DIY Bantam Trailer?

[[memphis]]

Anyone here make a replica? I think it would be so cool to have one but they are expensive here and rare as hens teeth

Did some searching and found a lot of refurb posts but nothing from a clean slate. It would be nice to have something to haul yard waste etc. around with my Tj

 

[jeepnmatt]

Anyone here make a replica? I think it would be so cool to have one but they are expensive here and rare as hens teeth

Did some searching and found a lot of refurb posts but nothing from a clean slate. It would be nice to have something to haul yard waste etc. around with my Tj

i've been thinking about making a kit that would convert a HF utility trailer into a "jeep" type trailer. the kit would be a front, sides, and rear and could be made from fiberglass or steel. it would have the shape and look of a Bantam trailer.

I have an original Bantam and it is great for some things (like hauling firewood) but too narrow (only 36") on the inside. ATV's and Mowers do not fit. using the HF would provide a 4x8 "bed", axle, lights, hitch, and frame and they are around $600. a kit would end up around $750, and i'm not sure if people would spend that or not, so i haven't done much with it other than think about it.

My bantam is great for firewood, brush, and hauling mulch...but thats about all i use it for.

 

[Clb]

IIrc
Someone was making a knockoff at one point

 

[87manche]

my brother built his own M100 using a parts 416 and a M100 tub from the phillipines. Guy in PA imports the tubs.

 

[Clb]

That's who I was thinking of....

 

[87manche]

it was a from scratch frame with extended tongue.
box tube.
m100 axle with the 416 hubs, and the pintle and ebrake and lights and stuff from the donor rusted out 416 he bought.
Probably still have the frame napkin math measurements somewhere.

 

[Tech Tim]

I picked this one up a year ago, it is a Bantam trailer complete with combat wheels. At some point someone put a new tub on it and changed out the hitch.

The rust is bad enough that it needs a new tub, but the rest of it is still in pretty good shape.

Not sure what I'm going to do with it yet, the more I stare at it, the more I think I'd be happier with something custom built and a little bigger.


There are a few websites out there selling parts.

New tub: M100 TRAILER TUB - D&L Bensinger

Fiberglass tub: Dinoot M416 Tub Kit Lightweight Fiberglass

There is also one that sells all the panels for a DYI trailer, including plans iirc. Couldn't find the link for it in my notes.

 

[PAToyota]

Years ago I had an idea to have a local shop with a HUUGEE press brake bend up some tubs out of 1/4" plate and then get ends laser cut, weld the front on, and make the back into a tailgate. I think the shop wanted to do either a half dozen or a dozen. Couldn't find others willing to put money down, so scrapped the idea.

 

[[memphis]]

I picked this one up a year ago, it is a Bantam trailer complete with combat wheels. At some point someone put a new tub on it and changed out the hitch.

The rust is bad enough that it needs a new tub, but the rest of it is still in pretty good shape.

Not sure what I'm going to do with it yet, the more I stare at it, the more I think I'd be happier with something custom built and a little bigger.


There are a few websites out there selling parts.

New tub: M100 TRAILER TUB - D&L Bensinger

Fiberglass tub: Dinoot M416 Tub Kit Lightweight Fiberglass

There is also one that sells all the panels for a DYI trailer, including plans iirc. Couldn't find the link for it in my notes.

How much larger would you want the trailer to be? Like a standard 4x8 floor? I don't think I'd want something that wide but... if I needed to haul drywall, plywood or something the trailer would be pretty useless

 

[[memphis]]

Years ago I had an idea to have a local shop with a HUUGEE press brake bend up some tubs out of 1/4" plate and then get ends laser cut, weld the front on, and make the back into a tailgate. I think the shop wanted to do either a half dozen or a dozen. Couldn't find others willing to put money down, so scrapped the idea.

This sounds extremely heavy... it would weigh more than 2000 lbs LOL

 

[jeepnmatt]

How much larger would you want the trailer to be? Like a standard 4x8 floor? I don't think I'd want something that wide but... if I needed to haul drywall, plywood or something the trailer would be pretty useless

this is exactly what i was thinking. after having a Bantam trailer, and knowing how limited it is for doing normal hauling duties of building materials, furniture, and other things like that, i was leaning towards the 4x8 bed size. the 3x7 floor dimensions of the Bantam severely limit their usefulness. this is why i also have a 5x10 utility trailer.

 

[PAToyota]

This sounds extremely heavy... it would weigh more than 2000 lbs LOL

Ok, 1/8" plate? Probably less than that, actually.

 

[Tech Tim]

How much larger would you want the trailer to be? Like a standard 4x8 floor? I don't think I'd want something that wide but... if I needed to haul drywall, plywood or something the trailer would be pretty useless

If I need to haul a 4x8 sheet I'll drive my truck.

I got that trailer with the idea of building a camping trailer. Something with a slide-out kitchen and fridge, rooftop tent on top etc.

 

[Wades_76_cj7]

I built a Bantam version about 20 years ago now. It was before my PBB days. I was on that forum Off-road.com or maybe Offroad.com? My FIL had access to a 10' wide brake and we bent up the sides and bottom of the tub in the M100/M416/Bantam shape then I cut the end caps out of same thickness sheet. welded it all together. I want to say the damn thing was 1/8" or maybe even 3/16'". Built the frame out of 2x2x.120 square tube. used some leftover 4" lift CJ springs I had, homemade axle with matching hubs so I could run one spare. Made Jeep style fenders for it. It was pretty slick but holy shit it was pretty heavy. Being a twenty something kid I overbuilt the frame and stuff. I pulled it with my CJ7 at the time. 33x12.5 SSRs on it to match the Jeep. Once I built it and pulled it a few times I lost interest and sold it. Some guy from TX drove up to KC with a XJ and pulled it home. I wonder if it's still floating around. lol


I had a '45 Bantam that I bought in Ft Collins in 2014 with plans to build it into a Overland camping trailer. Did a springover, swapped out the axle for updated hubs to run Wrangler pattern. Added a rack to mount a RTT on it. I actually pulled it to Moab our first year in '15 with my LJR. No RTT then but it was loaded down with all our camping gear and a week's worth of food, and stuff. I will upload some pics of the Bantam when I get home.

 

[Gatorgrizz27]

This may be of interest to you, I declare that I’ve finally built the “perfect” utility trailer. It temporarily has wooden sides but I’ve got removable steel ones in the works. It is freaking awesome, and I love it like a good dog.

Hopefully people can see the pics without a login.

Versatile off road open utility/camping trailer build

This thing has been a long time coming, and has been designed and revised in my head for a couple of years. Purpose #1 is to replace my decade old, heavily abused Harbor Freight 4x8 trailer. I own a finish carpentry business and have a 6x12 enclosed trailer and a dump trailer, but there are...

forum.expeditionportal.com

 

[[memphis]]

This may be of interest to you, I declare that I’ve finally built the “perfect” utility trailer. It temporarily has wooden sides but I’ve got removable steel ones in the works. It is freaking awesome, and I love it like a good dog.

Hopefully people can see the pics without a login.

Versatile off road open utility/camping trailer build

This thing has been a long time coming, and has been designed and revised in my head for a couple of years. Purpose #1 is to replace my decade old, heavily abused Harbor Freight 4x8 trailer. I own a finish carpentry business and have a 6x12 enclosed trailer and a dump trailer, but there are...

forum.expeditionportal.com

Pics don’t work. I’ve never registered there, maybe I should as there are a lot of builds on there that don’t get attention here

 

[Gatorgrizz27]

Pics don’t work. I’ve never registered there, maybe I should as there are a lot of builds on there that don’t get attention here

Bummer. Maybe I’ll do a build thread on here one day.