Fiberglass M416/M100 Military-style Trailer Tub Kit

jscherb

Expedition Leader
Today I'll be mounting a tailgate in the tailgate panel. I'm planning to go with a CJ-style drop-down, I'll probably use this aftermarket fiberglass logo-free one:

M72Tailgate1_zps9f5d8cd1.jpg


Here are a few other options...

A factory CJ tailgate with logo:

M72Tailgate2_zps9ef72ca8.jpg


A Dinoot smooth tailgate, set up as a drop-down:

M72Tailgate3_zps8477ae8e.jpg


The Dinoot smooth tailgate above is set up with inside latches, but most Dinoot tailgates would be set up with outside latches/locks as shown in the one below, set up as a side-swing:

M72Tailgate4_zps3ad0545c.jpg


In both cases, the Dinoot smooth tailgate shown above uses CJ-style tailgate hinges.

A Jeep Wrangler factory tailgate:

M72Tailgate6_zps78d6a8f9.jpg


The hinges shown on the Wrangler tailgate above are aftermarket ones, but I've also shown a YJ hinge for comparison because the TJ Wrangler tailgate hinges are pretty wide. An an angle bracket would be necessary (shown on the 4' M48 version of the tub, which back when I did this drawing I was calling the Mini-M416) for the tub side of the lower hinge :

WranglerTailgateHinges.jpg


The Wrangler tailgate is fairly heavy, and when open has a lot of leverage, so if one were to use that it might be a good idea to add some extra reinforcement to the tailgate panel.
 

jscherb

Expedition Leader
The side panels turned out terrific!
Bad news is I just sold my 116A2 chassis.

Looks like I need to find anouther one for a build.
Let's start production!

Based on interest I've gotten from companies wanting to market this kit, it seems like there's an excellent chance of getting it into production fairly quickly.
 

jscherb

Expedition Leader
Here are a few photos of the tub with a tailgate installed.

M72Tailgate10_zps20448df3.jpg


M72Tailgate13_zpse30ab861.jpg


M72Tailgate12_zps858ec56c.jpg


You can see by all the vise-grips that I haven't bolted the tub together yet, that's next on the agenda. I'll do a little final trimming/fitting of the panels, and then I'll drill holes and bolt everything together. And yes, I still haven't washed the mold release off, it's been snowing here, so it's not the ideal time to be outside with the hose washing things.
 

jscherb

Expedition Leader
A few photos with the tailgate open. I still have to make up some brackets for the tub end of the support cables, I'll get to that later.

M72Tailgate11_zps57773c5b.jpg


M72Tailgate14_zpscc6dfe16.jpg


M72Tailgate15_zps93e74b0f.jpg
 

Mark Harley

Expedition Leader
What a great concept!
This is going to let many people who want M416 trailers but cannot find one,
Build the one they want.
 
Last edited:

Waygoner

Observer
You've got a great thing going there. Best of luck with getting it on the market.

Next up, you need to design a fiberglass tear drop shell!
 

jscherb

Expedition Leader
You've got a great thing going there. Best of luck with getting it on the market.

Next up, you need to design a fiberglass tear drop shell!

Actually I'm in the process of doing that. My idea is that the camper/teardrop top would go on top of a Jeep-tub trailer like the Dinoot, and follow the basics of the teardrop genre.

So here's a Jeep-tub trailer it might go on:

Tonneau2.jpg


And here are four design concepts I've been working on, some are teardrop types, some aren't:

Campers1_zps8b5c2328.jpg

And here's a proof-of-concept prototype of a design based on my Safari Cab Jeep hardtop molds, it's still a work in progress:

CamperShow4.jpg


But all of that is way off topic for this thread, here's the tread to discuss that: http://tventuring.com/trailerforum/thread-160.html, so please post any feedback over in that thread, thanks!
 

jscherb

Expedition Leader
What a great concept!
This is going to let many people who want M416 trailers but cannot find one,
Build the one they want.

Thanks. That's exactly my idea - make this a DIY-friendly kit so that most anyone could assemble/build it and affordably accessorize it to their needs, without the need to find and then restore a rusty, dented military surplus trailer. Maybe some company will agree with me and find that an irresistible market proposition and bring the kit to market. If not, then building this one prototype will have been a fun hobby project for me, and then I'll move on to my next project (I'm really just in this for the fun of the design and construction challenges, if it never goes commercial that's fine with me :)).
 

nmzj

New member
Have you thought about molding the top in quarters? They the buyer could have it open the way they want. You could then incorporate a spacer for the middle to accommodate the larger 416 top.


Jason
 

jscherb

Expedition Leader
Have you thought about molding the top in quarters? They the buyer could have it open the way they want. You could then incorporate a spacer for the middle to accommodate the larger 416 top.
Jason

Jason,
That's an interesting idea, I'll have to give it some thought. My initial reaction is that it would likely increase the cost if it ever gets to market, because 4 parts would have to be molded instead of 2 - even though the material cost wouldn't be that much different, the labor cost would be higher.
 

grimbo

Explorer
Live the tear drop concepts, the modular aspect of it all is an excellent way to go allowing buyers to do it in stages
 

jscherb

Expedition Leader
I haven't gotten any work done on this project in the last few days because I'm in the process of driving from home in upstate NY to Moab, Utah for the East Jeep Safari. But today I did do something for the project - on my way through Iowa I stopped at a Blaine's Farm & Fleet store and at a Menards home center store; I used to go to them all the time when I lived in Illinois. I picked a bunch of stuff to build a "TSC 3-Axis Coupler" for the prototype military trailer.

3AxisParts2_zps397e020b.jpg


The ball mount/ball/hitch pin combo was only $9.99, and the tractor parts were about half what they cost at Tractor Supply. I spent just over $20 on what's in the picture above.

My "TSC" 3-Axis coupler design is so-named because most of the parts can be found at places like Tractor Supply (or Blaine's, or anywhere else that carries farm and tractor parts, and typically the complete 3-Axis can be built for less than $50. Here are a few photos of a finished TSC 3-Axis:

3AxisFinal1.jpg


3AxisFinal2.jpg


The first one I built has worked out so well, I've been thinking about building a second one to go with the military trailer prototype. I've got many of the other parts already in my parts bin at home, so with the parts I picked up today, I've got almost everything necessary for a second one.

If you're interested in learning more about the "TSC 3-Axis" design, here's a thread I did on the design, with details of the build project: http://tventuring.com/trailerforum/thread-65.html
 

jscherb

Expedition Leader
Sneak preview... I've been working on a detailed set of plans and instructions to convert the Harbor Freight 94564 1720-lb. capacity 4x8 trailer to 40.5" x 72" to be an affordable and strong platform for the 6' military tub. The rearrangement of the original frame parts will result in a stronger frame with a center backbone and receivers front and rear - a receiver the front for swapping the coupler between an ordinary ball coupler and the TSC 3-Axis, and one on the rear for things like bicycle carriers. This frame also has 5 - on - 4 1/2 bolt-circle hubs, which is the same as the Jeep TJ and YJ Wrangler (as well as many Ford and Chrysler vehicles), and the mods will enable larger tires/wheels to be supported.

I'll publish the complete plans and instructions as I'm building the actual frame (and can verify that my plans and instructions are correct) but for now, here's a sneak peek of the plan work in progress...

FramePlanPreview_zps0052722f.jpg
 

Crush Jeep

Adventurer
I've read several of your different threads and I've enjoyed reading all them. Your ideas are great and you seem to have no limit to your imagination.
 

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