My 416 and Bantam builds.

[hairy_apple]

A couple years ago, I realized there was no way the FJ40 was going to work for longer trips without a trailer, and decided I wanted to build a trailer. I finally found a clean M416 for a good price and went to work on it.

Rear bumper, front steps, lid frame, multi axis hitch. It still has a long way to go, but I love this little trailer.

What it looked like when I got it. Ugly, but no damage or rust. View attachment 28886

Painted it tan, much better.
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Next came front steps, and a rear bumper...
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[hairy_apple]

Started the lid, and got the RTT mounted, it will be skinned... someday. Used FJ40 windshield latches for the lid, to keep the old school utilitarian feel of the trailer. Made the hinges. I am pretty happy with how it came out.



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I also built a multi axis hitch and lengthened the drawbar... this is pretty much going to get redone when I build a tool box on the front, but for now... it was needed to allow the trailer to swing out past 90 degrees without hitting the cruiser. I actually punched a small hole in it jackknifing it. Now it's able to go past 90 and the draw bar is all that hits the cruiser instead of the body of the trailer.

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[hairy_apple]

I had a lot of fun with the M416, so when I found a fairly cheap Bantam locally, I bought it as well as a project... only.. it was in so so shape and I've been slowly trying to fix the ugly and make it pretty again.
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WHY! Why would yo do this!

 

[hairy_apple]

Slowly but surely it's starting to look like a nice trailer, instead of a beat up turd.



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[hairy_apple]

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[Johnnie Canuck]

Like your hitch! What is it that you used for the pivot point on the receiver end?
Is it brass?

 

[hairy_apple]

Like your hitch! What is it that you used for the pivot point on the receiver end?
Is it brass?

That hitch is a design I found online, I modified it a bit, because I was not impressed with the materials used.

https://tventuring.com/trailerforum/thread-65.html

I will say, building it as is I wouldn't really recommend. I used 1.5" DOM instead of the super thin walled bushings they used. Much stronger, much safer.

 

[Rubiconcruiser]

That hitch is a design I found online, I modified it a bit, because I was not impressed with the materials used.

https://tventuring.com/trailerforum/thread-65.html

I will say, building it as is I wouldn't really recommend. I used 1.5" DOM instead of the super thin walled bushings they used. Much stronger, much safer.

Very impressive but that hitch is going to be noisy nice welding by the way


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[hairy_apple]

Very impressive but that hitch is going to be noisy
Sent from my iPhone using OB Talk

Why do you say that? It's way quieter then a pintle, and I think it's quieter then a ball. There is no real place for anything to make noise with it.

 

[pierceg]

Nice welding beads.

I also like your bumper/steps.
Maybe one day ill add them my m416.

 

[hairy_apple]

Nice welding beads.

I also like your bumper/steps.
Maybe one day ill add them my m416.

Thanks you. The steps and bumper were the first thing I wanted after I used my M416 the first time. It was such a pain getting heavy stuff in and out from the middle of the trailer. Plus they are .120 wall tube with 10g tops, so they are a nice tough "skirt" almost all the way around the trailer to drag it past something without damage to the body. I will eventually do tube fenders for it too, the same way, so the whole thing is protected from rocks and trees from the sides.

 

[Captain Chaos]

I've been looking into 1 1/2" dom for my hitch also. Makes it pretty easy to use a 1" bolt. I've found some other hitch builds that I like pieces of. Mine will be a hodgepodge of what I like also. The guy who originally posted the design you posted has built a ton of cool stuff that's available aftermarket now. But, I feel the same as you, the collars and other materials may be a little to light for my taste. Nice welds and good looking trailers!

 

[hairy_apple]

I've been looking into 1 1/2" dom for my hitch also. Makes it pretty easy to use a 1" bolt. I've found some other hitch builds that I like pieces of. Mine will be a hodgepodge of what I like also. The guy who originally posted the design you posted has built a ton of cool stuff that's available aftermarket now. But, I feel the same as you, the collars and other materials may be a little to light for my taste. Nice welds and good looking trailers!

Thank you. I am happy with it. 2 years on the m416, two Arizona trips, a bunch of Nevada trips... 1000s of miles without any major issues. It gets sticky after 100s of miles of dirt and washboard and sometimes requires a bit of WD40 to get everything moving again.. but dirt and dust will do that to just about everything. Part of wheeling.

 

[Captain Chaos]

Thank you. I am happy with it. 2 years on the m416, two Arizona trips, a bunch of Nevada trips... 1000s of miles without any major issues. It gets sticky after 100s of miles of dirt and washboard and sometimes requires a bit of WD40 to get everything moving again.. but dirt and dust will do that to just about everything. Part of wheeling.

Very true. You don't have a grease zerk? Not that grease zeros solve everything, but I would think it would help in this case.

 

[hairy_apple]

Very true. You don't have a grease zerk? Not that grease zeros solve everything, but I would think it would help in this case.

I do, it helps with the rotation just fine, but the pins are what are constantly getting frozen up offroad. It's not a big deal, just a bit of a pain sometimes. Hammer solves the problem pretty quick. lol

 

[SlicedVeggie]

Digging the fab work a ton. Are you a welder by trade? or is it something you picked up so you could do this sort of thing? Also, curious as to what tools you're doing the curved pipe cutting with - bandsaw and a grinder? torch?

I've recently started to get into some metal work - got a small lathe and mill and have been doing what I can sort of call 'practicing' and absolutely love it. So, sorry for the noob questions, im just trying to soak it all in!

Anyhow, nice work. Stoked on it.

 

[hairy_apple]

Digging the fab work a ton. Are you a welder by trade? or is it something you picked up so you could do this sort of thing? Also, curious as to what tools you're doing the curved pipe cutting with - bandsaw and a grinder? torch?

I've recently started to get into some metal work - got a small lathe and mill and have been doing what I can sort of call 'practicing' and absolutely love it. So, sorry for the noob questions, im just trying to soak it all in!

Anyhow, nice work. Stoked on it.

Hey, Thank you. I am a welder/fabricator. I have a CNC plasma table, that I make all the parts you see with designs cut into them. I have a JD2 tube bender, with a bunch of stupid expensive dies. The rear bumper is made from 1.5" sq tube, that I bent with it. The tow points were cut on the CNC, other then the hole, which I drill to make it cleaner.

With all the fancy stuff, honestly, you can do a lot with a die grinder and some skills. Skills are just practice. lol. I spent a long time in school, and then have been doing it a while now, and I still learn new stuff all the time. It's better then sitting at a desk all day. ha ha.