Teardrop on an M116.

[kybishop]

I have been looking at different options. Love to tent camp and had looked at pop ups for a good long while. I had seen teardrops but never did give them a close look. Once I did I pretty much fell in love with the design and idea.

Looking for offroad camping options and we have this M116 trailer sitting around that I think I am going to build on. It will take me a while and not sure when I can even start on it. I am still learning a lot about teardrops right now and not sure how I want to set up the kitchen and rear storage.

Anyway, here is the trailer.

[kybishop]

And another of the front. Will remove the front panel to build a classic teardrop shape.

I have major renovations going on with the old homeplace I grew up in so it will be something I will work on here and there at best.

In the idea and planning stage now.

[working on it]

Looks like a "bulletproof" platform for a Teardrop or TTT, but aren't the M116's really heavy? My home-built beefed up platform came in at 400lbs, and is causing me some worry as to how heavy it'll end up at. if you start that heavy (M116), either build with lightweight materials or tow with a big TV.

[kybishop]

That is a good point and it is not lightweight for sure relative to teardrops. But not going for real lightweight but will keep that in mind on the build so as not to get extremely heavy. Tow rig at the moment is the white Land Cruiser in the background of the first picture.

Looking to do something like this with the roof top tent for the kids. http://forum.ih8mud.com/camping-outdoor ... ailer.html The tear would be similar in design but maybe clad in aluminum.

[jagular7]

That trailer is not a form of the M416. Its is a form of the M101 platform. The M101 is a 3/4ton platform for the military. The framing is quite heavy for a lightweight camper, but for heavy duty, for use other than firm concrete, the framing would be perfect. I strongly suggest you get a new axle from Dexter, go spring under, remove the 2 smallest leafs, reconfigure a tongue (another heavy piece that is not necessary) and remove the flat deck. Then build your camper on top. The rigidity of the frame will support the lightest of walls and won't make the camper enclose on itself.

As you can probably guess, I basically did what I'm suggesting. My dexter axle was a 3500# for the larger bearing/hub. I added a boat frame tongue to the military frame. Rather than build a camper, I placed a Quicksilver slide in flip top camper on it. I pulled it around with a 4cyl/auto TJ. I've camped in it on CO, KS, MO, and UT for wheeling trips. The dexter axle also had a parking brake setup so I transfered the military cables over. Best thing for an offroad camper.

[kybishop]

Good information, thanks.

According to the data plate on the tongue the trailer we have is an M116. A form of the generator trailers that they used, it is a 3/4 ton. There is some great trailer build information on the IH8MUD forum. It is mainly a forum for Land Cruisers but lots of great expedition, camping, trailer build and just general build information as well.

Here is the trailer tech section http://forum.ih8mud.com/trailer-tech/

Redmon

[bigbendhiker]

I used to lurk on http://www.expeditionportal.com/. I'm pretty sure they have an extensive amount of info on expedition trailers built from the military trailers. More of them are based on the half ton, but they do have some built off of the three quarter ton. Hope this helps.