M416 Condition

[Thenewgrit]

So I'm looking for my first real hands-on project. Never was very mechanically inclined or handy. But I would like to learn and change all that.

I want to gauge the condition of a M416 trailer I found and see what some people with more experience would rate it as (fair, poor).

A lot of my searching shows destroyed M416 or ones already restored/converted so hard to compare for me.

A Imgur albulm: https://imgur.com/a/G3mxmRZ

1968 and says it has "rare surge breaks". Is it a reasonable project? What are current reasonable prices?

Appreciate the newbie help!

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

Around 1978 (not 6 m416 trailer production changed over to the m416a1 and had surge brakes instead of the rotating hitch. It's pretty much the same as a regular m416 in design and dimensions, but there are small differences to tell them apart besides the big hitch setup like the center crossmember, side rails where the lights are, 3500lb axle with hubs that are standard, etc. The a1 is more rare than a regular m416 but not super hard to find.
I can't tell from the pics which model it is since I can't see the hitch or axle but it looks to be in decent shape rust wise. The leaf springs aren't hard to get since they're used on certain jeeps, not sure what they cost nowadays. Prices vary so widely depending on who's selling and buying (military jeep guys vs. civi jeep offroaders and overlanders) that it's hard to put a value on it. Jeep guys will pay crazy money for junk from what I've seen.

 

[Zed254]

Looks like a lot of rust and possibly difficult to find parts. I would look on GovPlanet for upcoming auctions of M1101 and M1102 trailers. They are a little bigger than the M416, though, so may not meet your needs.

From a project perspective this trailer should give you sheet metal, paint, mechanical, and brake experience.

 

[BKubu]

For a point of reference, I recently sold a clean, original M416 for $750.

 

[porkysplace]

So I'm looking for my first real hands-on project. Never was very mechanically inclined or handy. But I would like to learn and change all that.

I want to gauge the condition of a M416 trailer I found and see what some people with more experience would rate it as (fair, poor).

A lot of my searching shows destroyed M416 or ones already restored/converted so hard to compare for me.

A Imgur albulm: https://imgur.com/a/G3mxmRZ

1968 and says it has "rare surge breaks". Is it a reasonable project? What are current reasonable prices?

Appreciate the newbie help!

Welcome to SS , the site likes you to post pictures direct to the site as links go dead.

This thread explains how to link them ;

How to post pictures - a tutorial

 

[Thenewgrit]

Thanks for the prompt replies.

I have looked at the GovPlanet and other liquidation websites. The larger trailers seem like they might strain my midsize overland truck (2019 Colorado with tow package) and not fit as many places. Though I am keeping an eye on them for a buddy who wants a similar project for his fullsized Ford Raptor.

Are there any similar sized military surplus trailers? It seems a fair condition M416 would still be ideal size/project for me, but maybe this one isn't a good place to start. Though it seems the M416 is few and far between. Also from Bkubu's information this gentleman is way over pricing his.

I'll reformat when I figure out the direct jpeg links! Thanks

 

[NDT]

Bed looks as good as you will find these days. Spring is a goner though!

 

[mkcoen]

For a Colorado the 416 or even up to a M101 would probably be the right size. It all depends on how much stuff you want to put into it. The 101 has a bigger tub but of course that comes with the offset of more weight and a wider footprint. Unfortunately you probably won't see any of them coming up on GovPlanet. There are a lot of build threads for both trailers over at ExpeditionPortal.com to give you an idea of which way to go.

 

[country]

We have a few M416 trailers to look at for reference of condition

M416 1/4 Ton Cargo Trailer #6 Jeep Trailer
Cargo Trailer for Jeep 1/4 Ton
NSN #: 2330-00-706-5495
$2,000.00



M416 1/4 Ton Cargo Trailer for Jeep Trailer #2
Cargo Trailer for Jeep 1/4 Ton
NSN #: 2330-00-706-5495
$695.00







M416 1/4 Ton Cargo Trailer for Jeep Trailer #4
Cargo Trailer for Jeep 1/4 Ton
NSN #: ---
$850.00

 

[Thenewgrit]

More great info

I actually looked at the Eastern Surplus pages and saw those. Seems like the one I posted is inbetween the lower priced one and the higher priced one.

The M416 seems like a perfect fit but will have to sit on my hands for a bit and keep an eye out unless I'm feeling frisky to take on the one posted. There are some M101s around me but my truck may struggle with overland if I load it up with gear, swing kitchen and a tent rack.

There is a M101 CDN2 but it is a lot more and a decent drive from me. This M416 was up at Lake Erie not very far so got my hopes up.

When one is listed as a 1/4 Bantam Jeep trailer is that a general name which includes the M416/M100 or something more specific like the M100 trailer? When I read listings I have difficulty understanding if they are one and the same.

Appreciate you fellas helping someone who isn't so mechanically savy try to get his toes wet!

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

When one is listed as a 1/4 Bantam Jeep trailer is that a general name which includes the M416/M100 or something more specific like the M100 trailer? When I read listings I have difficulty understanding if they are one and the same.

Appreciate you fellas helping someone who isn't so mechanically savy try to get his toes wet!

Bantam made jeep trailers during WWII, and then after they made trailers for the civilian market. Those trailers had tailgates and a ball hitch instead of the pintle. Those are both the same width as the m100, while the m416 is a little bit wider. There were some other oddball trailer manufacturers back in the 50s but you don’t see them too often (not based on the same design).

 

[SgtMajHarper]

I have had a couple of M416's over the years for "civilian purposes" and it is perfect for me to pull with a Jeep. I put and end gate in my current one so I can haul roacks and it will easily carry 1 yard or @ a ton and half of rocks, dirt, whatever. Much more than that and it gets a little goofy with tongue weight and starts wobbling back and forth. With a pickup you could probably get by with an M101 trailer, but it's wider, taller and definately will carry more and you could over load it easy enough.

416's in decent shape are getting rare, the one in your pictures looks easy enough to fix up, I'd also recommend a good sand blasting to get many years of paint and who knows what all rust off of it and it will be a beauty. Where I live if you can find at all for @ $1,000 you're doing good. E-Bay has them once in a while, plus some parts........also there ued to be an outfit out of the Phillipines that offered everything reproduction you could ever want for older Jeeps and I think M100 treailers (the 416 older brother) and their prices were pretty good....no idea if they still exist or not.

 

[Thenewgrit]

Thanks for clearing that up for me.

The one I posted is listed $1000 And only about an hour away so I might take a chance to go see it. Like I said I'm in the dual search mode also for some thing larger for the buddies full-size. He owns a aircraft parts manufacture so has all the toys for metalwork projects, so he is onboard to teach me a little.

On a side note I placed a WTB ad and someone contacted me all the way from Idaho. Said they had 9 or 10 M416 various conditions starting at $900 plus M101, pickups and etc. Way too far from me (maybe freight is an option). But would be a good lead for anybody further west than I am!

 

[Fredo Corleone]

Evil Dr. Porkchop has done some trailers

 

[Fredo Corleone]

M416 and M416A1

 

[Thenewgrit]

Evil Dr. Porkchop has done some trailers

View attachment 759371

The Porkchop Express? Now I see where a lot of them ended up lol. Definitely came to the right place for advice.

I asked the gentleman about seeing the trailer this weekend if it is still around. Would definitely want him to wiggle a bit on the price but who knows. If I'm free it's worth a drive anyways.

 

[redlight]

Greetings,
I have been refreshing M416's for about 8 years or so;1 or 3 a year. I have purchased via craigslist, and GSA auctions. The most I have paid is $750. The all needed sanding painting and mechanical repairs. The M416a1 with serge brake is somewhat rarer. I have keep the best one for me and have sold the rest for between $1200 and $1500. These were not restored to a new condition but all tow behind a pick up truck or jeep perfectly. You can hardly know it is there and still attached. The floor looks good and solid with working drains. The trailer is designed to float if the drain is closed. The tail lights are civilian but are fine if you tow it with your pick up. All parts are available from dealers with the exception of the brake cable. Save it as this part is very hard to find. The springs can be re arched at a local spring shop or new ones can be purchased. Feel free to contact me if I can be of any assistance.

 

[98G]

The Colorado is rated to tow 3500-7000lbs. Presumably with the tow package yours is towards the upper end of that scale.

An M1101 weighs 1480 lbs empty and would be my first choice to tow behind a pickup truck. A couple of caveats though - the 1101s are wide and tall. A lifted truck or a raised hitch is required for them to ride level. Also, if you're dragging one down a narrow jeep trail they'll be too wide.

The thing about the 416s (and to a lesser extent the m101s) is that they typically bring a premium from the jeep crowd which makes them more expensive than they should be.

A pretty good M416 should cost about $1k. That one will be worth about that after you go through it and paint it.

(As an aside, don't even consider an M105 to go with your pickup.)

 

[Thenewgrit]

The Colorado is rated to tow 3500-7000lbs. Presumably with the tow package yours is towards the upper end of that scale.

An M1101 weighs 1480 lbs empty and would be my first choice to tow behind a pickup truck. A couple of caveats though - the 1101s are wide and tall. A lifted truck or a raised hitch is required for them to ride level. Also, if you're dragging one down a narrow jeep trail they'll be too wide.

The thing about the 416s (and to a lesser extent the m101s) is that they typically bring a premium from the jeep crowd which makes them more expensive than they should be.

A pretty good M416 should cost about $1k. That one will be worth about that after you go through it and paint it.

(As an aside, don't even consider an M105 to go with your pickup.)

You presumed correctly my truck is rated for 7000lbs conventional towing. Now how agile and aggressive it would be Im not sure. The M101A2 would be great for the extra space and cargo to have at basecamp. And I even saw a thread on here with a guy and his M101A2 at Moab.

 

[fasttruck]

GP has been selling 3 or 4 M101 trailers a week for the last several weeks. Some on Yermo, CA, some in Texas or Louisiana. They are in varying stages of decay and typically bring $400 to $600. Most will need new tires at least. They also have the newer M101A2 with 8 stud tubeless wheels and surge brakes. The well will soon run dry on these things as it did for M35s, M37s, and CUTVs. Then you will be reduced to private sellers.