US Military trailers

[mduark]

Are there any US military trailers that are similar in size to the various Sankeys? Also what about wheel bolt pattern size?

Thanks,

Mark Douglas
1993 RRC LWB 195K

[I Leak Oil]

Wheel and bolt pattern? No you won't find a US trailer that matches a rover pattern. As for a comparable size trailer, I think you're either stuck with a 1\4 ton like an M416\M100 or move up to the bohemouth trailers towed behind a deuce. I've had a 1\4 ton US trailer. They are pretty decent, light but also relatively light duty. For what you would pay for a good example of an M416 now you're better off looking for a Sankey IMO.
M416's went through the roof as soon as everyone wanted to start putting a tent on top of them.

[Maryland 110]

Wheel and bolt pattern? No you won't find a US trailer that matches a rover pattern. As for a comparable size trailer, I think you're either stuck with a 1\4 ton like an M416\M100 or move up to the bohemouth trailers towed behind a deuce. I've had a 1\4 ton US trailer. They are pretty decent, light but also relatively light duty. For what you would pay for a good example of an M416 now you're better off looking for a Sankey IMO.
M416's went through the roof as soon as everyone wanted to start putting a tent on top of them.

I think Sankeys are better trailers all round when compared to similar sized US military trailers.

[Howsomever]

I have an M416 military trailer that I cut off the spindles, welded on flanges and bolted on series Rover spindles with hubs. Same width as the Series Rover. Now the wheels are interchangeable so I carry one spare on the Rover. These are sweet trailers. True they are lighter but the Sankey is too heavy for the stock series anyway...........let alone stopping. A fold down tailgate was added to mine in the past. The military made these to float across streams and I have a picture of one with a guy standing up in one crossing a river with a small outboard on the back where the drop tailgate is. With parking brake and flip down stand a great trailer.

[1971Series88]

here is my M416

It has Rover wheels - thanks to an adaptor from US wheel adaptors...

[I Leak Oil]

True they are lighter but the Sankey is too heavy for the stock series anyway...........let alone stopping.

Respectfully disagree with this. Unladen weight of a 3/4 ton narrow track is 788 lbs per the manual. Looking at shipping web sites people are estimating their M416's to be around 583 lbs., my old Bantam T3 weighed in at 550 lbs. Not a big difference. The sankey has service brakes as well as the hand brake to assist with stopping, US trailers have no service brakes.

My understanding is that the sankey narrow track was designed to be pulled behind military series truck which for all intents and purposes of being able to tow, are nearly identical to a stock series truck.

Now I've also thought of using rover spindles on the US trailer's axle. Looks like you could redrill the axle tube flange with the rover spindle bolt pattern and have a nice setup. Welding like you did it works too. Were you able to keep the parking brake functional with the rover parts? It looked to me like the US cam mechanism could be made to work on the rover shoes.

[charo63]

I think my little Willys (or Bantam) trailer is going to work great behind my 88. Needs some work, but not too bad for $100. Already has 750x16 mud tires on it and has worked great for hauling mulch, sand and other stuff around the house behind the RRC.

[I Leak Oil]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]6727[/ATTACH]

That's a nice little trailer and you can't beat it for the price! It looks like an M100 given the grab handles and the a-frame gussetts being a radius instead of a birds mouth.

[charo63]

I think you are correct. It's had a tailgate cut into it along the way, which makes it way more functional for my purposes. I think the tongue has been flipped over and of course the ring was cut off along the way and replaced with a farm hitch. That tire is the original military tire without the the tread - and it was holding air and made it all the way home like that. Tough tires! I got brand new bias ply mud grips at the same auction for $1 and they work great on this little rig. Now for a new floor....

[I Leak Oil]

I think you are correct. It's had a tailgate cut into it along the way, which makes it way more functional for my purposes. I think the tongue has been flipped over and of course the ring was cut off along the way and replaced with a farm hitch. That tire is the original military tire without the the tread - and it was holding air and made it all the way home like that. Tough tires! I got brand new bias ply mud grips at the same auction for $1 and they work great on this little rig. Now for a new floor....

Yup, the lunette\landing leg casting is flipped upside down on that. Do you have the landing leg? If not they come up used now and then or a reproduction isn't that expensive. Looks like the parking brake handle is gone too. There's a company in Maine that makes reproduction floors as well as front and back panels. Let me know if you're interested in their contact info and I'll see if I can dig it up.

[Boston]

It has Rover wheels - thanks to an adaptor from US wheel adaptors...

Looks like you lifted your M416.
Luv mine!
Here it is behind my family wagon with a modded Sankey behind it.