New M1101 w/bed damage

[Abstract1dea]

Hello experts,

I just brought home my first M1101 trailer.
I changed the light bulbs and used an adapter for the wiring.

I dragged it behind my Jeep Cherokee and going through the mountains was a task!
It is much larger than I thought and my Jeep struggled with it going up hill but it was a fun trip.
After I lowered the tailgate, it went much smoother.

I am considering changing out the axle for a electric braked one to lighten the load a bit.

My concern is: it was the cheapest one because it looks like somebody backed over it.

I could repair it with the bed lip parts and some rivets.

Or I could part it out and get another one not damaged. (hopefully a bit closer)

If somebody has a bed and is in the southeast area, I would be open to swapping out the bed for another.

My intentions is to sell what looks like brand new wheels that even have the tire mold spikes.

I need to know a source in the southeast where I can get the parts and estimate the cost to make up my mind.




Thank you in advance.

 

[3dAngus]

Changing out the axle isn't going to help, but it will sure hurt the pocket.

That bed is not economically feasible to repair.

Your best bet is to find someone who might want to make a flat bed out of one and sell off the body to you. That might be difficult.
Even my newer one has a small dent in the same place. If I had yours, I would hook the back end up to my tractor, the front to a tree, and pull it out. Finish with a sledge, paint, and forget about it.

If you can't see your way to that then give me a PM and make me an offer on a better one. The best one I have is desert tan though. You can probably see a small ding in this one, equipped with the GMC tires to lower it for civy vehicles.

 

[Abstract1dea]

Thanks for the fast response.

I figure I could sell the wheels for a profit and possibly take the bed off myself and build a lighter bed and that may make the whole thing usable.
The wife wanted to build a trailer she could travel around in.
If it weighs as much as this one does, it will be a struggle dragging it around with my little 4.0L.
I don't think her Buick will manage any better!

Looking it over again today, it will be more difficult to fix it than I thought.

I saw the wheels on eBay for $600 ea. If I get that, it would still be worth it.

All in all, it has been a fun learning experience that possibly makes a little money.

Maybe I can part it out.

How much of a weight difference do the wheels make?

 

[Radiogeek99]

I wish I lived closer, I would buy the bed from you, mine is damaged too, but in a different place.

 

[doghead]

If you get 600/wheel, please pass on my contact info to the buyer.

 

[BKubu]

Was the trailer like that when you bid on it? If so, why did you bid on it? If it was not like that, why did you accept it? No way you are getting $600 each on the tires/rims if the guy buying them know anything! What did you pay? I hope paid less than $1200. Not trying to rain on your parade...

 

[Abstract1dea]

I paid less than half of $1200. It was a good deal and I figured I could most likely fix what is wrong.

I see on e-bay that the wheel has not sold yet. I figure I'll most likely get quite a bit less, but I should still come out ahead.

I just wanted a trailer to drag around stuff but I think it is a bit heavy for my 4.0L six cyl.

I towed it about 300 miles to get it here so it should make it to Ill.




It's still a really cool trailer and I had a good story to tell and some pictures.

There's no kill like overkill!

 

[harleyhouse]

I would repair the trailer and get smaller road tires

 

[patracy]

I'm sorry but you're not going to sell those wheels and tires for anything near $600 each. We sell them for $175 each and honestly they don't "fly off the shelf".

http://www.militaryoffroadtires.net/product-p/t-37125165w12b.htm

 

[maddawg308]

Why not fix it yourself? Cut the front wall off, build a new front wall out of wood, or plate steel, or aluminum sheet. That trailer still has plenty of life left in it!

 

[harleyhouse]

Get a Harbor Freight hydralic ram and straighten the front lip out "metal has a memory"
Change the wheels out to shorter GM rims and highway tires.
Sell the beadlocks for $400.00 OBO on craigslist

It should tow better then.

 

[Abstract1dea]

The only part that is real bad is the top rim of the front edge.

It's all riveted in so all it would take to drill out the rivet and replace the front flat piece.

Trouble is, this is the most common place for damage.

I'll give the ram a shot and it should be good enough to look good from a distance with a little paint.

I was not expecting $600/ wheel I figured that guy was dreaming.
Even $400 is a good enough deal.

We'll see what I can get for it locally.

It has an awful lot of life left on it. It was a steal too.
If can't make it look new, I can at least get it looking much better.

I saw a bed for a M105 alone, so maybe there could be a M1101 at some point as well.

You never know.

I'll just have to keep my eyes open.

Thanks for all the advice. I really appreciate it.

 

[Abstract1dea]

Harley,

Those wheels look about the right size.

What size are they?

 

[harleyhouse]

245-75-16 on 16" steel 2002-2008 GM 2500 hd wheels

 

[stoned crow]

Changing out the axle isn't going to help, but it will sure hurt the pocket.

That bed is not economically feasible to repair.

Out of curiosity, what's the threshold for economically feasible?

 

[Abstract1dea]

I would suppose the feasibility of a repair would depend on what the trailer cost me.

I figure my break even point is with the sale of the wheels and anything after that would be just for fun.

I saw a new post today that had a pix of a repair:
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?106338-First-M1101

It got me to thinking that if I got some scrap metal and riveted it in place after straightening the bar, it would be feasible to to drag it around.
And it would still not be too ugly after some spays of paint.
Getting smaller wheels on it would most likely make it manageable behind my Jeep.
I am going to need some new tires on my Jeep in the next year and I wanted to lift it some and put some bigger wheels on it so it may all even out.

I am getting a lot of good ideas from this site on how to make it a travel trailer without costing a lot of cash.
It would make it easier to get some other auction goodies as well.

I have been impressed with Harleyhouse's trailer. It has given me a lot of really good ideas.
Thanks for the inspiration.

 

[harleyhouse]

Thank you for the complement, The trailer has been a fun project. I can't wait to go camping with it this summer.

Please post more pictures of the damaged panel, From your picture it does not look like a hard fix.
It is aluminum it can be bent back close to original. If I was closer I would lend a hand. I work a Bunting Graphics in Verona Pa.
It is a huge sing fab shop and you should see what can be done with aluminum and steel here.

Post your progress. take your time.

 

[Abstract1dea]

Here's a few pix I took today:


IN backing it into it's place I bent the tow bar. I think the ring got bound on my hitch and when I changed direction, it bent the flat piece.

I tried to bend it with a crow bar but it was too small.

 

[kabar1]

That is one big trailer lol!

 

[swiss]

Those Northern tool 12" extensions are easy to bend. I did the same thing with the hitch on my tractor when one of the wheels got hung up on a stump. You can bend it back with some work.