rigging up an under chassis carrier for a portable black water tote on a class C

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decaturbob

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 31, 2015
Posts
532
Location
central Illinois
Wondering if any one has ever rigged a carrier system for a tote that fits up under the chassis between the frame.  Looks like I have ample room towards the rear between the chassis frame itself to rig something to carry it along with us
 
Sorry but have never believed in emptying a black tank twice. Would rather pull out and drive to dump. I know not helpful to OP.
 
Do you have a spare tire?  If not why not look for the spare tire carrier in a salvage yard and see if you can make it work that way?  Oh and as far as I am concerned what you do with your business is your business!?
 
I always strap my tote tank on to the hitch basket with all the bicycles and grills and stuff. 

Camp sites at the beach never have sewer hookups and with my family the tanks are usually full in 3 days.
 
I have done some planning on this and I can safely utilize nearly a 70" x 42" x 11 1/2" deep clear area in the center of my chassis between the frame channels.  I can rig up a platform that will pivot down to the ground as ramp and easily fit an empty 35gal tote and couple bins.  At the other end have 24" x 42" shelf where I can set 2 sealed bins on.  Planning on expanded metal and galvanized hat channels sitting an 1 1/2" angle for the shelf.  The tote carrier will be 1 1/2" angle, 1" alum square tubing with fiberglass corrugated panel to full protect tote from road stuff.  I will need to drill something like 12- 3/8" holes in the chassis channel to mount the shelf and the tote ramp....the worse part of what I see I have to do.


I'm hoping to get going on this in a couple weeks after we get back from Door County. 
 
Sounds like you have a good plan. Please wear goggles while drilling those holes.
 
decaturbob...
Caution!  Drilling holes in your chassis frame (or welding) is not a good idea unless you get it right.
If you drill the holes in the horizontal flanges of the chassis, that will weaken the chassis.  Those flanges carry the bulk of the stress for load carrying.  If you do drill holes put them as close to the center of the vertical part of the chassis rail as possible.  That carries the least stress and a hole there will have a minimal effect on load carrying.  If possible consider making the unit clamp onto the frame rail.  I installed a commercial track bar on my chassis and they made it install with a clamping method.
Also a thought on your concept: if you intend to make the shelf hinge down to access the tanks and boxes, consider the weight you will have to lower and lift, especially if one of the tanks is full of water.  You might want to make more than one so you can lower sections at a time.  If you have the bottom of the added unit extend past the frame and extend to the outside (or end) of the RV, you would have better leverage to lift and lower and that would provide a more gradual ramp for loading and unloading.
Only you will know what you can do when you look at your situation.  Be ready to revise your plan to suit.

RTsRV
 
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