New guy - First post - Just picked up my M101A1!

[escher]

If you are a member over at Wranglerforum, this may be a repeat for you, but I wanted to share here as I think you guys will appreciate this!

I've been looking into trailer options for my Jeep Unlimited for a few months - and in the interim I had built a small Harbor Freight utility trailer that I added a car-top carrier to... just to carry our luggage and such for vacation.

After my vacation, I knew my little homebrew trailer wasn't big enough and I started trying to decide what I was going to do - rebuild it and add a new larger axle, etc... or find something else and sell it...

Well - I happened upon this on Cragslist and made the 200 mile round trip after work Tuesday night... wasn't planned AT ALL - nothing like working late, grabbing a buddy and jumping in the jeep for an hour and a half dive one way...

All told - it took about 6 hours door to door with some wiring fab (borrowed the sellers magnet lights) and chatting. Made it home about 1am.

Here she is - M101A1 made in 1968. All the trimmings and in pristine condition... I mean PERFECT! I'm not going to talk price as I'm not sure if the seller is a member here... but He took good care of me.



It took about 50 miles to get over the initial "D@mn this thing is huge!!" jitters... but she drove nice and smooth at 65mph all the way home. Pintle hitch takes some getting used to - you have to get over the mental stress of the *CLUNK*... I got about 12mpg at just under 65mphwith OD off.. I get about 18.5mpg at the same speed unloaded (OD on).


Got it registered yesterday and I'll start the fun part now - playing and wiring and such! I'm so geeked..

I've never dealt with Military Surplus before and everything is so stinking massive and overbuilt.

I want to flip the lunette ring - but seriously - are you kidding me? I need to go buy a trailer hitch wrench to tackle the nut... but even the stinking cotter pin in the castle nut wont budge! I just watched a youtube vid of a guy flipping one and it took an oxyacetylene torch and 5 lb sledge to get it loose... I'm going to have to put on my big boy pants for this I think... lol!!

Anyways - put the kiddos to work sweeping it out.





They love it!

I think I'm going to fab up some bench seats and we will do some fun rides on the two tracks up at our cottage and maybe a hayride for church.

My brain is swimming with all the possiblities!

Thanks for the site - I've already read about 5 hours on these trailers and plan on even more as I get more into mine.

 

[Bo1]

Welcome from Louisiana. Nice looking trailer

 

[Recovry4x4]

Congrats and welcome aboard. They are very useful trailers for sure. If you keep everything removable, they are excellent at hauling just about anything.

 

[tommys2patrick]

Hi and welcome from Colorado!

 

[escher]

Thanks for the welcome folks!

Unfortunately, the wife is *not* keen on camo... But I want to retain a bit of the original feel.

My Jeep is a dark red/maroon - so I'm thinking about a flat brown / red earth color for all the metal and I'd really like to refinish the oak natural.

I'm a big tung oil fan - any reason I couldnt use that (likley a polymerized version, not pure tung oil - which I love, but I think polymerized would be more durable) for the bows and side slats?

 

[Recovry4x4]

You should be able to do that finish. It's your trailer, paint it as you like. What arw your thoughts on the cover in regards to color?

 

[escher]

Not sure - I found the mytarp site and like the idea of a natural canvas cover - I'd have to waterproof it so I'm reading up on that a bit... cost is a big factor, as we dont have a lot of extra funds month -to- month for hobby type stuff... so I tend to do a LOT of DIY and learn as I go. I'm an Engineer / Design guy by trade so I'm always tinkering.

One thing I didnt mention (tin foil hat time) is that the trailer is really dual purpose.. first, the obvious hauling, vacations and fun stuff... but on a more serious note - it will be in the garage ready to go "just in case" we have to get out of town in a hurry... this old world sure aint goin' in a good direction and I'd rather be ready to git if need be.

That being said - its one of the reasons I am thinking about the canvas top... a bit less "bug out" looking and a bit more "regular guy with covered trailer"... Of course if they look *in* the trailer, well...

 

[tommys2patrick]

Just a suggestion, but if you post your old camo trailer cover on our classified forums it may help offset the cost to buy a new one of the color you choose. Plus I imagine a number of people here would like to have a camo cover as they do eventually need replacing.

 

[escher]

Just a suggestion, but if you post your old camo trailer cover on our classified forums it may help offset the cost to buy a new one of the color you choose. Plus I imagine a number of people here would like to have a camo cover as they do eventually need replacing.

Thanks - I was just thinking about that.

My current cover - I just pulled it last night and went over it briefly - Needs some love... Some mildew stains inside and at lease one small hole about 1/2" in diameter I could see.

 

[escher]

By the way - I've been read.. and reading... and reading... about tires. I would like to keep the current ones to be honest - I like the look - but I'm concerned about blowouts, etc. Do I need to be concerned, or should I just use them and stop worrying?

My buddy and I checked the tires as we drove it home and they didnt heat up - seemed to be fine - and I was doing 65 for about 80 miles..

 

[theeDIZ]

Welcome from MD .

 

[m109a2]

Welcome from Lake Charles La.If you want to bust that nut off the lunette spray wd40 or triflow every day and tap all around with a two pound mall for a week if that does not work try mapa.Al

 

[gimpyrobb]

If the tires are in decent shape, I wouldn't worry about them. Do you have a spare? If you decide you want one, the rims are the same as an M37.
Also, if you decide you want working brakes, you can find a surge brake setup from an A2 trailer and it will bolt up to your A frame. Then you just need to run a line to the wheel cyls in the axle and you should be good to go.

 

[escher]

Nope - no spare at the moment... going to have to hunt one up..

 

[escher]

Oh and by the way, my apologies. I was reading through some other threads and it looks like you folks don't care for ellipsis (...) or texting abbreviations.

I'm just going to get my aplogies started now because in my informal writing, i use ellipses and dashes ( - ) a LOT. Generally as a tie between thoughts that may not be directly connected. I tend to write very free-form on forums.

I'll do my best to clean it up - but I'm on somewhere around 50-100 different forums for all my various hobbies and its hard to keep them all straight with the various pet peeves, etc. (See, used a dash and didn't even think about it there... lol <--- ohh look texting abbreviation... ellipses... oh dear God help me.)

Thanks so much for the warm welcome so far!

Back On topic - Anyone in or around Mid-Michigan that might have a spare they want to part with? Also, can you recommend a tire repair place that will deal with these?

 

[Valence]

Back On topic - Anyone in or around Mid-Michigan that might have a spare they want to part with? Also, can you recommend a tire repair place that will deal with these?

Create a post in the "Wanted Parts" in the Classifieds. It's free, no yearly subscription required for Want Ads.

And greetings from Utah!

My sympathies for not being able to keep the camouflage. (it's 1/2 the fun for me). But the "just a regular guy" is a strong argument that I see a lot of logic in for the tin-foilers.

 

[m109a2]

Start wearing btus maybe when she gets use to camo your jeep might match the 101 LOL.Al

 

[escher]

Start wearing btus maybe when she gets use to camo your jeep might match the 101 LOL.Al

HAHA!!! That'd be my preference! I said I was considering painting the jeep sand tan and she about lost it.

My preference would be the jeep and trailer tan, both tops black.. not gonna happen!

 

[gimpyrobb]

If your up for a road trip this weekend, there is a MV swap meet. You might be able to find a spare and some other parts. PM me your number if you go, I will have a cold one waiting for ya.
.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?142213-Marengo-Ohio-show-buy-sell-trade&highlight=

 

[dirtdobber]

Nice setup and welcome from the Volunteer state.