m116a1 ? Trailer Salad- What is it?

[juanprado]

saw this puppy on gp?
full listing with more pictures:

US ARMY Tank Automotive Command M116A1 S/A Trailer Chassis

15'6” Overall Length x 84” Overall Width, 7.50-16LT Tires, Pintle Ring

www.govplanet.com

dual 750 x16 tires with 5 lug rims. Looks like 60's vintage to me. Listed as a m116a1. Front A frame looks like it shares components. Not sure on axle or hub type? Interesting landing jack. stabilizer legs on each corner.
I wonder what type of equipment has been stripped off? Coms, radar, or _____?

 

[Coug]

looks kind of like one of these

AN/TPQ-36(V)7 Firefinder Radar


the one above is m103 chassis from the look of it, but they put them on the m116 as well. Though that trailer might be from an earlier version of it, as the info I see mostly says it was the M116A2E1 chassis

 

[Tinstar]

I bought this exact trailer on GP.

Looks like it was sold once before and then relisted, which is when I saw it and bought it.
Just got it home last night.
Believe it or not, those tires took and held air and towed great.
Made the trip from Ft. Sill (Lawton, OK) to Edmond, OK never going over 40 mph.
130 miles.
The Hubs stayed nice and cool.
Took backroads most of the way.

Not my smartest move but available pickup dates and forecasted weather forced the trip.
My usual pickup trailer was full and couldn’t use it.

Haven’t had much chance to really look it over yet.
What I have noticed is that everything on top is aluminum.
Flooring, fenders, boxes etc.
Even the Jack’s are aluminum.
I did use the front Jack to get it off hitch.

I’m going to possibly use it for a 300 gal. fuel tank trailer and liked the fact this trailer isn’t that tall and has dual tires without snap rings.
Not like a M105 series that sites a lot taller.

Highly unlikely I’ll see another one of these being towed around in this area.

I’ll post more pics when I get a chance to really look it over.

 

[juanprado]

It is probably a real special purpose build with very few made. I have a different radar trailer flat bed of another m116 salad build that has serial number 21 that I pulled home from Ft. Rucker. 900 x16 Tires scared me as they were 60's dated but rock solid since they are I think 16 ply or something ridiculous like that even with visible cracking. I also bought an old m101 sitting in a field that was used as a hay feed station. Tires also looked extremely rough but 60 miles later i was home ok. Those old school belted bias tires can take a licking and are more forgiving than modern radials.

Cool score and post pictures. I only saw the original listing and was tempted but if I bring home another trailer, I suspect my wife will make it my permanent new residence.

 

[Tinstar]

Additional pics

 

[Tinstar]

The tongue is aluminum and is connected to steel pintle hitch and also steel main frame.
All the rest is a mix of heavy and medium aluminum.
The remaining Jack plate is 2” thick aluminum plate.

A few electrical components are still there inside the main box.

I hooked up the trailer lights to my CUCV and they don’t work. No surprise there.

Some heavy surface rust on the steel frame but no pitting so far.

Definitely a unique trailer

 

[Tinstar]

Does anyone know if those rims are for tubes only or can I use tubeless?

I can’t tell by just looking.

 

[juanprado]

Interesting that the data plate calls it a m116a1 and references the tm for them. Most of the tires of that era used by the military were tube type is my guess.

 

[Tinstar]

Rims are tube only.