Fiberglass M416/M100 Military-style Trailer Tub Kit
- Thread starter jscherb
- Start date
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Recently I found a photo on the internet showing a Harbor Freight-type 4' long trailer that the owner installed a piece of diamond plate aluminum on as a deck on top of the frame:
The design of the floor flange of the fiberglass tub allows for several ways of installing the floor, one of which is mounting the tub on top of the floor, so you could do a diamond plate deck on the trailer, and then mount the tub on top of it:
And if you wanted to use the trailer as a flatbed occasionally, you could unbolt the tub, lift it off, and you've got a nice diamond plate flatbed...
The photo I found and used for this example is a 4' trailer, but of course this works for the M72 6' tub as well.
The design of the floor flange of the fiberglass tub allows for several ways of installing the floor, one of which is mounting the tub on top of the floor, so you could do a diamond plate deck on the trailer, and then mount the tub on top of it:
And if you wanted to use the trailer as a flatbed occasionally, you could unbolt the tub, lift it off, and you've got a nice diamond plate flatbed...
The photo I found and used for this example is a 4' trailer, but of course this works for the M72 6' tub as well.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Here are some concept drawings...
First is a pickup using the military tub kit as a bed, according to your visions
. Well maybe not completely your vision, because even though these look like they're based on Jeep CJ's, they're TJ-based, using my "CJ Grille Kit for the TJ/LJ" to backdate the look to the CJ era.
Next is a similar concept but using the fiberglass Jeep-tub Dinoot trailer kit as a bed. Personally I like the proportions of the Dinoot as a pickup bed better than the military trailer tub; to me the military tub seems a bit narrow for a pickup.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I think all of the fiberglass hard cover illustrations I've posted so far have shown the cover on the 6' M72 version of the tub. Here is it on the 4' M48 version:
Here's a cover on a trailer built with the stock HF 12" wheels/21" tires (the version above has Jeep wheels and 31" tires):
And an open view:
I've shown it as the two-piece cover (the line down the middle), but it's bolted together into one piece. I'm not sure if it's worth hinging the two halves separately on the short version of the tub, what do you think?
Here's a cover on a trailer built with the stock HF 12" wheels/21" tires (the version above has Jeep wheels and 31" tires):
And an open view:
I've shown it as the two-piece cover (the line down the middle), but it's bolted together into one piece. I'm not sure if it's worth hinging the two halves separately on the short version of the tub, what do you think?
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Here's my approximate plan for the rest of the project; I'll begin as soon as I return from this trip. Some of the tasks my be done in parallel and the exact sequence may change slightly, but I think all the main tasks are listed here.
Any questions/comments/suggestions?
- Final trim the tub panels, drill holes and bolt together. Drill for and bolt in corner braces.
- Get Harbor Freight trailer frame, modify to proper size for tub, verify conversion plan/instructions. I plan to post detailed plans, instructions and step-by-step photos to make it easy for anyone who wants to build their own frame follow along.
- Verify the final width for M416-style fenders to cover "tow-vehicle-sized" tires, make a pair of prototype M416-style fenders and mount on tub. The original M416 fenders are only wide enough to cover the skinny 7.00x15 military tires, typical two-vehicle tires, say 31x10.50, stick out almost 3" past the side of the fenders, so I'll make wider versions following the M416 design.
- Get round M100-style fenders and test install. Since this is a prototype and intended to showcase the design, I'll do both types of fenders for the M416 fans and the M100 fans.
- Arrange for prototype soft snap-on tonneau cover to be made (same as the Dinoot soft tonneau cover). I wouldn't be without the soft covers on my two Jeep-tub trailers, and I want the same weatherproof capability on the military tub. These could be production items if there is demand for them.
- Decide which floor style to use; build and install floor. There are three options for floor installation, I'll post drawings of each and you can comment on them to help me decide which style to implement for the prototype.
- Finalize tub mounting on frame.
- Finalize tailgate mounting/stay cables/brackets.
- Finalize design of fiberglass hard cover (direction of split and height); make masters/molds and mold prototype fiberglass cover. Acquire/install hardware as necessary, and install cover.
- Finalize license plate location/mount.
- Install military lights, and test install wiring harness.
- Finalize stabilizer jack mounting (needed for trailer-top tent usage).
- Disassemble. Get custom olive drab paint and bedliner mixed; paint/bedline frame, tub, tailgate, cover and fenders as necessary.
- Mount roof-top tent on fiberglass cover.
- Finalize military decals, get vinyl decals made and apply.
- Decide if doing side cargo brackets for jerry cans/ammo cans; fabricate and install
Any questions/comments/suggestions?
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I've received confirmation from the tonneau cover company that they're going to make me a prototype tonneau for this tub kit.
It will be the same tonneau design that is available for the Dinoot trailers; I've got them on both of my current trailers and they're terrific:
It's a very high quality product, in all my usage with both trailers I've found it to be leak free; it fits tightly and doesn't flap at high speed. Because of the snap channel design, it's also very easy to snap it on partially open for loads that have to stick out a bit.
I'm hoping to schedule the tonneau to be made in the next two weeks. I won't have the tub on its frame and ready for the road by then, so I'll put the tub either in the back of my pickup or in my yellow trailer and take it to the tonneau company's shop for them to work on.
Here's a concept drawing simulating what the cover will look like on the military tub:
BTW this tonneau can also be adapted to an original M416 or M100.
It will be the same tonneau design that is available for the Dinoot trailers; I've got them on both of my current trailers and they're terrific:
It's a very high quality product, in all my usage with both trailers I've found it to be leak free; it fits tightly and doesn't flap at high speed. Because of the snap channel design, it's also very easy to snap it on partially open for loads that have to stick out a bit.
I'm hoping to schedule the tonneau to be made in the next two weeks. I won't have the tub on its frame and ready for the road by then, so I'll put the tub either in the back of my pickup or in my yellow trailer and take it to the tonneau company's shop for them to work on.
Here's a concept drawing simulating what the cover will look like on the military tub:
BTW this tonneau can also be adapted to an original M416 or M100.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Rich,
Thank you very much.
Yes, the tonneau company could sell direct, but the deal is that whatever company picks up this trailer kit to bring it to market will get first right to market these tonneau covers as well (assuming some company does license the trailer kit
). If said company decides they aren't interested in marketing the tonneau cover, then the tonneau company probably would sell direct.The tonneau would pretty much be ready for sale as soon as my prototype is completed, so should be within two weeks. If someone wanted to buy one in advance of a company bringing the full tub kit to market, I could probably arrange for a few tonneaus to be sold soon.
REMOTEPLACES
Adventurer
GREAT WORK!
You have some serious skills, Sir. Looking forward to the final product...there is a big market for an affordable functional trailer. Your shop is something dreams are made of BTW.
You have some serious skills, Sir. Looking forward to the final product...there is a big market for an affordable functional trailer. Your shop is something dreams are made of BTW.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Thank you
.I should make a lot of progress on the project this week - I'm now back from my trip, it was a 6000-mile journey from upstate New York to Moab Utah, 5 days of off-road driving/rock crawling in the desert, then to South Florida to join the family on spring break, and finally back to New York. Now I can get back to work.
The main tasks planned for this week:
- Final trim tub parts and bolt the tub together.
- Pick up a Harbor Freight trailer frame and modify it to the 40.5" x 6" to fit the tub.
Posts and photos to come.
About the workshop... when we bought this house about 10 years ago, I designed an addition that included a three-car garage, a few bedrooms over the garage, and a full basement under the garage to serve as my workshop. So the workshop is a three car garage sized clear space, it's got no supporting columns to get in the way, a built-in dust collection vacuum system and enough floor space in the center of the room for the large table saw, a large assembly table, and a large enough work space on the floor to do things like this trailer and my CJ Grille Kit at the same time. One of the long walls is workbenches/cabinets, and the other long wall is stationary power tools, like the drill press, band saws, mitre saw, etc. At the moment, two bays of the three car garage above the workshop is set up as a fiberglass work area. Having a good work space really helps with projects like these
.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I've collected all of the parts to build a "TSC" 3-Axis coupler for the military trailer. The photo below shows a completed coupler, and pretty much all of the parts needed to build a second one.
The "TSC" 3-Axis coupler is so-named because just about all of the parts can be obtained from Tractor Supply or a similar store; parts typically can be purchased for under $50. All that's required to build one is some metal cutting, grinding and drilling (an angle grinder with a cutoff disc or a hacksaw would be fine), a welder and a little welding skill.
Here are the plans:
And here's a project thread showing most of the construction details: http://tventuring.com/trailerforum/thread-65.html
The "TSC" 3-Axis coupler is so-named because just about all of the parts can be obtained from Tractor Supply or a similar store; parts typically can be purchased for under $50. All that's required to build one is some metal cutting, grinding and drilling (an angle grinder with a cutoff disc or a hacksaw would be fine), a welder and a little welding skill.
Here are the plans:
And here's a project thread showing most of the construction details: http://tventuring.com/trailerforum/thread-65.html
jscherb
Expedition Leader
This morning I'm working on assembling the tub, here are a few photos of the first boltup:
There are more photos in the main build thread in the Trailer Adventuring Forum later today: http://tventuring.com/trailerforum/thread-119.html, I'll also be posting some photos of the assembly detail in that thread later today.
There are more photos in the main build thread in the Trailer Adventuring Forum later today: http://tventuring.com/trailerforum/thread-119.html, I'll also be posting some photos of the assembly detail in that thread later today.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I don't know how much a metal M416 tub weighs, but generally fiberglass equivalents of metal parts weigh 1/3 or more less. Here I am carrying it back into the garage this morning...
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Here are some of photos of the bolted-together tub, with tailgate. I still haven't washed the mold release/clay off the parts, so they look a little green and dirty but don't mind that, everything will clean up very nicely.
Tomorrow I'm off to Harbor Freight to pick up the trailer frame, and I plan to get the frame modified and assembled this week, so by the end of the week I'll be posting photos of the tub sitting on the frame.
There are more photos, including assembly detail photos, in the main build thread on the Trailer Adventuring Forum:
http://tventuring.com/trailerforum/thread-119.html
Tomorrow I'm off to Harbor Freight to pick up the trailer frame, and I plan to get the frame modified and assembled this week, so by the end of the week I'll be posting photos of the tub sitting on the frame.
There are more photos, including assembly detail photos, in the main build thread on the Trailer Adventuring Forum:
http://tventuring.com/trailerforum/thread-119.html