Re-Painted Trailers - VSE...?

[Andercomm]

A fair number of G/L trailers appear to be re-painted, i.e., you know the one's where the lunette ring looks clean and the paint is barely chipped.

What is everyone's experience with these trailers...is this indicative of an attempt to just clean up a 20 year old rust bucket for auction (by sending it to Earl Scheib who will paint any trailer for $99.99) or is it a sign of a 'VSE rebuilt' trailer where I assume it actually gets sand-blasted, fully re-painted and all worn components replaced.......?

I had read a few posts about VSE jobs, such as their paint was a tad thin and wore off easily.

Who has bought a 'fresh looking' trailer like this - how did it shape up upon your inspection when you got it home?

 

[ENTRAIL]

I just bought a VSE rebuilt trailer and am waiting on my paperwork from Battle Creek. I have the same concerns as you, hope someone shimes in with an answer.

 

[koolex11]

Don't worry, GL has no interest in cleaning trailers for sale, if that's what you're asking. They do nothing to the trailers except maybe inflate some flat tires, sometimes. If it looks like a cheap repaint job, it was probably done by the army maintenance/paint department. They aren't exactly careful, they just paint stuff all day and cover up the rusty patches. Most trailers have gotten several coats of paint. One A1 I had was painted 6 or 7 times, and it was pretty cool to see the changes in the mil-spec od green over the years.

VSE reworked trailers are done right. If you look at them up close, they have been stripped and repainted with CARC. It may be a little thin to some people's standards but it's meant to hide the trailer and not reflect, which it does well. Don't expect the same powder-coated finish you find on retail utility trailers, expect the paint to scratch off fairly easily and need repainting from time to time. That said, it is pretty tough paint.

VSE trailers are much better than most. The ones I have seen in PA and MD are in excellent condition, no rust, few dents or damage. Of course the GL forklifts will surely scratch them up and break a tail light.

Personally, as my signature suggests, I like to buy the less-than perfect non-reworked trailers from the early 90's and clean them up myself. The VSE trailers tend to go for about double $$ as the same trailer without the fresh paint job.

In my experience, all of the GL trailers will have something wrong with them, but no matter which one you get, it will be 3X as tough as any of the junk the trailer shops are selling.

Hope this helps!

 

[KsM715]

GL is not in the business of cleaning up stuff for auction. It just happens that those trailers were recently rebuilt by the Gov. only to be turned around and surplused out.

 

[Barney-the-Duece]

I picked up an M105A2 and an M101A2 from Sparta that were both reworked by VSE in 2010. I picked the M105A2 up in June and the M101A2 in August. I was very happy with the condition of both trailers. They look like new trailers. Both had brand new tires with mold lines on the treads, new lights (with protective plastic still on them) and new wiring and break lines. I havent had them long to determine how well the finish holds up, but Iam very happy wth them so far.

 

[Ratch]

Don't worry, GL has no interest in cleaning trailers for sale, if that's what you're asking. They do nothing to the trailers except maybe inflate some flat tires, sometimes. If it looks like a cheap repaint job, it was probably done by the army maintenance/paint department. They aren't exactly careful, they just paint stuff all day and cover up the rusty patches.

Yup... Check out the pic. Apparently they left a razorblade on the lip and just sprayed over it. This is on a trailer I gave my brother in law.

edit: Nevermind, no idea where the pic went. It was a photo of a razor blade encased in carc on the edge of the trailer.

 

[Andercomm]

How do you know when a trailer has been reworked by VSE...? Are there obviously signs to look for?

Barney-the-Duece': How did you learn your trailers were re-worked in 2010?

I have seen an occasional auction description when they make specific note of it...but for the most part these "freshly painted' trailers bear no notations.

 

[therealsundance]

there is a data plate that tells you when it was rebuilt.

 

[5ton4ever]

gl won't clean up stuff, They are too busy bending driveshafts with forklifts!

 

[CARNAC]

There are other posts floating around about trailer rebuilds.

Bottom line is the Army Reserve did a contract to have these trailers rebuilt due to a shortage AT THAT TIME (emphasis added) of the M1101 and M1082 trailers. By the time the contract with multi option years was awarded and the trailers completed (about 270 days from shipment to receive back), the shortage of the newer stuff was a thing of the past. Now the reserves were stuck with reworked trailers and no units to place them in. The rework should have been for 101A2 and 105A2 only. I was told zero models and A1's were not rebuilt. I had one buddy that worked in a shop that literally was pulling 101A2 trailers off the delivery truck from VSE and moving them to DRMO. I had a post on here recently about 10 105 trailers that were 2010 rebuilds that were seen in the scrap metal yard. Our tax $ at work.

As for quality, hit or miss. I've see a lot of rebuilt trailers and the vast majority are good. Buddy of mine has one that was a 2009 rebuild and it's immaculate. I have seen a few where the CARC has sloffed off in scabs. I know there is a reason for this that has something to do with the prep or the curring. In general, I'd rather have a VSE rebuild than not have one. Probably worth the extra $ in my opinion.

 

[crashdog11]

Vse does blast & paint the trailers and the paint may look thin but that is directed by the Army standards for paint thickness. THe trailers may be rebuilt or depending on the contract they may only be refurbished. The difference is that refurbished trailers only have certain parts replaced and anything else is on an as neede basis as per the Army. The trailers are torn down for inspections so they should be good to go. Also, some trailers only had blast & paint done to them so if it was refurbished or rebuilt there should be a rework plate attached to the trailer. If there is no rework plate then it was only painted.

 

[Andercomm]

Anyone have a photo of what a 'rework plate' would like like?

I assume its mounted on the left front corner adjacent to the 'trailer data plate'...?

 

[papercu]

If you don't go and inspect for yourself then you get what you deserve. It is SURPLUS. Wayne

 

[therealsundance]

Here you go

 

[therealsundance]

Most of the VSE rebuilds have new cargo beds put on them and most of those have a galvanized finish under the paint.

Mine has a galvanized finish under the paint. I can see it where the .gov workers chipped the paint

 

[Barney-the-Duece]

Both of my trailers have a small thin tag near the normal data plates that states "Reworked by VSE Corporation" with a date after it. My M101A2 was dated January of 2010 and the M105A2 was September 2010. It was obvious neither one was ever used as there were no marks or scuffs in the beds and the tires still had mold lines. The finish on both of mine are good.

 

[Andercomm]

VSE Re-Work

Well...I went out to Meade and inspected the trailer - that I actually won in yesterday's auction.

Hidden underneath the tied-down cammo cargo hood was a new thin VSE data plate similar to the one posted by 'Barney-the-Duece' - that indicated it was re-worked in 01-2010.

I crawled around and underneath it, it almost looked like a brand new trailer, definitely was sand-blasted first to remove all the old paint, then primed and re-painted thin in 383 Green. It had what appeared to be all new parts - the electric cable and harness, both tires, the bows, both brake handles and cables, the tailgate chains, taillamp assemblies looked fresh, and it possibly even got a new bed in the re-work too - as I saw not one scratch or dent anywhere inside -and no rust on the undercarriage, just clean flat new-looking 383 Green. Just a few specks of rust where a few parts wore against one another ( like the leaf springs) exposing some metal.

I was extremely pleased. Looks like they really re-built it from scratch...then it just sat in a lot somewhere for a year and a half apparently unused - then was declared "Unservicable' and surplused off....how ridiculious...but how fortunate for me...!

Yes - that's a big grin on my face today...!

 

[koolex11]

Congratulations. Sounds like you got a really nice one. If this is your first, you will only become more pleased with it as time goes by. I stand by my previous statement of "best trailer ever made" and when you stand next to one you almost start to understand why the DOD payed $4K for a new one...almost.

 

[therealsundance]

Well...I went out to Meade and inspected the trailer - that I actually won in yesterday's auction.

Hidden underneath the tied-down cammo cargo hood was a new thin VSE data plate similar to the one posted by 'Barney-the-Duece' - that indicated it was re-worked in 01-2010.

I crawled around and underneath it, it almost looked like a brand new trailer, definitely was sand-blasted first to remove all the old paint, then primed and re-painted thin in 383 Green. It had what appeared to be all new parts - the electric cable and harness, both tires, the bows, both brake handles and cables, the tailgate chains, taillamp assemblies looked fresh, and it possibly even got a new bed in the re-work too - as I saw not one scratch or dent anywhere inside -and no rust on the undercarriage, just clean flat new-looking 383 Green. Just a few specks of rust where a few parts wore against one another ( like the leaf springs) exposing some metal.

I was extremely pleased. Looks like they really re-built it from scratch...then it just sat in a lot somewhere for a year and a half apparently unused - then was declared "Unservicable' and surplused off....how ridiculious...but how fortunate for me...!

Yes - that's a big grin on my face today...!

 

[Andercomm]

Funny...I did take a camera with me to Meade but it was raining bad that day...so I didn't risk ruining the digital camera...here are the stock GL photos...figured the sales price was worth a verified and tagged VSE re-work...