How do the 1/4 ton trailers tow?

no surge brakes, just parking brakes. they could be easily be modified, but you may want better internals if you intend to use alot.

 

Military 1/4 ton (and Bantam civilian T3-C) trailers are rated 500 lbs. off road, 750 lbs. highway.

Yes, you can haul more than that, but how much more you can haul safely is a crapshoot. Limiting factors are tire rating and condition, spring rating and condition, the balance of the load, your speed, road or trail conditions, etc. Also, these trailers are short coupled and do not have running brakes, which are additional limiting factors.

Since I use my T3-C as an off road camping trailer I keep my load at no more than 500 lbs. More than that causes issues on trail obstacles and makes it too heavy to move around by hand by myself when uncoupled in camp.

I have friends with 1/4 ton trailers who regularly load them with 1,000 lbs of stuff for highway towing with no apparent issues. However, I would not load more than that because unloaded 1/4 ton trailers weigh almost 500 lbs. and any trailer with a gross weight of 1,500 lbs or more (trailer and load) should have running brakes, and even with brakes these trailers have such a short tongue that a panic stop would very likely result in a jack knife and some expensive sheet metal damage to both the trailer and tow rig.

My two cents.

Robert Bills
Orange County CA
'97 Jeep ZJ tsi
'83 Jeep CJ-7
'46 Bantam T3-C

 

I'm an idiot.

I load 900#(+) quite often. I tow it around like I stole it. 60 mph or more sometimes. I don't even feel it back there behind my Rubi. . . .

Like I said "I'm an idiot" [I guess]. Who else do you know prefer to haul trash w/ a vintage keepsake like my T3. .

pass the beer nutz.

 

My other trailer is almost identical in size to the M416... I have hauled over 2000 lbs in that one behind my V8 YJ. I bent the axle - both wheels are at 45* R)

I regularly tow over 2500 lbs without brakes on a car trailer behind the YJ, never an issue and I have had panic stops, granted I have beefed up brakes on the YJ though. [/end hijack]

Your not an idiot

I am... I pulled over 10k on a car trailer with the YJ with no trailer brakes... across town only though R)