New to me M127

[microjeep]

Scored an awesome M127A2 trailer, needs some love then it will go perfect with the museum's M52 tractor. When I got it home the wife said, and she doesn't use bad language, "what the he77 is that" and before I thought the dumbest thing I ever said came out of my mouth "I bought it for $ worse case I can scrap it for $$$$" to which she replied "that's a d@mn good idea".

 

[Recovry4x4]

It will come in handy next time you move.

 

[jasonjc]

Thats a nice one. Whish mine had the side boards like that!!

 

[Scrounger]

What year is it? It looks to be a late sixties, around 1967, since the data plates are on the front. If you have never taken the sides off one of those you may be surprised at how heavy they are. The two up front and the two in the rear are extra heavy. A crowbar is your friend when handling them.

 

[microjeep]

1972 model, all the wood needs replaced and the two back panels are missing so if anyone knows where some are in any condition that can be purchased or someone willing to take some good photos and measurements I can make something to replace them that looks close to what was original. Thanks in advance.

P.s. recovery I'll need help with that move.

 

[Scrounger]

Replacing the wood could be problematic. I’m not sure of the ones made in 1972. however, the ones made in 63 and 67 use mahogany wood for the floors and sides. The other problem is the floors are 2” thick and the side are 1” thick. Modern dimensioned lumber is too thin.

The back panels are specific to the trailer. All the left ones I have seen have wooden boards. Of the right panels I have seen two kinds. One has wood like the left panel, and some are made with a fiberglass covering over filler. All the right panels have medal rungs so one can climb into the trailer.
The decision is how do you plan on fixing it. White oak works well in place of mahogany. The question will be to cut the new boards as it came and secure them with the metal strips or install the new wood with self-tapping fasteners. The sides use a lap joint with a single bolt into a T-nut on every upright. That makes for a flush inside surface. Replacement panels made in later years used nuts and bolts that snags cargo when loading, ask me how I know.

When this immoderate weather abates, I will try and take some picture of some rear panels.

 

[microjeep]

Thanks, was thinking I would have to have a sawmill cut the lumber, don't know much about different types of wood so I'm open to suggestions on what to use or not. Lots of oak in this area. They're several mompop sawmills in this area. Was hoping to save the metal strips for the floor, thanks for the heads up about the fasteners for the side panels are they hard to come by? They're mostly there but I may have to cut most of them to remove the hardware.

 

[Scrounger]

The floorboards are held down with as you have seen metal strips. The strips are in turn retained with carriage bolts that pass thru the metal strips, between the boards then thru the frame cross members. They are secured with lock washers and nuts. The easiest way to remove the strips is to cut the carriage bolts with bolt cutters, it isn’t worth the effort to reuse them. After one board is removed it is easy to access the bolts.

For whatever reason the trailer floorboards are not a uniform width. The run from just over 4” to around 6” in width. Make sure you take your measurements before taking things apart. That way when it comes time for new installation, the strips will line up with the holes in the cross members. I have a couple that are getting new boards and I will be using white oak. It holds up the best around here.

The side panels use a T-nut. They may be able to be reused. I would spray them with Kroil a couple of times over several days. Then use an impact gun to remove them. If the wood doesn’t hold, vice grips will come in handy. T-nut are easy to come by.

 

[SCM35A2]

Nice!

 

[microjeep]

Thanks for all the info scrounger, just got it pulled home and had to leave for work for a couple weeks, didn't get the check it out real well. So much of the wood is gone it would be best replace it all to look uniform not patched. The tool box seems to be in pretty good condition, I will have to patch a small hole in the bottom and the hinge is not operational, soaked it down with some penetrating oil. Maybe I can put some heat to it and get it working. One of the wooden landing pads is still intact enough to copy and make new ones and the hardware is there for the second one. Civi lights all work perfectly on the way home but when I hooked it to the deuce to test the 24v side no park lights, right signal fine, left signal flashed the park lights. Tires are shot to-the-point tread came off of one dragging it home, so I will be bumming tires, don't see it seeing much service so we'll be looking for tires about 25% tread I think it's 11-20's on 5 ton wheels? Got a couple projects ahead of this one but I'm sure to piddle with it along the way.

 

[fasttruck]

The wheels on the M127u are interchangeable with a 5 ton truck or tractor. In later years the military issued side kits for these trailers made out of fiberglass which are about 1/3 the weight of the wood ones. All the boards only fit it 1 position except the 2ea center side or "locker" boards which can be used on either side. Trailer has air over hydraulic brakes so see if there is any fluid in the master cylinder. They are also supposed to have 2ea wheel chocks so they don't roll away when you couple the tractor to the trailer.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

Mike, nice score.

I have a bunch of 11x20 on 5 ton rims that are in good shape, just tread worn. You are welcome to them.

 

[microjeep]

Mike, nice score.

I have a bunch of 11x20 on 5 ton rims that are in good shape, just tread worn. You are welcome to them.

Thanks, I'll take them