My M416- new guy

joshjan

New member
Hi Gang,

I've been lurking around for some time and I thought I might post up about my trailer- along with a few questions. Pics to come but that requires my wifes' help- she's the picture queen!

Since 2002 I've been looking for an M416 or similar to use behind my Jeep. The Jeeps have changed since that time, but one day I stumbled across 3 (!) m416's in a backyard while out on a training ride on my bike. I slammed on the brakes, knocked on the door and expressed interest in one of the trailers. The guy couldn't have been any nicer. A handshake, a $50 bill, and I was the owner of my dream trailer! I rode home as fast as I could, bought a pintle hitch, and towed that bad boy back to my parents garage. Yup, for $50 I could still tow it home! The tires were a little dryrotted but held air fine.

The next few months I had it sandblasted, ordered up new axle to match lug patterns, slapped some tractor paint on it, and made a removable rack on the top for our bikes, kayak, and rocketbox. I rolled in some bedliner and it's on the road. So fare the most expensive part was to get it titled and registered here in PA.

i have to thank all of you for your ideas and knowledge. It's certainly fueled my enthusiasm to work on my trailer!

Now to my questions- The local trailer shop that I bought the axle from built in camber...so when my trailer doesn't have 1000 pounds of firewood in it my tires have a slight angle to them. Is this something I should remedy? It would probably require getting a new axle, but I want it to be right.

Secondly, I'm pondering going spring over. For those of you that have done that, does the higher center of gravity make a big difference in the handling? I'm pulling it behind my XJ with 4.5" of lift and 32's if it matters.
Thanks! Sorry for the long first post.

Josh
 

IH8RDS

Explorer
Welcome to the portal Josh. Cant wait for the pictures.

I did the spring over on mine and it did not change anything except the height. It was a bonus because now I can see it in the rear view. If you do a spring over, you need to consider hitch height. At the same time that I did my spring over I built a rear bumper that had a receiver in it. That raised the hitch by almost a foot.

By the way I also have an XJ with 4" and 31" the tires on the trailer are 31" too.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10637&highlight=M416
 
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joshjan

New member
Thanks for the reply...right now the trailer is on my old 30 inchers. I have two pintle hitches... one that has a normal drop for my Jeep and I have a crazy big one for my wife's Liberty, since the hitch is lower on hers.
My biggest concern was with the GOG of the trailer with stuff on the top of it.
Any thoughts on the axle? Is the camber built in it a bad thing for this small of a trailer?

Josh
 

roadkill

Adventurer
welcome.

don't get overly worried about that axle just yet. load it up with what you would normally carry and look at your tires. I bet that by the time you get done you'll be close to having that axle flattened out and camber back to where it should be.
 

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