my first m100 expo/camp trailer build

[poorwhiteboy]

hello everbody, a while back i acquired an old military trailer(i think its an m100) from my gpa. and immediately started looking for ideas on how to modify it. ive been lurking around this site for a few months and have decided ill be building a all-in-one camping trailer/ expedition set up. ultimate goal is to be able to just hook up to the trailer on short notice and have everything i need for camping ready and waiting. so this is when i got it...
....
the first thing i did was get rid of the old tires and put some actual meats on it, they were originaly supposed to be temporary but the more i look at it the more i kinda like them just how they are! haha. next i cut out a tailgate so i had a place to mount my gas grill. when i got the thing cut open i realized i was going to need to stiffen the gate up a bit so i just doubled it up with some 10ga, that seemed to do wonders. with a good sturdy tailgate i then mounted grill with a four pieces of angle iron.

after i got the grill/tailgate situated my next task was fresh water. i got my hands on a water tank that just so happened to slide down perfectly into the trailer. SCORE! it even has a dry compartment on top im using for misc. items gloves, ratchet straps, ect... i am in the middle of running a line out the bottom of the tank and out the front corner of the trailer and will have a spigot so ill have 20 gallons of fresh wash with the turn of a nob. i also needed to come up with a place to mount extra fuel and propane. so i built a couple platforms on either side on the rear of the trailer. one for a 5 gal fuel tank and one for a propane tank... i don't have a picture of the propane tank but its mounted the same way as the fuel can... and im using nicer straps than the ones in the pictures. and i used piece of 3" square tube for my bumper which ill be mounting flush mount led tail/brake lights (D-ring just for ****s and giggles)

i wanted to make a lid for it but i also wanted to have some sort of rail/ledge so i can haul things like cooler, spare tire, camp chairs, ect.. and have a sence of security about them riding back there, so rather than building a lid with side rails on it i decided to recess the lid down so it sits where the trailer 45s out. i built a template lid out of 1/4" cdx plywood and once i got it trimmed perfectly i traced it out and cut a piece of nice 1/2" hardwood plywood and then coated it entirely with rustoleum restore X textured coating, that stuff is amazing!! i ran a stainless steel piano hinge down the middle of the lid length wise so the lid can be opened from either side of the trailer. underneath i keep my weather proof totes with other gear in them....
.....its not quite done yet though. im currently talking with Justin from adventure soleRT tents about getting a tent for the top of the trailer and when that happens ill be building a rack for it to mount to similar to Box rockets collapsible tent rack.

 

[grnhornetcustoms]

That is a M100 probably 50's era and and the condition is really good for its age. I can see the paint on the front of the tub where the data plates are or were (can't tell from the pictures). I wish mine was in that condition when I started. Good start.


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[poorwhiteboy]

m100 ok good to know.. thank you! I didn't really wasn't sure what style it was I only guessed from the look of other trailers... how can you tell them apart? what classifies this trailer as an m100?

 

[jgdarcy]

Nice work.

You will want to pay attention to how much weight you put behind the axle. These little trailers need sufficient tongue weight to track correctly when towing.

 

[poorwhiteboy]

thanks for the heads up. I figured I will have plenty of tongue weight when my water tank is full... so that shouldn't be a problem.. although the trips back home might be another story... haha! but ill cross that bridge when I get to it.. that's good to know though, thank you!

 

[grnhornetcustoms]

m100 ok good to know.. thank you! I didn't really wasn't sure what style it was I only guessed from the look of other trailers... how can you tell them apart? what classifies this trailer as an m100?

First it is exactly like what I started with and mine still has the data plates. The M100 has the 4 tie down points corner handles similar to the M416 but that is where the similarities end. The M416 doesn't have the rounded fenders, has different axle and hubs. Yours probably has reverse threaded wheel studs on one side if someone hasn't changed them out and it has a parking brake that the WWII trailers did not have. The parking brake handle is M100 type as is the "L" frame, the M416 has a "C" channel and an extra cross member over the axle. The M100 tub is welded to the frame and the M416 has tabs and is bolted. The pintle and foot are also different. There are a lot of other subtle things I haven't touched on and I am far from an expert but if you check out my build I think you will see what I'm talking about.



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[poorwhiteboy]

question???

so ive been thinking I want to be able to run the same wheels/tires on my trailer as I have on my 4runner. is there anyway I can switch out the 5 lug hub and replace it with a 6lug hub froma trailer supply co? does anyone know the size of the spindles on these m100s?

 

[poorwhiteboy]

UPDATE

so ive done a little work as of lately...
View attachment 335463...seperated the tub from the frame (major PITA!) took it in and sandblasted it at a buddys shop.
then hit it with some cheap primer before putting the two pieces back together and mocked it all back together to see how it fits.... View attachment 335464..View attachment 335465..View attachment 335466..View attachment 335467...
then I needed something for the inside of the tub so I lined it with some Rustoleum textured grip coating brushed it on and it turned out pretty good IMO........