Hitch Mount Cargo Carrier

[Gr8bawana]

I really like that Ironmax with the fold down ramp. It would allow me to carry my gen which weighs 140lbs and roll it off when I need it. At 140lbs it's just a little too heavy and awkward for me to lift in and out of the truck bed by myself.
The receiver hitch on the back of the 5er says 300lbs max. Seems like it would be ok.

 

[Rene T]

I really like that Ironmax with the fold down ramp. It would allow me to carry my gen which weighs 140lbs and roll it off when I need it. At 140lbs it's just a little too heavy and awkward for me to lift in and out of the truck bed by myself.
The receiver hitch on the back of the 5er says 300lbs max. Seems like it would be ok.

Welcome to the forum.
I wonder how many more lbs of down pressure will be exerted when you hit a huge dip in the road traveling at 65 MPH.

 

[Gr8bawana]

So the manufacturer put that 300lbs max sticker on the hitch because you CAN'T put 300lbs on it?
How many lbs do you deem acceptable? It doesn't say anything about allowing for extra down-force.

 

[crawford 111]

I seem mention about them folding right at front of were it come from under camper. If I were to do it I would under trailer the A frame and were it goes strengthen the piece before mounting anything to it.

 

[Groo]

Find a local fab shop to replace the bumper with a tray sized for what you are looking for.

 

[Gr8bawana]

Find a local fab shop to replace the bumper with a tray sized for what you are looking for.

There is no bumper to replace. There is a receiver hitch welded to the frame that says "not for towing".
It has this sticker on so I figured a receiver hitch rack would work for my 140lb gen.

 

[Cameodon]

Hopefully this thread isn't too old to post on yet??? In my opinion NO Weight stickers are stating the actual limit. For example Max Payload sticker states say 2500 lb, I very much doubt 2600 and the truck will disintegrate! As far as I 140lb generator, of coarse the carrier itself weighs what 20 lbs? I will feel I was way in the safety zone.
Myself I would probably not haul my generator there, I KNOW my luck if I stopped any length of time someone would steal it.

 

[Groo]

A hitch generally has a tongue weight rating of 10% of the weighted tow rating. Tongue weight is going to assume a standard ball leverage, so a 2500lb hitch is good for 250 on the tongue, but a carrier has weight and that weight is out further than a ball eould be. You might be down to something like 50lbs safe carrier weight capacity. If your $3K generator breaks you hitch and causes $500k in damages, will your insurance company pay when you clearly overloaded it?

 

[Gr8bawana]

A hitch generally has a tongue weight rating of 10% of the weighted tow rating. Tongue weight is going to assume a standard ball leverage, so a 2500lb hitch is good for 250 on the tongue, but a carrier has weight and that weight is out further than a ball eould be. You might be down to something like 50lbs safe carrier weight capacity. If your $3K generator breaks you hitch and cases $500k in damages, will your insurance company pay when you clearly overloaded it?

Ridiculous!

 

[ButchW]

I really like that Ironmax with the fold down ramp. It would allow me to carry my gen which weighs 140lbs and roll it off when I need it. At 140lbs it's just a little too heavy and awkward for me to lift in and out of the truck bed by myself.
The receiver hitch on the back of the 5er says 300lbs max. Seems like it would be ok.

I have the same carrier (Harbor Freight's version... Looks Identical) and have used it on my Class A MH... I also have a 130-140# Honda generator...And I would be concerned about carrying the genny on it... That is a lot of weight bouncing around back there... When I had my 5er I had thought of frame mounting a reciever to carry it, but the 5er bounced around so much in the rear, that I gave up on the idea... Who knows, the extra wight might have helped with the bouncing? But in the end, I never did it...
Butch

 

[Ex-Calif]

One thing to remember is that the payload rating is based on the load being over the rear axle.

500 pounds 3 feet behind the axle feels like 1500 pounds in terms of front end lift/rear end squat.

 

[Gr8bawana]

One thing to remember is that the payload rating is based on the load being over the rear axle.

500 pounds 3 feet behind the axle feels like 1500 pounds in terms of front end lift/rear end squat.

What are you even talking about. You obviously did not read the thread.
Did the 5th wheel manufacturer intend for the 300lbs to be measured within 1 inch of the receiver? Or be over the axles?
This is a receiver they put on the back of the trailer for use with a cargo carrier.

 

[Ex-Calif]

What are you even talking about. You obviously did not read the thread.
Did the 5th wheel manufacturer intend for the 300lbs to be measured within 1 inch of the receiver? Or be over the axles?
This is a receiver they put on the back of the trailer for use with a cargo carrier.
View attachment 156618

The same physics applies and I am not sure why you are in such a snit?

The overhang of the cargo carrier will cause the front of the vehicle, or trailer to lift.

Part of the discussion here was exceeding published limits and I thought it pertinent to point out that there are other dynamics involved.

 

[Old_Crow]

That hitch is pretty much useless. Even the cheapest Harbor Freight cargo basket has a capacity of 500 lbs.

 

[strugglebus]

As I posted yesterday, there is a golf cart place in FL that specifically responded to my answer about tongue weight with this response. Manufacturers figure normal stresses into the tongue weight calculations, therefore they have no problem putting 500 lbs of golf cart and rack on a 500 lb tongue weight rated receiver. I disagree and feel that eventually your golf cart will be in another person’s radiator one day.
The length of the item from the receiver makes a big difference as far as down forces go. I have Rebel-X extender for my hitch and it clearly states that using it decreases the tongue weight allowance by 10%.

 

[uchu]

Ridiculous! View attachment 156606

But apparently, it's only the senior members of the forum who are rude, unfriendly and snarky to newbies...

 

[Gr8bawana]

As I posted yesterday, there is a golf cart place in FL that specifically responded to my answer about tongue weight with this response. Manufacturers figure normal stresses into the tongue weight calculations, therefore they have no problem putting 500 lbs of golf cart and rack on a 500 lb tongue weight rated receiver. I disagree and feel that eventually your golf cart will be in another person’s radiator one day.
The length of the item from the receiver makes a big difference as far as down forces go. I have Rebel-X extender for my hitch and it clearly states that using it decreases the tongue weight allowance by 10%.

Good to know that you think you are smarter than the engineers.

 

[Ex-Calif]

Good to know that you think you are smarter than the engineers.

The guy who graduated last in his class is still an engineer - LOL...

I managed a group of up to 200 aerospace engineers in my career and sat on the design review council. I like to tell people we assigned various parts design by the seniority/screw up curve.

Those with the most seniority and least screw ups designed turbines. Screw ups with no seniority updated manuals and drawings.

Non-screw ups with no seniority designed external tube brackets. Guess what breaks the most on new jet engines - LOL...

"Aerospace engineers build weapons systems. Civil engineers build targets."

 

[strugglebus]

Good to know that you think you are smarter than the engineers.

So you don’t believe that some people will say anything to sell a product? I researched the issue but couldn’t find any specific information, however I did rather well in physics and understand the stresses involved as a lever gets longer in relationship to the fulcrum.
BTW the people who designed the Tacoma Narrows bridge were engineers. Need I say more?

 

[1stimerver]

I ended up installing a hitch on the front bumper of my tow vehicle. Using a carrier mounted to the front of my pickup allows me to carry my generator (aprox 100 lbs) very easily.
The carrier is lower than my tailgate and I can lift the inverter generator onto the carrier very easily. There is also the benefit that the weight added to the front of my truck minimizes sway and adds to stability..
My carrier has a gooseneck that raises it up aproximately 8 inches above the hitch for better ground clearance..
I wouldn't trust the rear bumper of my TT to handle that weight...
pics available on request..

As a side note carrying coolers, generators etc on the front carrier has not affected air flow to the radiator. I watched the engine temps on the last few trips with no noticeable increase in coolant temperature.