How To: Restoring a 10 Cwt trailer

[Robert Bergeron]

this has been very well covered before in detail by Jordan Baker , but i really like trailers . I recently bought another 10 Cwt Canadian trailer by Brantford Coach & Body . It is No 80 as a serial number . So here is the story .

[Robert Bergeron]

Nice complete box . Nice frame , no rust issues , holes or dents . Pristine fenders. Complete undercarriage with good brake liners .

[Robert Bergeron]

Sandblasting & priming . I had to deal with four layers of paint of different colours . First , the original Army green OD , then red , after that orange and finally Aquamarine blue . All those layers of paint protected the good Canadian steel over the years and explain the exceptional condition of the trailer . Perfect brake drums that don’t need to be turned or polished and below the complete combat wheels that turned out to be almost like new.

[Robert Bergeron]

I have to find the brake cylinders to mount inside here . Mac´s is a good source but expensive to ship . Does anybody know of a source in Canada ? Kelsey Hayes combat wheels mark . I have never seen better condition original Jeep wheels . They were mounted on the 10 Cwt trailer at the factory .

[Robert Bergeron]

Painted the wheels . I had an extra one to paint .

[Robert Bergeron]

The combat wheels still had their bead spreaders installed from the factory over 76 -77 years ago ! A pain to get dissassembeled. Oh what a pain ... Can anyone tell me why they were used ?

[Robert Bergeron]

These were used as mudflaps by a prior owner

[Robert Bergeron]

This is what it looks like now .

[Robert Bergeron]

MODERATOR - Please remove the REFERENCE marker / title. I am just a regular restorer/ collector and i do not pretend to be a reference .

[Robert Bergeron]

Installing the springs on the frame after the OD paint job.

[Robert Bergeron]

Surge brake piston . Handbrake bellcrank . Handbrake lever. All freed up and painted ready to be installed .

[Robert Bergeron]

Attachment 109439[ATTACH]u[/ATTACH]The frame is ready to receive the box

[Robert Bergeron]

Primed the box

[Robert Bergeron]

Painted the box

[Robert Bergeron]

Installing the box for fitment on the frame today ....

[super dave]

Looking good, you are making fast pace on this project, Whats next ?

[Lynn Eades]

Robert. Bead spreaders or bead locks keep the bead of the tyre in firm contact with the rim. This means that a runflat tyre that has been holed by a bullet or shrapnel will still drive. Otherwise, the wheel will turn inside the tyre with no forward movement. Even without the runflat tyres it still affords movement which might allow movement away from an otherwise dire situation.
Kelsey Hayes combat rims fitted Jeeps and trailers. In a rubber shortage the bead spreader was also the flap that insulated the tube from the "pinchy" joining of the two rim halves.

[Robert Bergeron]

Hi Dave , thanks for looking at my posts and your nice comments . Coming from you it’s a treat and an honor . Lynn , thank you for a very clear explanation . I long wanted to know the reason for those beadlocks most commonly found on WW2 Jeeps . When i separated the wheels of that Canadian trailer , i was not expecting to find them . Thanks again . Here we see the fenders .. Pristine , did not have to repair anything . Just sandblasted , primed and painted . Amazing !

[Robert Bergeron]

«* Question «* to the experts : The «*T*» sign that goes on the rear right corner of the Canadian trailer , what colour should the contour be ? Black or Green / Canadian Brown . The «* T «* proper is white , i get it . The jewels / reflectors red but why would the contour be Black like the British ones instead of Green / Canadian Brown ? anybody got WW2 era colour pictures ? The pictures / illustrations i have are all black & white so impossible to tell .

[Harry Moon]

mine was only ever green and white.

[Jordan Baker]

Nice find and nice job on the trailer. I believe that the T plates were satin black with a white T and red jewels.

[Robert Bergeron]

Thanks Harry ( miss you btw) . Was it an original plate , never restored Harry ? Thank you Jordan . I accept that British trailers had a satin black contoured plate . But what about Canadian trailers , what evidence do we have .

Note : Colin McGregor - Stevens ( Hi Colin don’t be jealous miss you too ) wrote an excellent piece on these trailers , look it up on Goggle under 10 Cwt . These were «* the*» Jeep trailers for Canadians . They continued post -war right into Korea . Canada even reinforced the T-3 Bantam / Willys trailers to make them 10 Cwt instead of 5 Cwt they were so delicate and inadequate. So , for a correct Canadian Ww2 ETO Jeep you need a 10 Cwt trailer by Brantford & Body or a modified T-3 !

[Harry Moon]

Mine was all original when I got it. I’ll look for the pictures.

[rob love]

We have an unaltered T reflector plate at the museum. I'll post a photo Tuesday (if some of this snow is plowed by then) . I believe it is black.

[Robert Bergeron]

Here is what it looks like today with the wheel fenders and document box .

[Robert Bergeron]

Front view with fenders and tool box.

[Robert Bergeron]

A looksie from behind . Still lot’s of work to do .

[Robert Bergeron]

Did a little road test yesterday . Also changed location . Will be needing a heated shed to continue the work on the hitch and the electrics , Canadian winters can be brutal . Won’t she look good behind a Canadian Jeep ? Notice the document bin on the right side.

[Robert Bergeron]

After thightening the bearings , this test run confirms she is roadworthy . Notice the tool box on the left side . Missing is the towing attachment in the rear for trailer trains . Anybody have a picture of one of those trains in Canadian service ?

[Robert Bergeron]

As for trailer trains my feeling is it is mostly a fairy tale reserved for Staff officers and designers back in Ottawa ..... come on , trailers in tandem behind a Jeep ?