Two inch receiver to hold 1000 pounds.

[Maxtor]

I just took our Wildcat 5th wheel to the shop to have them install a two inch receiver on the back. They are welding the unit onto the frame rails for strength to hold up to 1000 pounds. We will be carrying our two bicycles, tool box, and two Honda 2000 generators.
If we want to we can carry a motorcycle, or two of our scooters.
I will take some pictures when it is finished.

 

[Crumm]

If you are just using it for a storage rack you should have them install a 2" receiver on each frame-rail. With one in the center the rack tends to rock back and forth.

 

[BIG JOE]

If you are just using it for a storage rack you should have them install a 2" receiver on each frame-rail. With one in the center the rack tends to rock back and forth.

Xs 2 Max. I strongly agree with Crumm. And for the same reasons. Been There, Done That... with things Flop'n 'round.

Joe

 

[Maxtor]

They put a lock bolt on the receiver, and it is rock solid. no wiggle at all.
They do this for all the local RV dealers, and have a nice setup.
I'll post pictures tomorrow.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Xs 2 Max. I strongly agree with Crumm. And for the same reasons. Been There, Done That... with things Flop'n 'round.

Joe

X3

My experience with carrying things on the rear end have shown 2 general problem areas:
1. Dead carrying weight- reciever hitches on the rear of trailers generally don't handle dead weight that well. This typically is for 2 reasons, RV trailers aren't designed for it and there aren't any real good custom fit reciever hitches designed for that purpose. The only thing we recommend is a universal fit hitch called a Vari-hitch. It is an adjustable width hitch that must be welded to the frame. Even at that, we don't recommend any more than about 200 lbs of bikes or cargo. Another thing to consider will be the "G" forces exerted on the reciever from the weight of cargo as the rear of the trailer goes up & down with the bumps in the road. If you have 1,000lbs on the rear and hit a good bump in the road causing a 1.5 G-force, the weight exerted on that hitch system just went from 1,000lbs to 1,500lbs.

2. Side to side twisting- There isn't any real good way of preventing it. You can limit or reduce it, but whatever you stick in there, it's gonna twist back & forth.

Installing a reciever tube on each frame rail is not a bad way to go about it. The dead weight will be distributed between two points, and two points will pretty much eliminate the side sway.


I would like to suggest looking into a enclosed cargo trailer. It'll work with most any weld-on reciever hitch & ball mount on the rear of your trailer.
--Smaller trailers will hold 2,000 lbs easilly.
--Things won't fall off the back of it.
--It should stay dry inside.
--The doors are lockable providing secure storage.
--You can take the small trailer itself for day trips with the scooters inside.

Most states allow double trailers provided the 1st trailer is a 5th wheel.
A good reference for which states allow what is HERE.

By all means stay away from those little reciver tubes that attach to the square rear bumper using square "U" bolts. It will likely twist & shread the rear bumper and cause you to loose whatever you were carrying back there.

 

[Crumm]

They put a lock bolt on the receiver, and it is rock solid. no wiggle at all.

I am looking forward to the pictures I have seen a half a dozen different locking bolt systems and have never seen one that does not wiggle and flop. Will be interesting to see one that works..

Another thing to consider will be the "G" forces.

Don't forget the catapult effect when you hit a dip. Cargo on the rear can catch some real good air.

 

[powerboatr]

I am looking forward to the pictures I have seen a half a dozen different locking bolt systems and have never seen one that does not wiggle and flop. Will be interesting to see one that works..



Don't forget the catapult effect when you hit a dip. Cargo on the rear can catch some real good air.

yep i lost a blue honey pot on ft. rucker it was hilarious, dude drove up beside me laughing and pointing, i stopped and big blue a 20 plus gallon portable dump tank, had taken a swan dive onto the pavement and it had ground down the edges and the top so you could SEE inside it.... good thing i rinsed it before we took off

i am with tg, a small cargo trailer if you can factory aproval for the load

 

[WD40]

I am with TG on this one. I am so against carrying a load that big on the rear of a fifth wheel.
You will get tail wag most all of the time with any fifth wheel loaded this heavy on the rear.

 

[Maxtor]

X3

My experience with carrying things on the rear end have shown 2 general problem areas:
1. Dead carrying weight- reciever hitches on the rear of trailers generally don't handle dead weight that well. This typically is for 2 reasons, RV trailers aren't designed for it and there aren't any real good custom fit reciever hitches designed for that purpose. The only thing we recommend is a universal fit hitch called a Vari-hitch. It is an adjustable width hitch that must be welded to the frame. Even at that, we don't recommend any more than about 200 lbs of bikes or cargo. Another thing to consider will be the "G" forces exerted on the reciever from the weight of cargo as the rear of the trailer goes up & down with the bumps in the road. If you have 1,000lbs on the rear and hit a good bump in the road causing a 1.5 G-force, the weight exerted on that hitch system just went from 1,000lbs to 1,500lbs.

2. Side to side twisting- There isn't any real good way of preventing it. You can limit or reduce it, but whatever you stick in there, it's gonna twist back & forth.

Installing a reciever tube on each frame rail is not a bad way to go about it. The dead weight will be distributed between two points, and two points will pretty much eliminate the side sway.


I would like to suggest looking into a enclosed cargo trailer. It'll work with most any weld-on reciever hitch & ball mount on the rear of your trailer.
--Smaller trailers will hold 2,000 lbs easilly.
--Things won't fall off the back of it.
--It should stay dry inside.
--The doors are lockable providing secure storage.
--You can take the small trailer itself for day trips with the scooters inside.

Most states allow double trailers provided the 1st trailer is a 5th wheel.
A good reference for which states allow what is HERE.

By all means stay away from those little reciver tubes that attach to the square rear bumper using square "U" bolts. It will likely twist & shread the rear bumper and cause you to loose whatever you were carrying back there.

Thanks for your input. The generators weigh 46 pounds each. The bicycles weigh about 15 pounds each. The (enclosed) tool box will weigh a maximum of 200 pounds, filled to the top.
I decided against the ladder mount for the bicycles, because of stories of the ladder coming loose. I have talked to other Wildcat owners who have done what I just did, and they say that they are very happy with their setup, with no problems. I had the installer make the hitch capable of holding 1000 pounds because I will be carrying under 500 pounds and wanted the safety factor.
If you do the math, bikes, generators, tool box, I will be carrying less than 322 pounds, because I probably will not carry the maximum weight of 200 pounds in the tool box.

If I carry the scooter along with the bikes, that will be 175 pounds for the scooter and 30 pounds for the bikes, for a total of 205 pounds.
I foresee no problems with this kind of weight.
Thanks again for all your inputs, they are good things to think about.

 

[Crumm]

WorthLess