Jeep M101CDN offroad camping trailer construction

[OVERLAND_YJ]

hey guys, picked up a canadian military surplus M101 trailer to build into an offroad roof-top-tent camper. looked at some of the ready made ones companies are selling but 10,000.00 is crazy. by the time i finish this total cost to me will be less than 6,000.00 tent, tires/wheels, onboard propane, onboard 12volt, onboard water and pump and everything included. it came wired for 24volt so i used the military style lights but re-wired it all to 12volt.

as it was when i got it


in very good condition


after the spring over lift and 35's


with the 35's again, sits level with the jeep


more pics next post

[OVERLAND_YJ]

a fabricator friend has access to laser cutter and cnc machine so he has done some amazing work for me last week.

removed old fenders, filled any holes, made new fenders with steps and the top


top mounting, will be able to remove the top if it is lifted right over and then slid forward. but when it is on it is lockable and safe for all the expensive camping gear.


fender and step from the rear


put a receiver on the back of it for another spare mount and a rear leg mount so it doesnt tip over when sleeping in the night....girlfriend would not be happy


as it sits today, longer leg in the front so it stands level and waiting for the front mount box that will contain propane and batt.


the water tank is going underneath, between the frame rails above the axle. lots of clearance there. will cover it with a thin steel rock/mud shield.

[ridendirty]

Originally Posted by OVERLAND_YJ

hey guys, picked up a canadian military surplus M101 trailer to build into an offroad roof-top-tent camper. looked at some of the ready made ones companies are selling but 10,000.00 is crazy. by the time i finish this total cost to me will be less than 6,000.00 tent, tires/wheels, onboard propane, onboard 12volt, onboard water and pump and everything included. it came wired for 24volt so i used the military style lights but re-wired it all to 12volt.

as it was when i got it


in very good condition


after the spring over lift and 35's


with the 35's again, sits level with the jeep


more pics next post

click free

[ridendirty]

Originally Posted by OVERLAND_YJ

a fabricator friend has access to laser cutter and cnc machine so he has done some amazing work for me last week.

removed old fenders, filled any holes, made new fenders with steps and the top


top mounting, will be able to remove the top if it is lifted right over and then slid forward. but when it is on it is lockable and safe for all the expensive camping gear.


fender and step from the rear


put a receiver on the back of it for another spare mount and a rear leg mount so it doesnt tip over when sleeping in the night....girlfriend would not be happy


as it sits today, longer leg in the front so it stands level and waiting for the front mount box that will contain propane and batt.


the water tank is going underneath, between the frame rails above the axle. lots of clearance there. will cover it with a thin steel rock/mud shield.

click free

[OVERLAND_YJ]

thanks "ridendirty" for the click free........

[Jebussaves0]

wow looks great! I'm interested to see how you pull off all the added accessories (12v source, propane, water, etc.)

[OVERLAND_YJ]

-well for 12volt i am using a yellow top that was going to be second batt in the jeep but now it will be trailer power. batt will be stored in front mount box with the propane tank. i am setting up a switch board that will have multiple outlets for...water pump, under trailer LED lighting so i dont kick that damn hitch ever again in the dark, LED lighting in the tent and LED lighting on the cooking surface that will be mounted to the passenger side of the trailer and removeable.
-propane will just be a 20lb bottle, bottle will be inside the front mount box that is currently under construction and i will run a hose and use quick connects to the removeable passenger side cooking surface. will just use the propane for the 2 burner camp stove and BBQ
-finally water, the tank mounts under the trailer above the axle between the frame rails. will have a 12volt pump in the batt box and a spigot that is push button operated somewhere on the trailer.

the batt/propane box is being constructed as we speak as well as the removeable cooking surface....pictures will explain it all very soon. i also have an awning on the way that will pull out to cover the cooking side of the trailer. the idea is a trailer that i can easily/quickly set up alone and i dont need trees or anything else near for tie downs and such for the awning. that way if its raining or god forbid snowing (i am from the great white north) when i set up it is quick and easy.

[OVERLAND_YJ]

just got the shots of the rear tire carrier and leg that will keep us from tipping over in the night is we are doing some athletic sleeping. there is a receiver on the back of the trailer so the friend/fabricator doing this work came up with this...i like it. it is a spare tire carrier that goes into the receiver, nothing fancy we have all seen those but then just pull a pin and it drops down and doubles as the rear leg of the trailer. will let you know how it all works out after a few uses.

from the back


from the side in the up position where it wil lbe when on the road or trail holding the spare


from the side in the down position where it will be when camp is set up

[OVERLAND_YJ]

just wanted to add that the tire carrier leg is not complete, it will have a foot on the bottom and possibly some strengthening.

[Faramir66103]

Am I correct in understanding that you converted the 24 volt lighting to 12 volt? If so, how did you do that? Was it simply a matter of changing the bulbs, or what? I'm hoping to have an M-416 soon, and it'll need to have more standard trailer lighting, but I'd like to keep the conversion as simple as possible. I like the water tank, LED lighting and battery idea. I may have to incorporate something similar to my build.

Thanks,
Adam

[OVERLAND_YJ]

the coversion was simple actually. i just cut the old military wiring out all together. left as much of a lead comming out of the light housings as i could. i ran completely new trailer 4 part wire from the tongue to the lights and connected it to the existing wires there after testing them to see which ones i would use. changed the bulbs to 12 volt and your good to go. my light housing had 4 wires comming out and i just used 2. the other 2 wires are for the night time low visability lighting system the military uses so i actually completely removed those parts from inside the housings. had it all done in 45minutes.

used this wiring diagram so hopefully if any of my friends want to borrow the trailer we are all wired the same.

http://www.accessconnect.com/trailer_wiring_diagram.htm

good luck

[Faramir66103]

Thanks for the info. The more I look at your lid, the more I like it. Can you give me a ballpark to what it cost?

Thanks,
Adam

[OVERLAND_YJ]

the lid, well i have a fabricator friend who designs everything on CAD first then just sends it to the laser cutting place and they cut and form it right on site. that is made of 10ga steel, it is kind of between 1/8th and 3/16 thick. weights about 150lbs so i dont need any of the reinforcing frame that lots of guys use. steel is so expensive right now, his cost was around 325.00 canadian (280.00 us). then once we got it he had an hour of welding to close up the corner seems. he charges me (25.00/hour)....i wont ask a friend for free work. then there are 4 "bullet" hinges holding it on, i think they are just a few dollars and 2 latches that arent in the pics yet that are cheap also around 10.00 each, then the pneumatic rams that assist in lifting and hold it up once open. the rams are rated at 100lbs lift each and cost 30.00 a piece. when you position the rams you can change the amount of lift they provide by altering their mounting postion. once the 150lb tent is mounted there will be over 300lbs to lift and i want the rams to do most of the work and also to be able to hold the top open without a prop. it is being setup as i write this and will post more pics tonight or tomorrow of the lid with latches and rams in place. another thing about that lid is with the bullet hinges if i disconnect the rams and flip the lid right over it can be slid forward and off the trailer to give me the ability to use it with an open top.

[OVERLAND_YJ]

my fabricator friend got the lift rams and locking clamps finished as well as finishing touches on the tire carrier/rear leg.











if you look close you'll see the adjustment bar welded to the underside of the lid...this will allow for changes in the lid weight when the tent is added. the same sort of mount is welded inside the trailer box so the bottom of the ram can be raised or lowered. also look and see the closing clamps that are lockable with a padlock on each end of the lid. the rear foot has thumb screws to tighten it up after putting the receiver hitch pin in to eliminate rattling/moving parts.

now just waiting on the laser guys to finish cutting out the parts for the front mount propane/battery box and the removeble cooking counter that will mount to the passenger side of the trailer. hopefully late this week she will be all ready for the tent and awning mount. then it's dissasembly and off to the paint shop.

[JeepRocks86]

Looks really good. Did you fabricate or build the fenders?