Just another M101A2 with RTT.

[aussieantics]

Gday everyone.
Big thank you to everyone for the inspiration over the past year or so. Planning on a cross Canada trip next year so have 14 months to get the trailer up and running. Got the key ingredients ready and am spending the winter touching up some final plans before i get stuck into it in Spring. Am wanting to keep the trailer usable for firewood, lumbar, soil etc but still a camping trailer at heart.
So far I've sourced the trailer -
M101 A2 that was stored inside year round.





CVT Mt rainier tent -





So the next steps.
1 - I want to take the side walls off the top of the trailer, fabricate a hard top lid out of the top of the bows.
2 - Construct a rack that mounts on the front of the trailer to support / attach the tent. Mounting onto the trailer siderails seems to have supported many other rack systems. Would like something that is somewhat removable / collapsable and still allows decent access with the hard top lid (partitions maybe)
3 - Reading here it seems shedding lb's is quite a key step. Any suggestions? I'm open to any ideas / work. Am going to be towing this beast across country with the ol 4 banger taco.
4 - ???
5 - .........
6 - and no doubt more .....

 

[RedM101A2]

This is an A1, A2 has 8 bolt wheels and surge brakes. Are you keeping the cougar cage? There was A nice M105 on ebay that sold a few years back with a cage too.

 

[aussieantics]

Is mine an A1?
It is all tucked underneath tarps at the moment so unfortunately didn't get much time with her before she was all tucked away. I plan on doing something very similar to the one you posted (yours?). I plan on ditching the side walls of the cage and using the top to wrap some checker plate around and have a hard top lid.

Also have a nice little mod for raising the tent. I picked up a solid motorcycle jack i plan on mounting the base of the tent too. Raise it above head height for camping, lowered for towing. Just trying to wrap my head around the rack for the back to still allow lots of access with the hard top lid. Leaning towards 1.5 - 2" tube bent into two horseshoes, mounted onto the side skirts of the trailer on both front side panels. Use the jack as part of a bolt together 'joist' between the two horseshoes. All just ideas so far...

 

[RedM101A2]

Not mine but very nice.

This is my build from six years ago. Great trailer and Great times using it.

http://forum.expeditionportal.com/t...o-build-a-family-hauler?highlight=mark+harley

 

[aharp94]

Pretty beasts i must say. Love them honestly, for towing suggestions i can give you for NYC 24-hour towing services. They can be helpful.
Other then that, attaching a trailer support can be good. As like in the above replies, i can see these pictures. They can be installed.

 

[aussieantics]

Wondering if anyone knows a rough weight of the old axles in my M101A?
Trying to decide whether to swap it out before the cross country haul. The trailer came with 3 spare load range tires. Not too fussed about the look of the hubs. I see most people swap with the 3500lb dexter i believe.
With a quick spin of the google machine i see here in canada we have locally - https://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/3-500-lb-72-in-trailer-axle-assembly/A-p8186710e

Any thoughts people?

 

[aussieantics]

Had a trial run with the jack and RTT to make sure everything worked as imagined. Give that a resounding yes. Might even leave the brackets so i can add wheels back on if i ever want to take the tent off the trailer rack. Just use the jack as a dolly.

 

[aussieantics]

Got the cage down. Will start on ripping the mesh off for checkerplate lid.
Axle quotes out and ready to order.
Ballparking head height with the jack. Will cut the jack down to the essential mechanisms to help with overall weight reduction.. Plenty of head room even without a rack for the RTT. Not sure how much the axle will lower things so will weight on that before the rack plans get finalized.

 

[aussieantics]

 

[aussieantics]

- Added wheel to the front stabilizer jack.


- Ripped metal mesh of lid and grinded welds back

- Got quote for fabricating rack

- Axle ready for pickup

- Mock up base to measure tent overhang to rack. Will position so has 36” overhang at back , 8” at front, fold down outrigger to support overhang at back while tent in use. (Roughly where outside edges of 2 x 8 sit)
Might have to play with overhang at later date but easily adjustable.





- Will be able to fit yak and tent on rack - win

 

[aussieantics]

 

[SoDakSooner]

What did you do for the shock mount bracket? Were you able to reuse/repurpose the original? How does it pull with the new axle?

 

[dstock]

What did you do for the shock mount bracket? Were you able to reuse/repurpose the original? How does it pull with the new axle?

You can reuse the bracket off the original axle if your new axle has a 3 inch tube. They were pretty easy to cut off. That's what I ended up doing with my build and it's worked great so far.

 

[SoDakSooner]

Good to know. Ive got a 3500lb dexter and all the mounting hardware laying on the garage floor waiting for me to put it all together. Worse comes to worse I could weld something up. Really haven't taken the time to size everything up.

 

[EmersonHart13]

I also speced a 3" tube and reused the stock mounts. Any other way seemed like way too much effort for the same effect