Starting My M101 Build. I will call it "The Trailer of Two Cities"

[koolex11]

Hi everyone, I'm new to the site and ready to post! My stomping grounds are the state forests of northern Pennsylvania. Born and raised a Philly boy (sort of) I am slowly working my way west. The furthest I have explored is the Susquehannock Forest near Germania. One weekend at a time! I'm a hiker, fly-fisherman, survivalist, woodworker, builder, part-time landscaper (full-time schoolteacher) heirloom gardener, and this summer became a military trailer rehabilitator. It's addictive.

I started with an American M101A1 and it was a great first project. I was never much into being a mechanic, and my goal was to clean it up and take the O.D. out of it. I was somewhat successful and made a pretty quick job of it. Didn't disassemble too much, just touched up the rust and painted it. I am happy with the outcome, but there are definitely some things I could do better.

Before and after:

 

[koolex11]

So there are a few problems I have with the M101A1 in general: too tall, too heavy, too rusty, too old. I needed something that I could pull easier with my Jeep Cherokee, and the A1 is just a little too much. Don't get me wrong, it pulls very nice for a 1968 trailer that weighs 1400 pounds! But I know the limits of the 4.0 Liter Jeep.

So I bought two A2's. One I gave to my brother (he was looking for a tough firewood hauler) and the second I picked up this past Wednesday.

 

[koolex11]

Which brings me to Mark Harley's thread and the name "Trailer of Two Cities". Mark is a Pittsburgh man and I am a Philadelphia man, and while we are quite bitter at the lopsidedness of Super Bowl wins, Mark inspired me to take a 101 and fix it up the RIGHT way. I plan to steal quite a few of his ideas, but I will certainly add my own flare!

Here is his build if you haven't seen it:

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/63713-Just-purchased-a-Military-trailer-to-build-a-family-hauler

 

[koolex11]

By the way, my brother actually introduced me to the 101, and he is now hooked as well. My question is how can you not be? A few hundred dollars is a heck of a deal, even with the government hoops you have to jump through.

 

[RandomAbstract]

So there are a few problems I have with the M101A1 in general: too tall, too heavy, too rusty, too old.

I know the feeling. Except I am too short, too heavy, too rusty and getting older by the moment!

 

[koolex11]

So you have heard the background and seen the project, now for the progress. Yesterday I started stripping it down and cleaning. I needed to buy a 1 1/16" wrench and socket (not a mechanic, only had a standard set) but luckily that's as big as the nuts and bolts get.

Coincidentally, the 101A1 has 1 1/2" lugs, another annoying design element.

So here is progress so far: lights removed (one was broken by GL forklift), wiring removed, hydraulic brake actuator and lines removed.

 

[RandomAbstract]

Hi everyone, I'm new to the site and ready to post! My stomping grounds are the state forests of northern Pennsylvania. Born and raised a Philly boy (sort of) I am slowly working my way west. The furthest I have explored is the Susquehannock Forest near Germania. One weekend at a time! I'm a hiker, fly-fisherman, survivalist, woodworker, builder, part-time landscaper (full-time schoolteacher) heirloom gardener, and this summer became a military trailer rehabilitator. It's addictive.

Welcome. I am fairly new here, too and have learned a lot already.

You will have a lot of fun slowly exploring westward. There is a lot of America to explore before you hit the Pacific ocean.

I started with an American M101A1 and it was a great first project. I was never much into being a mechanic, and my goal was to clean it up and take the O.D. out of it. I was somewhat successful and made a pretty quick job of it. Didn't disassemble too much, just touched up the rust and painted it. I am happy with the outcome, but there are definitely some things I could do better.

Good job cleaning up the A1.

 

[koolex11]

i know the feeling. Except i am too short, too heavy, too rusty and getting older by the moment!

lol!

 

[RandomAbstract]

So I bought two A2's. One I gave to my brother (he was looking for a tough firewood hauler) and the second I picked up this past Wednesday.

Errrrh, shouldn't

A1 + A1 = A2,

not the other way around?

 

[koolex11]

Here are more parts removed: rear stabilizer and tongue assembly:

View attachment 68534View attachment 68535View attachment 68536

This is the ultimate plan (thanks again Mark) for dropping the htich down to a reasonable level. The stock M101A2 lunette sits at about 23" when level. The 2" receiver on my Jeep is about 16" high.

I know the answer you all are thinking: "Get a CDN101 / M416!" Yeah I have seen those prices.

So by switching the coupler setup to adjustable I save both weight and height!
View attachment 68537

Another advantage of this channel is that you can put ANY coupler onto it. The guy at the trailer store was too excited to show me all the different options.

So here I have started prepping the tongue so that I can have somebody weld the new channel on.

 

[koolex11]

Sorry about the attachments, I am still learning to use this site!

 

[koolex11]

More parts removed:

 

[koolex11]

Here I have rigged the gate to fall like a normal truck bed. Parts list includes

12 extra links of chain (6 on each side)
4 1/4" quick links

The best part is that it doesn't interfere with any of the original hardware or with the closing or locking of the gate. So it doesn't require adjustment.

 

[Mark Harley]

Off to a great start! I like the way my hitch mount has worked out.
Are you keeping the original landing leg?
I cut mine off due to the fact the release pin would be hard t use when I enclose the tongue space for a box.
Will you be doing a matching paint scheme with the jeep?
Keep us posted,

 

[sapper]

I think I will be welding the channel on also to that I can put a ball hitch on my trailer as well. This way I don't need to carry the pintle around all the time when I don't need it.

Does yours still have the hand brakes on it?