Found a Bantam M100 trailer

[dp7197]

When I was looking for an adaptor to go from 5 X 5.5 to 5 X 4.5 I spoke to a gentleman in CA who manufactures wheel adaptors. He knew exactly what I wanted to do and told me that there would not be enough material to do what I wanted - make the bolt pattern smaller.

I bought some Spidertrax wheel spacers to set my wheels out more - needed when I replaced the 6.00 tires with 245 MTRs. So, my wheel patterns does not match my TJ. Oh well. I bought a spare trailer tire and my Jeep has a spare.

I wanted it to match also, but I liked having the stock axle and bigger (?) bearings. The wheel adaptors also allowed me to get rid of the left-hand thread lugs holding my wheels on the one side - now the adaptor gets to deal with those crazy threads that make you cuss when your wheel won't come off on your 70 year old trailer. Also, the Spidertrax spacers just cleared the hub........just.

 

[Errant]

Nice find, Slim. Crestline, right? I saw it listed on CL for a while. Found my M100 in Crestline, as well

 

[TacoDell]

IMHO.. if it were mine... I'd want to know it's history
if by chance you come to own a rare or early production trailer...
It could be worth more, then U might think, to a collector or even a museum.
just sayin'

it's definitely not a T3 - C

though... it could be a T3... more clues needed tho'

how many frame cross members does it have ?

does it have a cast or welded center axle tube ? (if that's even original)

are the shocks secured by a nut or cotter pin ?

over the years... and with many different hands making adjustments...
it's a little difficult to tell, unless certain specs are determined.

I don't believe that T3's included tailgates from the factory...
but could be wrong on that.

Bottom line... the answer lay... at the bottom of the frame
and a lite sanding of the frame should reveal it's true identity.

^ '43 T3 - FM: http://jeepdraw.com/Trailer.html ( < lotsa pics )

^ ~ maybe you'll get lucky and it won't be covered by the spring perch/mount ~

 

[slimtwo]

Thank you for the information. I will get under the trailer and see what I find.

Stay tuned!

Happy trails!

 

[Robert Bills]

From what I can see in your photos, your trailer is either a Willys-built MBT or Bantam-built T3. Both are WWII vintage, and as manufactured were nearly identical. Good photos of the axle may give some additional clues as there were differences between the axles on MBT and T3 trailers, however it was common to swap axles in the field so that won't be definitive.

[BTW, the proper designation for the post-war Bantam civilian trailer with factory tailgate is T3-C, not TC-3 or BT3-C as sometimes described. Also, there were several manufacturers of the Korean war era M-100, but Bantam wasn't one of them as the company had ceased production before government awarded the contracts.]

 

[slimtwo]

From what I can see in your photos, your trailer is either a Willys-built MBT or Bantam-built T3. Both are WWII vintage, and as manufactured were nearly identical. Good photos of the axle may give some additional clues as there were differences between the axles on MBT and T3 trailers, however it was common to swap axles in the field so that won't be definitive.

[BTW, the proper designation for the post-war Bantam civilian trailer with factory tailgate is T3-C, not TC-3 or BT3-C as sometimes described. Also, there were several manufacturers of the Korean war era M-100, but Bantam wasn't one of them as the company had ceased production before government awarded the contracts.]

Thank you Robert for the info, it is helpful. In looking more closely at the trailer, I verified that it did not originally come with a tail gate. And in trying to find the stamped number that Taco del mentioned in his comment, the previous owner welded a plate to support the ammo case at that point which is covering the number, so no help there.

So the only thing I know is this, it came with a hand brake with a slightly bent handle, it did not have a tailgate originally, it does have the four tie down hooks on the sides, and it does have a drain in the bed in the rear on the passenger side.

So what do you think?

Bruce

 

[Robert Bills]

I think MBT (Willys) or T3 (Bantam). Without an ACM number you will probably not be able to narrow it further with any certainty.

 

[slimtwo]

I think MBT (Willys) or T3 (Bantam). Without an ACM number you will probably not be able to narrow it further with any certainty.

Well if that's the case, then I think I'll just refer to it as a MBT "Willys". My TJ just happens to be a limited edition "Willys", so I guess I will call the trailer "Willys Jr.".

Thank you all for your help. When I start removing the stuff hanging on the side, I might uncover the ACM number, then we will see what's what.

Happy trails!

 

[4biker]

I've been lurking for a while, so I guess it's time for my first post. There are plenty of knowledgeable fellas on here, but I thought I'd throw this link in. This is what helped me identify my trailer as an M100:
http://wwiijeepparts.com/Archives/JeepTrailer.html (any of you guys write this up?)

I picked mine up about a month ago, and it's pretty sad what the PO did to it. I've had to cut it down to the bed floor and start from there. I'll have to start a thread for you guys to tell me what I'm doing wrong with mine [/mini-hijack]

Good luck with the ID process, and with the build!

 

[Robert Bills]

That's Brian French's webpage. He knows 1/4 ton military trailers. I don't think he frequents this forum.

 

[slimtwo]

I've been lurking for a while, so I guess it's time for my first post. There are plenty of knowledgeable fellas on here, but I thought I'd throw this link in. This is what helped me identify my trailer as an M100:
http://wwiijeepparts.com/Archives/JeepTrailer.html (any of you guys write this up?)

I picked mine up about a month ago, and it's pretty sad what the PO did to it. I've had to cut it down to the bed floor and start from there. I'll have to start a thread for you guys to tell me what I'm doing wrong with mine [/mini-hijack]

Good luck with the ID process, and with the build!

Well I went to the site and followed his check list to identify the trailer, and it looks like it may be a T3 Banam. It was MBT Willys all the way untill I got down to the shock mounts. Now this may have been changed by one of the previous owners, but I have no way of knowing for sure. So I'll just call it an MBT Willys, what the hey.

Happy trails!

 

[Robert Bills]

The lower shock mounts were susceptible to damage and were often changed in the field. The uppers not so much. Are the top and bottom mounts the same on both sides? If not, then you'll know at least one was replaced. However, if they are all the same you can reach a reasonable conclusion as to which company manufactured your trailer - Willys if the shock mounts are smooth with a cotter pin, Bantam if the mount is threaded with a nut.

Bantam T3 axles were always one-piece tubes. The axles on early Willys MBT trailers were two-piece with a coupling tube in the center. Axles on later Willys MBT trailers were two-piece with a welded seam in the center instead of the coupling tube.

 

[hakalugi]

i just did this for my trailer (changed the hub's pattern so it would match my vehicle's pattern) so i can share a spare, etc.

do this:

1) take off a wheel
2) remove the hub
3) pull the outer bearing, wipe it clean
4) note the bearing's model/type numbers
5) email the sales/support team at www.etrailer.com, the bearing info and that you want to use a x by y.y" pattern hub.
6) they'll let you know what hub will work

getting the wheels to match is worth it.

 

[4biker]

i just did this for my trailer (changed the hub's pattern so it would match my vehicle's pattern) so i can share a spare, etc.

do this:

1) take off a wheel
2) remove the hub
3) pull the outer bearing, wipe it clean
4) note the bearing's model/type numbers
5) email the sales/support team at www.etrailer.com, the bearing info and that you want to use a x by y.y" pattern hub.
6) they'll let you know what hub will work

getting the wheels to match is worth it.

Thank you - I've been wondering the best way to do that. Was your trailer axle wide enough to handle the Tundra wheels without spacers?

btw, those wheels look sharp on your LC

 

[hakalugi]

the backspacing was a big unknown. the hubs and wheels on my trailer before were (jeep) 5 x 4.5" steelies. the 6 x 5.5" sequoia/tundra wheels do need 1.25" spacers on my '80, and i only had 1 spacer left (i needed one for mounting my spare on the rear tire carrier ) so i sure was hoping to find i didn't need to order 1 more to get the 37" BFGs with tundra/sequoia wheels to fit my trailer.

turns out my fears were unfounded. the backspacing on the jeep steelies were much tighter:

steelies with 33" x 12.5 r15 MTR's: it's t i g h t

17" toyota rims with 37" x 12.5" tires:

more room even without spacers

so it all depends on what you're starting with.