Roaddude
Long time off-grid vanlife adventurist
After poking around for months looking for a good trailer to start a build for overland travel and extended base-camping, I bought a military trailer this afternoon. I'd looked at a cool homemade trailer with a curved axle from an old Dodge, I fantasized about the Patriot X1 or X2 and their cool suspension and host of great features, and considered a variety of other trailers both made for off-road and for hauling around the neighborhood.
This one popped up today on craigslist along the coast of Maine and I jumped on it.
Far as I can tell from hours of rather mind-boggling research, there is a TON of misinformation out there about M101s, M416s, whether they're US or Canadian, or are 1/4 ton or 3/4 ton, especially on the forums and in the for sale sections. The one I bought was listed as an M101, though I could tell just from the pics it was more likely an M416, or perhaps an M101-CDN2 (Canadian version, 1/4 ton, but much different body style than the US M101, which was 3/4 ton).
Upon further research once home, I think what I have is more likely an M100 or an MBT/T-3, but I'm interested in what y'all think, too. I'm learning as I go along and so far am leaning more towards the MBT/T-3.
The man I purchased it from bought it in a military graveyard in Massachusetts and hoped to restore it to haul behind his wicked sharp Army truck for going to military shows. (Pics below of his 65K restoration.) He put non-directional tires on both his truck and this trailer, which are something I had not known about. They leave tire marks that don't indicate which way the vehicle was traveling. Though cool looking, I may swap out the wheels and tires to match what I'll be putting on my GMC Savana EB Duramax after she gets a 4x4 conversion. Otherwise I might not know if I'm coming or going. Hoping to do the 4x4 conversion with Sportsman 4x4 in Kamloops BC and their Clydesdale conversions.
This trailer has had a fair amount of work done to it over the years--some great, some not so great--like the fenders and the welding in of 3/8" diamond plate floor, no tailgate/rear panel, what looks like rattle can bed-liner, lights missing, no hand lever parking brake, etc. Guy I bought it from said it did have a lunette ring (for pintle hook) and landing leg, but the landing leg was too far gone so off it went. The rear has two small reinforcement plates that may have been for tailgate hinges, though some of these trailers had solid backs and could float, even with 500lb payloads. Perhaps the plates were original, perhaps added later. Only CSI knows for sure.
I also believe the axle was remounted incorrectly below the leaf springs, not above, which makes it ride higher and makes the fender/tire space look wacked in comparison to the way it should look. Guy said he had worked on the leaf springs and had a new leaf added to one side because it was broken.
I think it may have once had the round fenders of the M100 or MBT/T-3, too.
Here's two great resources on the MBT/T-3s:
- MB_T_Willys_Jeep_Trailer_MBT_Bantam_WWII-WW2
- ID_photos_MBT
Here's two great resources on the MB100:
- M100_Cargo_Trailer_Manual_Images
- ID-photos_M100
Overall this little trailer is in good shape, especially when compared to a lot of others I've seen people start their builds with. Let me know what you think about that, too. Am I barking up the wrong tree, thinking I have a great foundation to start? What are the pitfalls and surprises y'all have had when building on a military trailer foundation?
I paid $700 for this trailer, and I'm really looking forward to seeing just what I can do to make it practical, efficient, good looking, and a joy to use. I see military trailers and trailer parts in all sorts of condition and disrepair going for a wide range of prices, so feel okay about what I paid. I'm sure this build will drag out over a longer period than I'd like, as I'm also working on the van build and heading west to talk to a few vendors about tops and 4x4, bull-guard and rear bumper, etc.
My full fantasy plans for this trailer, at least so far and in no particular order, are to:
- lower the center of gravity for hiway towing and off-road crawling (getting the axle above the springs should help that greatly)
- probably change out the floor for aluminum (that thick diamond plate weighs well over a 100lbs, he said)
- add flat water tanks and house batts in the body
- set up the tub for cargo, not living space, probably with a tailgate and shallow, long pull out drawers with storage above
- add a Lock-n-roll or Max Coupler hitch or similar
- add leveling legs
- do something with those fenders, though they may look less wonky once the box rides lower
- add aluminum boxes above the fenders and fore/aft of the fenders, keeping departure angle in mind
- actuators/lifts for platform to get sleeping platform up
- rooftop tent (leaning towards Tepui right now because of quality, style, and numerous tales about customer service over other vendors)
- 270 awning like Rhino, Foxwing, etc, though been pondering a way to build one myself. I have industrial sewing machines and experience with fabrics.
The list goes on. . . you get the idea. Big dreams, reality may be far different
Here's some pics of how the trailer looked today, with the last one being the truck meant to tow this trailer to shows once it was done:
This one popped up today on craigslist along the coast of Maine and I jumped on it.
Far as I can tell from hours of rather mind-boggling research, there is a TON of misinformation out there about M101s, M416s, whether they're US or Canadian, or are 1/4 ton or 3/4 ton, especially on the forums and in the for sale sections. The one I bought was listed as an M101, though I could tell just from the pics it was more likely an M416, or perhaps an M101-CDN2 (Canadian version, 1/4 ton, but much different body style than the US M101, which was 3/4 ton).
Upon further research once home, I think what I have is more likely an M100 or an MBT/T-3, but I'm interested in what y'all think, too. I'm learning as I go along and so far am leaning more towards the MBT/T-3.
The man I purchased it from bought it in a military graveyard in Massachusetts and hoped to restore it to haul behind his wicked sharp Army truck for going to military shows. (Pics below of his 65K restoration.) He put non-directional tires on both his truck and this trailer, which are something I had not known about. They leave tire marks that don't indicate which way the vehicle was traveling. Though cool looking, I may swap out the wheels and tires to match what I'll be putting on my GMC Savana EB Duramax after she gets a 4x4 conversion. Otherwise I might not know if I'm coming or going. Hoping to do the 4x4 conversion with Sportsman 4x4 in Kamloops BC and their Clydesdale conversions.
This trailer has had a fair amount of work done to it over the years--some great, some not so great--like the fenders and the welding in of 3/8" diamond plate floor, no tailgate/rear panel, what looks like rattle can bed-liner, lights missing, no hand lever parking brake, etc. Guy I bought it from said it did have a lunette ring (for pintle hook) and landing leg, but the landing leg was too far gone so off it went. The rear has two small reinforcement plates that may have been for tailgate hinges, though some of these trailers had solid backs and could float, even with 500lb payloads. Perhaps the plates were original, perhaps added later. Only CSI knows for sure.
I also believe the axle was remounted incorrectly below the leaf springs, not above, which makes it ride higher and makes the fender/tire space look wacked in comparison to the way it should look. Guy said he had worked on the leaf springs and had a new leaf added to one side because it was broken.
I think it may have once had the round fenders of the M100 or MBT/T-3, too.
Here's two great resources on the MBT/T-3s:
- MB_T_Willys_Jeep_Trailer_MBT_Bantam_WWII-WW2
- ID_photos_MBT
Here's two great resources on the MB100:
- M100_Cargo_Trailer_Manual_Images
- ID-photos_M100
Overall this little trailer is in good shape, especially when compared to a lot of others I've seen people start their builds with. Let me know what you think about that, too. Am I barking up the wrong tree, thinking I have a great foundation to start? What are the pitfalls and surprises y'all have had when building on a military trailer foundation?
I paid $700 for this trailer, and I'm really looking forward to seeing just what I can do to make it practical, efficient, good looking, and a joy to use. I see military trailers and trailer parts in all sorts of condition and disrepair going for a wide range of prices, so feel okay about what I paid. I'm sure this build will drag out over a longer period than I'd like, as I'm also working on the van build and heading west to talk to a few vendors about tops and 4x4, bull-guard and rear bumper, etc.
My full fantasy plans for this trailer, at least so far and in no particular order, are to:
- lower the center of gravity for hiway towing and off-road crawling (getting the axle above the springs should help that greatly)
- probably change out the floor for aluminum (that thick diamond plate weighs well over a 100lbs, he said)
- add flat water tanks and house batts in the body
- set up the tub for cargo, not living space, probably with a tailgate and shallow, long pull out drawers with storage above
- add a Lock-n-roll or Max Coupler hitch or similar
- add leveling legs
- do something with those fenders, though they may look less wonky once the box rides lower
- add aluminum boxes above the fenders and fore/aft of the fenders, keeping departure angle in mind
- actuators/lifts for platform to get sleeping platform up
- rooftop tent (leaning towards Tepui right now because of quality, style, and numerous tales about customer service over other vendors)
- 270 awning like Rhino, Foxwing, etc, though been pondering a way to build one myself. I have industrial sewing machines and experience with fabrics.
The list goes on. . . you get the idea. Big dreams, reality may be far different
Here's some pics of how the trailer looked today, with the last one being the truck meant to tow this trailer to shows once it was done:
