rear reciever

MILBY · 03-21-2012, 03:34 PM

OK with all the problems I hear about the rear bumpers, where I was going to put a storage box but have changed our minds. Now thinking about putting a hitch reciever on the frame and putting a carrier into that. Then I could put a big box on that. I did look into the lippert underbody but storage is not what I hoped for, wanted more bang for the buck. So what I am asking is what kind of hitch should I get. This will be bolted or weld directly to the frame.

MIKEPATC · 03-21-2012, 05:05 PM

I went to a local fabrication/welding shop. I had them weld on a 2" hitch receiver to the bumper and weld on additional braces from the bumper to the frame. With it all beefed uo we never had a problem. Used it mostly for our 4 bike carrier.

Bob Landry · 03-22-2012, 05:06 AM

I also found outside storage on my 277RL to be lacking. It came with a bike rack. receiver mounted on a cross support that was bolted to the frame. I don't need a bike rack so I removed that assembly and had a welding shop install a length of steel tubing that is welded to the frame. That's the first photo. Then they welded short supports between the new tube and the bumper making for four supports holding the bumper. One of those is also shown in the first photo. I had a diamond tread aluminum box made to specific dimensions so that it could sit on the whole right half of the bumper and not obstruct the tail light. it's also narrow enough so that it does not protrude past the spare tire so there is no additional length on the trailer, and that makes it narrow enough so that the heavy items in the box, my air compressor and the wooden leveling pads sit directly above the bumper and not create weight hanging off creating leverage. So far, it's been a great set up. I spent arount $200 at the welding shop and that included materials, and around $300 for the box shipped, which was probably less than an off the shelf box from Northern Tool, which would not have worked nearly as well. I had the box made so that it opens with a swing down door. A top opening lid would have interfered wit the light and I would not ave been able to go allthe way to the end of the bumper. The top of the box also provides a place to carry the Barker tote tank, but I havn't gotten around to installing the mount for it yet.

MILBY · 03-22-2012, 12:40 PM

Called the dealer where we have it stored at and they want 400 to weld on the reciever(not gonna happen) we pick it up from them on sat. so I will look at it and figure something out.

Bob Landry · 03-22-2012, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MILBY

Called the dealer where we have it stored at and they want 400 to weld on the reciever(not gonna happen) we pick it up from them on sat. so I will look at it and figure something out.

Find someone in your area that specializes in hitches and I don't mean U-Haul. That's what I did and I'm happy with the results. There are very few things I would ever hire a dealer to fix.

Shoey · 03-23-2012, 05:29 AM

I've been tossing around the same problem. I would like to add a rear hitch for a cargo carrier for my generator a "tote tank". I don't trust the rear bumper to hold the weight, so I've been looking for a bolt on reciever. I'm typically very handy and capable, but unfortunately welding is not in my bag of tricks. I have the tools to cut and drill as required, but I haven't been able to find a universal reciever that can span the frame.

Bob Landry · 03-23-2012, 06:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shoey

I've been tossing around the same problem. I would like to add a rear hitch for a cargo carrier for my generator a "tote tank". I don't trust the rear bumper to hold the weight, so I've been looking for a bolt on reciever. I'm typically very handy and capable, but unfortunately welding is not in my bag of tricks. I have the tools to cut and drill as required, but I haven't been able to find a universal reciever that can span the frame.

You aren't going to find one. You are going to have to find a place that does custom bumpers and hitches. Mine was done with 3/16 steel tubing cut to a snug fit, tapped up between the frame members and welded. The stock trailer bumper, if reinforced properly, is strong enough to set a storage box on like I did, but it still will not handle a heavy weight hanging off of it in a manner that creates a lot of leverage. I certanly would not attach a cargo carrier to the bumper. A carrier with a hundred pounds will create several hundred pounds of stress when it starts bouncing .

Shoey · 03-23-2012, 06:32 AM

Bob, I think your right about not being able to find one. 46 inch span is the largest span I found so far. I did find a reciever that just bolts onto the bumper, but there's no way I'd even consider it for the same reasons you listed above. I was actually surprised they would advertise a bumper reciever commerically. Somewhere, sometime, someone will think its a great idea until they leave their rear bumper on the highway somewhere. Yours looks very nice by the way. I just surprised theres not a frame mount hitch available. There's definitely a market for one.

SteveC7010 · 03-23-2012, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shoey

Bob, I think your right about not being able to find one. 46 inch span is the largest span I found so far.

This one is advertised to span up to 72". What is the frame width on your unit?

http://www.etrailer.com/Specialty-Tr...urt/13703.html

Edit: Found the install sheet on this model on the Curt website:

http://www.curtmfg.com/masterlibrary..._13703_INS.PDF

**JRTJH** · 03-23-2012, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shoey

Bob, I think your right about not being able to find one. 46 inch span is the largest span I found so far. I did find a reciever that just bolts onto the bumper, but there's no way I'd even consider it for the same reasons you listed above. I was actually surprised they would advertise a bumper reciever commerically. Somewhere, sometime, someone will think its a great idea until they leave their rear bumper on the highway somewhere. Yours looks very nice by the way. I just surprised theres not a frame mount hitch available. There's definitely a market for one.

Curt Hitch Company makes a bolt on receiver for RV frames that spans 72". Here's the link:

http://www.curtmfg.com/part/13703

I think the "only problem" with it is the cost. It's $520.07 plus shipping. Even if you install it yourself, you're not reinforcing the rear bumper at all, just adding a receiver under it connected to the frame. There's still a lot of force generated with any load "out there behind the frame connection points" I think that for much less than that price, you can have a custom receiver welded to your frame and also have the bumper reinforced and the receiver welded to that point also so you eliminate any twisting at the frame attachment points. That's what we did with ours, unfortunately it's still in storage, so I can't take pictures, but essentially, they built a "girdle" between the frame rails and welded the receiver to that, then welded a 4" "L" angle to the back and bottom of the square bumper that also spans the entire frame width. Then welded the receiver under the bumper to that new "L" steel angle. Then they gussetted the front and back of the receiver tube. It ain't goin' nowhere. I had all that done at a machine shop/metal fabrication shop with a guarantee that it won't flex with a 3500 lb trailer and aa 350 lb tongue weight. With a flat 48"x24" carrier in the receiver, I can't get any flex by jumping on it. I know that's only a very limited "test" but I feel comfortable that it'll carry bikes, firewood, extra cooler, etc with no problem. Total cost last year was $350. I'm sure with inflation, that's up some. but still significantly cheaper than Curt wants for their bolt on hitch.

SteveC7010 · 03-23-2012, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Curt Hitch Company makes a bolt on receiver for RV frames that spans 72". Here's the link:

http://www.curtmfg.com/part/13703

I think the "only problem" with it is the cost. It's $520.07 plus shipping.

etrailer.com has it for $298 plus shipping. Probably a much more reasonable price; certainly makes it very attractive to me.

I have the slide-out bike/utility rack on the back of the Cougar so I have to get under and around that to add a rear receiver. There's no way I can use the receiver as a starting point to reinforce the bumper because of the slide-out so I am stuck with the 200# max.

Bob Landry · 03-23-2012, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shoey

Bob, I think your right about not being able to find one. 46 inch span is the largest span I found so far. I did find a reciever that just bolts onto the bumper, but there's no way I'd even consider it for the same reasons you listed above. I was actually surprised they would advertise a bumper reciever commerically. Somewhere, sometime, someone will think its a great idea until they leave their rear bumper on the highway somewhere. Yours looks very nice by the way. I just surprised theres not a frame mount hitch available. There's definitely a market for one.

I could be mistaken, but I think there probably isn't one available because people would try to use it to tow a utility trailer or a boat, and in many states, double towing is illegal except behind a fith wheel.

Some of the Keysones come with a frame mounted receiver(mine did). but it's bolted on and intended as a bike carrier with a 200lb max. I looked at mine pretty closely when I took it off, and I question if it would actuall handle 200lbs, but the design is good, it just needs to be beefier if you are going to hang a carrier on it.

craiglud · 03-23-2012, 10:08 AM

I had my local welder put one on for me and it works great and I paid ~$100 for the setup. It works great for my bike rack!

SteveC7010 · 03-23-2012, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Landry

I could be mistaken, but I think there probably isn't one available because people would try to use it to tow a utility trailer or a boat, and in many states, double towing is illegal except behind a fith wheel.

JRTJH and I have both pointed out the Curt 72" hitch for RV's. It is rated at 350# tongue, 3,500# trailer. etrailer.com currently has it for $298 plus shipping.

jol · 03-24-2012, 03:48 AM

I bought the one from E-trailer it did bolt up directly to the frame no problems, it hangs a bit low but to carry the bikes it works great. Someone told me that someone here had premade ones for fifth wheels when I called them they said they stopped making them as they did not make enough money on them, wow that was honest

**JRTJH** · 03-24-2012, 10:47 AM

JOL, That's pretty much the answer to a lot of "mom and pop" fabrications. I welded a set of "brush forks" for the front end loader on my tractor. They worked great and a couple of neighbors wanted a set. I bought the materials, did the fabrication, welding, painting and installation to show them how to use them. All told, that cost a specific amount of my time and money. When I started looking at "my investment" it became apparent that I could buy a set off Ebay or from Tractor Supply for about the same cost. While the commercial ones may not fit quite as well, or be adapted to a specific tractor as well, they work adequately and essentially cost less in the long run. So, to be told that someone cant make enough money to keep producing them is a reality in today's "made in China" world......

dave-g · 03-25-2012, 04:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MILBY

Called the dealer where we have it stored at and they want 400 to weld on the reciever(not gonna happen) we pick it up from them on sat. so I will look at it and figure something out.

If you want a hitch- that seems like a good deal. and the dealer would mostly know what to do.(miss water tanks and such) Most shop time is around 85-110 per hour plus material.

Bob Landry · 03-25-2012, 05:01 AM

if they are going to fabricate the ntire thing from design to installation and provide the materials, $400 pobably isn't bad, but if you are going to order something from e-trailer and just take it to be welded on, that's too much money for a job like that.
As far as knowing what to do, the area where the receiver would be welded is not covered and the frame is exposed, so there's no great expertise involved there. There's no reason to open yourself up tp being ripped off by the dealer.

MILBY · 03-25-2012, 05:55 AM

If I had all the fab. equipment at home that I do at work it would be easy to make one myself but the boss would be very pi**ed off.

jol · 03-27-2012, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRTJH

JOL, That's pretty much the answer to a lot of "mom and pop" fabrications. I welded a set of "brush forks" for the front end loader on my tractor. They worked great and a couple of neighbors wanted a set. I bought the materials, did the fabrication, welding, painting and installation to show them how to use them. All told, that cost a specific amount of my time and money. When I started looking at "my investment" it became apparent that I could buy a set off Ebay or from Tractor Supply for about the same cost. While the commercial ones may not fit quite as well, or be adapted to a specific tractor as well, they work adequately and essentially cost less in the long run. So, to be told that someone cant make enough money to keep producing them is a reality in today's "made in China" world......

Yes it is getting harder and harder to find something without the "Made In China" on it, there are things that have not been brought or bought into this house for that reason, kind of makes me a little irate. Had to pickup cartridges for sink faucet and then the wording is made in china on a Price Pfister cartridge.

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