What base trailer to start build with? Would like a M-416 style with lid

[zimm17]

I want to start out with a basic trailer that has a tub and removable lid. I like the M416 style trailers. Initially it'll be used for runs to the dump, hauling a motorcycle in a pinch, and with the lid on, as a trailer to haul our stuff to a campsite or even hauling all the stuff for a family vacation. Not any rock crawling with the trailer planned, but a bumpy/rocky forest road would be nice to be able to tackle.

Tow vehicle- 2015 Jeep JKU Rubicon.

I'm on a serious budget- I'm hoping $2000-ish will get me started.

Initially I'll just carry a big ground tent and my camping gear for 4 (wife, 2 boys, me): folding chairs, coleman stove, weber Q100 grill, cooler, gear tub, etc.

Eventually I want to make it into an adventure trailer with an Engel fridge, solar and 12v battery system for fridge. Someday maybe a hot water external shower setup.

I have some extra rubicon wheels/tires I can use if that'll save me some money.

The Manley ORV looks like what I'm going for, but I don't have $7000 for one. http://manleyorv.com/trailers/morv-utility.html#

Thoughts?

 

[Titanpat57]

My initial thoughts.....

416...in nice shape, probably between $1500-2500. Lid some additional dough. Then the size to support you and the family is questionable. My guess would be you'd outgrow it pretty quick.

I'd consider an M101A2/3, an M116A2 ( build your own sides) or M1101 ( which because of the torsion axle and aluminum frame, bring their own set of issues to the table.

There's lots of great builds on here with those platforms, but I think the smaller trailer would fill up really quick.

Good luck!

 

[zimm17]

What's a M1102? There's a nice looking one up for auction and it's only 3 hours away.

 

[sunnybean]

Titanpat57 is correct in that if you can find a nice clean 416 in your price range that will be a good start. All the newly manufactured "off-road" trailers will go above your $2k budget quickly.

A word of warning though, if you've looked at the m416 build threads you will repeatedly see folks comment about their budget getting blown out of the water very quickly. I'm learning this the hard way right now (I need to start a build thread). OMG has this thing gotten stupid expensive! There was way more wrong with the trailer than originally thought and now I'm in so deep I can't get out. It would have been much cheaper and easier for me to build a trailer from scratch than it has been to rebuild this darn thing. Live and learn, I guess.

Good luck!

 

[boxcar1]

If you have the skills and tooling build from scratch. $2000 goes a long ways at current steel prices.

 

[zimm17]

I have a Miller 100 mig welder and a helmet. I've zapped steel brackets here and there, but never tried putting a frame together. Can't be that hard... I have an angle grinder. I bet it would be a good excuse to get a chop saw. Anyone have good blueprints out there for an enclosed 4x6?

Just surfing around I found this aluma trailer that's 4x6x21" high. http://www.alumaklm.com/item/77-ae46-all-purpose-enclosed-trailer.html
Maybe a lift kit and bigger tires on it and call it a day?

 

[Xrunner]

The Aluma AE46's are a good enclosed start and tough to beat for the price. I would check out the used market... locally I've seen them go for $1,300 or so and a few expo people have mounted a roof tent on top.

Since you have the basic skills and tools have you though of buying a used basic steel trailer and modifying it to fit your needs and time and funds allow? That's how my trailer addition started.

But that being said if I went back I would skip the $300 - $700 project trailers and endless hours that went into them. I would start with something like the AE46 so I could spend more time actually using it, and then save up for something like a used Manley at $5k I case I outgrew the AE46.

 

[rnArmy]

See if this interests you:

http://www.kaiserwillys.com/product/1718/willys-jeep-body-trailer-pickup-bed-parts-accessories



You would need to add springs (and mounts), lights, and an axle. But you could order the axle in the width and bolt pattern of your choosing (the factory bolt pattern on these old military trailers does not match your JK). Going this route would save you a lot of money and time in the long run vs. trying to bring back to life a rusted and bent 50+ year old trailer.

 

[rnArmy]

Or if you weren't so concerned about hauling a motorcycle, you could modify/cut-down a 4x8' HD Harbor Freight trailer frame to 40"x72" (mine pictured is 40"x50"), have an aluminum diamond plate tub with lid built by Diamond Deluxe, and you're almost done. Narrowing the frame essentially widens the axle so you can put larger/wider wheels and tires on the trailer. Check this out (post #304 and it goes from there): http://tventuring.com/trailerforum/thread-119-post-2158.html#pid2158

Check out my build thread: http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f27/...ype-trailer-ultimate-build-up-thread-1180456/

 

[sroth]

I can tell you from experience that if you do not intend to do the work yourself on a M-416 it will be a money pit. If you have some metal working skills and have a local source for materials you will come out much cheaper by scratch building. It you haven't seen the thread my brother updates its a good read and has the 4 M-416 style trailer builds we did. The last 3 were complete scratch builds, cheaper and faster. Thread address is in my signature block.

Good luck and enjoy the never ending build.

 

[zimm17]

Thanks fellas, I'll read up on those.

After researching all day, I'm starting to sway towards to converting a 6x10 cargo into a micro camper. Basically a hard-shell tent that's insulated and climate controlled. I'm thinking a pair of disc-o-bed bunks- adult on the left side, kids bunks across the rear. The front will have enough room for a portable potty and then I can build a counter top cabinet that would hold the small window AC unit I have, put in a wall mounted marine propane heater, and a coleman stove can go on the countertop. Engel fridge for food. Battery and propane on the tongue, solar panel and vents on the roof. Be able to either run it off a household 115v circuit or my Honda EU2000i generator. A couple RV windows for light. Screen wall for the back to drop the cargo door on nice days. If I found some crates or stands the right height, the cargo door could be a small porch too.

 

[Titanpat57]

I think I actually saw tents that fit on a cargo door that's down, would actually increase the living area footprint as well. There's some cargo trailer builds here as well. If you're fairly handy, you can do a ton yourself.

To me the real beauty of camping is enjoying the outdoors, not stuffed in a camper with the AC running all day.

 

[zimm17]

To me the real beauty of camping is enjoying the outdoors, not stuffed in a camper with the AC running all day.

That's not the plan at all. We stay outside the whole time except when it's time to sleep. That's why I'd rather have a trailer to sleep in rather then a tent. No plans to sit inside which is why we're not considering an rv. The only piece I haven't researched is that if a cargo trailer is welcome to a tent site or not. I don't want to be on an rv pad with the others. That's not camping, more like a mobile home park.

 

[ofrod36]

Manley ORV

What's Manley ORV? But I do have some interests with its function. I like the mainly tow to its rate of run.

 

[Xrunner]

What's Manley ORV? But I do have some interests with its function. I like the mainly tow to its rate of run.

Manley ORV is a trailer manufacturer, although the company is for sale currently.