To build or restore? Which is cheaper/eaiser....

[Chase77]

I'm a trailer newbie but will be in need of one in about 1.5 years for our extended roadtrip. However, I always do things the hard way so I'm looking for some advice on what would be the easiest way to go about this. I'm inclined to build a faux M416 or Cdn101 but like the idea of finding one that could be modified to suit my needs. Thoughts on this?

 

[zebrabeefj40]

Easier? Buy a nice trailer all ready to go.

Cheaper? Buy a not so nice one and fix it. Building from scratch is not cheaper most of the time.

For the $800 (or whatever the price) Koffer is asking for his nice Can101's you'd be hard pressed to buy the materials and hardware to build a trailer. Unless you have connections for materials at wholesale or get good at garbage picking for parts that is. If you gotta have something different or special then custom built is the only way to fly. It also depends on your skill level and how well equipted your shop is.

HTH,
Nick

 

[dieselbigot]

I'll jump in here....I have about $5k into my M101 by the time you include the custom aluminum lid and hannibal tent (the 2 most expensive things). If I were to do it all over and knew how much money I'd end up spending on this thing, I'd have spent a little extra and bought a Chaser from these guys:

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=80870&highlight=chaser

Don't get me wrong, I love my M101...it has a tent, lockable storage, a shower and it rides on 35 MTR's so it does everything I wanted it to do. It all depends on what you want it to do and how much money in total you want to throw at it. if I were you I'd consider your total over-all budget and look at all the options before restoring / building a 416 or 101...it's amazing how all the nice little "extra's" add up.

just my .02

 

[cbmontgo]

To me, there is a certain coolness factor with an ex-military trailer as compared to an off the floor one. Either way, time is money and if you spend 6 months of weekends building one, you've lost all that time that you could have had enjoying one that you bought. Plus, materials aren't cheap these days. You'll probably spend $ 350 alone in just tires, not to mention hardware and steel.

I'd say either buy a milspec one and restore it or buy a new one. I wouldn't build one from scratch unless I was really bored and had a sh*tload of tools.

 

[Exiled]

Most of you already know how I feel...if I had to do it all over again, I would either build from scratch (preferred option) or buy an Adventure Trailer. The M416/M101s were designed for one purpose, and adapting them to another purpose is, to me, a losing proposition. Don't get me wrong, you can end up with something very nice, but in the end, it's still a compromise.

I'm waiting for the weather to improve to start on another round of mods on the old trailer, in anticipation of this year's short (for me) wheeling/camping season...here we go again!

 

[Chase77]

I'll jump in here....I have about $5k into my M101 just my .02

Uh... lets not pass that # along to the wifey please. I was hoping I could wrap up a basic trailer w/o tent for maybe 2k tops. I have the skills to build the top and restore the trailer so I'm banking of this to keep my costs down. Am I totally off the mark here?

 

[REZARF]

I am scratch building.

Finding a good m101 or m416 isn't that easy, and to have to "restore" it before you start modifying it just doesn't make a ton of "cents" (sorry, enough cheese). A few guys like cbmontgo and Nolen have just modded a few sweet trailers but if you don't find a local deal or get into a good group buy the shipping will almost always kill the deal.

I budgeted 1K for my scratch build... if I stay on track I will come in right around there give or take 100 bucks, and this includes a lot of the kitchen items as well.

My trailer will be EXACTLY how I want it, and new.

If you don't have the tools or design/fab skills it could get hard to pull off, but these little trailers are not that involved.

FWIW, mine will have a 3,500# axle with 2000# springs, RTT, shower, sink, running water, 21 gallon freshwater tank, on board 12v power and propane, slide out stove/kitchen, 35" MT/r's, solid tie downs, lots of slide out storage, lift up top, drop down tailgate, and some cruiser "styling."

My goal was to have it at this years Cruise Moab... I don't think I will make that mark this year, we'll see.

Rezarf <><

 

[dieselbigot]

Uh... lets not pass that # along to the wifey please. I was hoping I could wrap up a basic trailer w/o tent for maybe 2k tops. I have the skills to build the top and restore the trailer so I'm banking of this to keep my costs down. Am I totally off the mark here?

If all you want is a "restored" M101 w/ no mods, no problem...and that's assuming you can find a good one close by (so shipping won't kill you). Here's how it adds up though...

Purchase price w/ registration $1,197.00
New hardware $22.00
Paint & supplies $40.00
Hub conversion $102.00
Pintle hitch $100.00
Shocks $46.00
Wheels $114.00
35 MTR's $413.00
Lid w/ Tent mount $1,200.00
Hannibal tent (used) $750.00
19 gal tank / plumbing / pump $321.00
Battery $43.00
Plywood & misc supplies $107.00
200lb Struts $105.00
3rd leg extension $12
LnR hitch $120.00

Total $4,692.00

And i have yet to do two of the most important mods...wider fenders & extended tounge. Now granted, someone could do things cheaper than I've done (like $1,200 for Luke @ 4x4 Labs to build me a bitchin aluminum lid)...but I like my junk dialed. If I tried to build a lid on my own it would turn out like crap

 

[Exiled]

If all you want is a "restored" M101 w/ no mods, no problem...but I like my junk dialed. If I tried to build a lid on my own it would turn out like crap

Listen to the man! When I started on this trailer I was a sophomore in college and I did a lot of stuff on the cheap...big mistake, ended up having to redo a lot of things, and even when I didn't, I'm still limited by trying to limit myself (stupid example #1: Saved $80 by not going with brakes on the full custom axle I paid $125 for....I've regretted it ever since I started adding weight to the trailer)...

Do it ONCE, do it RIGHT, move on the next phase. That's my mantra these days....

 

[Chase77]

So I think what everyone is saying is that my wife is gonna be pissed in the near future...... I wonder if I should push on this or buying an 80 first Either way she'll be more than happy with either of these options Thanks for the itemized list DB.

 

[REZARF]

Chase if you want my itemized list for purchasing parts PM me your email and I will shoot you a copy, it is a Word file and wouldn't dump into the post right...

I have it with estimated costs and priority of purchase.

Rezarf <><

 

[Chase77]

That would be great. Pm on its way.

 

[wesintl]

I paid ~$400 for m416 (I believe it was a koffer before the cnd 101's that are popular) no rust xcept for a quarter size near the front drainplug. I welded that up. I sandblasted it myself with an industrial generator and 100lb pot. 1000lbs of black magic. Primed and painted it myself, herculined, new wiring harness, lights, a connector, bs like new reflectors, etc. New springs, bushings, shackels, shocks, harware for fenders, tub etc. new drain plugs. etc. Basically it was a full resto minus color plus a few little mods like a spare carrier. I have about 2K into it and it has no lid or tent

Money aside I had a fun time with it, even as much as I bitch about it now. BTW , I doubt I will ever sandblast like that again. If you have fun building things then it's fun for a project like this. If you don't then you may be better off with a n already build unit like a chaser. If you don't have a welder and way to cut materials you'll end up buying alot of tools to make a trailer too.... depends what your goals are JMHO

 

[REZARF]

Wes, you got any pics of that thing? I have never seen it.

Rezarf <><

 

[wesintl]

Wes, you got any pics of that thing? I have never seen it.

Rezarf <><

Drew,
Sign in to yahoo and check out the photos in the m416 group. I have an album there. It's been a while. I'll have to take some more once I go home to Va.
http://autos.ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/M416/photos

In those photos I disassembled everything, blasted it then red oxide primer. I painted the chassis black and the tub tan with a clear coat. It doesn't show the herculined inner tub or 100% finished with the spare under it. I don't think i have any more pics other than that.

HTH

 

[REZARF]

Sweet, thanks Wes.

Rezarf <><