What do you carry in your M416/ trailers?

[Sleam]

Im picking up a M416 from CoHunter on Sunday. Ive been going back and forth on getting a Teardrop, trailer, or a van. It's been quite a process! I've found a trailer in great condition, with a lockable lid, tires to match my 4Runner or the Landy. I've mostly been traveling NF roads and Colorado mountains, sleeping in the 4Runner or setting up the tent when staying more than a night. My plan is to keep the back of the Toyota as a bed and carry the tent, chairs, cooking and food, water etc in the trailer.
Do i need to put the water or heavy supplies at the front or over the tires? Anything special that you did to set up the storage? Thanks, s

 

[4x4play82]

My current setup has a 17 gallon water tank, battery, water pump and a mixture of pelican cases. I'm in the process of changing it up with the idea of putting my batter and electrical in a pelican case on the tongue under my pelican cooler. I also run a rooftop tent, spare on the rear and pioneer tools on the sides.

 

[mep1811]

I have my RTT and kitchen and camping boxes. My Yeti cooler is in the bed along with some extra water. I use the Yeti as a freezer with dry ice. That frees up my fridge for other goodies.

The water cooler is filled with ice and topped off with water. It will hold ice water for for about five days before needing fresh ice. I have a 100 AH battery on the tongue for power.

The nice thing about the trailer is you can be flexible with what you carry and just leave it at camp when you want to explore.

 

[Sleam]

Wow! What a great set up! Thanks Mike for the inspiration. Im so used to being limited that it's like having blinders. Hmmm, food for thought, right?

 

[veetee]

I carry all the camping gear in the trailer, separated in three compartments. 2 large alu storage boxes, ons with food, the other with cooking gear. Then also a BBQ, wood stove, and fire place. Camping tables, chairs, extra tarp and poles. Under the floor of the trailer is a 48 l water tank (with manual tap). In de back of the car I keep personal belongings, clothing, and some kitchen gear, as wel as tools and spares. In the car is alo a 35 l compressor fridge, with dual battery setup and solar panels on the roof rack.

 

[PhulesAU]

Keep your weight as low as possible. I carry a 20 gallon tank, mounted just behind the axle. If you're able to just set stuff in or on the trailer, it's a good time to check tongue weight. BEFORE you bolt or weld.

 

[Sleam]

Thanks fellas, I'll keep all this in mind. Posting photos next week for you!

 

[brian90744]

I carry LP bar-b-Q, Camp Chef compact LP Fire place. 20#LP tank, Folding Table, 2 Burner stove, Easy-up awning, a 2000 watt generator and 2 gallons of gas. chairs, Lots of ammo and shooting stuff. Large Axe, just some of the stuff. (I use 2 HF cargo bars cut to fit trl) to Prevents cargo shift. plus I have a Pop=up Camper to pull this. just FYI=brian

 

[Sleam]

Great photos.

 

[shogun]

The purpose of the trailer is to remove weight from the vehicle axles. Heavy items go in the trailer, keep the vehicle light and balanced. Keep vehicle essentials in the vehicle in case you need to dump the trailer.

The trailer should be as close to balanced as possible, less than 100# on the tongue (vehicle rear axle). Heaviest/densest items over the trailer axle, also consider consumables closer to axle so as not to alter the CG as you use them. Heavy consumables on the tongue will cause a large shift in CG as they get used and present a problem balancing (tongue weight).

 

[Sleam]

The purpose of the trailer is to remove weight from the vehicle axles. Heavy items go in the trailer, keep the vehicle light and balanced. Keep vehicle essentials in the vehicle in case you need to dump the trailer.

The trailer should be as close to balanced as possible, less than 100# on the tongue (vehicle rear axle). Heaviest/densest items over the trailer axle, also consider consumables closer to axle so as not to alter the CG as you use them. Heavy consumables on the tongue will cause a large shift in CG as they get used and present a problem balancing (tongue weight).

Good to know, my instinct told me to put the water and gas above the axles, tents and clothes to the front. Thanks.

 

[RKRUGER]

The short answer is "too much". But I guess that is why I bought/built it; to take some of the load of a family of five off of the tow vehicle. So stowed in the 416 for our 7 day trip to the Black Hills was (from the front, back) set of 2x6 ramps and wheel chocks, other set up gear, plywood fender table, the annex and 3 Ganner Mtn fold out cots, 3 plastic food bins, pop up mini enclosure, lantern, jumper-pack, 10 gallons of H20, camp chairs, 3 sleeping bags and REI 2" inflatable mattresses, Weber Jumbo Joe with toilet pail inside, and four duffels. The Trasheroo on the tongue has a 20# bag of Kingsford and some kindling, and a couple of LP canisters.


One note, since I added the spare on the receiver mount on the back, I have a hell of a time balancing the trailer. Love the look and the functionality, and wanted to be able to hang the Trasheroo on it, but I can't get enough weight in front of the axle. So while I haven't found a need for a tongue box with an electrical system, I may need to add one for ballast. Crazy to think of it that way. Will likely go the same route that Don Beasley did.

 

[Sleam]

Here's the little Red

Well, we drove up three and a half hours in sunshine to Raton, NM to meet up with the owners. By the time we got there the temperature had dropped and snow lay in the mountains. Leon and Peggy drove down three hours to meet us. I loved the trailer, just what I hoped for. Chris had to switch out the wiring harness ends for me as Leon and I took care of the paperwork. Little Red is light enough that we simply rolled it across to my 4Runner and hitched up as the clouds came in. Saying goodbye to Leon and Peggy, Chris and I made sandwiches on the lid of the trailer before driving home.
We drove through rain, hail, fog, and for a short patch snow. It took my mind of the fact that I was driving a trailer for the first time!



I'll post photos another time as to what goes where...thanks for all your input and ideas.
Sleam

 

[M35A2]

I'm not one for built-ins or losing flexibility as a result of customization.

I like to keep it simple. My M416 is used to carry whatever I need it to at any particular moment.

The plywood top has a frame that nestles inside the trailer's lip. It is easily tilted and propped up from any of the four sides. I can also remove it and, placed atop a fender and use the props as table legs with the ratchet straps keeping the top from sliding away from the trailer.

 

[tgreening]

I've had a number of M416s and they were always haulers of whatever. I'm not going to get into specifics on how to load yours but I'll tell you this, I've yet to meet one that like a light tongue. If you haul non consumables 10% of total weight of trailer/cargo on the tongue is a good place to start. If you do haul consumables and want to burn them without having to repackage the rest of the load, ending up with a heavy tongue is way more better than ending up with a too light tongue. At least on the road at highway speed. How you get there is up to you, but that would be my general recommendation.