It's trailer time! (1 Viewer)

[shakotankei]

As many people might have seen from the Desert Rendezvous thread I'm now the proud owner of a M101 CDN trailer. I never got around to making any kind of build thread for my 80 and it just appears at different trips with random new modifications so this time I'll try to at least document the build up on my trailer.

I've been searching for a 1/4 ton trailer for the last 2-3 years on various sites including my favorite Craiglist . I've contacted a bunch of people and seen a lot of 1/4 tons in various conditions, mostly banged up, rusted, and overpriced. The last year or so I've been searching heavily looking multiple times a day on different sites. Late February I managed to find a post on Clist for a M101CDN located out in Bakersfield within hours of it being posted. The price was a little on the higher end of what I wanted to pay but it was exactly what I've been looking for. got pictures of the trailer (ad didn't have any) to find out that this thing was in really great condition. Owner promised to give me "first shot at it" since I was traveling from Menifee and was genuinely interested so I ran out to Bakersfield super early in the morning with cash in hand and pintle hitch attached to the truck. This is what I ended up pulling home.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-8kpSUhhdB0E/T0qeCMh9HyI/AAAAAAAABGs/DNC8D0pZSYE/s996/IMG_1667.JPG
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-C59EU-no94k/T0rV_EGdGbI/AAAAAAAABHU/e-FF3gYSmvc/s996/IMG_1652.JPG

 

[FJRanger]

Great trailer Ryan.

Did you ever contact John at Castle fab?

We had him lengthen the tongue the following week after the DR and it looks great. I'll have to get my own picks up/thread started.

Nathan

 

[shakotankei]

Great trailer Ryan.

Did you ever contact John at Castle fab?

We had him lengthen the tongue the following week after the DR and it looks great. I'll have to get my own picks up/thread started.

Nathan

Actually I contacted John today to get the details on getting the lid made which kind of prompted starting this thread before I get too far into modifications. Might be dropping it by as early as this Friday to get it started.

One thing I'm concerned about from looking at my spy pictures of Brent's trailer is the strut bolt on the tub side is exactly where my original data plate is. Obviously this trailer isn't going to be a restoration or anything but it would be cool to keep it where it currently is.

Any suggestions?

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-lslnNEaF4YY/T4-5f8pHtGI/AAAAAAAABfw/MGIlhha3mFo/s996/IMG_1662.JPG

 

[fjc8871]

So jelly! Nice trailer.

 

[Brentbba]

As a fellow M101CDN owner, Ryan scored BIG TIME with the condition of this trailer. It had me drooling at Desert Rendevouz. It's got everything original from the triangle reflectors (which purists would kill Ryan to have!) down to the canvas cover!

Nathan - glad John at Castle Fab did a good job for you!

Ryan - you are correct. The bolt to the strut would hit right about the very top middle of your data plate. I dont know if moving that location of that strut bolt up and thru the 1" top rail would be an option or not. If not, it looks like the bolt would come through on the silver trim surround of the data plate. I think it would be easy to drill out and rerivet the original data plate an inch lower to save the integrity of it. It's worth keeping. Wish I had mine, but PO ditched it to get it registered in AZ as a home built. No biggie but it'd be cool to have.

Let me know if you need to 'borrow' my trailer to remind John of the great work he did on my lid. I'm only 10 miles from his shop.

I look forward to watching your progress!

 

[Brentbba]

So jelly! Nice trailer.

Bruno - good things come to those with the patience to wait for what they want. Ryan has been looking for 2-3 years.

 

[boydmick]

One thing I'm concerned about from looking at my spy pictures of Brent's trailer is the strut bolt on the tub side is exactly where my original data plate is. Obviously this trailer isn't going to be a restoration or anything but it would be cool to keep it where it currently is.

Any suggestions?

You could always have the lid open from the other side

 

[shakotankei]

You could always have the lid open from the other side

True but passenger side seems to be the more common opening side for some reason on a lot of trailer builds so I'll just stick with that.
Just like how most mount their awnings on the passenger side...
As cool as the data plate is its not THAT cool to me to change the opening orientation

Dropped the trailer off yesterday with Jon at castle fabrication to get the lid made. Was fun driving through the parking lot full of Rovers.
Was putting off painting the trailer until the lid was made so i wouldn't have to repaint the sections that get ground down and welded to.
Thinking of spray bombing the trailer to match the cruiser somewhat. Found two colors Krylon Khaki, and a Rustoleum "Dark Taupe" that fit the bill.
Leaning towards the rustoleum because its not as common and I've seen a bunch of Khaki military trailers and I'm not really a fan of flat paint.
Painted a couple tools i had laying around to compare it to my truck HERE . Thinking one of those colors and Black fenders/tie down / Frame/Tongue.
Maybe even copy how Brent painted the reinforced sections. I really dig the way his came out.

Next project is to mount up my 1.2m Camping Lab RTT to the trailer. Thinking a track system might be the ticket that way I could use rack feet and
cross bars to mount other things like bikes/baskets when the tent isn't needed. I take it the Thule/Yakima track systems are similar? does anyone
know if one is better than the other? Found this post on Expo and was thinking of doing something similar as I don't want to shell out the $$$ for the
feet / cross bars just yet but would like to keep the option at a later time.

 

[Brentbba]

Ryan,

You can also hinge the lid at the front of the trailer to open from the rear. I've seen several M101CDN trailers hinged that way.

Advantage I've seen from Jon Holder's Chaser (before he sold it) was hinging the trailer on one side and putting the hinge for the tent on the same side does allow you to open the trailer lid with the tent deployed. The tent will just hinge up like you are folding it up when you open the lid to the trailer. Just another option to think about!

Thanks for the compliment on the paint job. Be sure to wash the out of the trailer first. If you have a power washer, use it to blast off as much loose paint, rust, etc. as you can first. Zaino (love their products) recommends using Dawn dishwashing detergent to strip old road grime, wax, etc. as it's got the strongest grease stripping properties of all the dish soaps. They do say not to use it frequently because of this.

On the new lid, there's a cleaner available at auto stores with the paints that can be used to strip/clean raw steel before priming and painting it. I used that on my lid before applying the Rustoleum primer.

On paint choices, if you just stick with Rustoleum/Krylon, etc. you should be ok. I used Duplicolor auto paint and it comes in both enamel and acrylic. If you use Rustoleum for your primer, it's enamel based and you can't put an acrylic finish coat on an enamel primer from the research I did. Regular big box rattle can stuff is cheaper (Rustoleum, etc.). The duplicolor auto paint is a little more expensive and comes in both enamel and acrylic varieties. I just figured as auto paint, it might be more durable, but no idea if it really is. Depends on what you want. I was chased out of the paint section of this board for wanting a nice paint job and still using rattle cans! I did not take the trailer to a 1-Day Paint and Body to 'see' what a more professional job might cost. I did spend a good $200 or so on rattle cans between the underbody coating, primer and finish coat paint. You can always go to an auto paint place and get an exact paint match. Place here in Laguna Niguel wanted $25 per can tho!

It'll take more spray cans than you think to! Several light coats is much better than one thick coat. The stuff drys to repaint fairly quickly which is nice.

 

[Brentbba]

BTW Ryan - forgot to mention that Martyn uses Thule tracks and bars on their Chaser and Horizon trailers. He uses 3 bars. I picked up my 3 Thule bars and feet from someone that did a strut lift contraption that Castle Fab did that was sweet to lift the tent above head height from trailer height. Not cheap. He sold me the bars and feet and I purchased the tracks.

I suppose either Thule or Yakima would both do fine. Advantage I'd think for Thule would be the rectangular bars that give more surface for the typical track attachments for tents I've seen.

 

[SoCal_80]

I have three thule bars if need some.

 

[shakotankei]

I have three thule bars if need some.

if you still have these I'll take them off your hands. not quite at that part of my build yet but I guess ill eventually need them. Do I need 3 for my RTT? I have the 1.2M Camping Lab tent. Need to round up some towers next I guess. Just received my Thule tracks in the mail . Picked up the trailer from Castle Fab on Sunday. working on prepping the trailer to paint if this weather would stop sucking.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4wONd3MVypI/T53MnSKIHdI/AAAAAAAABjo/cVyIsdDkDOw/s800/IMG_1911.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lNaD-vnHQ1w/T53MlbPMtyI/AAAAAAAABjY/yFkSQmFSD_8/s800/IMG_1909.JPG

Also still trying to find a 93-94 80 series wheel or 2 95-97 wheels If anyone has a spare or wants to trade for my chrome ones I have in storage

 

[FJRanger]

Looks great Ryan! I hear you about the weather I've been trying to finish up my LC's drawer and because of the poor weather in the mornings I have been unable to spray the drawer with Al's Liner... no garage and working nights.

 

[shakotankei]

Just finished spraying the lid. fingers crossed that it comes out half way decent. sprayed the inside of the tub a couple days ago. white made the most sense.

 

[FJRanger]

Looks good

 

[SoCal_80]

Still have the Thule bars. Send me a pm and we can figure things out. Btw the trailer looks sweet!!!

 

[Brentbba]

Looking good Ryan. Lid looks remarkably familiar!

How did you end up placing the struts to avoid the ID plate?

 

[shakotankei]

How did you end up placing the struts to avoid the ID plate?

ended up being shifted to the right slightly. the lid location ended being on the other side of the center section. Jon ended up having to make mounts so the strut would clear the center section which is now square tube.

been pretty lazy about updating due to actually getting burned out over painting the lid in my free time. been doing it little by little but this last week I randomly just got motivated to do some real work. Here are some pictures of what I've been up to.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-skIhAIUkkmc/T6l_tU9d9VI/AAAAAAAABpQ/nwkSbqos5x4/s800/IMG_1951.JPG
painted the outside of the lid

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-gxTwd8aA35Q/T8LgJfuoi5I/AAAAAAAABzs/lAsSkRp8ocY/s800/IMG_2022.JPG
painted the trailer.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-u0FpyqvVkdI/T8CPhUFLL4I/AAAAAAAABxw/Ow1Su-CclUE/s800/IMG_2008.JPG
Switched the dim military lights to LED tails that I fancied up with some braided sleeve.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Bw3WJG_Ocn8/T8LgwmDgoeI/AAAAAAAAB00/OsT8TrGHY8c/s800/IMG_2030.JPG
Reattached the lid.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-cEmWo7Zdnmg/T8LhV6QDF5I/AAAAAAAAB18/4pmYBMKCSW8/s800/IMG_2039.JPG

Things I need to do:
[STRIKE]-reattach data plate[/STRIKE]
-attach the weather strip on the lid
-drill into the lid to mount the thule tracks
-replace the blitz can holders on the side of the trailer (repaint or get new ones) or figure out what else i can put in that spot that use the four bolt holes.
-mount RTT
-figure out the hub conversion stuff once i get wheels/tires for the trailer.
[STRIKE]-get wheel chocks[/STRIKE]

wow looking at my list it really feels like I didn't get a whole lot done. sure felt like it though

 

[Brentbba]

Gee...I'm flattered at the beautiful copy job on the trailer paint scheme. Looks great. I know how you feel about the painting. There's a LOT of surface area when you look at the interior/exterior of both the trailer and the lid.

What color is the paint. Appears to be a dark sand or a very light shade of olive green??

I see the square tube running down the center top of the lid. Did he weld the two side pieces to the tube then? Probably structurally a little stronger perhaps than the bend/bolt design of mine. Probably easier to fab/bend the pieces for the lid too! Looks very clean on the interior shot of the lid open.

When you do the Thule tracks, remember to measure at least FIVE times before you drill holes into that beautiful lid. I made sure I was square and even with the rails front and back as well as side to side. I'm happy with the way my Thule rail/bars turned out...even if I don't have a tent for it...yet! Be generous with the silicone that comes with the track around the holes. If I were to do it again, I'd be much more generous on the bottom of the track around the bolt holes and perhaps even run a bead length wise on the bottom of the track to completely seal it around the edges of the track. I didn't and water can and does gather under the rail as a result. Too lazy right now to remove the rails and do that. Just a suggestion.

Love the 'bling' of the braided line to the tail lights. LED's are the way to go for saftey. Looks like you need to add putting a light on your licence plate to your to do list too! The PRK requires one. I picked up a $20 LED bar that works just fine and tapped into the brake light wiring. I agree with your statement about the military ones being very dim. Still jealous of your original triangle reflectors too.

What did you end up using for the interior of the tub?

On your list of things to do, be sure to use rivets to reattach the data plate. If you don't have a rivet tool, I do, and at our next M&G or get together, I can bring the rivet gun and rivits to do it right!

She's coming along beautifully! Keep up the good work and updates to this thread. Fun to watch!

 

[Dan2722]

Looking really good Ryan.

x2 on that paint color. I really like the paint scheme.