Any room for another m101 build up?

[dsy]

Hi All, :wavey: have been lurking here for over a year dreaming about getting my own project going. After a 3 week, 6000 mile camping trip last year out of my 07 unlimited, building an off-road trailer moved way up in priority. I finally found a M101 in decent shape for a fair price and am setting out to make it into something to meet my needs for a off road capable camping unit. I just started on the lid. I drew up what I wanted and sent it to a local fab shop to have them cut to size and bend the pieces then I welded it all together. Its 14 gauge and they charged me $180. When I picked it up it turned out they cut and bent two of everything I ordered so now I guess I have a spare lid if I trash this one. I based the lid on the AT Chaser which should be obvious. They say imitation is the highest form of flattery and I do like the chasers. Any pros or cons to hinge types to use?
I'll keep adding to this thread as I go along with the build. Anyway here is a pic of my tow vehicle and the new trailer after I just got it home.

And a couple pics of what I have done so far on the lid. I have a frame around the base of the lid of 1X1 sq tube welded in for the gasket surface.
Still trying to decide what type of bracing I want to use for the underside of the top to give it a little more stiffness.

Added in the drawing of the lid if anyone is interested.
This is sized to utilize a standard 5' wide sheet of steel

 

[adrenaline503]

Wow, that trailer is in great shape. I like the lid design too, more interesting than a flat one.

 

[TheGillz]

Wow, that is sweet, well done and welcome. I'm sure there is plenty of room for more trailer build ups (at least I hope so). Any way love the lid, I have not seen one like that on a military trailer before. Will keep an eye on this.

Clark

 

[mountainpete]

Looks great!

Welcome to ExPo :26_7_2:

 

[durango_60]

Where are you? Someone may be interested in that second lid.

 

[dsy]

Where are you? Someone may be interested in that second lid.

Toledo Oh.

 

[IZZYDUSIT]

Welcome to the expo-great design on the lid!!
keep us posted on your progress!

 

[Ireland]

sweet looking trailer, nice lid too:victory:

 

[rctr03]

old school pro flex in the garage!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Willman]

Welcome to the ExPo!


Love the trailer lid!

Oh and nice color choice for you JK!!!

 

[Willman]

Where are you? Someone may be interested in that second lid.

Your funny!


:friday:

 

[Martyn]

Welcome to the Portal.

You have a really clean looking 101, the lid reminds me of another trailer but I forget which one

As you know the devil is in the details. Our lid is made from two sections, so the center had a double lip that runs the length of the trailer. This acts as a stiffener and helps to stop the lid from wracking.

If you get a lot of flex in your lid or it wracks you may want to have a "hat" inserted to stiffen it up. Do this before you paint the lid as it's a weld on unit.

For a hinge a nice stainless piano hinge on the exterior would work well, you could attach it with stainless rivets. Make sure you leave enough room for the seal. You want to compress the seal but not squish it flat.

The issue with having a dust and moisture proof seal on the lid is that the military trailers flex, and even though you can get a great seal when the trailer is static or on the black top they tend to leak off road.

The best thing to do is to use as high a quality seal as you can find.

 

[dsy]

Welcome to the Portal.

You have a really clean looking 101, the lid reminds me of another trailer but I forget which one

As you know the devil is in the details. Our lid is made from two sections, so the center had a double lip that runs the length of the trailer. This acts as a stiffener and helps to stop the lid from wracking.

If you get a lot of flex in your lid or it wracks you may want to have a "hat" inserted to stiffen it up. Do this before you paint the lid as it's a weld on unit.

For a hinge a nice stainless piano hinge on the exterior would work well, you could attach it with stainless rivets. Make sure you leave enough room for the seal. You want to compress the seal but not squish it flat.

The issue with having a dust and moisture proof seal on the lid is that the military trailers flex, and even though you can get a great seal when the trailer is static or on the black top they tend to leak off road.

The best thing to do is to use as high a quality seal as you can find.

Hey Martyn thanks for the advice. Do the M101's really flex that bad with that stout tub welded to the frame? Would four of the heavy duty draw latches - one at each corner help so that maybe the top would flex with the tub?

As far as the wracking of the top, what do you mean when you say a hat? I take it that's some type of bracing on the exterior of the top? I was playing with the idea of a couple flat steel bows on the underside welded to the 1X1 tubing and the middle of the top. Or even a couple 1X1 angles welded down as triangles on the bottom of the lid running length wise.

My dream is to buy one of your chasers some day when funds allow it but right now, to be able to get out and play I need to go the diy route.
Doug

 

[Martyn]

Hey Martyn thanks for the advice. Do the M101's really flex that bad with that stout tub welded to the frame? Would four of the heavy duty draw latches - one at each corner help so that maybe the top would flex with the tub?

As far as the wracking of the top, what do you mean when you say a hat? I take it that's some type of bracing on the exterior of the top? I was playing with the idea of a couple flat steel bows on the underside welded to the 1X1 tubing and the middle of the top. Or even a couple 1X1 angles welded down as triangles on the bottom of the lid running length wise.

My dream is to buy one of your chasers some day when funds allow it but right now, to be able to get out and play I need to go the diy route.
Doug

The 101 flexes due to the C channel chassis. No much, but enough to break a seal on the lid if it's made from a strip on neoprene or closed cell foam.

A hat is a stiffener made from a piece of steel that has a cross section in the shape of a top hat _n_ if you can visualize that. It would run down the center of the lid front to back and be spot welded in place.

 

[dsy]

The 101 flexes due to the C channel chassis. No much, but enough to break a seal on the lid if it's made from a strip on neoprene or closed cell foam.

A hat is a stiffener made from a piece of steel that has a cross section in the shape of a top hat _n_ if you can visualize that. It would run down the center of the lid front to back and be spot welded in place.

I got ya, that was what I was going for with the idea of using a piece of angle down the center with the two edges welded down to make a triangle. Do you think a hat shape will work that much better?

For the seal I was going to again copy that awesome other trailer and put in pads to keep the top from over compressing the gasket material when the top is locked down. Then use thick enough gasket to allow for some movement without breaking the seal.

Would it be worthwhile to box in some areas of the C channel frame to try and stiffen it up some?

Sorry for the fifty questions... :bowdown:
Doug