Coleman Colorado Frankenstein Trailer Project

DblD

Adventurer
Watching Coleman Colorado builds on here has inspired me and influenced several of my decisions in the past week. As of Friday I was the proud owner of a very well loved 1988 Coleman Colorado. I have been searing for a Colorado since Euro.Love started to document his build back in April of 2008.

Here is a link to what started this: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/13650-My-relatively-in-expensive-offroad-popup-build-thread

I have been doing SearchTempest searches off and on for the past five years looking for a pop-up that I thought would fit the way my wife and I and our dog like to camp. This popped up on our local Craigslist on Tuesday and was sitting in my driveway Friday. The trailer is rougher than appears and has not had an easy, well protected life.

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I’ve had a eye on the military trailer, I believe it’s a M101a ¾ ton flatbed chassis. Originally it held a generator. It came home with me today from a friend’s house and it will now be repurposed as the base on which I re-build the Colorado.

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The deck on the military trailer is within an inch of being the same width of the Colorado and it’s about 10 inches longer.

The plan is to marry the two trailers using as much of the Colorado as possible while shedding as much weight from the M101 as feasible.

Wish list includes:

* New axle under the M101 to bring tires/wheels to back within the fenders. Also match the 6 on 5.5in bolt pattern of the Tacoma.
* Installation of a small slide out AC unit for comfortable summer sleeping.
* Removal of surge brake assembly. Re-fit with regular pintle/lunette ring hitch.
* Addition of some sort of side awning.
* Small inverter generator.
* Onboard water supply.


Some lofty plans for sure and I’ll have to move forward as funds allow. Stay tuned for the build as it progresses.

I welcome any and all advice, feedback, or pokes with pitchforks from the locals.:)


dd
 

Mark Harley

Expedition Leader
I like where this is headed! Going to be a cool build.
Dropping the weight with the 116A3 will be easy as you have stated your are removing the majority of heavy stuff.
 

jagular7

Adventurer
I've been doing the same thing in my searching for a Colorado. I've been using zoomthelist.com which is CL's vast search engine. I had a Colorado years ago for short time. Need one again.

You're plan sounds like a solid plan. Like you've suggested, reduce the weight of the M101 by swapping out the axle, wheels, tires. I basically used the rolling frame of a M101 previously in a camper build. I added a boat tongue portion to reduce the frame weight further and added a Dexter axle with parking brakes. I added a Livin'Lite truck camper on it. The basic frame of the M101 is very stiff and supportive for offroad use. Due to the reduced weight, I also removed the 2 short leafs and didn't use any shocks. It pulled very well and handled fine on the street. The truck camper weighed under 400#. I estimated my modified rolling frame weighed under that as well. Another thing you can do, drill out the rivets holding the leaf suspension brackets on the frame. Redrill the pattern in increments so that you can relocate the axle to better handle your trailer layout. This maintains enough tongue weight for better pulling. I laid out 10" of axle movement.

Good luck.

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Titanpat57

Expedition Leader
Did an axle swap on one like that...ordered the 3" to save the hassle...cut the old stuff off (perches) and welded it back on. Are the Taco wheels hub centric?

Good luck with itbtm10.jpg
 

DblD

Adventurer
I added a boat tongue portion to reduce the frame weight further and added a Dexter axle with parking brakes. I added a Livin'Lite truck camper on it. The basic frame of the M101 is very stiff and supportive for offroad use. Due to the reduced weight, I also removed the 2 short leafs and didn't use any shocks. It pulled very well and handled fine on the street.

AH – Excellent information Jagular7 – Thank you.


Spent most of the day cleaning up the Colorado and inspecting both trailers to see just exactly what I have.


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A new axle is will be ordered soon and I’m glad to know I can loose a couple leafs out of the leaf pack and the shocks as well. The axle will be 3in tube like the existing one with a 3 in drop and 6 on 5.5in bolt pattern to match the Tacoma. The hub face to hub face measurement will match the Tacoma as well. I’ll run Tacoma spare wheels and some old A/T tires I have laying around.


Are the Taco wheels hub centric?

Titanpat57 – I believe Tacoma oem aluminum rims are hub centric. However the steel spare rims are lug centric and there are many people running aftermarket lug centric rims.


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The combination of drop axle and removal of leafs will hopefully lower the trailer about 4 to 5 inches, making entry and egress from the camper less of a climb.

I’m pretty impressed with the engineering that went into the little Colorado. The materials leave a lot to be desired. The floor in just osb with vinyl on top. The underside that sees all the elements kicked up from the road has just been left bare. No undercoating, no sealer, nothing, as far as I can tell. The bench seats are a little on the flimsy side and will require some reinforcement prior to use. You can also see in this picture the hack job the previous owner did to put in a window AC unit. I’m planning on AC in the Colorado 2.0, but hopefully a little better thought out.


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dd
 

DblD

Adventurer
A good friend of mine came up with a design method and has nick named it C.A.D. No, it’s not the well known Computer Aided Design or Computer Aided Drafting. It’s a little more simple and straight forward – C.A.D. Cardboard Aided Design.

The idea is to make complex three dimensional objects out of cardboard. Cardboard is cheap, plentiful, and easy to work with. It allows you to test fit and then copy your design out of more permanent material. I’ve borrowed this idea and started laying out the new trailer sides. Instead of cardboard I’m using 3/16th hardboard. At $13.00 for a 4x8 sheet, it’s relatively inexpensive and more durable than cardboard.

I laid out how I wanted the Port and Starboard sidewalls built. I then cut the 3/4in x 3/4in steel tubing to fit the diagram. I don’t know how to weld. So I will lay the side walls out when I get to the fabricators shop and ask them to weld it up. Any ideas about what I can expect to pay a welder? I plan to talk to several fab. shops in the next few days and see who would be willing to do this and give me the best deal.

My wife snuck out to the driveway and caught a picture of me cutting down the tubing. In the bottom left side of the picture you can see the blue tape laid down on the hardboard marking where the tubing will go.


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Here are the two sides cut, laid out, and ready for welding.


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Overhead shot.


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dd
 

DblD

Adventurer
It’s not in my DNA to lower a vehicle (trailer) of any sort. I can appreciate the work that goes into lowering a truck, I can understand how handling characteristics can be improved, and certain vehicles look very nice with a lowered stance. I just never thought I would be lowering anything. The last several vehicles I’ve owned have had some sort of mild suspension work done that has resulted in better ride quality and an increase in ride height. I did however think this trailer needed to sit more level both when being pulled and when unhitched. I ordered a 6,000lbs Dexter axle from our local Redneck Trailer. 6,000 lbs because I wanted to match the 3” diameter axle tube that was on the military axle. I ordered the axle with a 4” drop and spring perches welded for top mounted springs (Spring Over Axle). The weekend started with the realization that none of my jack stands would even come close to getting this trailer off the ground. I borrowed a few cinder blocks from a buddy and began the axle swap.


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The military axle coming off the trailer is HEAVY. There is a lot of bracing and the spring perches/shock mounts are all one solid welded piece. This axle was not going to break no matter what load and no matter where you pulled it.


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The new axle is not light weight but it can be picked up and carried around easily. The new axle bolted in place without much fuss. I lost some ground clearance and the ability to set park brakes on each trailer wheel. I also lost a lot of weight that I felt was overkill for my application.


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Trailer sits more level both on and off hitch. Bolt pattern matches the Tacoma. Used Tacoma steels wheels rattle canned flat black.


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So, a question for you all that keep track of military trailers. Is there a market for the off axle? If there is, what could I expect to get out of such a thing? Where would be a good place to advertise? Park brakes work, surge brake does not.

Thanks for the kind words and interest in putting this thing together. Any input, ideas or criticisms are welcome.

dd
 

Mark Harley

Expedition Leader
Great work on the axle swap!

I like the looks of the drop axle it sits great with your truck.

As for the axle start with the local Craigslist.
Ebay is next with "Local Pick up only!"

and if all else fails http://www.steelsoldiers.com/forumdisplay.php?126-Parts-for-sale

You have to register and pay $15.00 to list in the classified section.

The best axle price I saw sold for $275.00

Will you be removing the Boat anchor surge hitch too? That is a desirable piece.
I sold one for $150.00 on SS
 

DblD

Adventurer
The best axle price I saw sold for $275.00

Will you be removing the Boat anchor surge hitch too? That is a desirable piece.
I sold one for $150.00 on SS

Thank you Mark. Great info.

Yes the surge hitch will be deleted as well and a hitch similar to yours will go in its place.
 

jscusmcvet

Explorer
Great idea and nice work. The trailer looks great with the new axle and wheels. This idea sits firmly on my "someday" list...

John
 

Mark Harley

Expedition Leader
That drop axle expands the use of the cheap to buy 101 trailers.
Lowered weight is a bonus for the Jeep and FJ owners.
A 116 frame with a fiberglass or Manley tub makes a great trailer.
 

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