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1978 M416A1 Rebuild

I

iptman

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10
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Location
Northern VA
Hello everyone,

I'm in the process of rebuilding an M416A1 I bought from a military surplus dealer in the Netherlands who had dozens of these M416s in a warehouse. As it happens my brother was stationed there and was able to buy one for me and had it shipped back to the States with his household goods. It was in remarkably good shape but I decided to have the frame, axle and tub powder coated. Here are a few pictures of my progress...

PXL_20211213_205712381.jpgPXL_20220708_004706054.jpgPXL_20220708_004711744.jpgPXL_20220709_203225572.jpg
 
I

iptman

New member
10
23
3
Location
Northern VA
I have a few questions for the group. What should I use for gaskets between the tub and frame? It had waxed cotton pads but I assume I wouldn't want to reuse those. I bought a new MC for the surge brakes and I'm planning on redoing all the brake hard lines with NiCopp and new flare nuts. The sticker on the side of the surge brake said use only silicone fluid (DOT 5) but I wondered if I can just use DOT 3 since I don't have anything else that uses DOT 5. And last question, for now, these OE tires are starting to show cracks in the side wall so I'd like to replace them with something more highway friendly. Since it has rivetted wheels and tubes I was thinking to get different steel wheels as well but I can't seem to find the 5x5.5 bolt pattern. Any advice for replacements wheels? Or can I use these wheels with a tubeless radial?
 
C

Coug

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if tub and body are both steel, then putting something between them is a little less important.
I usually use PVC tape from the irrigation section of the hardware store between parts for noise reduction (and especially for dissimilar metals)

If you are redoing the entire brake system, and thoroughly flush it, then you can use whatever brake fluid you want. Military likes DOT5 for not mixing with water, but no reason you can't use 3 if the system is flushed.

The wheels/tires I don't know much about.
 
Mullaney

Mullaney

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iptman said:
Hello everyone,

I'm in the process of rebuilding an M416A1 I bought from a military surplus dealer in the Netherlands who had dozens of these M416s in a warehouse. As it happens my brother was stationed there and was able to buy one for me and had it shipped back to the States with his household goods. It was in remarkably good shape but I decided to have the frame, axle and tub powder coated. Here are a few pictures of my progress...

View attachment 872834View attachment 872835View attachment 872836View attachment 872837
Click to expand...
.
Welcome to the Outfit!

That is a SHARP looking trailer for sure.
Powder coating was a heck of an idea.
It really makes it look like new!
 
msgjd

msgjd

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Tires? ... I have a half-dozen for the M416 and M151, brand new, never mounted .. Sorry there's a catch. Apparently a military Maint Shop put a pickaxe through one sidewall of each of them, and the DRMO people made sure it didn't show in the auction pics. But they did list them as Code H .. Uggg
 
X

XPLRNX2

New member
8
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Location
Arizona
I think you mentioned that the hub lug bolt pattern on your trailer was 5 x 5 and a half?? That's a very common bolt pattern with the half ton Ford Vans and trucks. There should be easy availability of rims, just remember to check rim width and offset.

Also most of them will be 15 inch but I have had aftermarket Rim places that will make you 16in rims with the 5 hole 5 x 5 1/2 pattern.
 
G

GopherHill

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Thomaston, TX
XPLRNX2 said:
I think you mentioned that the hub lug bolt pattern on your trailer was 5 x 5 and a half?? That's a very common bolt pattern with the half ton Ford Vans and trucks. There should be easy availability of rims, just remember to check rim width and offset.

Also most of them will be 15 inch but I have had aftermarket Rim places that will make you 16in rims with the 5 hole 5 x 5 1/2 pattern.
Click to expand...
Older model jeep rims will do. You can buy new 16" rims but you'll have to use tubes.
 
I

iptman

New member
10
23
3
Location
Northern VA
I got a replacement frame to axle soft brake line, T fitting and copper crush washers all from kaiserwillys.com. I ran all new NiCopp hard lines based off the OEM lines. They were in remarkably good condition but I figured with everything I've put in at this point why not just replace them. I combined the first 2 hard lines in to 1, no reason to have 2 additional joints that could leak. I used DOT3 since that's what all my vehicles use. I'll let it gravity bleed over night while the wheel paint dries then tomorrow use the Motive bleeder and test. I need to get this thing out of the garage so I can harvest and extract the honey from my beehives this weekend.

PXL_20220714_191718627.jpgPXL_20220714_191002042.jpgPXL_20220714_190958890.jpgPXL_20220714_184233882.jpgPXL_20220714_184227238.jpg
 
SgtMajHarper

SgtMajHarper

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Falcon, CO
Looks great......I have a 1983 CJ8 Scrambler that I use to pull my M416 trailer with, you can get either Ford, sometimes old IHC Scout or Jeep wheels. I have the same size wheels , same tires and all on the trailer that I run on the Jeep. They are also tubeless. Some guys put on "fancy" (expensive) wheels on their trailers, but I use mine for hauling stuff so I just went with stock steel wheels that match the Jeep. You can use your spare on either or swap back and forth if needed.
 
C

Coug

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The old cap should have a rubber diaphragm in it, so as fluid level changes due to break wear, the internal pressure stays the same without being vented to atmosphere.
The new cap on it should have a hole in one side of it and a sintered metal filter to keep dust out, but that does allow for moisture to enter over time from temp changes, atmospheric pressure changes, and driving the stupid thing underwater as privates are likely to do when not supervised (or instructed to)

Unlikely you will have any issues using the new cap that came on it compared to the old diaphragm style, but the possibility exists
(then again, the old cap is, well, old, so the odds of it leaking internally are probably decent as well)
 
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