Offroad camping trailer started

[system-f]

I started building my frame about 2 weeks ago and have completed 90% of the skeleton today. The frame is made of 14 gauge 2"x2" and 1 1/4" 14 gauge for the frame. The tongue will be 2"x2" 1/8" that will travel the full length of the trailer with a 2" receiver in the rear just in case I have to do some weird recovery. I realize this material is thin, I don't have anything thinner than 3/16" on my truck, but I need to keep this light and the design of the skeleton should keep the weight down and retain strength.

This is my tow rig



and here is my current offroad trailer in dire need of new decking



My trailer will be simple and clean.

[PaulC]

So, are we building a TD or just another tray top trailer? It it's a tray top, the material used should be okay BUT if it's going to be a TD, I think you are to light with those thicknesses.
Cheers
Paul

[Boodro]

Ya want off road ? Here ya go !


Its at a govermnet liquidation site!

[system-f]

it's a TD, more like a wedge, but it is not a flat frame, it has a steel cage and the tongue will go from front all the way to rear and be mucho thick. The spring perch front and rear will be mounted on 3/8" thick 2" x 3" angle iron to reduce flexing stress on the frame. Time will tell how it holds up, but it should be fine at 14 gauge.

[system-f]

So far the steel frame has been built which is more of a cage than just a simple frame. The frame is 5' x 9' x 3 1/2' more than enough room to sit up. The weight is within 150lbs. I also built the door frame out of 3/4" x 3/4" square tube.

Today I picked up a 3500lb axle with electric drum brakes and registered the trailer. Tomorrow I will pickup the 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" square tube that will go from tongue to rear receiver and some leaf springs. I also hope to pick another digital camera so I can share some pics. I plan on building a swivel hitch that has a 2" x 2" tube to plug into a receiver as I have done on my other offroad flatbed trailer, but this will be removable to accept a standard ball coupler.

[Miriam C.]

That all sounds great but where da pics. You gotta keep pics of da build.

[system-f]

my digi cam was taken when my truck was broken into and this weekend was either steel or camera.

The trailer now has a tongue and is sitting on its tires. I am afraid my choice of leaf springs off of a Mazda B2000 pickup truck maybe too soft, but we will see. The trailer with tires and axles weighs less than 500lbs.

This is what I have spent so far:

Steel for cage = $88
Steel for tongue, bracing = $117
3500 axle with brakes = $209
Leaf springs = $40
bolts and 5/8 drill bit = $36
front ball coupler = $20 ( an offroad coupler will be built)
Registration = $40

[Jeeper92]

Where did you find those government trailers?I love the look of those things, would like to build on one of them

[jagular7]

Where did you find those government trailers?I love the look of those things, would like to build on one of them

The auction site for the DRMOs service in the military/gov't is Gov't Liquidation

Those pictured at the M105 trailer frames. They are wider and heavier to carry more weight. The M105 series is a 1-1/2 ton trailer. With a 5x9 bed it weighs empty over 2300#s. Though, it'll carry over 4 tons offroad. The lesser model similar in size is the M101 3/4 ton trailer. It weighs nearly #1300 empty but will carry nearly 2 tons offroad. Then there is the well-known to the Jeep world M416 1/4ton trailer. Its max capacity was nearly a ton. Some trailers have braking capabilities like those in the picture. The box on the coupling is the brake actuator. A real benefit to a mil trailer is the use of a parking brake. I'd guess its necessary with couple tons sitting in it.
There are various versions of the series for the trailer also. Some a flat for generators, fuel or water tanks, etc. Some are designed to carry much more weight so they may have dual wheels on the axle.

Prices for the trailers vary on its location, and actually I've found the part of the year (winter vs summer). There is no direct compatibility with any non-mil vehicle. You'll have to bring a flat 4 with wired magnetic lights to use. You'll have to mod your coupling to work with a lunette tongue. All this is rather simple to do.

[PresTx82]

Ya want off road ? Here ya go !


Its at a govermnet liquidation site!

That's exactly what I am looking for ...........!

[jagular7]

I've got this M101 trailer frame to use it on 96" long ~44" wide last year from gov't liq.




Its much lighter than those M105 frames.

[brian_bp]

The surge brake system is sensible and common - on rentals and boat trailers. The parking brake, on the other hand, is cool and quite uncommon in North America. Are those two separate brake levers - one per wheel - on the front corners of the frame, even on the M101 with pintle hitch and no brake actuator?

[Jeeper92]

What did you end up paying for that trailer and how much does it weight, i like the idea of bulding a tear on an aggresive sitting trialer like that. It wll match my jeep just perfect

[jagular7]

The surge brake system is sensible and common - on rentals and boat trailers. The parking brake, on the other hand, is cool and quite uncommon in North America. Are those two separate brake levers - one per wheel - on the front corners of the frame, even on the M101 with pintle hitch and no brake actuator?

The surge brakes came in different models of the mil trailers. Both handles are hand brakes for left and right. Now mind you, the drums weigh a lot each. They need to be large to keep the weight secured.

But remove the mil axle, add some real trailer axle (:shock:) with some respectable springs, lower it to the ground some, redo the tongue and stand, and that's where I'll be going with it for a TTT.

The US mil trailers are readily available as are good deals. I'll sell off the mil lights and wiring and the tongue stand/pintle hitch. They also come available with a rear balance stand. The M101 trailers were mostly generator trailers. I purchased this for $103.

[jagular7]

hickup