Chemical Shelter Trailers

I am going to buy the $500.00 trailer.

When I went back to get a better look at it I was told that there were also some other MV's (trucks and jeeps) and that I could go scrounging through the yard.

I ran across these CHEMICAL SHELTER TRAILERS out on the back forty.

They have a generator (looks like a big four cylinder, air cooled), compressor (I think), some type of environmental system and an inflatable tent with frame, all contained within the trailer. There are a lot of aluminum parts in this system.

If you took everything out you would still have an unused trailer with brand new tires.

These units are supposedly unused and have been out in the weather for several years. Some of the ducts and hoses show damage from the elements.

There are nine units left and I put a deposit on them with the hope that I could turn them and make enough to buy a truck and pay for the other trailer.

If I lose my butt I can always write it off my taxes.

I have not had the time to take one to my shop and see if the generator works. If you buy one it will be just like I did. No guarantees, as is where is. Ya pays your money and takes your chances. If I service them and everything works, the price will go up.


I will take one thousand dollars each and I have a commercial trucker that will deliver them for three bucks a mile. He may not deliver to some areas. He has a 48 foot step deck and could haul several at a time.

If you want one you can hand the driver a certified check when he delivers it or if you are close and want to pick it up at my shop you can pay me then.

One of these would look cool set up at a MV meet.

First come, first serve. PM or email me and we will talk

Those are cool but labor instensive I've been told. They are also air conditioned IIRC. Wayne Harris has several in varios states of decomposition at his place. The genset is 10KW and powered by a 4A084 military standard engine. Per the manual, fuel consumption is 2.25 gallons per hour. I've seen them go as high as $2500 for a working unit. Would be nice to have but way beyond my current toy budget.

Ken, none of the manuals for this beast are in the canvas pouches on the side. Do you know where they can be found either in cyber space or hard copy?

I am working this weekend so I won't have time to take one to the shop and give it the once over. We have some NBC guys in the unit so I may be able to get some first hand knowledge of how these things work.

I figure the units are worth a grand just for the genny and the environmental units. They could probably be adapted to heat/cool a small building or shop van.

Thanks.

A discussion on these trailers came up a few months back, as one was for sale on E-Bay. I can't seem to find the thread now, but IIRC the manual was posted at the time. Perhaps someone with more gray matter might recall where to find that conversation.

wreckerman893 said:

Ken, none of the manuals for this beast are in the canvas pouches on the side. Do you know where they can be found either in cyber space or hard copy?

...
Thanks.

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TM is on LOGSA 3-4240-264-12
https://www.logsa.army.mil/etms/dat...7bdaf5106-4DBBDC5C-C2AE-EE6F-0BFC55D7C3126D6C

I wonder what the use concept for these was. Sam did not issue/drag around enough of these to act as hiddy holes for every troop in the area of a chem strike.

NEIOWA.....thanks much. That will help if I decide to erect one of these things. I can print it out at work (your tax dollars at work).

I don't think the intent was to have enough of these shelters for every Joe. Probably key leaders and HQ personnel. The rest of us poor slobs had to dig a hole and cover it with a pauncho. Sucks to be low on the food chain.

In my 5 years in the Army, we had 4 of these trailers. We NEVER used them/set them up/did anything other than inventory them for change of commands.

They have been replaced by the CBPS system. They are used for medical stuff. The genny and EC unit are the most useful things on the trailer.

Do they still have the tents on them? What kind of shape are they in?

Looks like they could be a pretty wild camping setup

Yeah, playing cards next to a 10k genset would be wild! lol

Do they still have the tents on them? What kind of shape are they in?

Looks like they could be a pretty wild camping setup

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Since I am busier than a three-legged dog at a flea circus I have not had time to even haul one to my shop.
I'm taking two days off this week and will get one over there.
From looking at them I think everything is still there although very much weather worn.
I'm eager to see if the gennys work. Lots of deer hunters in this area would probably like to have this set up even if they only use the jenny/environ portion.
I'm sure a 3/4 ton 4 WD pickup could pull one of these (after rigging 12 volt lights).
The specs say it weighs two tons. If you stripped off everything except the jenny and environ system it would probably cut off a thousand pounds.
The plot thickens.

The 105 trailer is 2700lbs by itself

Armada said:

Yeah, playing cards next to a 10k genset would be wild! lol

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what.....huh.....your doing??????going???????hey.......pass the d@mn card already

You ever see one of those tents set up? Know how many people it takes?

I went through the TM posted above by NEIOWA (thanks again) and it looks like it is at least a four man operation since the top storage rack has to be removed (four man lift).

The door unit weighs two hundred pounds.

If the weather damage is too severe I may just strip them down to the trailer/engine/environ unit and sell them like that. The environ unit has R-12 in it so that may be a problem.

The AC compressor could be replaced by an air compressor (the compressor that inflates the shelter is low pressure) and a big air storage tank to convert the unit to a maintenance trailer. With all the other stuff stripped off there would be plenty of room for tool boxes, tanks/torches, etc.

There is a lot of aluminum in each unit so I can recoup some money that way. The engine has electric start and may be the same type used in the "Mule" and other military equipment. They have very low hours. I will take all of the usual precautions prior to starting them since they have sat up so long.

According to the TM the genny puts out 208 volts three phase but on the control panel there is a 120 AUX switch. I assume this can be used for normal tools etc.

They can be configured to put two together either back-to-back or front to back.
It would probably look cool at a MV meeting but just from looking at the instructions it would be a PITA to put up and take down (typical military technology). There may be enough good hoses and ducts among all of them to make up two operational units.

I still can't figure out if you have to leave the engine running all the time to keep them inflated or if you can shut it off if you don't need the NBC/environ system. That engine running all the time would get old. If they can stand without the engine running they would make a cool mess hall or OPS center.

The TM shows a cover with tarp and bows but these units don't have them unless they are stowed somewhere I can't see them.

I will try to get one to the shop this weekend and strip it (the one I keep will be a maint. trailer) and post pictures.

I bad want one of these, but My wife and Kids consume most of my money. Put me on your calander and if you still have anything left after the first of the year
I would be able to buy one if you have any left. I see the trailers going from $200.00 to $500.00 by themselves, if the generators and A/C unit could be made functional you could still jerry-rig a system of ductwork to heat and cool a covered truck and trailer.PM me if you have any left when I have some extra $

Littlebob. Since these trailers don't seem to be attracting a lot of interest I will probably have them for a while.
The old lady is already honing her razor sharp tongue (I told you so).
I have never done Ebay so I guess they will be sold by word of mouth, local advertising and of course on SS and other forums.
I think one of the perks with my MVPA membership is free ads in their publication.
If no one wants them whole I will strip them and sell all the aluminum for scrap.
Do you want just a trailer or do you want the jenny and environ unit too?
If you can figure out a way to get it to LA I will try to cut you a reasonable deal.
My main objective was to make some extra bucks to help me get a duece or 5-ton.

I'd like to get the whole thing. I haven't done a lot of research on them yet, but I've seen some for sale and want one. I know for sure I want to get a trailer and
why not have the other equipment too. I have a friend in the trucking business and I think he is getting the green bug after finding out about mine. Hopefully
he'll have a need for one to by the first of the year when I can afford one, and can haul them back.
littlebob

I take it you've got one or two of these? How many people do they take to erect?

If you are refering to me Ryan, I have never erected (or seen for that matter) one of these units. I discovered them while scrounging for MV's at a boneyard near me. I have an option on all of them until the end of the year.
The TM says it is a four man lift to take the storage platform off the trailer. It would probably take that many to get the shelter up and running. Just my guess.
The trailer and jenny alone is worth a grand which is what I am asking. I might take less for two or more. Supposedly, these units were never owned by the government and were in private hands when the boneyard got them (according to my source).
Since they are so weather worn I can't guarantee that they can still be used for their intended purpose.

Did you get them? I haven't been watching the classified.
littlebob