BADDANDY
Adventurer
About me. As I'm at the end of my post-divorce with one daughter graduating college soon, and the other starting, I figured it was time for a camping lifestyle change. What cemented this was replacing my trail Jeep TJ with a new 2 door JK. The JK is awesome compared to the old Jeep. I always refer to my truck as my Cadillac, but not anymore. Even with the lift and 35's, it rides so much nicer than the truck, and it's got power and highway manners. So, out with the truck and camper, and in with the JK, a Jeep trailer, and if I can find one, a Neon tent trailer. I still have a little Haulin flatbed for the enduro.
About the M416. I bought it from RRDirtyHarry when he had to unload it to pay for a vehicle emergency during his move. Lucky for us both was that I just sold my camper so had the funds to help him out. And for me, I just started looking for a Jeep trailer, so this was a win-win. He was only 250 miles into his drive when his engine blew. I contacted some friends near there, but they were unable to find an engine, so I hit the road the next morning. It was a not so fun drive with a major storm hitting the state. 1st 50 mph winds on the drive home across the desert and then near Blizzard conditions across the pass followed with torrential rain until nightfall. Whew, I was nackered by the time I got home. 12 hour trip!
The plan. The trailer is in pretty decent shape. Tear it down. Inspect hub bearings. Straighten the rails and hammer out the dents. Sand/strip down to a paintable surface. Paint/POR 15 the frame. Weld up about 50 bolt holes in the bed. Rattle can the bedwalls red/floor POR15. I'm not sure if it's gonna stay SOA, go back SUA, w/wo lift springs, or what size tires. Wider fenders. Extend the frame, not sure what direction on that yet. And finally, build a flat top out of plywood, metal edges, camper tape,marine grade vinyl, and some mounts for my tentcot.
This pic shows what it looked like on the drive home. That shell acted like a dragchute in those winds, and the trailer sits too high with a SOA/33s.
![72462_4938814140756_2118326475_n[1].jpg](https://expeditionportal.com/forum/data/attachments/106/106024-0b8318b28b868e91b6fea62735986e03.jpg "72462_4938814140756_2118326475_n[1].jpg")
Finally, a week later and good weather. Start of teardown.
3 piles, front to rear, what's not going back on, trash, possible replace/reuse.
Oops, more parts for the recycler. Rails and walls now all straight and dents pounded out. I used a BFH for the big stuff and a highlift jack to straighten the rails. Next step will be bed off the frame and stripping, then paint.
About the M416. I bought it from RRDirtyHarry when he had to unload it to pay for a vehicle emergency during his move. Lucky for us both was that I just sold my camper so had the funds to help him out. And for me, I just started looking for a Jeep trailer, so this was a win-win. He was only 250 miles into his drive when his engine blew. I contacted some friends near there, but they were unable to find an engine, so I hit the road the next morning. It was a not so fun drive with a major storm hitting the state. 1st 50 mph winds on the drive home across the desert and then near Blizzard conditions across the pass followed with torrential rain until nightfall. Whew, I was nackered by the time I got home. 12 hour trip!
The plan. The trailer is in pretty decent shape. Tear it down. Inspect hub bearings. Straighten the rails and hammer out the dents. Sand/strip down to a paintable surface. Paint/POR 15 the frame. Weld up about 50 bolt holes in the bed. Rattle can the bedwalls red/floor POR15. I'm not sure if it's gonna stay SOA, go back SUA, w/wo lift springs, or what size tires. Wider fenders. Extend the frame, not sure what direction on that yet. And finally, build a flat top out of plywood, metal edges, camper tape,marine grade vinyl, and some mounts for my tentcot.
This pic shows what it looked like on the drive home. That shell acted like a dragchute in those winds, and the trailer sits too high with a SOA/33s.
Finally, a week later and good weather. Start of teardown.
3 piles, front to rear, what's not going back on, trash, possible replace/reuse.
Oops, more parts for the recycler. Rails and walls now all straight and dents pounded out. I used a BFH for the big stuff and a highlift jack to straighten the rails. Next step will be bed off the frame and stripping, then paint.
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