M416 Build (advice needed)

About a week ago I posted photos of a M416 trailer that was for sale and asked for opinions regarding it's value. Needless to say I bought the trailer for what I thought was a fair price. Now I have to address all of its problems.

I am looking to make this trailer "serviceable" again and am not looking for a "period correct" restoration as I just don't have the $$$ to do that. The trailer needs a floor and rear panel. Having never replaced a trailer floor and rear panel I am not sure where to start. I cannot afford a floor from Midwest military for $495.00 and even one I found from jeeppanelsplus is a bit steep at $190.00. I am thinking I can get a sheet of 12 g. hot rolled sheet metal cheaper locally, fab my own drain holes, and weld it in.
I have also heard of others buying a scrap truck bed from a salvage yard and cutting the floor out to the size of the M416. Opinions?

The previous owner cut the rear of the tub for a tailgate. Not sure what I want to do about this. If you were me (working on a very limited budget), would you:

1) Use the cut piece and weld up a functional tailgate since the trailer has already been cut or

2) Buy a replacement end from jeep panels plus for $100.00 plus shipping and weld that in?

Now that I have the trailer it is looking like I may have bit off more than I can chew. I Plan on keeping the trailer but am also thinking ahead. I dont mind working on this thing as my next project but do not want to invest money into it that I may not get out if I ever try and sell it. In other words, I don't have $1000.00 to dump into a trailer that I may or may not be able to sell for $1000.00. I know you guys get what I mean. My intentions are to fix it up for the right reasons. Because it deserves it and I like these type of projects, However, I don't want to loose my butt on it if I ever decide to sell.

any advice would be appreciated. Anyone ever replace a floor in a M416 trailer? What about a rear panel?

Thanks
Jeff

Looks like a clean cut to me just weld it back in! the only other isue i see is the hitch dosent look strong enough to me the way its welded from the photos . For the rest of the trailer just give it a good sanding and paint! You dont have to put alot of money into it to have a nice trailer. I have one and i use it all the time.

tigger said:

Looks like a clean cut to me just weld it back in! the only other isue i see is the hitch dosent look strong enough to me the way its welded from the photos . For the rest of the trailer just give it a good sanding and paint! You dont have to put alot of money into it to have a nice trailer. I have one and i use it all the time.

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Thanks Tigger. Yeah, I could just weld it back in. It was cut with a torch and as I am sure you know, the torch makes a much wider cut than say a saw or cutoff wheel. If I weld it back together, I will probably have to use some sheet metal patch to span the seam.

I am currently looking for a new lunette eye. Thankfully the PO didn't cut the tongue off the trailer. The casting for the lunette is still there, just no lunette.

The floor definitely need to be replaced. I didnt think it was as bad as it is. I can poke a hole in it with my car keys.

Jeff

What is wrong with your floor? Looks OK in the pics. Minor rust holes can be fiberglassed up. I would try to weld the tailgate piece back in if it were me, might be just as much work as welding in a whole new end panel. Too bad he did not use a Sawzall when he cut the tailgate. It will be a challenge to weld the gap shut. If that does not work, replace the end panel.

I would weld a piece of 2 inch flat stock down each side of the back panel (maybe $20.00 worth of metal) and put hinges at the bottom to make a functional tailgate. For the floor you can buy patch panels for a pickup truck bed and they aren't very expensive. Cut the old bed out weld the new one in. You could have a nice trailer.

197thhhc said:

I would weld a piece of 2 inch flat stock down each side of the back panel (maybe $20.00 worth of metal) and put hinges at the bottom to make a functional tailgate. For the floor you can buy patch panels for a pickup truck bed and they aren't very expensive. Cut the old bed out weld the new one in. You could have a nice trailer.

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Good ideas... Thanks. There is actually an aftermarket auto panel supplier just down the street from me. I will stop in and see what they want for replacement pickup bed floor sections. Might be cheaper buying the pickup bed sections than buying a sheet metal floor.

Thanks!

Looks like a nice trailer.
Replace the floor with sheet metal
Grind the tailgate edges straight, frame them on the tub with 1" tube.
cut the tailgate to fit and frame it with 1" square tubing too.
Here are several ideas for the tailgate.

As for the lunette mount, Can you grind the welds on the OP's crappy fab work and remove
the pipe with the ball coupler? and reude the cast mount?

Keep us posted on the build.
If you need more ideas go to expeditionportal.com "TRAILERS"

Here is a way to (reversibly) reinforce the floor enough for your own hard use and eventual resale: Get a piece of 3/4" exterior plywood, and cut to fit. Clean the bed of loose rust and paint with Rustoleum rusty metal primer. Spray on a coat of undercoating over that. Lay down roofing felt and then place your plywood over that. Maybe paint/seal the underside of the plywood, too. A couple of carriage bolts and done. It will preserve what is left of the original floor and gve you something to work with. AN alternative is just paint the inside with Rustoleum primer and then a Rustoleum topcoat. Lay in the plywood on top of that, loose. This way you can remove the plywood to dry things out if needed, but the plywood takes the wear and tear. I would shy away from stitching in a metal panel unless you are intending to keep the trailer for yourself. Reason: it will take more of your time and money to do it, and you will never do it well enough to please some fussy future buyer.

Thanks Mark. I knew I could count on you for some helpful advice and photos. I have been looking over on Expedition Portal as well. Just trying to get as many ideas as possible before I start on this one. I literally just finished up my M101A2 today (well 95% done anyway). Widened the wheel wells to 49.5 inches to fit a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood, removed the surge and all brake components. I completely disassembled the whole thing, coated the running gear, underside of bed, and frame with Chassis Saver. LED taillights installed. I repainted the frame and bed with flat exterior house paint (Black). I really don't have photos yet but should be able to get some in the next few days. It isn't perfect, but it looks decent as far as I am concerned. Mostly a hunting gear hauler and trailer for Home depot runs.

Anyways... The M416. The lunette casting is useable. The PO torched off the lunette ring and welded the ball adapter. The lunette is scrap. The casting is good. If the 416 is like the m101, I think it is 16 g. steel correct? If I do replace the 416 floor with sheet metal, I will probably go a bit thicker but not so thick that I have problems with burn through while welding due to the different thickness in metal.

Jeff

Plym49.

Thanks! More good advice. I like the plywood idea, yet I can imagine that a lot of moisture would get trapped between the floor and the wood. Even if I coat the existing floor with POR15, rusty metal primer or whatever, I still think trapped moisture is bad moisture. However, that is a very cost effective solution to my problem. Removing the plywood (not bolting it down) sounds good for a temporary fix.

I appreciate the advice and suggestion.

Jeff

michigan4x4 said:

Plym49.

Thanks! More good advice. I like the plywood idea, yet I can imagine that a lot of moisture would get trapped between the floor and the wood. Even if I coat the existing floor with POR15, rusty metal primer or whatever, I still think trapped moisture is bad moisture. However, that is a very cost effective solution to my problem. Removing the plywood (not bolting it down) sounds good for a temporary fix.

I appreciate the advice and suggestion.

Jeff

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Yes, there are two extremes if you go plywood. You can butter the entire back of the plywood with tar and set it onto the steel bed. That will keep the moisture away from the metal for sure, but it is not very reversible. I tend to leave the plywood in loose for situations like this, and I occasionally lift it out and reinstall upside down if things need to dry out.

If you spring for POr on that bed, if it is applied properly to rusty metal it will be a permanent barrier to moisture, no questions asked. UV will break down POR over time - any sort of covering or even a paint topcoat takes care of that - but other than that for all intents and purposes it is a permanent fix.

POR is very interesting, chemically. It cures with moisture. It sucks the moisture out of the metal when curing - this is why it has to go over rusty metal and not clean metal or paint - and that stops that moisture from causing any new rust. Outside, it cures to a barrier that moisture cannot penetrate. Ergo, the metal stops rusting from that moment on.

Thanks Plym49.

I think I am just going to price out a piece of 12 or 14 gauge sheet metal and weld in a new bed floor. Probably also going to try and weld up the rear panel or even make a tailgate. Searching the web now for examples on hinges, latching mechanisms, and fabbed support structure. Looking for the most cost effective route yet want a permanent fix.

Jeff

michigan4x4 said:

Thanks Plym49.

I think I am just going to price out a piece of 12 or 14 gauge sheet metal and weld in a new bed floor. Probably also going to try and weld up the rear panel or even make a tailgate. Searching the web now for examples on hinges, latching mechanisms, and fabbed support structure. Looking for the most cost effective route yet want a permanent fix.

Jeff

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The stock M416 bed floor drains are pretty clever, and useful. Perhaps consider salvaging them from the old bed floor and adding them to the new.

Thanks Plym49. You have been helpful.