Trailer ID?

[Greg]

I picked up this small utility trailer recently, the guy I bought it from claims it's a military trailer. It could be, but I don't see any identifying marks to indicate it being such. It's pretty light-weight, I can easily move it around by hand. The construction it decent, but it's not built to haul too much weight. I suppose it could be a 1/4 ton trailer that was built to use behind military Flat Fenders, but I don't know those trailers well enough to say what it is.

My intention is to use it mostly for yard work and hauling misc stuff. I had the idea to also use it as a trail trailer, build mounts for the roof top tent, propane cylinder, fuel cans, etc, etc. It needs some welding, wiring, light work and new tires, but it has the potential. It may take quite a bit of work to make it ready for long distance offroad trips, but it's a start for now.

Anyway... can anybody ID this thing? It's 6' long, 4' wide. Does it looks like a old-school military trailer? It has a tag on it, which is on top of the another tag. I don't want to remove the top tag, since that is the CO trailer ID #.

 

[TRNDRVR]

the guy I bought it from says it's a military trailer. It could be, but I don't see any identifying marks to indicate it being such.

Drive it by the local VFW and see if it has an irresistible urge to pull into the parking lot.

















Just a thought!!!

 

[Greg]

Drive it by the local VFW and see if it has an irresistible urge to pull into the parking lot.



Just a thought!!!

Good idea... but if any Vets see the trailer, they may have flashbacks and start snapping necks!

 

[Rusted]

I own the same thing, only mine is in green. Pretty sure they are not military. I will go look a little harder for some better identification.

 

[Greg]

I own the same thing, only mine is in green. Pretty sure they are not military. I will go look a little harder for some better identification.

Wow, who'd have thought!? Good to know others are out there. The previous owner did the red paint job, I'm sure it has been a couple other colors before that one.

 

[TRNDRVR]

Good idea... but if any Vets see the trailer, they may have flashbacks and start snapping necks!

 

[Tacoma]

Looks kind of like one of the old WWII "Bantam" trailers, if I'm remembering that right....

The freaks over at SteelSoldiers could tell you in a nanosecond.

 

[Rusted]

Here is what mine looks like. It has a little badge on the front drivers side that has a model number of 233 22 46, and a serial number. And instructions on how to contact Sears Roebuck and Co USA for replacement parts.




The hitch on mine broke off one day. So it has has a new one bolted on now. You may look at yours to make sure nothing is starting to crack. I also made some make-shift side boards out of metal fence posts and ply wood that are useful for camping gear, fire wood, etc. Mine just slide into the little stake pockets. Nothing fancy.

 

[Greg]

A Sears Roebuck trailer.... nice! Good to know it's origins, but Sears isn't nearly as cool as a military trailer!

Thanks for the heads up on the hitch, I'll check it out. It does have a cracked weld on the box, which I plan to repair. Most everything else looks pretty good, it should work for it's intended purposes for the time being. It's currently loaded up with dead grass, weeds and dog crap.

 

[gijohn40]

I was going to say its not military cause pretty much every trailer that the military has in its inventory has a round hitch end... not the type that fits over a 2 inch ball... it this makes sense to you all?

Plus all the old military trailers sit up higher so as to make them off roadable...

 

[Meat_]

I was going to say that it didn't look military to me, more like 50s/60s Sears

I was going to say its not military cause pretty much every trailer that the military has in its inventory has a round hitch end... not the type that fits over a 2 inch ball... it this makes sense to you all?

Plus all the old military trailers sit up higher so as to make them off roadable...

Pintle hitch

 

[Caleb]

Plus all the old military trailers sit up higher so as to make them off roadable...

I don't think the higher stance was/is necessarily for more off-roadability, but rather because they are generally towed behind their huge 2+Ton trucks. The better off-road prowess is just a secondary benefit. (granted, I swear those trailers weigh, unloaded, as much as a small car. So they really do suck off-road unless they are being yanked around by a semi )

 

[Greg]

I was going to say its not military cause pretty much every trailer that the military has in its inventory has a round hitch end... not the type that fits over a 2 inch ball... it this makes sense to you all?

Plus all the old military trailers sit up higher so as to make them off roadable...

Yes it makes sense, and yeah I know what a pintle hitch is. I've used them quite a bit. To add to the confusion, you can get a pintle hitch with a ball.

I didn't think it was a military trailer, but that's what the previous owner claimed and I doubted that. This trailer does sit up pretty high, but that's probably due to the bitchen bias-ply 1960's tires.

 

[richpblaze]

Its ok Greg

It has military tires.

 

[Greg]

It has military tires.

Long as it hauls sh!t, I'm happy.

Wonder if Sears can still get parts for it... mabey I'll haul it down and tell them I need some stuff.

 

[Zjaddiction]

Hey, Found this site looking for this trailer. I have one too. I bought it about a year ago to haul behind my FJ-80 while I was building my house. I replaced lights, bearings, u-bolts, and added some chains, and a 2" ball hitch. Mine has some well made wood fence-type sides that look like original equipment. I'll get some pics up. It's red, with yellow wood sides.

I think they are called square box trailers, and were made for sears. I've also found one old post stating that sears made some trailers for the military at some point. Still esearching.

Nice Site by the way.

 

[Greg]

Thanks for sharing, always good to have more info. Welcome to RME by the way.

I've been using my trailer quite a bit the last week... it hauled 1300#'s of diesel motors last weekend from SLC, UT to Western CO. I probably doubled the rated capacity of the little trailer... Sadly the fenders had to come off, since the tires were too close for comfort.

 

[Zjaddiction]

Mine looks just like the one behind the CJ in the background. It has the older looking round fenders (than the white one in the foreground), and the same wood sides.

I've used it to haul mulch recently. I need to work on the tongue a bit. Needs to be triangulated.

 

[Rusted]

Cool. Yeah see if you can get a better photo of the sides. And what are the cross bars and what looks like a lip going aroudn the inside of the white one?

 

[Zjaddiction]

The white one is for sale, not mine, but here is the link with lots of pictures.

http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?forumID=43793&p=3&topicID=23842730

I paid $75 for mine, and put about $100 in it so far. I think I'll make it into an expedition trailer, with an XJ 2 wheel drive front axle and some rubi rims with the 31's.