SoDak's M101A2 build

[SoDakSooner]

Military LEDs are available for those buckets so hang on to them if you want to reuse or you can replace with entire units and still keep the original look.

I fully intend to reuse them. Was just planning on converting them to 12volt. cleaning them up and rehanging them. I'll look at the LED's.

Thanks,

 

[SoDakSooner]

Did just a little bit of work last night. Got some initial welding done on the tongue. Don't laugh, I am pretty much a novice, but got good penetration even if the welds don't look that great. Will work on finishing up the tongue and try and get the nose jack mounted this weekend. Spent some time trying to decipher the tail lights too. Think I have them figured out, but didn't have any tools in the house to take them apart. Shouldn't be too hard to modify them.

 

[KellyM]

Looking good!

 

[SoDakSooner]

So got a bit more done this weekend...

Got the tongue finished up. Will probably do a redesign at some point. My son, always willing to point out my mistakes , noticed the tongue was a bit crooked. it is centered at the front, but just a hair off. I don't really like it as it sits and want something a bit more beefy eventually.

Got the nose jack welded up and the entire setup primed.

Lunette bought at tractor supply.

Repacked both wheel hubs. Threw a coat of paint on the drums just for fun.

Cut out all the old wiring.

Removed all the hydraulic brake lines, brake actuators and adjusted the pads so the parking brakes actually work.

Took it for a trip around the block. Pulls well.

This week...Safety Chains, lights(most likely temporary as we want to use it this weekend possibly) and build a temporary rack for the RTT.

 

[Csm Davis]

So I did a little bit of teardown last night. Got the stakes out(I don't think they had ever been off. and pulled the lights.

Wiring is pretty bad on the tail lights, but I want to reuse the housings. Has anyone ever gutted these and completely rewired them for 12 volt? I don't need the convoy lights or blackouts, just want the standard stuff. Would like to use LED's. I don't think it will be that difficult, but don't want to reinvent the wheel.

Didn't really have time to do much else. The parking brakes do work and the tires are still holding air. Pins holding the tailgate are so rusted I can't get them out. Sprayed them down with some penetrant so will try tonight.

Going to blatantly steal Hitchcrack's tongue idea.

The tail lights don't need to be rewired to make them 12v wiring is the same for 12 and 24 on lights all you need is 12v bulbs or you can get the led military lights that just replace the whole face of the lights.
As for the brakes I like the surge brakes when they are cleaned up inside and out the work great. They can be setup to be waterproof for fording rivers and I am fairly certain you can get a bolt on 6 lug hub, or a adapter from 8 lug to 5. The axle is plenty strong to take the roughest terrain you might ever see and if you just want a softer ride remove some of the springs. I have several of these and love them the A3 model had some nice up grades, actual wind up Jack and higher clearance axle with wider fender wells .



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[Mark Harley]

Looks good, I like the extended tongue. How far off is it?
What color choice are you going with? Match the Jeep?
Great little trailers.

 

[SoDakSooner]

Looks good, I like the extended tongue. How far off is it?
What color choice are you going with? Match the Jeep?
Great little trailers.

Not bad where it sits, about 1/8". However if I went longer on the tongue extension it would get progressively worse as it is canted just a bit

Idk on color. Really eventually it will need to be blasted, so I have a while to decide. The desert camo is growing on me though. I like black but would get hot to touch in summer time.

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[RagnarD]

Its almost funny how much effort it takes to get a new tongue in square. I am willing to bet only you and your son even notice it. Looking good so far.

My vote is to just rattle can as needed. You WILL be grinding off nice paint if you get it painted professionally. It is nice being able to touch up or paint to match new things you add. As long as you don't allow water to pool up inside tub, rust is not a huge issue. There is also a trail credit factor to consider.....

 

[SoDakSooner]

Its almost funny how much effort it takes to get a new tongue in square. I am willing to bet only you and your son even notice it. Looking good so far.

My vote is to just rattle can as needed. You WILL be grinding off nice paint if you get it painted professionally. It is nice being able to touch up or paint to match new things you add. As long as you don't allow water to pool up inside tub, rust is not a huge issue. There is also a trail credit factor to consider.....

Yeah, no doubt. I did learn how to do it next time though. square the front....and the back of the tube.....

I picked up a couple of rattle cans of camo tan yesterday. Darker than the desert tan, but got a coat on the tongue last night....wasn't home very long and had other commitments. the paint on the tub isn't bad, but the frame looks hideous. I'll at least pull the tub at some point and blast and paint the frame.

I did pick up a bunch of steel to start the roof rack. Wanted to get it done by the weekend, but looks like the tent may have to sit on the jeep for this trip.

 

[Ovrlnd Rd]

If you want cans of the actual desert tan Rapco paints out of Ft Worth has it but using Behr house paint tinted to match works just as well.

 

[SoDakSooner]

Little more progress tonight. Lights converted to 12 volt and LED's. Rewired the trailer and had to repair some wiring in one of the housings. Everything worked 1st time... Got a bit lucky. Light are really tucked up there.... Might mod the brackets a bit at some point.

Got my rails done, and my risers and crossbars cut for my temporary fixed rack.

Will get everything tacked together tomorrow night.

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[SoDakSooner]

Well, didn't get to work on it Thursday and had a 4 day weekend to use the trailer, so Friday was a bit of a scramble.

Got the safety chain brackets welded up.

Got the rack put together. I realize it doesn't work with the lines of the trailer, but it is only temporary until I get a telescoping setup together. Just wanted to use it for now. Some folks commented that it was stupid looking, MEH, to each their own. It works. My welds weren't pretty as I was slapping it together, and always seem to fight my visor. Spent way too much time dinking around with that. No more cheap ones. I have been through two of them.

Pulled out to Western Oklahoma. Finally got out of town about 430 PM.

Camped at Alabaster Caverns state park.

Hit a total of 5 state parks over the weekend

Alabaster Caverns
Boiling Springs
Gloss Mountain
Little Sahara
Great Salt Plains.

Nothing "expeditioney" about the weekend, just a camping trip(except for a really sketchy just plowed dirt road...actually had to use 4wd to keep it stable.)

Some notes:

1 x 2 x ll ga tubing is pretty stout.
Jeep really doesn't like 30mph crosswinds while pulling a trailer. Kept setting off the traction control...really need to install the traction control interrupt mod.
Trailer pulled great. Spent a lot of time in 3rd and 4th gear. Still averaged about 13.5 mpg for the trip.
Really never noticed any noise from the pintle. Might just keep this setup.
Western Oklahoma has some really strange topography.
Never pass up an opportunity to get gas in that part of the state.

Some pics of the trailer, and one of the topography

 

[dstock]

1 x 2 x ll ga tubing is pretty stout.
Jeep really doesn't like 30mph crosswinds while pulling a trailer. Kept setting off the traction control...really need to install the traction control interrupt mod.
Trailer pulled great. Spent a lot of time in 3rd and 4th gear. Still averaged about 13.5 mpg for the trip.
Really never noticed any noise from the pintle. Might just keep this setup.
Western Oklahoma has some really strange topography.
Never pass up an opportunity to get gas in that part of the state.

Some pics of the trailer, and one of the topography

Do you have the factory tow package on your JK? I've towed mine through some crazy crosswinds with no traction control issues at all.

 

[SoDakSooner]

No factory tow, which doesn't add any stabilization I believe, but i have 4.56 gears, so that isn't the issue.

Soft suspension and a 3.5" lift, and is like a big sail...lol. have to hold the steering left or right depending, and it thinks it is turning so keeps engaging the traction control. I really need to look at my tie rod and drag link(i.e. replace them...) I have new ball joints already but in reality, have a bit too much play in the steering.

 

[dstock]

Sway control comes with the tow package on the JK but I believe I read somewhere that 2013-on it comes standard regardless of whether or not you have the tow package.

Sounds like you do have something going on in your front end. Always a pain tracking that stuff down, BTDT!! Good luck!