M101 paint removal

[Nick]

Short of sand blasting, what can i use to get the paint off my trailer to prep it for new paint?

Ive tried oven cleaner. It barely took the overcoats, and there are about 5 or 6 colors, and where the military paint is visible, it didnt even touch that.

I knew i shoulda just sandblasted the whole thing at once instead of the bed and underneath. But $400 bucks seems to be the magic number for the sandblaster. $400 for the bed, $400 for the underneath, and $400 for the sides.

Seems kinda outrageous, doesnt it??

Thanks
Nick

 

[MWMULES]

There is a place here in KC that hot dip strips. I had a 416 done a couple of years ago and for the tub the total was 200. I did not have the frame done, used grinder and sander. You have to remove everything . I had it held on to the frame with 2 bolts, drove to their shop, unbolted it, they picked it up with their overhead crane. Came back 3 days later super clean, smooth and the stuff they use even gets the rust. Their main business is hot dip galvanizing. There should be someone out there that does it also.

 

[Barrman]

It really comes down to how nice you want the trailer in the end and how much time you want to spend.

I spent about 30 hours doing my 101 a few weeks ago over the holidays. I used about $50 worth of abrasive sanding disc, D/A pads and just about anything else I could find that might remove some of the CARC. I only took the bed rail and the outside edge of the top and bottom bed edges down to bare metal. Everything else just got scuffed and painted over.

Well, the entire frame was bare metal as well. Nobody can see that however but I wanted the important part of the trailer to be rust free and protected.

How nice do you want it and how much is your time worth?

 

[m16ty]

Like barrman said, depends on how nice you want it. If you want everything to be nice and smooth it's going to take a while with sanding, wire brush, or stripper. CARC is some of the toughest paint to remove I've ever delt with and most everything has multiple coats to remove.

 

[Armada]

Carc is extremely tough as said. Sand blasting works good but even that takes longer than usual. Sanding works but slowly and goes through a LOT of paper. I only sanded the paint and feathered the edges on my 101 when I restored it. Smooth out the existing paint best you can and put a couple good coats of epoxy primer on before painting. Nice job on your trailer Barrman. And $400 seems way high for sandblasting. I had a complete drop side box for a deuce sandblasted to bare metal for $250. Good luck.

 

[Nick]

Well considering the color I'm gonna go with i figured I'd hafta at least get all the other coats off. I thought about leaving the military paint on, I assume thats what you guys mean by CARC??

Im gonna do the Dodge Submarine Green, same as my Power Wagon will be someday.

So maybe I'll start sanding and just get the added coats off. Not sure, but most of it is dried up and flaking off anyway, so maybe I'll get lucky and it wont be that hard.

The problem with dipping it is I already have the bed and underside coated with roll on bed liner. That came out really good. Line X wanted $2000 for the bed and underside; I paid 50 bucks for the Hurculiner from JC Whitney. Works great

 

[davesbf]

just a note,be very careful not to breathe in carc and i hear tell that it is considered hazardous waste.I'm sure someone will say i'm wrong but this is what i've been told.

 

[KaiserM109]

What do you guys suggest for wood in the bows and sides that needs replacing?

I got a set a few months ago from my 'civilianized' M101 that really needs help. In fact some of the wood is gone.

 

[Nick]

As far as what type of wood to use?? Im having all mine redone in white oak. according to a local wood and timber mill here, he said it would take the waether and use the best.
Thats for the bows and gates.

Im replacing it all cuz it has the military paint on it and alot of it is cracked really bad

 

[m16ty]

The absolute best stuff for bows is sasafras (sp?). That stuff will last for years on something that isn't in contact with the ground. All the farmers around here use it for sideboards and such on grain trucks.

 

[Nick]

Where the heck do ya get that??!! Never even heard of it

 

[davesbf]

locust wood holds up to weaher better than oak,thats what farmers generally use for fences,but i don't know if it comes in board style

 

[m16ty]

Where the heck do ya get that??!! Never even heard of it

It's a native tree around here. May not have them in CA.

I hear redwood has some of the same anti-rot qualities but there's none of that around here.

 

[m16ty]

locust wood holds up to weaher better than oak,thats what farmers generally use for fences,but i don't know if it comes in board style

Locust will alot of times twist up real bad when cut into boards. They do make good fence post though.

 

[Nick]

redwood is a little too soft for gates and bows. We have alot of it here where i live and we use it alot for signs and stuff in the fire dept. too soft for trailers though

 

[Barrman]

It doesn't really fit the flow of the thread, but I forgot to put my finished pictures on here when I posted the other pictures a few days ago. They are below.

I have a M35 with wood everything and another with fiberglass everthing as far as troop seats go. I really suggest you find a set of M35 fiberglass troop seats and cut them up for your 101 side boards. You will have to find a 101 set of rotten wood however for all the proper brackets.

 

[KaiserM109]

I Googled sasafras (spelled correctly) and found all kinds of uses for it, except lumber. I'll look for it at the local lumber yard.

Nice looking work, barrman and armada. When mine is presentable I'll post some pics.

My 101 was 'residue' and was missing the tongue, both wheels/tires and 1 drum; excelent condition bed and frame. I cut off the military hubs and welded on hubs from a '75 Ford Bronco (full floating bearings) so that it would have the same bolt pattern as the '69 Bronco I pull it with. It is one of the best towing trailers I have ever drug around. I plan to put 12 - 38 volt LED lights on it so that I can pull it with either military or civilian equipment.

It had lights but no wiring. I upgraded the lights on my deuce with them.

 

[jdmcgowen]

Sasafras...... Isn't that some sort of southern Tea?

 

[m16ty]

I Googled sasafras (spelled correctly) and found all kinds of uses for it, except lumber. I'll look for it at the local lumber yard.

The only place I've ever seen it is in the woods and at sawmills. Alot of farmers use it around here for sideboards for their grain trucks and such. Some people also use the root to make some sort of tea.

 

[Nick]

Will it take the paint off my trailer? I guess Ill just hafta get it sandblasted, think they will take an IOU for payment since I'm about to get them for my pay for working for the wonderful state of california