Arctic Offroad Forums

I had just ordered a new 3,500# axle with the same track width as my Jeep to build a trailer. I have had my eye out for a decent M416 military trailer, but I hadn't found one in good shape or for a good price. I decided to build my own. I'm planning on having plate steel broke in the same design as the M416. I'm not sure if I want it to have a tailgate or sealed so that it remains watertight when fording. I'm also thinking about a RTT (roof top tent) like some of the other camping trailers I see online.

I caught the military bug and just won two auctions for some military trailers. I'm getting a M101A2 3/4 ton trailer and a M105A2 1.5 ton trailer. I'll use the M101 behind my CUCV which will work perfectly. I bought the M105 on a whim. It's too big to tow behind the CUCV and really haul anything, but I have a build in mind.

I want to get a M37 duece and a half sometime soon. I want to bob the bed, making the truck a single rear axle, and use the M105 trailer body as a truck bed. I've seen this on some other trucks and it looks awesome. Get rid of the dual wheels and use some 46" Michelin XML's on super single wheels. Nice short wheelbase truck, big tires, and hopefully enough floatation.

I can't wait. I'm sure my wife isn't going to like more camo in the driveway :eek:

Cool !
Pics ?

Here's the front of the M101

Here's the back of the M101

Here's the M105

This is similar to what I want to do with a duece. He grafted a second cab to make it a crew cab and cut the M105 body down. This is on 53" XZL's.

Sweet!

Bulldog Wrote:I want to get a M37 duece and a half sometime soon. I want to bob the bed, making the truck a single rear axle, and use the M105 trailer body as a truck bed. I've seen this on some other trucks and it looks awesome. Get rid of the dual wheels and use some 46" Michelin XML's on super single wheels. Nice short wheelbase truck, big tires, and hopefully enough floatation.

I can't wait. I'm sure my wife isn't going to like more camo in the driveway :eek:

Very cool idea...100dollarman is selling something just like that, but not crew-cabbed like above.

http://www.100dollarman.com/trucks.html

Can't beat that price...I just wish I could swing it. Hey, it might save you some work, and you can keep the M105 trailer intact and tow it behind that for even more cargo capacity.

That guy has exactly what I want to do. I might have to look at buying from him. A deuce up here in AK runs $6,000 to $8,000, then I'd have to do the work and buy the tires. I could go down there, buy the truck and probably drive it back to AK for less money and time that I could do it myself. I could also have them load up the truck bed with tires on the drive back

If you buy it I promise to live vicariously through you. I showed it to my wife and she just shook her head and walked away. :troutslap:

If you decide to do that, let me know when you do because I'd like some of the smaller stuff he's got. I just wish I could find a 1/4 ton trailer for a good price.

Personally though I'd get one with a PTO winch and bob it like that...probably cost another grand or so but I think it'd be worth it. Loss of a couple degrees approach angle doesn't seem so bad with 46" tires.

I'm going to use the basic M416 design for my Jeep trailer.

I'm trying to decide if I want to also incorporate a "roof top tent" like this. The tent is about $1,000 plus shipping. I could buy a nice 4-season tent for about half of that and use it on any trip, so I'm undecided.

I don't see the point of having a built-in elevated tent that costs so much. You can spend that money and get the best tent at sportsman's with good sleeping pads and other gear. If you're going to be at a campground...what's the point if you take the easy setup? It takes a half hour to properly set up a large-ish tent with practice. you're also going to want to make sure that trailer is on level ground when you set it up.

Also, that's exactly the type of trailer I want.

how much did the trailer axle run you, I want to build a small trailer for my buggy when i get back

I had to have 6Robblee's order it. IIRC, it's real close to $260. I went with the #3500 pound axle instead of the 2000# axle. The heavier axle allows me to inboad the springs more to make room for 12.5" wide tires. I ordered a 63" WMS to WMS axle which will allow me to run my 5" backspaced wheels and still have a 48" wide trailer between the tires. Plus the heavier axle has a bigger tube and should resist offroad abuse better. They also said I could swap out the 3500# springs for 2000# springs if I wanted. I'm somewhat worried that a light trailer will bounce to much with the heavier springs.

Have you seen these yet?
I don't know prices, but I bet you could get a barebones setup for a reasonable ammount.
http://www.beartrailersports.com/trailgater.html

The guy down the street has a duece that I think he would be willing to sell. PM me for his contact info if you want it.

One of these years I'd like to build another trailer and do this kind of thing with a Mopar minivan axle

sevenslats Wrote:Have you seen these yet?
I don't know prices, but I bet you could get a barebones setup for a reasonable ammount.
http://www.beartrailersports.com/trailgater.html

I did see those and liked the idea, but $2500 base price before options and shipping is more than I want to pay for a trailer.

I hope to build mine for $500 to $700.

boshos Wrote:The guy down the street has a duece that I think he would be willing to sell. PM me for his contact info if you want it.

I'm going to have to sell a vehicle before buying a duece. Maybe in the next couple of months.

boshos Wrote:The guy down the street has a duece that I think he would be willing to sell. PM me for his contact info if you want it.

An actual duece and a half? How much is he asking and does it run?

If it is the duece on the right side of the road it's a M221 GM based, Gas 6cyl, auto trans, the axles are like big 9 " fords and aren't the strongest, no one has lockers for them ether, the trans was a ture hydomatic built by caddy. I have a full write up on them if you want it.