1967 M416 project (1 Viewer)

BMThiker · Jun 5, 2017

Started a new project...that I probably won't finish until later in July. We're prepping for a big trip out west, but the trailer won't be going. But I had a few free hours on Sunday, so got some cheap lumber and assembled a topper for the trailer which will eventually serve double duty as a light weight basecamp table. Stage one was to keep tarp from pooling water, stage 2 is to create collapsible table legs. Here's stage one complete. 1/4" plywood + a couple 1x3's and a 1x4; glued and screwed.

BMThiker · Mar 26, 2018

I picked up one of these military tank boxes from @77TLCFJ40 a while back and just got around to mounting it on my m416. It's just for miscellaneous storage, not even lockable at this point, but I think it looks great. The box was for some sort of apparatus and had foam pads glued inside to cushion whatever it was. It had a very stout primer/base coating in that hay color yellow that you see on the inside. I just pulled them out and painted it to match the tub on my trailer.

I used some aluminum tubing I had laying around to create spacers between the tub and the box. This is so the hinged lid will open.

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BMThiker · May 26, 2021

The next evolution of my trailer is to build a telescoping rack to support my RTT. Phase one of CAD is done and it's an idea that's been knocking around in my brain - minimal penetrations to the tub and uses the inherent strength already there. ACC is cutting the bracket pieces on their plasma table out of 1/4" steel and I'll be using 1.5" square tube for the lower supports. The upper supports will be 1.25" square tube. I've got some aluminum Prinsu-knock off roof rails that were donated to the project and will form the sides of the RTT platform. I'm using standard aluminum cross bars from my Prinsu rack, 50" across. Once I get the mechanics of the telescoping pieces worked out, I may add some gas struts to the outside of each telescoping section.

CAD = cardboard aided design
I had originally thought I would use 1/8" plate as the illustration indicates, but it was recommended that I use 1/4".

Plates inside and outside the tub wall will be secured with through-bolts. Holes not shown in the cardboard mock-up, but blue tape pretty much shows what will be welded together.

In this photo I put a piece of angle that will get bolted to the frame. However, I may move the telescope outboard a bit more and just put a piece of flat steel bolted to the side of the frame on the outboard side and a piece of angle on the inboard side, giving the rack a slightly wider stance. It will block the tie-down "handle" though.

Not shown in this demo is the flat plate that goes outside the tub just under the rolled edge. Bolts will go through the tub here.

BMThiker · May 26, 2021

Just received a preview

BMThiker · May 26, 2021

Also picked up a 4 gal Waterport for a good deal on FB. It will make a nice addition to camp life, having pressurized water on tap. It came with a hitch mount so on the trailer will be perfect for base camp. It's got a built in handpump or you can put an air chuck on it to give it more HP. If it sits in the sun it will get warm, maybe even use it for a quick shower.

77TLCFJ40 · May 26, 2021

This thing just keeps getting better and better.

BMThiker · May 31, 2021

Some progress today

Welded up the tub brackets and bolted them up. Waiting on my 14ga tube to show up. I just have this scrap piece to help me place the brackets. Nothing on this tub is true/square. So this design will allow me to weld up the supports once I know they are squared up. Mostly each pair, front and rear, will have to be square to themselves so it doesn't bind when I am telescoping up and down.

BMThiker · Jun 3, 2021

@Papalud I believe you were wondering what I was up to on this trailer.

BMThiker · Jun 21, 2021

Well, I managed to bang it out before our trip to the mountains last week. Two solid days in the shop and one at home to finish priming and painting. Still gotta get some actuators, but the overall program is working as planned. And everything easily unbolts from the tub. If I did it again, I would modify the tub bracket shape slightly. I knew there was going to be some varying geometry because my tub is not anything close to being square. With a little change in the shape I would not have struggled as much as I did upon the welding stage.

Welding the traveling sections:

Welding the fixed uprights:

Welding the pop pins in place, then marking and drilling for lowest position, middle and full-upright on the traveling sections.

I welded 5/8"-11 grade 8 bolts into the horizontals to mount the roof rack rails. I then drilled and slotted holes at each end of the rack to allow it to articulate properly as one end is higher than the other when deploying. I added a second jam nut to the stack to secure it. Ideally the slot needs to be 2-3X longer, but these donated aluminum rails just didn't have enough material for a longer slot.

Here's the travel in mid-deployment. I originally intended to have only 2 stops in the travel, locked lower and deployed full-up. But with the smaller slot I needed to have a mid-deployment stop. After messing with it for a few days, I like having the mid-deployment stop for the convenience of maintenance on the roof rack and mounting things to it.

BMThiker · Jun 21, 2021

I had intended on installing off the shelf collapsible jack stands, but at the moment they are unobtanium. So I went to plan B - making my own! My original thought was something that could fold up into the rear section of the frame, but I was running out of fabrication time, so it went a little quicker with a slight design change.

I made legs that sleeve into the bottom of my existing fixed uprights. It made for a really clean look without a lot of unnecessary fabrication. I just toss the legs into the tub when not in use.

Close up view shows the blocks I added to keep the hinge from jamming up in the bottom of the upright.

Here's what one of the legs look like just loose.

BMThiker · Jun 21, 2021

Spent my third day cleaning up the surface with denatured alcohol and red scotch pads. Then primed and painted everything. Did a few more trip prepping errands and loaded the trailer up for its maiden voyage. You'll also note that I chopped off the weird ends of the roof rack rails to avoid cracking my head on pointy ends. This thing was originally laser cut and still had sharp edges all around, so I spent some time filing and sanding most of the exposed edges.

First stop Franklin, NC for lunch and a brew at Currahee.

Spent a few days in NC, then headed to GSMTR at Windrock Park. Got to deploy all the things. First time using the ARB annex too. After setting it up, I need to mount the awning about 6-8" higher to get better use of the annex. I like the design and the stability that the legs provided, so I am going to make another set to use on the front. This will give me more flexibility when trying to level the trailer and provide four adjustable points on the ground at a wider stance than the current 3-point situation.

Enjoying the shade and a breeze.

BMThiker · Jun 30, 2021

I'm having a hard time locating gas charged struts or air operated rams that have a 20+ inch throw. From my measurements, I need about 22-23" of lift. Any help would be appreciated.

gnob · Jun 30, 2021

Have you considered linear actuators?

BMThiker · Jun 30, 2021

@gnob Are you talking electric powered linear actuators? I have sourced some on McMaster Carr and they are stupid expensive.

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Air operated seem to be the cheapest option but are limited in overall throw. I also pondered if I could somehow repurpose the rear gate struts from a later model 4 runner - I just don't think they will have enough throw in a simple linear orientation.