New M101A2 expo trailer build

[brussum]

Hello everyone,

I've been watching the forum for a little while and getting some great ideas for an expo trailer. I picked up my "new" M101A2 trailer from GL this week and I think it's going to be a great build project. It's a very clean, straight trailer.

First project is to get the aluminum top built for it. I think I have some great leads for local craftsman and it doesn't look like the top is going to break the budget, even by Alaska price standards.

Aside from the top, my list of other improvements includes:
Paint strip and powdercoating
Inside and underside rhino lining
Water tank and some basic plumbing
Batteries with a 12V and 120V charging capability
Tailgate cooking area (loving the AT slide out fridge/stove unit)
Rooftop tent
Propane tanks mounted inside the trailer box
Lighting

I'd also like to add a shower, rear hitch (for a bike rack), water heater, and other nice-to-have items.

For now, I'm just making sure the brakes, bearings, and suspension are tuned up and working properly. Anyone have any experience replacing military components (suspension and brake shocks, bearings, etc.) with civilian counterparts? Any part numbers to help get me started?

Thanks for the help and thanks for all the great ideas. This forum is a great place for sure!!

I've attached a picture of the trailer with my F350. Hopefully, I've figured out how to upload the picture correctly. I think the trailer and truck are a good fit.

 

[Scrapdaddy]

They are great trailers! I should know the answer about the bearings and seals, but have to look it up. Have you posted it on Steel Soldiers. Couple of guys here will speak up when they see this post. Good luck with it

 

[Scrapdaddy]

Ok I looked them up:

LARGE BEARING AND RACE
Inner bearing 25580
Inner race 25520


SMALL BEARING AND RACE
Outer bearing 2585
Outer race 2520


GREASE SEAL
10-36 Double Lip

This parts are all Timken. I have not used this parts, just looked them up from other post. Etrailer.com has China parts available also

 

[brussum]

Excellent! Thanks for the help!

 

[bigwalton]

Sounds cool. Subscribed.

 

[Mark Harley]

Brussum:

I nice looking trailer to start with, as stated before there are several of us on here that are building the big M101a2 trailers.
The trailer sits nice stock with your lifted supreduty, It is a shame the bolt pattern is GM not the new metric ford.
You may be able to order 8 bolt adapters with the GM to ford patern and keep the military axle.
The trailer would sure look good with matching wheels and paint.
Sounds like you already have a plan on what you want to build.
Keep posting pictures and do a build blog on the aluminum cover.

Check over at steel soldiers.com "TRAILERS" for technical info.
The trailers are very simple once you get tearing into them.

My blog. http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...d-a-Military-trailer-to-build-a-family-hauler

My before and after, much more work to do!

Mark Harley

 

[upcountry]

Fun project! There are several of us here at various different stages of progress on these trailers. Thanks for starting a thread to add to the idea bank.

 

[brussum]

Had a good weekend out in the garage with the trailer. Pulled the wheels and hubs to check the bearings and brakes. Everything looks fairly new and well greased...but I could've built a sand castle from all of the dust and sand in the brake drums. It's an Iraqi Freedom vet, so a little dust is acceptable in my book. The manual hand brakes work great.

My only issue is that I'm not sure the hydraulic brakes are working. I get some play with the lunette and brake shock, but there's too much resistance for me to move it much. What's the best way of testing the brakes and/or the brake booster? Another issue is the brake fluid. I understood that the Army used an older, silicon-based fluid (bluish tint), but my fluid looks like standard brake fluid. Is this bad?

 

[upcountry]

My brake fluid was a golden color when I drained the lines and yanked the surge setup. It was all very clean and I felt somehwat bad for pulling such a nice setup, but it weighs a TON, so it had to go. I estimate the pintle ring and surge brake setup weighs over 40#s.What I put back weighs about 10#s.

If you pulled the drums off you can adjust the auto-tighten on the brake setup - it is typically next to the hyrdaulic piston and keeps the shoes from retreating too far after brake tension is applied. Sometimes (on the various pickups and older cars I have owned) this setting gets out of whack and causes some light brake drag.

I would also suggest taking a peice of coarse sandpaper and polish the brake drum and shoes (lightly on the shoes), then follow up with a fine grain sandpaper. This should help loosen it up. Who knows how long it was sitting.

Also suggest popping the cap off the spindle and taking a look inside, maybe even shoot some grease in there, or, if time permits repacking bearings is ALWAYS a good idea.

 

[brussum]

Thanks! The fluid looks great...clear and golden, like new oil. I just need to tear the actuator apart to see of everything's moving freely. I'm torn on whether to keep the brakes or not. I certainly don't need them with my F350, but I might want to pull it with something smaller someday. There seem to be plenty of parts and new brake systems available, so I might make a rebuild my winter project when I'm snowbound in the house.

 

[Arctic Cat]

Thanks! The fluid looks great...clear and golden, like new oil. I just need to tear the actuator apart to see of everything's moving freely. I'm torn on whether to keep the brakes or not. I certainly don't need them with my F350, but I might want to pull it with something smaller someday. There seem to be plenty of parts and new brake systems available, so I might make a rebuild my winter project when I'm snowbound in the house.

Hi I just got a fairly new M101A2 trailer from the RED River depot in Texas and the trailer came for an overhaul and they did the overhaul but the trailer never made it back to the field, so it's fairly new (still got those little hair on the tires) I will be following your post. I took very detailed measurement on the trailer and everything is on drawings. Like everyone else I'm building a trailer to meet my specific needs. I towed the trailer for about about 300 miles with a Jeep Wrangler TJ, while the trailer is too high for the Jeep, it tow beautiful and the surge brake work well. I'm looking to do some modifications on the suspension in order to lower the trailer. I'm not an hard core off roader and I like to cross thru the desert, but I like to park the trailer (Base Camp) and take my Jeep empty and explore. Good luck and keep it up if you need the measurements let me know ok. :costumed-smiley-007

 

[brussum]

A couple of updated photos of the trailer with the new lid. So far so good. I'm also making progress on mounting and wiring the new lights on the trailer.

I need to start working on the interior layout (slide outs, drawers, water tank, etc.) while I try to find a decent place in remote Fairbanks for powdercoating. At least now that I have the lid done, I can start tearing the trailer apart and repairing broke stuff. Definitely a good winter project.

 

[Mark Harley]

That lid is sweet!
Are you going with a paint match or leave it camo?
What other new ideas do you have?
Did you add onto the fenders or just flare the front and rear?
Keep us posted.

 

[brussum]

I did have the wheel wells extended out about 3.5 inches on each side. Once I add on the lug adapters and new tires/wheels, the tires stuck out to far on the stock wheel well. Hopefully, a few extra inches will contain the rocks and other road junk.

I definitely want to paint it a different color and won't keep the camo. I like your red trailer, Mark, so I'll probably paint it to match my F350. I'm really torn between the red or just simple black, tan, etc. Luckily, I've got plenty of time while I tear the trailer down.

 

[Dirtytires]

I like the lid. Great idea.