Dstock's M101A1 build... or the reality, I needed a new project!
- Thread starter dstock
- Start date
dstock
Explorer
Looking good! Looks pretty similar too
Thanks! I'm afraid the similarities are not going to end there! The Rustolem gray is an almost perfect match to my Jeep.
Hope to get a bunch of the rack build knocked out this weekend and the receiver hitch installed.
More to come!
Chris Cordes
Expedition Leader
This thing is looking really good really fast. Well done!
dstock
Explorer
Thank you! I am a man on a mission!
dstock
Explorer
Max Coupler, tongue jack and welding 101
Got a bunch done of the weekend. I took the trailer over to a local welding shop to have the ball coupler and old tongue jack removed and a 2 inch receiver tube and new pipe mount tongue jack welded in their place. As I am a first time welder, I did not trust my skills with something so critical. Great welding shop, really nice guys and very reasonably priced. I also got some welding advice, couldn't be happier with the experience.
I also made some progress on the RTT rack as I picked up the remainder of the steel I needed. My plan is to use telescoping posts like the other builds on here except at the top of each post there will be a heim joint where the rack will attach. This will allow me to lift the front and rear of the rack independent of each other. It will also allow some latitude to avoid binding when raising and lowering the rack. I have incorporated locking pull pins to secure the rack at the different heights. This is very similar to how the Xventure XV2 trailer does their elevating rack.
Anyway, that's the plan, despite my novice welding skills and a couple mistakes here and there, the outer posts have been completed.
Pull Pins (thanks BoxRocket!)
That's it for now...back to the garage for me!
Got a bunch done of the weekend. I took the trailer over to a local welding shop to have the ball coupler and old tongue jack removed and a 2 inch receiver tube and new pipe mount tongue jack welded in their place. As I am a first time welder, I did not trust my skills with something so critical. Great welding shop, really nice guys and very reasonably priced. I also got some welding advice, couldn't be happier with the experience.
I also made some progress on the RTT rack as I picked up the remainder of the steel I needed. My plan is to use telescoping posts like the other builds on here except at the top of each post there will be a heim joint where the rack will attach. This will allow me to lift the front and rear of the rack independent of each other. It will also allow some latitude to avoid binding when raising and lowering the rack. I have incorporated locking pull pins to secure the rack at the different heights. This is very similar to how the Xventure XV2 trailer does their elevating rack.
Anyway, that's the plan, despite my novice welding skills and a couple mistakes here and there, the outer posts have been completed.
Pull Pins (thanks BoxRocket!)
That's it for now...back to the garage for me!
dstock
Explorer
For the time being it will be manual, trying to keep it simple, less things to break. I will only be raising one end at a time and I won't be doing it alone. My pins lock in the out position, so I don't have to reach both at the same time.
P.S> - I can actually reach both pins, so even if I go with a strut setup later I should still be good!
P.S> - I can actually reach both pins, so even if I go with a strut setup later I should still be good!
Last edited:
UnlimiDozer
Observer
Hey dstock, looking good. I would suggest making that foot on the tongue jack removable. Just cut it off as low as possible and weld on a piece of tube that will telescope with the existing. Easiest thing would be to use square tube that will fit on the outside of the tube on your jack. That way, you can use the new tube for a jig when you drill the existing tube -- to be sure your pin holes line up --- and square tube will be easier to get a centered hole than round.
Just be extra careful to have great ventilation if/when you weld on that galvanized (BTW, your trailer body and/or frame may also be galvanized, mine are) -- makes nasty poisonous gases, as in like the same gas that is used to etch glass. You don't want that stuff in your lungs. In all seriousness, it can kill you. Google "phosgene."
Keep up the good work.
Just be extra careful to have great ventilation if/when you weld on that galvanized (BTW, your trailer body and/or frame may also be galvanized, mine are) -- makes nasty poisonous gases, as in like the same gas that is used to etch glass. You don't want that stuff in your lungs. In all seriousness, it can kill you. Google "phosgene."
Keep up the good work.
dstock
Explorer
Thanks for feedback, have been being very careful even with just the CARC paint and ventilation when grinding, welding, etc. All that stuff is just plain nasty!
dstock
Explorer
Quick update
Didn't have much time this weekend, but started mocking up the rack and how the side bars will work with the him joints on the elevating posts. These are not the final bolts etc., but give an idea of what I am trying to do with the rack. I want to be able to raise each end, front and back, individually instead of all at once. I still have to work out bolt length, spacers etc. and clean up/correct some welds (first time welding with solid steel vs flux core...can you say learning curve!) So far it appears it's going to work as intended.
Insert teaser pics here!
Didn't have much time this weekend, but started mocking up the rack and how the side bars will work with the him joints on the elevating posts. These are not the final bolts etc., but give an idea of what I am trying to do with the rack. I want to be able to raise each end, front and back, individually instead of all at once. I still have to work out bolt length, spacers etc. and clean up/correct some welds (first time welding with solid steel vs flux core...can you say learning curve!) So far it appears it's going to work as intended.
Insert teaser pics here!
dstock - I love the idea of being able to lift one end and then the other. Just curious if the tabs from the horizontal bar are going to be welded to that bar or if they will pivot at that point as well as at the heim joint. The reason I ask is because I would be concerned about binding in the vertical tubes when lifting one end. Without a pivot on both ends of the tab, the horizontal distance is fixed and as you lift one end it will cause the vertical tubes to bend toward each other.
I don't know the actual distance between your vertical tubes but assuming they are about 36" - this means that raising one end just 6" would cause a forward/aft deflection of your vertical supports of .5". If you raise one end 12" (without raising the other) it would cause a forward/aft deflection of over 2". In either case, I don't know that the steel square tube you are using would bend that much.
Just food for thought. Can't wait to see how this works out.
-croix
I don't know the actual distance between your vertical tubes but assuming they are about 36" - this means that raising one end just 6" would cause a forward/aft deflection of your vertical supports of .5". If you raise one end 12" (without raising the other) it would cause a forward/aft deflection of over 2". In either case, I don't know that the steel square tube you are using would bend that much.
Just food for thought. Can't wait to see how this works out.
-croix
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