Help with ID'ing my trailer

[ffdawson]

Hey ExPo!

Loving all the ************ trailer builds on here, there's some unbelievable setups within these pages.

I need help identifying my trailer. I picked it up on CL a while back for pretty cheap. It was listed as a "military trailer" but nothing more specific. It's got a similar shape to many of the military trailers I've seen on here, but not exactly. It's on 6x5.5 axles, no brakes. The hitch is originally Pintle/hook but has an added ball style connector. The tub is solid steel, and about 7 ft long. I've been using is mostly as a utility trailer, hauling dirt, dirt bikes, firewood etc. but I'm thinking of building it up a bit to double as an expo trailer.

Hoping some of you trailer gurus can help me identify it. Also interested in some insight as to what it would take to add brakes and shocks.

Here are a few pics of it.

Here's the hitch setup...

Thanks in advance for the help. I've been scouring the build threads here for ideas, I want to be able to retain the utility function, but add some useful expedition components to make it a dual purpose trailer.

 

[ffdawson]

Nobody? Someone throw me a bone here! Do I need different pics or something?

 

[LuckyDan]

I'll take a shot at it. While it could be a Bantam or T3 tub but I don't think it is based on the smooth, as opposed to ribbed side. IIRC they were also 6ft boxes. If it's of that vintage it may be one of the Willys civilian series though those typically came with a ball hitch coupler. Based on the coupler adaptation the ball coupler is a rather old style I haven't seen since I was a kid in the 60's-70's. My guess is it's an older pickup bed mounted to a frame. That or possibly a Rawson-Koenig, (Now known as RKI Inc) utility trailer. Better known now for truck boxes and service bodies they used to make a lot of other stuff.

Whatever it is, it looks from the pictures to be a good, basic trailer and military or not I would not hesitate to do something with it. As for brakes and shocks I'd guess a trailer supply company could sell you a brake hub kit to fit your axle but I'd probably just order a new axle with brakes, shock mounts and your choice of bolt pattern. That would only require the top shock mounts fabbed up and mounted to the frame.

 

[Robert Bills]

It is definitely not a WWII Bantam T3 or Willys MBT, post war civilian Bantam T3-C, Korean War era M100 (various manufacturers), Vietnam era M416 (various manufacturers), or a Canadian M101.

T3/MBT

Bantam T3-C

M100

http://www


M416

Canadian M101

It also isn't a David Bradley (sold by Sears), Ben Hur (sold by Montgomery Ward), or a Spen.


David Bradley

Ben Hur

Spen

Sorry that I can't help you determine what it is, but with an upgraded axle with trailer brakes (Dexter from many trailer supply sources) and suspension it looks like it would probably make a very good camping/utility trailer.

 

[ffdawson]

Thanks for the help guys, yeah it looks a little one-off, like a homemade copy of a m416. Definitely a longer tub than any of the military trailers. Has a solid axle and leafs. There's a big trailer shop not too far from my place, I'll run it down there and see what they can tell me about brakes etc...

Thanks again!

 

[screwball48]

Looks a lot like a bed off of an older model step side truck without the fenders.


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[ffdawson]

Looks a lot like a bed off of an older model step side truck without the fenders.


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Bingo. I think you nailed it there. Early 50's f100 stepside? Bed rails have the same outward flair, and rollover.


1954 Ford F100 by stephenvelden, on Flickr

 

[lawtobi]

there was a company called KNOX that built some of those back in the late 40's. very little information out there

 

[lawtobi]