......well I am just about completing my rolling chassis & tub build of the Dinoot M416 build before I start on the other stages & want to give my honest truthful opinion review of the Dinoot Tub build so far.
Here's my opinion & review of the Dinoot M416 Tub build.
Pro's.......1st of all dealing with Scott with Compact Camping Concepts was good experience overall. The only real complaint I had dealing with Scott was his subdued way of bashing the Smittybilt Roof Top Tent I bought prior before the build. As a business owner myself I do not make it a habit to bash or tear down other businesses or there products. The reason why I purchased the Smittybilt Roof Top Tent was I have a good friend who works for them (NO I didn't get a friend deal either). After thinking why someone would poke negative comment on a product from a company I was buying their products for the build my thought was because I didn't buy one of Scott's Tepui Tents he sells. But over all I thought he was very thorough, exact & good to deal with.
2nd The instructions were 100% user friendly & very understandable, with good service on tracking of the packages with plenty of notification on the shipment.
3rd the quality of the parts & construction were good for what it is made of, very stout & solid in most part with a few concerns.
Over all I am very happy with what I have accomplished in this build & what I call a great "entry level" overland trailer build.
Now for the con's...... the frame "I" used was a Harbor Freight Trailer (the super duty) w\ many mod's, I wished I would of built my own. The cost of the frame & all the extra material to the frame, the new tongue fabrication would of be the same cost if I built my own from scratch. That was a learning experience on my part.
The Dinoot tailgate stinks, no if's &'s or buts, metal constructed (which is good) but it's tweaked, it isn't flat & doesn't fit correctly in the opening. Plus aesthetically it doesn't match the trailers lines of the M416. The tailgate is a copy of a JK Jeep tailgate with a beveled top were the M416 trailer tub has squared lines. Another issue is the gap between the tub opening & tailgate when it's closed, we are dealing with 1\2" gap all a way around, were the tailgate should sit properly in the opening against each part (end tub piece & tailgate). Nothing what some 3\4" 1\2 round automotive weather stripping will solve the problem, which I did installed.
Another issue I didn't like was the bottom of the tailgate opening, it is 2 7\8" higher than the floor of the tub which make it impossible to slide your gear out directly onto the tailgate. Example, my Engel 22qt 12v fridg\freez is 41lbs empty & it makes it tough lifting it out on to the tailgate. Picture this, the tailgate in the open position laying horizontal reaching over the tailgate & lifting a 41 lb item about 3" up over this area on to the tailgate. I feel this design problem shirks any plans to have a slide out kitchen or slide out fridg\freez which I was hoping for. Which come to a picture of a Army OD Green Dinoot M416 on another forum with the bed flush with the tailgate which made "me" believe the bed floor was flush with the tailgate to begin with when I first thought about ordering the Dinoot kit.
Which leads me to this problem, setting my 41lb Engel on the tailgate, the vertical sides (opening were the tail gate fits into) of the back tub piece started buckling on the sides when applying some weight to. Again I saw a photo on the same forum of the same guy standing on his Dinoot tailgate in the open position stating he weigh 185lbs which lead "me" to believe the tub back piece & the tailgate would support my Engel or anything over 41 lbs prior to the purchase of the Dinoot kit.
This is were some serious reinforcing is need to fit my concerns on the back part of the tub around the tailgate opening. I had to add some 3\16 thick metal, some welding, drilling holes, tapping threads & counter sinking, some machine screws & some creative imagination to solve this issue. The problem was solved & personally I shouldn't have to do this in the 1st place after paying what I did for the tub kit.
Another issue was the tailgate cable kit, doesn't fit the M416 tub very well. When I purchase this from Scott, he told me some fabrication was needed. By the time you cut slots for the tailgate for the hidden latch into the rear part of the tub your cables will not work or line up where they should, they would be too long, because the slots for the tailgate latch is where the cable lines & mounting kit goes so to keep your tailgate level when open. I had to come up with a alternative for that. Move the mounting system lower (which I had to fabricate) down below the slots & use chains instead of the cables to keep the tailgate level in open position.
The No-Weld Rack System has a lot to be desired, I like the concept & the look of the gussets, but just bolting the rack together is questionable for stability IMO. Fasteners loosen up over a period of time, no matter if you use lock nuts, especially off road use. So I welded areas on the no-weld gussets to add strength & stability so no movement could happen. Another thing about the rack kit that bothered me was it needed some front diagonal bracing to make sure everything stays solid when we go off road. I noticed w\o the diagonal bracing the rack did move some. Maybe this would work for asphalt overlanding, but IMO not off road overlanding. In the past bolt together racks always seem to loosen up by vibration & use, no matter how tight you went with the bolts. To weld these sections of the gussets in place with the 1 1\2" tubing only adds insurance they will not come loose or be wobbly when in travel. Another issue with the NO-Weld system was mounting the roof top tent, once you figure what direction you want your tent to open & arrange your tent mounting track, I choose off to the right side, the center bracing when using the NO-Weld gussets your RTT mounting brackets land right on the gussets, no matter were you locate them (least for the M416 Dinoot) & your brackets to the RRT wont line up to the bolts which are adjustable on the track. I had to come up & fabricate new brackets wider & in length so I have the clearance for the gussets.
I did experience quite few unforeseen surprises with Scott's products which only cost me time to figure out solutions so I can continue my build which only added more to the cost in money when you have a round about budget you want to work with because your spending more time coming up with solution's to solves issues I mention. But over all the build was an experience & tested my creativity, but enjoyable one on the most part.
To be quite honest & truthful if I had it to do all over again I would of went with Anchor Mountain tub (which I found during the build). The Dinoot M416 is a good trailer for a Overlanding "if" you solve the problem I experienced. I am happy with the over all trailer & outcome. It will serve me & my wife well on many Overlanding trips as well as many hunting trips. I build it stout enough to handle the riggers of overlanding & offroad hunting trips deep in the back country.
