M101 canadian trailer (1 Viewer)

[The Dude]

I picked this bad boy up over the winter and it is time to do some mods to it.

I am looking for some advice on the axle. I am planing to swap in a complete axle with a LC bolt patern and SOA at the same time. My idea was to use a 3" tube with land cruiser spindles/hubs welded to each end. I was concerned about losing the e-brake, which I think is a good idea...I am toying with the thought of using the shafts from a broken set of birfs and welding them on the inside of the spindle and using a selectable outer hub to lock and unlock the tire...

does this make sense? am I missing something?

any feed back would be great.

 

[Mike S]

I suggest that you get a standard HD trailer axle and cut and weld to get it the same width as the cruiser wheels - if the trailer box can fit this set-up. Definitely do spring over and 6 on 5.5" hubs with cruiser compatible wheels and run the same tires as you use on the cruiser. You will never run out of spare tires.

I did this with my trailer, and it now tracks perfectly and sits level with the cruiser (which has a 2.5" OME suspension lift).

I don't see any reason for Aisin hubs or birfields - the 6 on 5.5 hubs for trailers are commercially available and that's what I used. I would also add a water tank, gas can holders, etc.

 

[Exiled]

Mike's right, you're better off with a dedicated trailer axle. I paid $125 for mine, custom built to my measurements (matches the 60 series axle exactly), using the same generic 6x5.5" trailer hubs. They stand up pretty good against water and you can find bearings for them *everywhere* (I keep a spare set in the trailer).

I was worried about the hand-brake as well, but ended up not missing it. Get yourself some cheap chocks and throw them inside.

 

[The Dude]

Good advice on the chocks. I have also decided that the bought axle is the way to go.

I would also like to lengthen the hitch so that I can jack knife it without hitting the back of the 61 and to get a little better control backing up. I still haven't mastered the short length. Any advice on the swivel pintle?? Is it an important feature or can it just be fixed. I am not sure but it looks like I will lengthen the A frame on the front to get the length I am after. Or maybe just lengthening the pintle would work as well.

What did you do for the drop down leg? Modify or build new?

 

[Mike S]

My trailer has a swiveling pintle ring, which is set into a 2" steel square tube. The swiveling action reduces the chances or the ring binding in the hitch, and gives 360 degree movement - just in case.

The trailer has a 'receiver' in the front, and the tongue (with the pintle ring) slides in and out. This way it can ride close to the rear of the truck on the highway, but be lengthened for trail work. Works really well. This arrangement also allows me to remove the tongue assemble when I want to put the trailer into the garage for storage.

M

 

[The Dude]

What about your thoughts on using a rear 60 series axle with drum brakes and the e-brake cables??? I was just out puttering and soaking all the bolts down on the trailer when I noticed I have a few of those complete axles just collecting dust.

I like the idea of an adjustable lunnette. It won't work with my current set up but I might be able to find something at te local trailer shop and make it work..
.

 

[lowenbrau]

SF 60 axle is gonna suck because you'll need to keep the third member in there to hold the axles. Then you have yet another pumpkin to try and miss rocks with. I'm thinking more along the lines of your plan A. I'm going to build an axle that I can bolt Cruiser spindles to. I already carry wheel bearings and tools for the Cruiser stuff, it'll be nice not to have to carry the Jeep stuff as well.

That being said, I pulled that M100 all over North America and only ever spun one bearing and patched one tube. (never had a spare tire) The M100 is headed for the museum and the M101cdn is going to be the new trail trailer.

 

[Niner]

you can find every thing you need to create your own axle even 6 on 5.5 hubs, that will work with electric or hydrualic surge brakes.

here

 

[Koffer]

Hey you looking for something like this

This is running the stock axle with the parking brake and sprung over with 6x5.5 hubs

 

[desertdude]

Real nice trailer Todd - We need more details

I have not even touched mine yet

 

[bj70_guy]

SWEET! How about a couple more shots of that trailer, Todd? Looks awesome.

 

[dieseldog]

I've never felt the need to do SOA or change out the axle on my M416 trailer. Even though it's a different wheel/tire than my cruisers, it's pretty difficult to beat the durability and utility of military bar tread uni-directional tires w/tubes. My trailer is very stock with the exception of having two light circuits. One for my 12volt cruisers and the other for my 24volt cruisers. The stock lunette ring works well and swivels plenty for my liking. All I can say is that these trailers really beg to be used and used hard. Pretty tough pieces of equipment, if you ask me.

 

[Rich]

Trailer axels are very inexpensive. If properly sized they are very durable. Parts are available all over the country. If you want to shove a Land Cruiser axle under there just for the fun of it go ahead. From my perspective that is just making more work with no real benefit. If you are concerned about trail repairs I say go with standard trailer spindles and hubs, and carry a complete spare hub with bearings, grease, and seal already installed. The entire hub could be replaced in a few more miinutes than it takes to change a tire. The cost of a spare hub with bearings and seals is minimal.

 

[Exiled]

Another thing to consider with throwing a 60 series axle under there is weight. My M416 has been heavily modified, but I've always tried to maintain a weight balance, so that I can continue to maneuver the trailer around and move it by myself.

I sprungover my trailer because my FJ62 is SOA and I wanted the trailer to ride even with the truck. This is very important for me since I have an expedition tent on top of the trailer, I wanted to be able to sleep in the tent without unhitching the trailer. Besides, my stock M416 springs were pretty worn out.

The original military tires may be durable, but they don't have much traction in wet weather, I had a couple of scary times when the sucker tried to fishtail on me in the rain. I now run the same tire and rim as on the Cruiser, two extra spares in a real emergency and I only have to carrya common spare for the two.

 

[Koffer]

Ok
you guys beat it out of me

heres the poop
The axle on the cnd M101s is a stock trailer axle using parts that are avalible just about everywhere, bearings, seal etc. The hubs and drums come in a bunch of lug pattens from 5x5, 5x5.5, 6x5.5 and a few others . These are 1750# axles under them.
The springs will hold 900# without a problem for weeks at a time (got a 10k genset in mine for over 2 months now )
Springover was just flipping it over no welding or cutting just hand tools .
Mine has about 2 hours into it with handtools to make it go from what "The Dude " has to what mine looks like .

Now if you want one i have a few here in NJ and have more on the way

 

[Mike S]

So it's a no-brainer to change to LC compatible hubs, and the spring over is a wrench job with no problems (like my trailer). This is clearly the way to go then. Why make it harder than it needs to be?

M

 

[photogod]

Ok

Springover was just flipping it over no welding or cutting just hand tools .
Mine has about 2 hours into it with handtools to make it go from what "The Dude " has to what mine looks like .

Now if you want one i have a few here in NJ and have more on the way

I have an M100with th axle off to do new springs and shocks. I was thinking of doing a spring over but then the parking brake is on the bottom. Is it possible to unbolt the hub and rotate it on the axle to have the brake right side up and still do the SO?

 

[Koffer]

I have an M100with th axle off to do new springs and shocks. I was thinking of doing a spring over but then the parking brake is on the bottom. Is it possible to unbolt the hub and rotate it on the axle to have the brake right side up and still do the SO?

Yes I did this on the my M416 and it worked well .
I just had to space the parking brake cables down some off the frame mounts .

 

[dieseldog]

Well, I say go for it if you are so-inclined to do an SOA. However, none of my four cruisers will EVER be SOA and my trailer rides level using one of the two holes for the lunette ring; therefore, for me, no change is necessary. I like the absolute reliability of the stock military tires and have had no scary moments with them. I did buy new ones though as the old ones with which it was equipped upon purchase were extremely cracked, old, and did not hold air very well. I bought new military bar lug tires from Wallace Wade up in Dallas--made by Specialty Tire Co. and they are very high quality.

Hell, no single solution will be right for everyone else. Follow your own "star". If SOA and hub swaps are your thing, then I say, go for it.

 

[The Dude]

snip

Hell, no single solution will be right for everyone else. Follow your own "star". If SOA and hub swaps are your thing, then I say, go for it.

I think you are really missing if you're not open to the SOA on any of your rigs. I don't mean huge with lifted springs or anything but a SOA wagon on flat springs with a little wider stance and 35s is incredible. I wouldn't waste my time on any other suspension mods....

As for the military tires, I can't agree more. Most of my rigs are running a Michelin of some sort. I am going with the 9.00R16 XL on my trailer. I have my new axle with the Land Cruiser hubs almost done and hope to have it SO this weekend. I went with a 60" WMS to WMS which gives me the same as my HJ61. With the skinny XLs and the nice wide stance it should be very stable and pull well.