osiris1741
New member
Has anybody done this? Like changing out the axles, cutting out the bed and replacing it with wood, etc. I'd love to tow one with my TJ but they're heavy as hell. Thanks!
Lightening an M101A1 or A2
- Thread starter osiris1741
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I used the frame and suspension in my trailer. I've added a boat tongue to the front for a longer trailer frame. And I stiffened the tongue with 2x3 inside the boat tongue. I swapped in a 3500 Dexter axle along with 14" tires. It pulls very well and handle bumps great.
I didn't weigh the trailer before adding the camper. But after a camping/wheeling trip to Moab, I weighed it at 1260#. The tongue was 160# and the axle 1100#. I did have some camping gear inside and the storage box has a set of space axle shafts. The camper supposedly weighs 450#s. The result is that I've overly built the trailer. I shouldn't have added the 2x3 inner support the full length of the tongue. And removed the rear most crossmembers.
I'm selling the camper and will be lightening the trailer frame for another camper setup. I won't be needing the rear 2 crossmembers and the full length of the tongue sleeved.
Once you get rid of the military axle, drums and tires, you really pull the pounds off the 1275# trailer. The sheetmetal body probably weighs have the weight of the trailer then. Even though its sheetmetal, there is a lot of it with supports. The box triangular tongue supports along with the landing gear are heavy as well.
I didn't weigh the trailer before adding the camper. But after a camping/wheeling trip to Moab, I weighed it at 1260#. The tongue was 160# and the axle 1100#. I did have some camping gear inside and the storage box has a set of space axle shafts. The camper supposedly weighs 450#s. The result is that I've overly built the trailer. I shouldn't have added the 2x3 inner support the full length of the tongue. And removed the rear most crossmembers.
I'm selling the camper and will be lightening the trailer frame for another camper setup. I won't be needing the rear 2 crossmembers and the full length of the tongue sleeved.
Once you get rid of the military axle, drums and tires, you really pull the pounds off the 1275# trailer. The sheetmetal body probably weighs have the weight of the trailer then. Even though its sheetmetal, there is a lot of it with supports. The box triangular tongue supports along with the landing gear are heavy as well.
osiris1741
New member
How is it towing it with your TJ? If I get one, I was thinking I'd change out the axle, put similar rims and tires on it as the ones on my TJ, and prob be keeping the same tongue. I'm wondering how much it would weigh with an aftermarket axle, rims, and tires.
BTW, do you think the bed would be too wide?
I'm mainly using it for Home Depot trips. There would be one long distance trip but I can take my time with it.
BTW, do you think the bed would be too wide?
I'm mainly using it for Home Depot trips. There would be one long distance trip but I can take my time with it.
osiris1741
New member
davegonz said:
I havent actually gotten one yet
I'm looking around but the M416s and M101CND are insanely expensive around me. I keep seeing them come up for 4-500 out west (CA, NV, and CO) but here in the Mid Atlantic, they're expensive. I can pick up one of the M101A1s for 150 hereWith it stock and no bed, its only noticeable back behind any vehicle with the popping noise from the lunette tongue.
The big weight items that can be swapped on the mil trailer are the axle with brakes, tires/wheels, the tongue, and the bed. The trailer frame is designed to carry weight and minimize torsional forces with a load. The shock crossmember is boxed for support. The other crossmembers are welded to support weight in the bed. The overall outer trailer frame is welded together.
The bed is rather large, but will hold vast amount of stuff. If you intend to keep the bed as a hauler, then I would keep the frame as designed. Lower it by putting the stock springs under axle and running smaller tires. You shoudn't need shocks, but you may later work them in. The stock shock mount is part of the axle tube. The bed is a drop down tail gate, so you could be putting that on the ground to load so watch how low you put the frame. The bed is wide so be prepared for that compared to the body width of the TJ.
As for weight with axle and tires swap will be couple 100#s if that. But all that depends on the replacement axle itself. Since the mil trailer comes with a parking brake, think you may want to keep that feature? Dexter axles have a parking brake option. Besides, with the parking brake, you can turn the trailer into a dump type by putting pins in the tongue front crossmember mounts. By driving the TJ backwards, it will tilt the trailer with the parking brake on and pins out of course.
Don't forget about the taillights. You can swap in normal 12v lamps easily and sell the mil lights. You can research for 12v lamps to put into the mil light housings. The wiring is mil spec as well as the connectors that are water proof.
The big weight items that can be swapped on the mil trailer are the axle with brakes, tires/wheels, the tongue, and the bed. The trailer frame is designed to carry weight and minimize torsional forces with a load. The shock crossmember is boxed for support. The other crossmembers are welded to support weight in the bed. The overall outer trailer frame is welded together.
The bed is rather large, but will hold vast amount of stuff. If you intend to keep the bed as a hauler, then I would keep the frame as designed. Lower it by putting the stock springs under axle and running smaller tires. You shoudn't need shocks, but you may later work them in. The stock shock mount is part of the axle tube. The bed is a drop down tail gate, so you could be putting that on the ground to load so watch how low you put the frame. The bed is wide so be prepared for that compared to the body width of the TJ.
As for weight with axle and tires swap will be couple 100#s if that. But all that depends on the replacement axle itself. Since the mil trailer comes with a parking brake, think you may want to keep that feature? Dexter axles have a parking brake option. Besides, with the parking brake, you can turn the trailer into a dump type by putting pins in the tongue front crossmember mounts. By driving the TJ backwards, it will tilt the trailer with the parking brake on and pins out of course.
Don't forget about the taillights. You can swap in normal 12v lamps easily and sell the mil lights. You can research for 12v lamps to put into the mil light housings. The wiring is mil spec as well as the connectors that are water proof.