Trailer Question

[timjuhl]

I recently bought a used US Cargo 7 x 14 foot enclosed trailer. It's primarily for hauling my more fragile 1917 Model T Ford but I'd like to haul my M38a1 in it as well. The ramp is 67 inches long and rated for a transitional weight of 2500 lbs and can support a dead weight of around 1300-1500 lbs (they say.) I'm concerned that my M38a1 would bend the door/ramp and I wonder if any of you have experience with such rigs and what, if anything, you've done to reinforce the ramp?

One idea I had was to get a set of portable ramps and lay them atop the existing one but I'm not sure if that would be a solution.

Thanks in advance for your help!
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Tim Juhl
1952 M38A1
1946 Aeronca L16A Army Liaison Aircraft

[RonD2]

Crickets? Really guys?

Hi Tim,
Ok, I'll bite. More curiosity for me as I don't haul my M38 (yet, anyway). Hoping it doesn't come to that......

You didn't give specs on the trailer except for 7x14 and the ramp, but it seems to me that if the ramp isn't rated to load what you want to load then the trailer might not be designed, rated, or safe to haul it?

I peeked at the US Cargo website and they have general cargo trailers and car hauler trailers. I'm guessing yours isn't a car hauler model? Assuming it has the payload capacity for a M38A1, even if you figured a way to load it, can it be safely and securely tied down?

Just my 2 cents for safety out there. Trailer accidents can be messy. I'm thankful only to have seen some aftermath and blessed not to have been involved.

You being a pilot I'm a little ........fighter pilot?

Good luck!
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Ron D.
1951 M38 Unknown Serial Number
1951 M100 Dunbar Kapple 01169903 dod 5-51

“The only good sports car that America ever made was the Jeep."
--- Enzo Ferrari

[wesk]

Your trailer should have come with an Owner's Handbook. I assume the figures you posted come from that handbook:

[timjuhl]

Yeah, I didn't give you much info did I? The trailer measures 16 feet to the point of the Vee - 14 feet rectangular space. It has tandem axles, each rated at 3500 Lbs - the empty weight of the trailer is 2172 Lbs with a useful load of 4828 lbs. It has electric brakes. I bought the trailer used and the owners manual was very generic. The figures I quoted for the ramp came from a phone call to the factory.

For securing cargo, it has e-track on the walls and floor - I will secure the vehicles front and rear, two straps per axle, combined strength of the securing hardware around 15000 lbs.

It is certainly capable of transporting a 1500 lb Model T and a 2700 lb M38A1 still puts it 2100 lbs under it's gross weight and well within the towing capacity of my tow vehicle (1 ton Sprinter Van).

The trailer is advertised for ATV's, snowmobiles, motorcycles, etc. The ramp is described as "medium duty." It is not a true car hauler because of it's dimensions and weight carrying capacity. Then again, I have no plans to haul anything other than my Model T or Jeep.

BTW - My M38A1 has no machine guns, radio gear or the like. I've had a couple of guys tell me they think my ramp would work OK because at 67 inches long, the front wheels of the Jeep would be in the trailer before the rear wheels touch the ramp. This is even more true with the Model T which has a 100 inch wheelbase. Regardless, I think I am going to look at some way to support or beef up the ramp just to be safe.

A side note, a friend uses a somewhat smaller but similar trailer to transport his 3444 Lb German Kettenkrad. He loads it using the factory ramp.

Thanks for your comments!
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Tim Juhl
1952 M38A1
1946 Aeronca L16A Army Liaison Aircraft

[timjuhl]

Oops! RonD2 - you asked about my flying. I've been a pilot for 44 years - Commercial and flight instructor certificates. My only semi-military experience was flying Search and Rescue for the USAF Auxiliary (Civil Air Patrol) for over 30 years. I did have the experience many years ago of flying copilot on a WWII B25 Mitchell on the airshow circuit for a few summers.

You can tell that I'm an old geezer.... still having fun tho'
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Tim Juhl
1952 M38A1
1946 Aeronca L16A Army Liaison Aircraft

[RonD2]

Thank you Sir!
The B-25 Mitchell is close enough to being a fighter for me. Must've been a wonderful experience piloting one.
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Ron D.
1951 M38 Unknown Serial Number
1951 M100 Dunbar Kapple 01169903 dod 5-51

“The only good sports car that America ever made was the Jeep."
--- Enzo Ferrari

[timjuhl]

Yes, flying the B-25 was a hoot. We used to try to recreate the Doolittle Raid - short takeoff and low-level bombing raid. Got to meet a number of the Doolittle Raiders (the last died just recently) and hear Jimmy Doolittle speak. My B-25 flying was the late 70's and early 80's so we also got to meet a number of vets who had some incredible stories to share of flying in combat. On a number of occasions we'd have a formation of WWII fighters flying in echelon off our wing. Great memories!

The plane I flew now belongs to the Yankee Air Force. Here is a link to a photo of it <http://warbirdsnews.com/aviation-museum-news/yankee-air-museums-b-25-yankee-warrior-birthday-celebration.html>
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Tim Juhl
1952 M38A1
1946 Aeronca L16A Army Liaison Aircraft

[RonD2]

The Yankee Warrior


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Ron D.
1951 M38 Unknown Serial Number
1951 M100 Dunbar Kapple 01169903 dod 5-51

“The only good sports car that America ever made was the Jeep."
--- Enzo Ferrari