M416 Purchase 10 HR Suspense

[Deleted member 43491]

Build now listed under
M416 build by RocketmanDane
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/73129-M416-Build-by-RocketmanDane

Ok so I have 2 M416 trailers I have located and am looking to purchase one of them in the morning. That means I have about 10 hours to make a decision which one to buy? I plan to convert the trailer obviously into a expedition trailer I can pull behind my 2008 Tacoma. I would like as much input as I can get by the time I go back in the morning which to buy…. I will make a post and then reply with additional photos. The first trailer is 300 dollars and is in rough condition frame appears to be pretty solid a little bit of surface rust but the body is a different story. It appears the whole bottom and possible a little up the sides need to be removed and replaced. The axle has been swapped out for a 5000pound axle off a mobile home. It also has a additional piece of square tubing which the hitch is attached to a 1 7/8 in ball. No wiring and no lights. The second trailer appears in much better condition very little visible rust and is 600 dollars, frame appears to have little surface rust, has hand break and a 1 7/8 in ball. Has 5 lug tires. Appears to have a attached wiring harness and some lights and reflectors. Tires appear in so so condition.

Both do not have tailgates but the 2nd one for 600 comes with a spare the rim appears ok but tire is junk.

Question being which is the better trailer for the money?? Am I better off to go with the 300 dollar or the 600 dollar trailer?? I am leaning towards the 600 dollar trailer but the other is only 300…. I cannot buy both of them.

Or pass and keep looking??

 

[Deleted member 43491]

More photos

Green is 600 option white chipped is 300

 

[Deleted member 43491]

More photos 2

 

[GI_Jeepin"]

Well what are your plans for the trailer? Are you planning to make a lot of mods that will essentially leave you with a new trailer?, or do you plan on using it immediately. If your going to mod the crap out of it and lay it up in the garage until it is done then i would get the $300 trailer. If you plan on using it now and mod/fix as you go, then I would get the $600 trailer which offers a better foundation for immediate use. But it looks like it also does require some work. It needs fenders and i would replace the axle. At least this one gives you the option to change to axle and hubs to ones that match your Tacoma.

 

[Deleted member 43491]

My plan was to modify it as i get the chance. Obviously i would change out the hitch almost immediately but i also want to put a lid on so i can store gear inside and in the long run add a RTT. Any trailer i purchase will have to be towed from south Texas to Boise area this fall and will help carry gear as i make the move.

 

[Hill Bill E.]

If it were me, I would go with the green one.

The stock axle is good, and the bearings and such are still readily available. They are a 5 on 5.5" 'lugcentric' pattern, (easily converted to aftermarket wheels using 7/16" thread 'acorn' lugnuts.)

The trailerhouse axle, not the best for what your plans are. (unless your plans are to swap a new axle in anyway to match your Taco's lug pattern)

The parking brake is a great feature. I have an RTT on the lid of my M416, and once the brake is set, the trailer/tent does not move around, it's very steady.

It's also great if you get into a situation where you need to disconnect the trailer on any type pf incline. (You can get parking brakes on aftermarket axles)


The green one appears in better shape, so for me, I would go for that.

 

[Deleted member 43491]

Bought green one and already started the restore process!!

 

[DonBeasley]

Post lots of pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are an obsessed bunch when it comes to M416's.

 

[Mark Harley]

Good choice!
Keep us posted on the build.
Sell the original parts you take off to make moneyfor new stuff!
Pictures as you go.

Congradulations!

 

[GI_Jeepin"]

Great choice, i would have bought the green one to. But I am partial to green, it's an Army thing.

 

[JCMatthews]

Just read your thread. I would have said the green one. The axel on the white one had me really questioning it. Best of luck with the build.

 

[shogun]

Too late now, but I would have said run, dont walk, as far away from these as possible.

Two non-starters in my book; ball hitch and cut tailgate. The trailer-trash of 416s.

Now that you've got stuck with one, lots of fixin' to do. I'd start looking for a complete repro tub, sand blast the frame, find a reasonable axle. Essentially a completely new trailer job.

 

[Deleted member 43491]

Will be posting the start of my build soon. The good news is i spent part of the day cleaning up the whole trailer and made some interesting discovery's about it! More to follow in a new thread in a few days! Ill give you a hint! I apparently am not the first one with these type of ideas for this trailer!

 

[DCH109]

If i had to have one i would have bought the green one to. $600 is high, so i hope you talked them down. The white one looked like it had old VW wheels??? odd.. for sure.
Tailgate was prob never there as it was not on original M416's these were solid tubs. You will have to build one, Maybe a modified Jeep tailgate.
did you have a data plate on it? I am just starting the build of mine as well.

 

[Deleted member 43491]

Unfortunately I paid 600.... They are a hot item where I am... Plus with the cost of gas I hedged my cost over how much it would be to drive around and look at multiple trailers. Took me 20 dollars in gas just to pick this one up... It did have a data plate hid under all the paint. It actually once had a solid back. You can see it had been cut and hinges added for a tailgate. It was used apparently as a old welding rig.