M416 Camper Build Advice (1 Viewer)

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Joined
May 23, 2019
Threads
6
Messages
215
Location
Portland
Hey fellow mudders. I have a new project that I would love some help with.

I found a local M416 trailer that I'm going to pick up tomorrow. It's in near mint shape, has tailgate intact, shorter pintle/lunette hitch, 12pin connector, lights work, side indicator is included, original wheels/tires and spare included. No rust, tub is in great shape. Here is a picture of it.
M416.jpg

Now for the build goals:
1. Go on moderate offroad trails with my 100 series (2.5" OME lift, sliders, arb front bar, Coastal Offroad rear bumper coming soon) but mainly on gravel/rocky roads in the north woods and to go with me when I head out in the winter time. I think the existing leaf springs and tub/frame build will do just fine wherever I was comfy taking my 100 series to get to camp but I want your opinions on this. I would probably park this at camp if I was trying to do a harder trail somewhere/sometime.
2. Low profile, tough, and simple. I want to be able to beat it up a little bit without it falling apart. I think the M416 fits the bill. Opinions? I also think I want to keep it as an open tub, at least for the rest of this year to see how it works if I can get #5 (Mountain Bikes in the tub) into the build.
3. I'd like to match the tires/wheels to my stock 16" LC 100 rims. I think I could find another few on CL somewhere. If I understand correctly, I either need to swap the whole axle (dont want to do this) or buy a 5 bolt adapter that works to adapt the hubs to the offset LC 100 wheels. I'd also be game to put 16" steelies on the LC and match them on the trailer if finding matching LC wheels proves to be a pain.
4. I ordered a free spirit recreation 80" high country tri layer roof top tent that will need to mount up on some elevated cross bars. The idea is to keep this as low as possible while dealing with item #5. HIGH COUNTRY 80” On sale right now! so is the tri layer... I also ordered the No Weld Trailer Rack Towers - Compact Camping Trailers to keep the tent up from the tub a bit without getting too tall to operate the tent clips/ladder easily.
5. I want to be able to transport 2-3 mountain bikes when I take the trailer and don't have my hitch mount. (in order of preference) in (1) the bed of the 416 on fork mounted locking adapters and take the front wheels off, or (2) bolt/weld a 2" hitch receiver to the front of the 416 tub (Like this maybe with some reinforcing tube?) on two tray style hitch mounts on the tongue We have one of these or lastly (3) on fork mounted roof racks on both sides of extended roof cross bars. I have tried and tried to figure out a way to carry my bikes with me on the hitch and it just keeps on hassling me while destroying my departure angle (We have this swing away) and dragging the rack on the ground... not to mention needing to swing it away every time I want to get my cooler, or tools, or kitchen, in the drawers on the back of the rig. Need a new solution! Carbon bikes so cant hang them or anything. Need a no frame contact mounting solution.
6. I want to keep my 25gallon water reservoir (10" W x 13" H x 36" L) in the tub and connect it to my 12v wash down pump and to the Joolca hot water system for showering, dishes, and washing down bikes/dogs/gear. I need to figure out how to orient the weight over the axle while allowing the other gear that I want to bring. I'm thinking orienting it lengthwise on its flat profile so a bike could fit on either side of it.
7. Mounts (either exterior or interior) for a 10# Propane tank (manchester style Manchester Tank 11 lb. capacity Steel Type 1 Propane Cylinder - Ace Hardware?), 2x 3gallon rotopax (I have locking universal mounts but need to decide where to put them), axe & shovel (Have quick fist mounts),, maxtrax (Blue ridge overland bag on its way MAXTRAX Transport Bag),
8. A 12V battery bank that charges off the alternator while driving to power some lighting around the trailer for night time and the 12v wash down kit pump. Not much more than that... I have a Dometic PLB40 Dometic PLB40 : 40Ah Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery that hooks to a 160W solar panel mounted to my cargo carrier which takes care of my electronics charging (Computer, phone, Garmin, Drone, Camera, USB lights), and keeps the Dometic CF50 fridge running while off grid/shore power.
9. I want this to go quickly! I want to use it this fall.

Please, let me know the best products or strategies for getting to the above build! I've looked all around the forums and found some good info but none of it is coordinated other than a few builds like this one. Which is an awesome resource for some of the things I need but not necessarily how I want to build it out.
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M416 Simple Build
 
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Looks like you know what you want to do. Go for it. Find a way to secure your trailer for times when you want to leave it at a campsite.

Screw in a couple of level gauges to know that you are plumb vertical and horizontal. Helps with sleeping better.
 
New shoes! Duratrac Wrangler Trailrunner 235 85 R16 LT E load rating and the M+S snow rating which may be good for MN winters... Nice aggressive side wall and a relatively low rolling resistance middle tread seems like a good compromise and at $120/tire I can't complain. I had duratrac wranglers on my 4runner and loved them. KO2's on the 100 series though... mismatch. I mounted them on the original rims for now. I gained about .75" with the tires for reference. They sit within the original fenders which should prevent too much mud or gravel fling.
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Next up is mounting the brackets for the RTT and the cross bars to the side walls and welding a 2" receiver to the rear for bikes. 2x rotopax will likely mount to the front inside of the tub and a 20# propane tank to the tongue. Debating where to store the spare trailer tire... may do a bolt on solution through the front wall of the tub and have it sit over the tongue somehow. I'm trying to balance the rear weight with 2 mountain bikes with a spare and 2 3gallon rotopax up front. I may mount the maxtrax upsidedown in the blue ridge overland bag underneath the tent to the crossbars. Ideas?
 
Sounds like a neat build! I'm starting my build phase on my 416 and also towing it on a 100! When you mentioned north woods did you refer to the Maine North Woods?
 
You found a very clean m416!

I've been wrestling with my own M416 tub trailer build, so it is always nice seeing the creativity of the forums
 
Sounds like a neat build! I'm starting my build phase on my 416 and also towing it on a 100! When you mentioned north woods did you refer to the Maine North Woods?
I mean the Minnesota/Wisconsin/Michigan North woods! We are traveling through the Chequamegon National Forest, Porcupine Mountains, and up to Copper Harbor through the woods for a week and a half starting on Friday so I'm on a deadline to get this thing built! Tent and rack arrive today! Welding the bike hitch receiver and a bunch of tie downs this thursday and plumbing the 25gal tank and Joolca hopefully Friday morning. Going to be close :)
 
You found a very clean m416!

I've been wrestling with my own M416 tub trailer build, so it is always nice seeing the creativity of the forums
We'll see what happens here... There will definitely be a few phases so that I can actually use it while building it out this summer/Fall. I think it'll be a good test of new welding skills and incorporating all of the stuff that I've been too hesitant to attach to my roof rack or put inside my vehicle. (Gas, water, propane tank, spare tire, maxxtrax, shovel, axe, etc. I'll post more pics this evening after brackets and tent installation!
 
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We'll see what happens here... There will definitely be a few phases so that I can actually use it while building it out this summer/Fall. I think it'll be a good test of new welding skills and incorporating all of the stuff that I've been too hesitant to attach to my roof rack or put inside my vehicle. (Gas, water, propane tank, spare tire, maxxtrax, shovel, axe, etc. I'll post more pics this evening after brackets and tent installation!
Here it is at the end of shakedown week #1. We took it on some challenging trails around the Upper Peninsula and it performed flawlessly. A little loud with the Pintle/Lunette but it allowed the trailer to articulate on its own which was a must for some of the trails.
Next comes:
1. Getting the bikes off the roof top tent (the hitch I was using on the rear was too heavy and caused a lot of swaying when we got on the highway despite the 250# of water I had in the front so we ditched it before the trip) The hassle of taking them on and off was enough to make that the next necessary step in this build. I'm either going to try to use a lighter rack and put 2x 45# plates in front under the water or under the propane tank or get a tongue box and start the electrical system to counter balance the weight from the bikes. If those options don't work, I'm going to try to get 70" cross bars and put two bikes on fork mounted roof racks on either side of the tent. It would still be a hassle but may be better in the end to avoid the long rear end on the trailer.
2. Design and weld up the lid!
3. Weld up a new rear bumper with a hitch that is much higher than the one on the rig presently.
 

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