M101CND trailer usability mods

[rutbeer]

Searched around....didn't find exactly what I was looking for, so I'll post up a new one. Just picked up a trailer (like I need another project) that I'll be doing a few things to so it's easier for me to use. I have a bad back, so the first thing was to get some sort of jack with a wheel on it. Picked one up at Tractor supply....works well, and folds very tightly out of the way. I need to trim the bolts and/or make a more permanent mount for it, but this was fast and I needed to haul dirt right away. I also need to put a tailgate in....much easier for me to get heavy stuff in and out. I had an idea all worked up for this, but after really looking at the rear of this, I'm scratching me head again. Right now, I'm leaning towards making the gate closure resemble the gate on an FJ45. Something that tightly holds the sides together when it's latched. At first I thought I would really have to beef up the sides, but the more I looked, it seems that making the tailgate as wide as the bed would necessitate removal of the handles...which I don't want to do. I probably won't get to the gate this year, but I will at least get in my mind what I want to do. I have about three engines I want to haul with this thing, and getting them out would be much easier without that rear panel in the way.

 

[Wolf]

I'm just thinking of making such a "third" wheel for my M100.
Till now I don't find THE best solution.

 

[rutbeer]

tailgate

Here's what I'm thinking. Basically, just cut straight up 2 inches from the inside bottom corner, then boxing the tailgate with 1x2 steel. On the sides of the gate, I'll lap the 1x2 over the sides to make a "seal". The upright parts of the trailer bed that remain, get a piece of 1x2 welded in to reinforce the sides, much like the FJ45 bed. The latch is crude, but it pulls the sides tight when you latch.

 

[philos1]

check out snook's tailgate on his M416 https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=110772
pretty good idea...

 

[rutbeer]

He has some good ideas, but the gate doesn't "clamp". I think that's important if your bracing is going to be minimal like mine. I'll post some pics of my 45 gate when I get a chance......it really makes sense.

 

[Brian in Oregon]

The civilian Bantam trailers had either sheetmental "wings" to reinforce their tailgates, or angle iron supports.

On this website http://www.film.queensu.ca/CJ3B/HubbardTrailers/Bantam.html there is a link to the post-war Bantam BT3-C models. Check out the tailgates and the two kinds of supports.

I have a later model BT3-C I'm rebuilding. Not going to do a restoration on it because it needs a bit too much work for that. I have the later broad sheetmetal supports. Hopefully they can be salvaged. The bottom edges are rusted and torn around the holes for the lights. I'm going to use this for a utility trailer. Still looking for an M100 or M416 for use as a camping trailer.

If you go to this thread https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=109913 and look close at the Alf's red trailer, you'll see it's a Bantam BT3-C civilian trailer with a tailgate.

Further down, Exiled has added a rectangular tailgate to his green M416 trailer. On Page 2 Exiled shows a closeup of his tailgate latches.

Still further down, Snook has added a rectangular tailgate to his white M416 trailer. But, take a closer look at his trailer, in the location behind the bottom fender lip, the chassis and the rear. He added reinforcing step plates with angle iron and expanded mesh. From these, he has struts running up to support the sides of the trailer after cutting a tailgate into it. Nice job. And the steps deflect objects that might wreck the fenders.

 

[brownbear]

With tailgates I guess it all depends how hard you use your trailer with how much you need to re-enforce.

Yah I got the loops, but too me they are just handling loops, I won't be using them for towing or such.

I cut the tail gate at the sides. I will weld angle iron on the inside along the sides(vertical) and add strips of metal all the way around the gate. Just like your cad drawing rutbeer.

I do not know if I will external brace. I will see how it goes. I see the sides spreading I will. My trailer will be very light duty. With seldom trips with soil etc....

I'm some time from getting back on it, but when I do I will post pics. Right now my gate is loose and I use a strap to close it(side to side).

 

[rutbeer]

Brian,
I have seen the thread you are referring to, and I like the red trailer that Alf posted up the best, but I dont' think that's truly possible with the grab handles that the canadian trailers have. I also don't think the red trailer has an effective latching mechanism.....but dang that's a nice setup.
I saw an very strange tailgate on the yahoo group for these, but the guy followed the triangular bracing lines for the gate, so it was tapered and very small.....not very user friendly in my opinion.
I'm also wondering about a barrel hinge that will allow me to slide the gate off by pushing it to the side. I can see in some cases that the gate would get in the way.....like when dumping a load of gravel or dirt. (In order for this trailer to stay at my house, my wife has to see some utility to it other than camping.....and I'm not about to dump a load of gravel in my 45!)

 

[Mtnmn99]

Here's what I'm thinking. Basically, just cut straight up 2 inches from the inside bottom corner, then boxing the tailgate with 1x2 steel. On the sides of the gate, I'll lap the 1x2 over the sides to make a "seal". The upright parts of the trailer bed that remain, get a piece of 1x2 welded in to reinforce the sides, much like the FJ45 bed. The latch is crude, but it pulls the sides tight when you latch.

That is how I did my trailer.

 

[Mtnmn99]

View attachment 94037 Not the best picture, but basically my tailgate is what you have on your design.

PP

 

[rutbeer]

fj45 tailgate

Aiiiight....here's the pic of my 45's gate. As you can see, the hook passes through the gate and the latch grabs it and pulls it in tight. I would need to modify my drawing to match this a bit, but I still like the idea. That, and the 45 style latches are available from CCoT for not too much $$$.


Hmmm....something seems to be wrong with my attachments..

 

[alf]

Barry,

Wouldn't you be cutting inside of the grab handles?

On my m101 the handles are welded to the outside of the trailer tub. If you cut straight down from the back you could keep the handles.

Maybe I'm missing something.

kls

 

[rutbeer]

Yeah, I'm keeping the handles and cutting inside. Look at the CAD drawing, you'll see the handles are on the outside of the box, but I left 2" of material there for rigidity. I don't want to box outside the trailer for reinforcement like most people do with their non Canadian 416's. Boxing outside changes the look that I like, and it means the tail lights have to be addressed. It's easier just to integrate the reinforcment into the bed even though it means wider items may not slide in and out of the trailer as easy.
Now that I think about it, I could cut wider on the "gate", then just have the reinforcement fully exposed in the box rather than having two sides covered. clear as mud?

 

[alf]

Bmac,

I would think by keeping the cut inside like your drawing you preserve the factory corner and the strength inherent with its design. I would still strengthen this area despite cutting inside by 2".

Do yours and then I'll cut mine

I like our design on the latches as well.

My hoops should be here next week for my trailer cage.

 

[rutbeer]

Okay, cut the gate in on Saturday. I left one inch on either side for return instead of what I originally said I was going to do. It works really well. I really don't "need" reinforcement, although I definitely will put a little extra weld on the side plates and weld the end cap in to the bottom of the trailer as well.
I went shopping for 1x2 today, but found something interesting. Not that I buy my steel at Home Depot, but has anyone else noticed that their steel is WAY high? I mean, I can buy a huge stick of unistrut that's got holes in it and it's yellow zinc plate for HALF the cost of what they want for bare steel. It actually got me thinking that unistrut would be an excellent "utilitrack" item to bolt to the sides or floor of a trailer. I won't be doing that, but it's a good idea for someone else.

 

[photogod]

Okay, cut the gate in on Saturday. I left one inch on either side for return instead of what I originally said I was going to do. It works really well. I really don't "need" reinforcement, although I definitely will put a little extra weld on the side plates and weld the end cap in to the bottom of the trailer as well.
I went shopping for 1x2 today, but found something interesting. Not that I buy my steel at Home Depot, but has anyone else noticed that their steel is WAY high? I mean, I can buy a huge stick of unistrut that's got holes in it and it's yellow zinc plate for HALF the cost of what they want for bare steel. It actually got me thinking that unistrut would be an excellent "utilitrack" item to bolt to the sides or floor of a trailer. I won't be doing that, but it's a good idea for someone else.

I feel your pain, ie. Home Depot. I ran a tad short on my last project and instead of driving 20 miles to down town I made it 3 miles to HD and could have paid for the gas and got three times the material down town for what I paid at HD.

NIce looking trailer project. Please keep up on the posts. I love em.

 

[rutbeer]

Got the sides welded in tonight...darn cold and it got dark on me. At least the mosquitoes leave me alone now.
I'll have pics this weekend maybe. PLENTY sturdy now. In my opinon, this is the way to go on the CDN models.

 

[rutbeer]

sides

Got the cap welded on the end tubes today, then coated all the welds with POR-Patch to smooth them out before the bedliner. Looks terrible, but the final product should be nice.

 

[rutbeer]

Weight limit?

Hmmm...wonder if I'm starting to push the limit of this trailer.
Full 1HZ drivetrain and heavy crate that fits in there "like a glove".
I probably could have gotten it in there without the tailgate, but this was certainly easier. I'm planning on leaving it in there until it sells, so I guess I should put some jack stands under it to keep the springs from going flat on me.

 

[REZARF]

Wow, nice fit, I would think that jack stands might prove benifitial in that situation.

Rezarf <><