The M416 military trailer does not have a tail gate. For my use, as both an expedition and utility trailer, a tail gate was a necessity. I wanted the tail gate to look as original as possible and also be durable enough to hold up to off road abuse.

I started out by cutting the rear panel out of the M416 tub. The was a good job for the Sawzall that I own. The objective was to remove and reuse the rear panel.

Once I had the panel removed I added reinforcement to the tub by adding bracing on the left and right sides of the tub and a 2″x2″ “L” reinforcement along the bottom of the tub. The “L” along the bottom of the tub will become the attachment point for the tail gate hinges.

With the tub reinforced I moved onto the trail gate panel. I used 1″ square tubing to build a frame for the panel as will as provide bracing where the hinges wold connect.

For the hinges I went to the local welding shop and purchase 1/2″ hinge pins and 1/4″ wall tubing. This provided for a hinge that is VERY durable and can be disassembled to remove the tail gate.

I ordered real tail gate latches for the project so the tail gate when closed would become an integral part of the tub. When closed the trail gate latch pulls the rear of the tub together.

I also attached removable chain to hold the tail gate when it is open.

The cost of this modification was less than $50.00 in materials.