PcCruiser's M101a2 build

[Pccruiser]

Okay. This is my first trailer ever. I strongly considered building my own teardrop trailer ala Moby1 but this was so much more affordable.

Besides, I can use this as my utility trailer as well.

Here are pics the day I got it from Red River Army Depot in Hooks, Tx (out by Texarkana). Bought it off GovLiquidators.com.





It has the bows and rails but no tarp. No worries for me since I plan to build a lid and do a roof top tent.

So far I have a swivel trailer jack with double wheels, bed liner, trailer lights and wiring harness, some hitch receivers to weld in for modular accessories and that's it. Over time I will put in:

Kitchen container of some sort
Propane tank
Propane cook top
Rotopax mounts
Water container (20 or 30 gallon)
Pump and sink
Water spigot
Rooftop tent with annex
Awning
Mountain bike rack
Kayak and canoe rack/s
Weld up a removable aluminum lid

Maybe item adds:
Dexter axle
Electric brakes
Fully articulating hitch

It may be a month or two before I update this but I want to at least have it painted and bedliner done by October for the Superlift event in Arkansas.

 

[Mark Harley]

Nice trailer and a Great price. I love mine.
Many great 101A2 builds on Expo.
Post pictures as you go.

 

[Pccruiser]

Nice trailer and a Great price. I love mine.
Many great 101A2 builds on Expo.
Post pictures as you go.

Thanks Mark. Your trailer has been a source of inspiration for ideas and the general desire to do this.

 

[H2oHansen]

Paul nice trailer. You live a mile away and it is sad I had to see it the first time on the portal. Let me know if you need help.

 

[Pccruiser]

Ok. Just got my immediate, intermediate and long term lists together for this trailer. Without goals, a plan and immediately actionable task lists I will never get this thing done.

I've amassed all the parts for me immediate list and am ready to tackle. Here is my immediate list. I plan to knock this out over the next month. Any suggestions or thoughts on my list. Items I'm wasting time on? Things I've forgot?

General
[ ]Remove Tub
[ ]Place tub on rollers
[ ]Sand Wheels
[ ]Prime Wheels
[ ]Paint Wheels
[ ]Reassemble frame and tub

Tub
[ ]Remove old light brackets
[ ]Remove tail gate
[ ]replace chains on tailgate pins
[ ]Clean and repaint pins
[ ]Power tub
[ ]sand bad spots
[ ]repair tailgate dent (torch and hammer then bondo)
[ ]bondo and smooth minor dents
[ ]Fabricate new light brackets
[ ]Weld new light brackets to bed
[ ]Weld new hitch receivers (two per side, one front, one rear) to bed
[ ]spray rust to primer on bad areas and sand
[ ]prime entire tub
[ ]Bed line interior

* If left over bed line fenders

[ ]Paint exterior
[ ]black undercarriage spray bottom
[ ]Run wiring harness
[ ]Mount brake lights

Frame
[ ]Remove old wiring harness
[ ]Temporarily remove brake lines
[ ]Temporarily remove surge break system
[ ]Power Wash Frame
[ ]Sand bad areas
[ ]Spray rust to primer
[ ]mount and weld new tongue wheel/jack
[ ]Prime frame
[ ]black undercoat spray frame
[ ]black undercoat spray surge system

 

[Pccruiser]

What kind of paint should I use? Rattle can or get some automotive paint and a sprayer?

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[Mark Harley]

Harbor freight HVLP gun $12.99 with coupon and borrow / buy a compressor.
thinned oil base paint or automotive paint mixed at the source and ready to spray.

Spray cans are good for small jobs but as everything else the volume of pigment and contents have been reduced
so a can does not cover much.

Post some pictures of your progress.

 

[Pccruiser]

Harbor freight HVLP gun $12.99 with coupon and borrow / buy a compressor.
thinned oil base paint or automotive paint mixed at the source and ready to spray.

Spray cans are good for small jobs but as everything else the volume of pigment and contents have been reduced
so a can does not cover much.

Post some pictures of your progress.

Will do. Thanks Mark. I've looked at that before. Thought about it. Trying to figure out best easy to setup a paint booth in the garage. I think the wife will be les than thrilled. Lol.

Also trying to find the best place to buy the paint on the cheap.

Quick question. Where did you get your tarp for your trailer?

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[RagnarD]

Good looking trailer. Sounds like you have a good plan. If you are near DFW and interested in selling the gates and bows let me know.

My 101A3 build. They are fun!

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/115666-RagnarD-s-M101A3-Build

 

[Mark Harley]

I bought my cover from http://www.mytarp.com/machine-covers.aspx
They catalog them as machine covers.

Just call with the size length, width and how deep you want down the sides and pick a material.
Mine two years ago was less than $100.00 shipped.

I am happy with mine it has stretched a little over time but still seals well.
I made flat wood bows that sit in the stake pockets works ok but they need an arch to shed water.

As you saw in my build I painted my trailer in the back yard. There was very little overspray on the ground with the HF gun.
I painted the tub on a hot day and the paint flash dried fast.

 

[Pccruiser]

Good looking trailer. Sounds like you have a good plan. If you are near DFW and interested in selling the gates and bows let me know.

My 101A3 build. They are fun!

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/115666-RagnarD-s-M101A3-Build

I am. In fact I'm in Keller. I have been strongly considering selling them. PM me.

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[Pccruiser]

I bought my cover from http://www.mytarp.com/machine-covers.aspx
They catalog them as machine covers.

Just call with the size length, width and how deep you want down the sides and pick a material.
Mine two years ago was less than $100.00 shipped.

I am happy with mine it has stretched a little over time but still seals well.
I made flat wood bows that sit in the stake pockets works ok but they need an arch to shed water.

As you saw in my build I painted my trailer in the back yard. There was very little overspray on the ground with the HF gun.
I painted the tub on a hot day and the paint flash dried fast.

Thanks for the info. I saw that in your thread. Unfortunately I cannot do the same. I have a good slope on my driveway too and homeowners association wouldn't be too happy about doing if out front. So that leaves the garage.

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[Scoutman]

Thanks for that link. I'm picking up an A3 this weekend and it doesn't have a cover for it currently... I may have to get one at some point.

I bought my cover from http://www.mytarp.com/machine-covers.aspx
They catalog them as machine covers.

Just call with the size length, width and how deep you want down the sides and pick a material.
Mine two years ago was less than $100.00 shipped.

I am happy with mine it has stretched a little over time but still seals well.
I made flat wood bows that sit in the stake pockets works ok but they need an arch to shed water.

As you saw in my build I painted my trailer in the back yard. There was very little overspray on the ground with the HF gun.
I painted the tub on a hot day and the paint flash dried fast.

 

[Texan]

I am also working on a, slowly as it is a back burner project, M101A but mine is a 3 according to the plate. Instead of spraying, something that also works well is the small, 4 or 6 inch foam rollers. They put the paint on surprisingly smooth and you don't have to worry about overspray. Takes a bit longer but clean up is easy as the cost of the rollers is cheap enough they are disposable. If you use the new water based enamel paint you don't have to worry about smell or fire danger since you will be painting in your garage. You may also want to think about the paint on bed liner for inside the trailer.

 

[Pccruiser]

I am also working on a, slowly as it is a back burner project, M101A but mine is a 3 according to the plate. Instead of spraying, something that also works well is the small, 4 or 6 inch foam rollers. They put the paint on surprisingly smooth and you don't have to worry about overspray. Takes a bit longer but clean up is easy as the cost of the rollers is cheap enough they are disposable. If you use the new water based enamel paint you don't have to worry about smell or fire danger since you will be painting in your garage. You may also want to think about the paint on bed liner for inside the trailer.

Great ideas thanks! I have the paint on bed liner already but that may be what I will do to paint the exterior. Good idea.


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