for rust. I will be ordering one from Adventure Trailers.

Scepter Water & Fuel Jerry Cans

2008-10-28T08:26:00.000-07:00

I just purchased my fuel & water cans to go with my AT Fuel Can Holders. I purchased Scepter brand jerry cans. They are strong, and plastic so they won't rust or dent. Here is a good review of the cans. I plan to mount the water can holder "upside down" so that the cap is at the bottom. Then I'll attach the Scepter MFC03 pour spout and keep the end of the tube above the top of the can with some sort of clip. Then I'll have a quick tap ready to pour at any time.

Adventure Trailer Fuel Can Holders

2008-10-27T08:53:00.000-07:00

I decided to buy two Adventure Trailer Fuel Can holders. They are not cheap, but I think the convenience of them will be worth the cost. I plan to bolt them to the front sides of the trailer (like this) for easy access and to balance the load, keeping more weight on the tounge. One will be for fuel, one will be for water. Here is a link to a good review of the can holders. Buy yours here.

Trailer Power - Xantrex 600HD

2008-10-27T08:49:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I ordered the Xantrex Powerpack Xpower 600HD. This will serve as my rechargeble power plant in our trailer to run 120V appliances or tools and to run lights inside the main compartment so we can see our gear at night. I plan to run a 12V power line along with the trailer lighting wires from the jeep to constantly charge the battery when the jeep is running. This will be a less costly (only $93) and simpler system than using car batteries such as Optima's and wiring a charging and distribution system I think. UPDATE: I don't plan to do any extended trips anytime soon, just weekend get-aways in Colorado. So, rather than wiring a 12V power supply through my jeep, I am installed a solar trickle charger. You can get a cheap panel at Harbor Freight and then buy a blocking diode on ebay which prevents the panel from working in reverse during the night and draining your battery.

Back on the Road

2008-10-23T18:14:00.001-07:00

I've been getting good use out of the trailer already. The first thing I did was drive down to a landscaping place and load 1200lbs of stone into it. It pulled perfectly and handled the load well, but you could tell the suspension was maxed out. Pulling a full load of offroad gear should be no sweat. The tub is still being held in place with straps. The bolt holes don't line up due to the plate welded to the frame. Once its sandblasted I plan to redrill new holes.

Welding Trailer

2008-10-23T18:06:00.000-07:00

My old utility trailer finally bit the dust, so I need to use the M416 as my "daily driver" now. So, next I decided to prep it for road duty. I stripped off all the old unecessary bolts, reflectors, wiring, etc.. Above is a look at the trailer with the tub taken off. As I mentioned previously, the frame was used by a guy hauling around a welder. So, he welded a thick plate to the frame to make it into a flatbed. Rather than trying to cut the whole plate off, which is welded completely around the entire frame, I decided to cut some slots into it for the flanges of the "L" shaped mounting tabs on the tub. Getting the tub to sit correctly turned out to be really difficult, but it finally seated. I had to cut some holes for the drain plugs.

New Tires & Wheels

2008-10-23T17:57:00.000-07:00

The first order of business was to replace the worn out, flat military tires that I limped home on when I bought the trailer. I searched craigslist for the correct bolt pattern (5x5.5). The stock rim is only 6.5" wide. I decided to get 7" or 8" rims to widden the stance to match the jeep. I settled on some used Unique brand wheels. With some patience I found a set of used mud tires for $20. I'm building an offroad trailer, not restoring a parade vehicle, so I bought 33" tires to match my TJ.

M416 Surplus Trailer Purchased

2008-08-04T12:15:00.000-07:00

On Sunday Aug 3, 2008 my wife and I drove to Black Forest, Colorado to meet a guy who used to run an army surplus store at his house in the rolling hills outside of Colorado Springs. He had a few acres littered with old junk and tons of surplus vehicles. He had two M416 tubs and one frame/suspension assembly that he acquired from a guy who used it to pull a welder for work. So I took the tub that was less bent up, strapped it on the flatbed, and paid him $450. Not a bad deal I think.

Project Inspiration & Background

2008-07-30T12:40:00.000-07:00

I have a 2000 Jeep TJ Sport. I also have a 100lb Bernese Mountain Dog and kids on the way in the next few years I hope. However, those two things don't work together well when you want to take camping trips. Where do you put all the stuff? Roof racks are a pain to load/unload, make you top heavy, and provide no protection for your gear. The offroad trailer solves all of these problems, and you can pack it and park it - just waiting for the next weekend gettaway. After researching all of the other trailer projects out there on the web that I could find, I came up with my list of design features. My main design inspiration are the Overland Adventure Chaser Trailers.

It seemed starting with an existing trailer instead of building one from scratch would save some time, plus owning a piece of military history is pretty cool. So, I started searching craigslist and ebay for a M416, M101 or a Bantam. I couldn't find anything for under $1000 and they were all really beaten up. So, I happened upon the Military Vehicle Collectors of Colorado Club and I contacted them via email. The turned me onto a member of the club who they thought had one. Sure enough, he did!

When I am done, I anticipate my trailer will look just about like this.