dstock
Explorer
Thanks!
Dstock's M101A1 build... or the reality, I needed a new project!
- Thread starter dstock
- Start date
Thanks!
Gallowbraid
Where's that road go?
Thanks for a well documented build! I just picked up a M101A2 the day before yesterday. It's going to be my winter project and your build has inspired quite a few ideas...
dstock
Explorer
It can be done, I forget who's build on here but someone did figure it out. I've just been using wheel chocks for now and it's worked out fine. Eventually I will get the trailer brake to work but I am starting from scratch as my cables were rusted to death.
dstock
Explorer
Thanks! I need to update this thread as I've made some changes/improvements but so far it's been working out great.
Twas me. Seems like they constantly need adjusting though
dstock
Explorer
Very belated update!
So it's been awhile since I updated the thread, I've made a few tweaks/repairs/additions.
This past July we were up in Coyote flats for a couple nights with friends. The trailer became the base camp for our group, the awning worked great and we setup our kitchen beneath it off the tailgate and with an additional table giving us an L-shaped kitchen. Here is a fairly awful picture (apologies) of it deployed:
This would be the trip that I finally broke something on the trailer. On our way out, I looked back and noticed the back of the RTT rack moving independently of the trailer. As it turns out, due to my crappy welding, the heim joint mounting point had separated from the upright:
In my defense, it was one of my first welds (and it sucked) but hey, that's how we learn right? It wasn't a huge deal, I used a spare tie down to secure it, and we made it home.
Now I had initially planned to do these joints differently, so I decided to go back to my original much stronger plan using threaded tube inserts like this:
These weld right into the upright tubes and eliminate the extra welded connection between washer and nut and tube. Very solid, and the way I should have done it in the first place.
Next up, the spray on bedliner was not adhering that well to the floor of the bed. I didn't do tons of prep and some of the washboard roads out here do a number on stuff shifting no matter how hard I strap it all down. So, I made a quick trip to Harbor Freight and purchased some foam floor tiles and voila!:
They keep everything nice and snug in place, and even if one gets completely destroyed, totally cheap to replace.
We had hauled a smaller propane bbq on our last trip, but it was kind of a pain, needed a table to put it on and I wasn't really happy with it. Back it went to Costco, and went with more of an RV solution that I could mount on the side of the trailer with your standard rail mount. Behold the Olympian!:
It comes with a removable mount and it's own bag for storage. Here's another view with the mount:
It also has legs if you do need to set it up on the ground or a table.
So upcoming plans are:
Linear Actuators - Thanks to Shack, I think I am going to add electric actuators for the rack. I already have power, and frankly, I'm just lazy. Flipping a switch means I can raise and lower the rack by myself.
Receiver Hitch - This project is almost done, but need to add some additional bracing. Primarily to be used for a bike rack.
Kitchen tailgate swing-out table
LED camp lighting
Locking lid - I really would prefer to have a locking cover for the trailer instead of the fitted tarp. Looking at all sorts of possibilities on this one, from making my own to sourcing a pickup bed style cover. Lots of research still to do here since it I want access to load and unload the trailer even when the rack is in the travel-lowered position.
Now that temps in SoCal are finally cooling off, I can get back to work! Stay tuned!
So it's been awhile since I updated the thread, I've made a few tweaks/repairs/additions.
This past July we were up in Coyote flats for a couple nights with friends. The trailer became the base camp for our group, the awning worked great and we setup our kitchen beneath it off the tailgate and with an additional table giving us an L-shaped kitchen. Here is a fairly awful picture (apologies) of it deployed:
This would be the trip that I finally broke something on the trailer. On our way out, I looked back and noticed the back of the RTT rack moving independently of the trailer. As it turns out, due to my crappy welding, the heim joint mounting point had separated from the upright:
In my defense, it was one of my first welds (and it sucked) but hey, that's how we learn right? It wasn't a huge deal, I used a spare tie down to secure it, and we made it home.
Now I had initially planned to do these joints differently, so I decided to go back to my original much stronger plan using threaded tube inserts like this:
These weld right into the upright tubes and eliminate the extra welded connection between washer and nut and tube. Very solid, and the way I should have done it in the first place.
Next up, the spray on bedliner was not adhering that well to the floor of the bed. I didn't do tons of prep and some of the washboard roads out here do a number on stuff shifting no matter how hard I strap it all down. So, I made a quick trip to Harbor Freight and purchased some foam floor tiles and voila!:
They keep everything nice and snug in place, and even if one gets completely destroyed, totally cheap to replace.
We had hauled a smaller propane bbq on our last trip, but it was kind of a pain, needed a table to put it on and I wasn't really happy with it. Back it went to Costco, and went with more of an RV solution that I could mount on the side of the trailer with your standard rail mount. Behold the Olympian!:
It comes with a removable mount and it's own bag for storage. Here's another view with the mount:
It also has legs if you do need to set it up on the ground or a table.
So upcoming plans are:
Linear Actuators - Thanks to Shack, I think I am going to add electric actuators for the rack. I already have power, and frankly, I'm just lazy. Flipping a switch means I can raise and lower the rack by myself.
Receiver Hitch - This project is almost done, but need to add some additional bracing. Primarily to be used for a bike rack.
Kitchen tailgate swing-out table
LED camp lighting
Locking lid - I really would prefer to have a locking cover for the trailer instead of the fitted tarp. Looking at all sorts of possibilities on this one, from making my own to sourcing a pickup bed style cover. Lots of research still to do here since it I want access to load and unload the trailer even when the rack is in the travel-lowered position.
Now that temps in SoCal are finally cooling off, I can get back to work! Stay tuned!
dstock
Explorer
New Year - new trailer additions
So over the holidays, despite being plagued with some holiday cold that won't go away, I made a couple additions to the trailer.
After seeing the success of others (Shack) in adding electric linear actuators to their racks, I decided to do the same and ordered up some 16" stroke linear actuators with brackets from WindyNation. A side note, they showed up in less then 2 days!
I figured I may have to do some re-welding of the strut attachment points on the rack to accommodate the slightly longer overall length of the actuators (stroke length is the same). However, after playing around with some nylon spacers to temporarily mount the actuators as a proof of concept, it actually works quite well with the spacers. I will be replacing the nylon spacers with steel now that I have the correct sizing figured out. I also am still able to use the pull pins to lock the rack in place for travel as an added measure.
Temp mounting/wiring at full extension:
Once it was confirmed everything was working, I went ahead with getting everything wired up and mounted a DPDT switch on the tongue box:
I will probably add a nifty "don't accidentally fire the missile" cover to it at some point, but I have an overall kill switch for power in tongue box, so not that worried about it getting inadvertently triggered.
I then took on the task of adding LED lighting to the inside of the RTT tent and to the underside of the rack. I don't have any pictures of the inside but went with a warm white LED on a dimmer switch on the center hoop of the tent as many others have done.
For the rack, I went with a remote controlled solution, and added a full length strip on the front and rear cross members. I wanted to be able to activate the lights remotely from inside the tent if needed, should something go bump in the night outside the trailer.
I'm glad they are dimmable from the remote as well as they put off a stupid amount of light!
I added speed wrap to protect the wiring as I had to have additional length to accommodate the up and down motion of the rack.
I will say the grin factor with these additions is high, and I of course had to demonstrate the brilliance of these additions to anyone who happened by!
Happy New Year to all!
So over the holidays, despite being plagued with some holiday cold that won't go away, I made a couple additions to the trailer.
After seeing the success of others (Shack) in adding electric linear actuators to their racks, I decided to do the same and ordered up some 16" stroke linear actuators with brackets from WindyNation. A side note, they showed up in less then 2 days!
I figured I may have to do some re-welding of the strut attachment points on the rack to accommodate the slightly longer overall length of the actuators (stroke length is the same). However, after playing around with some nylon spacers to temporarily mount the actuators as a proof of concept, it actually works quite well with the spacers. I will be replacing the nylon spacers with steel now that I have the correct sizing figured out. I also am still able to use the pull pins to lock the rack in place for travel as an added measure.
Temp mounting/wiring at full extension:
Once it was confirmed everything was working, I went ahead with getting everything wired up and mounted a DPDT switch on the tongue box:
I will probably add a nifty "don't accidentally fire the missile" cover to it at some point, but I have an overall kill switch for power in tongue box, so not that worried about it getting inadvertently triggered.
I then took on the task of adding LED lighting to the inside of the RTT tent and to the underside of the rack. I don't have any pictures of the inside but went with a warm white LED on a dimmer switch on the center hoop of the tent as many others have done.
For the rack, I went with a remote controlled solution, and added a full length strip on the front and rear cross members. I wanted to be able to activate the lights remotely from inside the tent if needed, should something go bump in the night outside the trailer.
I'm glad they are dimmable from the remote as well as they put off a stupid amount of light!
I added speed wrap to protect the wiring as I had to have additional length to accommodate the up and down motion of the rack.
I will say the grin factor with these additions is high, and I of course had to demonstrate the brilliance of these additions to anyone who happened by!
Happy New Year to all!
Blacknight
Observer
Very nice additions! What LED lighting did you use?
dstock
Explorer
Thanks! Here's the shopping list for the LED lights et al:
I went with a warm white for all the lighting.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JQV6S96?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=od_aui_detailpages00
I had enough to do both cross members of the rack and the center hoop in the RTT.
You will need these to connect the strips together:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A75USBE?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
Make sure if you get 10mm wide LED strips that you get 10mm wide connectors DAMHIK!
This is the remote with dimmer for the rack lights:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004X4O1NG?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00
And this is the on/off dimmer switch for RTT light:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HTXICGK?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01
Finally, some wire to string it all together:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009VCZ4V8?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00
Plus of course assorted posi-lock connectors, zip ties and some speed wrap to protect the wires in certain places. Compiled most of these items from others threads to figure out what would work for me. I still plan on lighting the RTT Annex, someone suggested an aquarium LED light because they were having issues getting the adhesive LED light to stick to the bottom of the RTT. I think I am going to purchase this light in warm white and the same on/off dimmer switch from above for that purpose:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N0L574U?colid=1Y8BV4AYGGHT9&coliid=I3PZT6EGXJ6K6Z&psc=1&ref_=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl
Happy shopping!!
Blacknight
Observer
lol! Thanks bud. Now to spend some money.
Looks like it came out great! I would go with your gut though and cut off your brackets and weld the WindyNation brackets right to the legs. I had a very similar setup initially, and my tabs eventually started to bow. Of course, that was also because the rack wasn't sitting fully down when I was wheeling TOTW and dropping off those ledges caused the mounts to deflect around the actuator ends.
So over the holidays, despite being plagued with some holiday cold that won't go away, I made a couple additions to the trailer.
After seeing the success of others (Shack) in adding electric linear actuators to their racks, I decided to do the same and ordered up some 16" stroke linear actuators with brackets from WindyNation. A side note, they showed up in less then 2 days!
I figured I may have to do some re-welding of the strut attachment points on the rack to accommodate the slightly longer overall length of the actuators (stroke length is the same). However, after playing around with some nylon spacers to temporarily mount the actuators as a proof of concept, it actually works quite well with the spacers. I will be replacing the nylon spacers with steel now that I have the correct sizing figured out. I also am still able to use the pull pins to lock the rack in place for travel as an added measure.
Temp mounting/wiring at full extension:
Once it was confirmed everything was working, I went ahead with getting everything wired up and mounted a DPDT switch on the tongue box:
I will probably add a nifty "don't accidentally fire the missile" cover to it at some point, but I have an overall kill switch for power in tongue box, so not that worried about it getting inadvertently triggered.
I then took on the task of adding LED lighting to the inside of the RTT tent and to the underside of the rack. I don't have any pictures of the inside but went with a warm white LED on a dimmer switch on the center hoop of the tent as many others have done.
For the rack, I went with a remote controlled solution, and added a full length strip on the front and rear cross members. I wanted to be able to activate the lights remotely from inside the tent if needed, should something go bump in the night outside the trailer.
I'm glad they are dimmable from the remote as well as they put off a stupid amount of light!
I added speed wrap to protect the wiring as I had to have additional length to accommodate the up and down motion of the rack.
I will say the grin factor with these additions is high, and I of course had to demonstrate the brilliance of these additions to anyone who happened by!
Happy New Year to all!
dstock
Explorer
Thanks!
In the spirit of over-engineering, I will mostly likely go the weld route with the WindyNation brackets at some point, just going to keep my eye on it for now. Fortunately I am able to lock mine down at rest with the original pull pins, so hopefully that will mitigate any travel damage issues. Thanks again for making this mod first! It's so much easier when someone else takes out the guess work! Haha!
dstock
Explorer
Update
Tackled a couple more projects this past weekend.
Swapped out my nylon spacers on the actuator mounts for steel:
Then I welded up some tabs to mount my MaxTrax to the rack. It's been awhile since I welded anything, must weld more often! After some grinding/re-welding everything is solid and doesn't look too bad. I'm using the MaxTrax mounting pins to secure them to the rack:
Liking the way it turned out, far enough away from the RTT not to interfere but one less thing to have to load up before each trip. I still have the MaxTrax tire mount for the Jeep for when we separate from the trailer, but it will be nice to be able to see out the back window for a change when towing.
That's it for now!
Tackled a couple more projects this past weekend.
Swapped out my nylon spacers on the actuator mounts for steel:
Then I welded up some tabs to mount my MaxTrax to the rack. It's been awhile since I welded anything, must weld more often! After some grinding/re-welding everything is solid and doesn't look too bad. I'm using the MaxTrax mounting pins to secure them to the rack:
Liking the way it turned out, far enough away from the RTT not to interfere but one less thing to have to load up before each trip. I still have the MaxTrax tire mount for the Jeep for when we separate from the trailer, but it will be nice to be able to see out the back window for a change when towing.
That's it for now!
dstock
Explorer
Question for the masses!
So my long term plan on this trailer was to have some sort of hard cover for the bed. Now that I have the linear actuators it's so easy to raise and lower the rack with the RTT, I can actually have very good access to the bed in a heartbeat which opens the door for more traditional hardcovers like the Diamondback. I've also got a trip coming up requiring said cover in late June so now this is on the front burner. Regardless of whether I make a cover or purchase one I have one issue that needs to be dealt with first that existed when I purchased the trailer.
The front of the trailer at the leading edge was damaged, as in bent. You can see in the picture via the yellow line the amount of dent. At it's worst, it's about 1 1/2-2 inches. The upper edge is really the only strong part of the wall, the rest I will bend back into place fairly easily.
I have a few ideas of how to deal with this but wanted to seek the wisdom of the forum as the best approach:
1) The brute force approach, sledge, a piece of wood and some well placed wacks at the upper edge from the inside.
2) Drill a hole, use an anchor to a length of scrap steel on the inside upper edge and attach a come along to probably a tow point on my jeep and gently ratchet it out.
3) same as 2 but carefully use winch on Jeep to pull it out.
4)Try to figure out some way to use a long pole to against the inner wall to pull it back out, getting leverage is part of the issue.
5) Level out the top edge of the trailer and attach some additional "edge" to the trailer to make is square enough to seal the top. Kind of a mickey mouse approach though...
Open to any other ideas of course, what say you trailer builders?
TIA
So my long term plan on this trailer was to have some sort of hard cover for the bed. Now that I have the linear actuators it's so easy to raise and lower the rack with the RTT, I can actually have very good access to the bed in a heartbeat which opens the door for more traditional hardcovers like the Diamondback. I've also got a trip coming up requiring said cover in late June so now this is on the front burner. Regardless of whether I make a cover or purchase one I have one issue that needs to be dealt with first that existed when I purchased the trailer.
The front of the trailer at the leading edge was damaged, as in bent. You can see in the picture via the yellow line the amount of dent. At it's worst, it's about 1 1/2-2 inches. The upper edge is really the only strong part of the wall, the rest I will bend back into place fairly easily.
I have a few ideas of how to deal with this but wanted to seek the wisdom of the forum as the best approach:
1) The brute force approach, sledge, a piece of wood and some well placed wacks at the upper edge from the inside.
2) Drill a hole, use an anchor to a length of scrap steel on the inside upper edge and attach a come along to probably a tow point on my jeep and gently ratchet it out.
3) same as 2 but carefully use winch on Jeep to pull it out.
4)Try to figure out some way to use a long pole to against the inner wall to pull it back out, getting leverage is part of the issue.
5) Level out the top edge of the trailer and attach some additional "edge" to the trailer to make is square enough to seal the top. Kind of a mickey mouse approach though...
Open to any other ideas of course, what say you trailer builders?
TIA