My other jeep trailer (Bantam civilian model)

[Brian in Oregon]

Here's my other jeep trailer, a post-war Bantam BT3-C civiliam model. It's a late production version, with the sheetmetal rear corner reinforcements, rather than the earlier angle iron style.

I've had the trailer for a long time. It was lacking the hitch assembly. I've been looking for an affordable, complete, military assembly, but alas, they're like hen's teeth. Finally just welded up a hitch.

Originally, a friend gave me a fairly intact tub. It has a lot of surface rust, and some areas that will need some real attention. But nothing that's going to require replacing sheetmetal in large areas.

I used to be a member of MVCCO - Military Vehicle Collectors Club of Oregon (I need to renew for 2008). A fellow club member had a civie jeep trailer for sale cheap, because it was a rust bucket. I bought it, and he towed it up from his farm in Salem to Portland. I'm surprised it got here in one piece. The floor was 75% missing, and I was able to break the sides off by hand. All I wanted was the axle, springs, fenders and the A frame channels. The hitch, being a 1-7/8", was of no use (and it's been MIA for years). It did have a fair tailgate, so now I have two fair tailgates. I swapped the parts onto my tub, and it then sat for years.

My son is going to the local community college for his welding certifications. He said he wanted to weld up a hitch, if I designed it. So I oversaw the blueprints, and he cut the metal and welded up the hitch for a class project. (Got an A.)

The trailer needs more work. But now it can be towed to the college so he can weld on it. (I haven't set my old stick welder back up, and we need to get a good wire welder.)

 

[Brian in Oregon]

https://forum.ih8mud.com/trailer-tech/208395-brought-home-m100-trailer-today.html

Here's my military M100 trailer for comparison. Notice the civvie trailer rides 6" higher. This is because we were playing around with a spring over axle conversion. It would be OK if the F40 had an SOA conversion too. But I think it's too high. I'll probably put a 2"x2" square tubing spacer between the spring hangers and the frame.

The civilian BT3-C trailer will be used as a light utility trailer. I'd like to install a cargo rack in it. The M100 will be used as a camping trailer, with a lockable lid.

 

[Brian in Oregon]

Here are photos of the BT3-C civilian trailer with the welded hitch. This has a 2" square receiver tube on the top. If the lunette is inserted directly into the receiver, the overall length of the A frame and hitch is the same as the military M100 trailer.

The next pictures show an extension bar, made of 2" square tubing, 1/4" thick (standard size for trailers). A receiver has been welded on the end. This extension bar can be lengthened or collapsed. The bar has not been set up with 5/8" holes yet for the hitch pins, nor has it been cleaned and primered.

The lunette is incapable of turning with this setup. Not a problem with my FJ40, because I installed a rotating pintle on it. This lunette is also smaller in diameter than the military lunette. It doesn't allow quite as much articulation without binding, but on the other hand it has much less "slop" and is more street friendly. It still has more articulation than a 2" ball.

 

[Brian in Oregon]

Here's a closeup view of the welded hitch, the extension bar and the lunette. The lunette is P/N 330440-1806 from Northern Tool

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[Brian in Oregon]

Let there be light....

Installed a pair of lights this evening. They're surface mounted to the sheetmetal bed side stiffener panels. These panels are in bad shape. Planning on replacing them with 1/8" plate.