M116A2 Expedition Trailer Build

[Valence]

This one is only about 56" wide on the inside and 66" long inside. With the water tank and hot water heater taking up a lot of interior space sleeping inside is not an option. Besides, to me camping is still an outdoor sport. I'll use a tent to keep the bugs or rain off but still want to feel I'm not sleeping in a tin can.

The Gordigear tent I was looking at is about $1400 and the Smittybilt was around $900. I'm going to pass on some of the upper end RTTs that range between $2500-$4500

For those prices, just buy a deuce and a half and sleep in the bed!

 

[mkcoen]

For those prices, just buy a deuce and a half and sleep in the bed!

I have one. And a M1078. I just don't want to drive 500 miles in one of them to go camping for 2 days.

 

[mkcoen]

There's no real sense putting a lot of work into the shelter until the trailer is ready for it so I got started on that this afternoon (this morning I had my 2nd torture session at the physical therapist). What I'd like to do is keep the stock axle and just change backing plates/hubs/drums. I want electric brakes and hubs that match the wife's Titan. In order to get to that I need to show the trailer parts warehouse where I am now to see if they can help me without changing the whole axle. Even if I keep it stock I still want to tear everything down and check the bearings so need to do this whichever direction I wind up going.

First thing was to get the wheel off. Easier said than done. My 1/2" air impact wouldn't even budge any of the lugnuts. I know what you're thinking but, no, these are not left hand threads. It's a M116A2 so all lugnuts are right hand. So since the impact didn't work I needed to pull out the 3/4" breaker bar. Unfortunately it was in the back of the LMTV. Getting up there was probably pretty comical looking but lucky for me I was by myself. A 5' cheater helped get the lugs off pretty quick.

It was nice to see lots of decent grease in/around the bearings and the rest of the disassembly went quick and easy. Tomorrow I'll take everything in and see what they can do to help.

 

[mkcoen]

New backing plates and drums (and bearings, caps, etc). It was going to cost about $300 per side to get backing plates with parking brakes. They would have been nice to have but not worth the money. I can buy a lot of chock blocks for the money I saved.

 

[Another Ahab]

How's the knee coming along?

 

[mkcoen]

How's the knee coming along?

It follows me everywhere I go. Started PT this weeks so only 6-7 years and I should be good as new.

 

[Another Ahab]

It follows me everywhere I go. Started PT this weeks so only 6-7 years and I should be good as new.

Well, you CAN buy one brand new (if you really want it), you know, right?!

 

[mkcoen]

Well, you CAN buy one brand new (if you really want it), you know, right?!

The knee is fine. The ligaments that are attached to it and have shortened and tightened up over the last 5 weeks are what's causing the problem now. Stretching those back out and getting range of motion back can't be done by surgery.

 

[Another Ahab]

Those PT people can work miracles if you do just what they tell you. It's no fun, but I've had a couple of shoulder issues that PT got me through.

It hurts sometimes, but I learned they can pull you through if you play by their rules. Good luck, Brother. You can do it.

 

[combat32]

Where you gonna put the porta- potty on that trailer?

 

[mkcoen]

Where you gonna put the porta- potty on that trailer?

On the trailer behind the trailer

Actually I was told we're getting a pop-up privacy tent for the shower hookup so the 5 gallon bucket with a toilet seat will be going in there. I'll still use a tree.

 

[combat32]

I may have to buy another m116 and build one, everybody else is.

 

[Tinstar]

I may have to buy another m116 and build one, everybody else is.

Hurry
Prices are going up.

 

[mkcoen]

Well 1 step forward and 2 steps back. I started putting the left side back together and the 1st thing I did was compare hub depth because I was concerned the spindle might be too long. Not an issue as both were exactly the same depth. So onward and upward! And that was my big mistake.

I packed both the new bearings, installed the inner, slid the drum on, and there's not enough room.

Looking closer at the drums I realize the outer bearing on the new drum sits shallower than the stock drum. The axle nut will only go on about 1/2".

Any suggestions other than going back to hydraulic brakes?

 

[tobyS]

Well 1 step forward and 2 steps back. I started putting the left side back together and the 1st thing I did was compare hub depth because I was concerned the spindle might be too long. Not an issue as both were exactly the same depth. So onward and upward! And that was my big mistake.

I packed both the new bearings, installed the inner, slid the drum on, and there's not enough room.

Looking closer at the drums I realize the outer bearing on the new drum sits shallower than the stock drum. The axle nut will only go on about 1/2".

Any suggestions other than going back to hydraulic brakes?

Which would seem to mean may not have the proper bearing fit and or the distance between bearings could be too long (hub length).

 

[mkcoen]

Which would seem to mean may not have the proper bearing fit and or the distance between bearings could be too long (hub length).

I'm going to check the inner bearing to make sure its seated properly but I think its the distance. Sitting on a flat surface the hubs are the same length but the outer bearing seat is at least 2" further outbound than the original one.

 

[tobyS]

I'm going to check the inner bearing to make sure its seated properly but I think its the distance. Sitting on a flat surface the hubs are the same length but the outer bearing seat is at least 2" further outbound than the original one.

I worked moving a company that made hubs, from Tenn to Ohio, then managed it's start up. We were making the big 25,000 ag hubs (and down in size) and couldn't get the old (WW2 vintage) machinery to make consistent, within tolerance hubs, once moved. The one machine had (eight) chucks 18" (weighed 90,000#), which went from station to station. Ultimately I discovered the chucks were eaten up on their screws, packed with iron and were prohibitive to rebuild. Then we went to entirely CNC lathes. I have about 12 of those 10 bolt 25K# hubs and 4" solid axles that were not out, but part of the scrapped lot. They are the 13.29 dia bolt circle of the MRAP rim, so I bought the 450 Sand trail to build from, high flotation. Sorry, got off topic.

You may be able to machine the cone deeper, but is altering a hub too risky for you?

 

[mkcoen]

I'm going to simply try returning the hubs and see if they have ones with shallower outside races. If not I'll just see if the original hubs will work with the new electric brake backing plates. I'll be stuck with the 8 lug bolt pattern but at least I'll have electric brakes. Either way I'll be getting new wheel bearings packed with new grease so should have a trouble free axle for the foreseeable future.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Can the bore that the races are seated in be deepened?

 

[mkcoen]

Can the bore that the races are seated in be deepened?

It only cost $110 for both sides so thinking cheaper to simply replace especially if they'll take these back.