M101 3/4 Ton Expedition Trailer Build

[robertwalker2003]

I also have been working on a table top piece for use as a cook table/prep table. It’s actually an old piece of wood from inside a refer trailer I got from my old job. It was pretty dirty and had a lot of scratch and gauges in it. I did some quick work on it the other day, mainly because it rained all day so I could not work outside. I plan to stain it with a clear or light stain than put the clear hard covering like they have on bars.



Well that is all for today.

Thanks again for looking.

Robert Walker

 

[Mark Harley]

Robert:

That is realy looking good! I do like the tighter box with the fender extentions.
Will you be filling in the sides where the floor supports are?
The cook top turned out nice, I am big into reuse and recycling materials.
Are you cutting off the front pannel or just welding in the piece where the card board is?

Great work so far, It is turning out well.
As for straightness of the pannels, pound out what you can and smooth them out, The other dents and waves tell a story.
Remember these trailers saw service around the world.

Keep posting your work!

 

[Pikeman]

Looking really good. I had thought of doing the same as well as many other ideas. So far my trailer has been sitting in the garage with no work done after I rebuilt the tongue. Now that I have some time on my hands(got laid off) I might make a little progress in between job search.

 

[robertwalker2003]

Well I decided that I was going to cut the front of the box as well. I wanted a flat storage area for fuel cans and a propane tank towards the front of the trailer, that old 60/40 weight distribution thing. I still have a lot more trimming to do but I want the welds to look good as well as hold. Cutting perfect lines on this material is very difficult with the tools I have. The vibrations make the blades on the sawzall wander all over the place and the cutoff wheel is no better. If I had the spare money I would buy a plasma cutter. This project has made me a believer in those things. I included some pictures of cutting the welds for the heck of it.

Once I get the front welded up I'm going to pull the tub off the frame so that it can be sandblasted. I'm not sure about all the overhanging metal yet. I am trying to decide if I want platforms or boxes there. I need to practice butt welding more before I can start that. Then this is the other idea I have. I have talked about removing the cross members from the tub and mounting the tub floor directly on the frame of the trailer. The problem with this is one, the bed liner or whatever it is on the bottom of the tube is very, very difficult to remove. I don't know if the sandblaster will get the liner off or not, plus I will need to add addition cross members to the trailer frame so the floor is supported which will add some weight back on the trailer. Here is an idea I have; everyone that reads this is encouraged to give me your opinions on this idea.

I thought about notching out the frame of the trailer so that the tubs cross members would fit in and then the floor would be directly on the frame. Doing it this way will eliminate the need for more frame crossmemnebrs. Well what do you think? Post your thoughts or opinions please.

Thanks

Robert Walker

 

[Mark Harley]

If you want even more weight off, cut the floor off and make a basket of expanded metal.
Looks great. A nice size body and still looks proportional.

 

[robertwalker2003]

Progress once again.

I finally found some more time to work on my trailer. The new job I was going to do did not work out so I have had a few extra days on my hands,

I welded in the front panel. I was concerned about burning thru the two pieces so I used some angled aluminum to hold the weld. My welding skills are starting to get better and I learned more about what to set my welder on for different welds. These welds were going to be up and down and in my opinion are the hardest welds to make look good. Still need to do more but its holding and everything is reel tight. I need to cut the extra off and grind everything smooth but still not sure what to use to connect the two panels at the top. I still have the rounded corners that I cut out and I’m thinking about grating them in.



I debated what I was going to do for the tail lights on this trailer. I like both the look and the efficiency of LED lights so I wanted to use that set up. The only problem was where to mount them? As I was working on the side rails I noticed how much movement there was in them without the tailgate in place. I knew I wanted to figure out a way to tighten the back up so this is what I came up with. It’s my old bumper from my Jeep Wrangler, I think the front one. I cut it into sections to add strength and noticed that my taillights would fit in them as well. I used some of the metal from the panels I cut down to box the pieces in. They also need some welding but everything is real tight now and I think it looks pretty good.




Well more to come and thanks for looking.

Robert Walker

 

[Mark Harley]

Robert: Looks good, I like the taillight idea. Up and out of the way.
Have you removed much weight in the trailer, Or is everything just moved in?
What are you going to paint it with?

Keep us posted on the progress.

 

[robertwalker2003]

Thanks Mark.

I'm not sure if I have removed much weight. I have to think so with the lunette and a few other things. I'm going to weigh it once I finish all the welding and see then. I never did get a starting weight other than what listed for one of these trailers.

I'm thinking about painting it with Raptor Bedliner. I seen it on Extreme 4x4. You can get tint for it to make it the color you want, put I'm not sure what color. Thinking maybe a dark blue or black becasue its going to get dirty anyway.

 

[robertwalker2003]

Fire side chat post

I posted this is the fireside chat section. Kind of a way of thanking those that have given advice.

LOST IN THE GLITZS AND GLAMOR​

A novice's opinion​

The flashing lights mesmerize the soul and provide a false sense that everything is fine. The pressure to have, the so called, very best money can afford is a very powerful emotion, that at times, is difficult to overcome. We all want our friends and the people we meet to think that we have been successful in life and with those successes came the capability to have the glitz and glamor.

For many years I have read the magazines and watched the TV shows that show how the “common person” can build the ultimate whatever in their home garage with nothing more than a screwdriver and a blank check. Anyone can afford to spend $4,000 on a custom Dana 44 for their Jeep TJ right? Or one of my more favorite lines that it makes sense to spend $1,000 on some tool so that you can build the part need, never mind the fact that you will most likely never use that tool again. I have several in my garage today. I hate to admit that for those many years I believed them whole heartily, how wrong I was.

Now don't get me wrong, those magazines and TV shows provided an escape of sorts and also was the catalyst to the first set of spark plugs I ever changed. Those first spark plugs have grown into many projects over the years, first starting with building models of my dream cars and jeeps to building those models from homemade parts and aftermarket parts as well. All those projects over the years have led me to what I'm working on now, my custom expedition trailer.

That glitz had a very power hold on me for many years when it came to the expedition trailer market. I felt that I could not go out in public with some Frankenstein trailer I put together. I needed that $10,000 trailer to go camping and for several years kept me from my favorite activity. I will not name the trailers I'm talking about because I think there is a very good reason why these companies make the trailers they do. Not every person has the skills, time, or the desire to build one on their own. The prices these companies charge are reasonable in my mind for the skill and the investment in the companies they represent. I'm just the person that wants to build my own stuff the way I want it or more importantly the way I need it to work.

Back to my trailer, I recently purchased an old military trailer, a M101A2 3/4 Ton. The more popular M416's and Canadian M101's were my original first choice, admittedly because they were popular and I like the way they looked. But the more I looked at them and did the math they just seemed too small for my needs. They are also very difficult to find in good shape and can command some very high price tags.

I have made some very drastic changes to my trailer, because I'm trying to make a dual purpose trailer. The problem has been that I found myself drawn back into that glamor thing again. I have been working hard on my trailer, and I'm pleased with the progress so far. It's far from complete and I have many plans for it in the future. The future is what was causing the problem. I forgot what the direction of the build was and what my plan was to be. That plan was to build a trailer that I could dedicate to camping and be cable of going off road.

I wish I could say that I realized that I was being pulled back into the glamor on my own, but that is not the case. I'm currently unemployed because of some choices I made and some made by others, but that another story. This is about how the lack of money was keeping me from moving forward with my project the best way a novice like myself can, at least in my opinion. That direction I feel is to start simple and find out what I really need and not what the marketplace says I need.

I think back to a post on this forum by someone asking why people carry an axe on their 4x4's. I stopped and though about it for a bit. As a camper I can say without a doubt that you do need one, how else are going to chop your wood for the campfire. As a novice off roader I did stop and ask do you really need one. Yes they look cool but is there a real purpose for it. Then I thought about clearing a downed tree from the trail would be easier with an axe.

So I now plan on moving the project forward so that I can actually get out and camp with it. Find out what I really need and what I just thought I needed. I hope with this mindset that I will build what I need in a trailer and not what is cool or hip. I hope that this rambling will maybe get other people out there working on their projects. Some of the best trailers and projects out there have been the inspiration for my build, and I hope to see new projects and ideas come from this.

You can see my project at the link below. If you have any ideas or suggestions feel free to post them. Several members have given me some ideas and suggestions that I have used or used in part on this trailer and for that I'm grateful. I love reading this forum and seeing what other people are working on. Some of the simplest things can be used for many different purposes. SO get out there and start working on something.

~Robert J Walker

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/83339-M101-3-4-Ton-Expedition-Trailer-Build


http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/86371-LOST-IN-THE-GLITZS-AND-GLAMOR-A-novice's-opinion

 

[Mark Harley]

Robert: I dig your build. You are taking a trailer that was build in the thousands and made it unique and different.
I like the fact you are useing what you have. I paid $500.00 for my 101A2 sold all the parts I removed and scrapped the steel that did not sell.
This took the price to $250.00 You can't buy any thing new but a HF 4' x 4' for that. I had no outside help with mine I sourced all my materials local
and from others junk pile.

You trailer is looking great and I look forward to seeing the end result.
Keep focused, frugal, and the trailer will fullfill your camping needs.

Good luck on the job hunt.
Mark harley

 

[robertwalker2003]

Decided to take a day off actually fabrication on the trailer and spend some time on some ideas in my head for it. I know I want to cut the overhangs of and trim the fenders down a bit so I used some string to help visualize what I want to do.

Everything on the outside of the white string would cut off to give the trailer a more stream lined look. I also think it may help with a little more weight reduction. A pound is a pound. More water or fuel that I can carry.

Well if anyone has any thoughts on this feel free.

Robert Walker

 

[Power Wagon Family]

Looking good! I love working on my 101A2 and like following your build as well.

 

[Scrapdaddy]

I like your idea on trimming the tongue sheet metal, but rethink the fender trim. Alot of work and someday you might want to run wider tires. Good job on your design.

 

[74CJ5]

I truly appreciate what you had to say Robert, and thank you for saying it in the first place.

I understand how easy it is to get caught up in the "glitz and the glamour" as you stated. That's why my M101 will be more of a bare bones build. More so because of what I intend to use it for and just how often it will get used. Believe me, I wish I could camp every weekend, but with 5 kids (we are a blended family) still in school, we have a very full plate. My trailer will mainly be for hauling gear. And just like you I felt that the M416 was WAY to small for what I needed in a trailer. Don't get me wrong, I love the M416 but try and fit 7 mountain bikes in one. Ya, not gonna happen. I have several things that I spend my hard earned money on, my Jeep, mountain bikes, guns, etc. My trailer I will use a dozen times a year if I'm lucky, so I can't justify putting thousands of dollars into it. I plan on fixing it up to my needs and having the option of doing more as those needs change.

 

[robertwalker2003]

I truly appreciate what you had to say Robert, and thank you for saying it in the first place.

I understand how easy it is to get caught up in the "glitz and the glamour" as you stated. That's why my M101 will be more of a bare bones build. More so because of what I intend to use it for and just how often it will get used. Believe me, I wish I could camp every weekend, but with 5 kids (we are a blended family) still in school, we have a very full plate. My trailer will mainly be for hauling gear. And just like you I felt that the M416 was WAY to small for what I needed in a trailer. Don't get me wrong, I love the M416 but try and fit 7 mountain bikes in one. Ya, not gonna happen. I have several things that I spend my hard earned money on, my Jeep, mountain bikes, guns, etc. My trailer I will use a dozen times a year if I'm lucky, so I can't justify putting thousands of dollars into it. I plan on fixing it up to my needs and having the option of doing more as those needs change.

It's nice to hear that I'm not the only one. I don't have any kids but I like to MTB, work on my Jeep, play with my guns, etc so I have to spread the wealth so to speak.

Thanks again

Robert Walker