Advice on hitch carriers

[Elite Washington]

Okay so we have a class c and and we pull our wrangler behind it on most trips. But we are looking for a hitch carrier that can carry a decent amount of weight when we are just taking the Moho. But also I need to carry bikes on it. Any suggestions personal experiences are greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[10scDust]

What do you mean by bikes?
Mopeds? Scooters? A motorcycle of some kind? Bicycles?

There should be a tongue weight spec, I am not talking towing capacity, as that is what it will pull, not carry.

The carry factors in the load, how far extended out the rear from the bumper, as I see that as leverage weight and rearmost fasteners taking the brunt.
You may need to add a steel laminate piece of metal bolted in unison, and wider than the rearmost hitch mounts, plus extra bolts there too.
And topside of frame there if possible.
Torque the bolts 65 ft.lbs & use grade 8 or socket head 1/2" or 5/8" diameter bolts, hardened washers (soft metal washers can squish creating loose fasteners).
The store: Fastenal supplies all this.

Anyway, I would personally look at the mounting of the hitch, the grade of bolts used, if all the bolt holes are used (add as needed), the condition of what it is attached to, and the weld conditions.
Like is it thin metal like 16 gauge, or beefier like 1/4"?

Maybe you have a friend who can look at it & give a better opinion.

Without looking, I would think a bicycle carrier could handle a couple bikes safely.
Otherwise you may need some modifications.
Better to be safe, than sorry.

[Elite Washington]

We are looking to carry bicycles mostly but will also need to carry propane tanks generator etc.

[Bob Denman]

You'll be fine: right up to the permitted "tongue weight" of the hitch...

[Elite Washington]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

You'll be fine: right up to the permitted "tongue weight" of the hitch...

Okay well the tongue weight is 500lbs which I doubt I would ever go over. My biggest concern is just how much abuse can the carriers take. If you have 300lbs in there and it’s bouncing around on the freeway for a 1000 miles I don’t want my cargo to end up in the lap of the driver that’s following me.

[Bob Denman]

Sorry... I misunderstood what you were looking for...

[Elite Washington]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

Sorry... I misunderstood what you were looking for...

Haha no you are totally fine thank you for the input. I wasn’t probably clear in my originally post. Sometimes that happens I can’t type as fast as I am thinking.

[mountainsam]

If your carrier is of good quality and it and the load are properly secured it won't be bouncing around.

[bry899]

I sometimes use a Horrible freight (Harbor Freight) steel carrier with a plastic cargo box, loaded with maybe 100 pounds, this is mounted in a dual hitch receiver, the cargo carrier is in the bottom and a bike rack with two bicycles are in the top. The dual carrier extends the cargo carrier back about 1 foot. everything combined never exceeds my tongue weight of 500 pounds.
Drove from NY to New Mexico, approx 4,000 miles roundtrip with no issues.
At first I was concerned and would occasionally check everything with the rear camera. It is relatively smooth back there, nothing bouncing around. I would also check everything at gas stops and breaks, never any issues.
My cargo box is bolted to the steel hitch carrier, and I do use ratchet straps sometimes if necessary. I also have a steel cable that secures the cargo carrier to the motorhome hitch receiver; for added protection in case I lose a hitch pin and to prevent theft

[paulwadley]

I bought a ROLA hitch rack from etrailer. It costs around $200. I added the led brake lights that plugged into the trailer light assembly. I then attached a lockable cargo container by drilling through the bottom and attaching u-bolts with the nuts on the inside of the container to the rack. For additional security to hold down the container to the ROLA rack I added racket straps. To secure the ROLA rack I added a cable lock from the rack to the trailer hitch. Worked great for many years. Very sturdy rack that I could stand on.

[Chance]

He probably doesn’t mean the load bouncing on the carrier itself, but rather that the entire carrier and load combination will be bouncing up and down significantly by virtue that motorhomes have stiff rear suspensions, high pressure tires, and often also have long rear overhangs. All these things add to additional load on carrier that it wouldn’t see in a typical car or SUV hitch.

I purchased a 500-pound carrier and modified it to use two receivers. As it came from the factory I wouldn’t have placed anywhere near 500 pounds on it.

[Elite Washington]

I like the idea of adding some lights. As far as the bouncing I will tie everything down how ever I can I am just worried about the weight. And the essentially the porpoising causing extra stress and causing failure.

[Pete'sMH]

I bought a Rola carrier from Etrailer. Don’t recall the model but it is rated for 600 lbs - which is more than my tongue weight rating so I’m pretty confident. I also purchased the accessory LED lights that are nicely integrated. Also the accessory bike clamps that fit the side rails. These are quick release axle clamps and work a treat. Eventually I stopped carrying bicycles and now sometimes carry a pair of mopeds. Keep in mind that any accessory extension on the hitch receiver will reduce your cargo capacity by half. I sometimes use a Roadmaster spare tire carrier that has this unfortunate result (in addition to adding about 150 lbs of its own).

[Pete'sMH]

Originally Posted by Pete'sMH

I bought a Rola carrier from Etrailer. Don’t recall the model but it is rated for 600 lbs - which is more than my tongue weight rating so I’m pretty confident. I also purchased the accessory LED lights that are nicely integrated. Also the accessory bike clamps that fit the side rails. These are quick release axle clamps and work a treat. Eventually I stopped carrying bicycles and now sometimes carry a pair of mopeds. Keep in mind that any accessory extension on the hitch receiver will reduce your cargo capacity by half. I sometimes use a Roadmaster spare tire carrier that has this unfortunate result (in addition to adding about 150 lbs of its own).

Forgot to add photos...

[Bob Denman]

My folks used to tow a Suzuki Samurai, and had a bicycle rack mounted on top of the same hitch...
The thing rattled so much that it was unnerving...

They had welder drill a hole in the receiver, and mount a nut on the outside of it. They could thread a bolt into it, and tighten it down against their hitch.

It sure did quiet down the clatter!

NOTE: I am in no way condoning the modification of the receiver... I am only relating this tale for illustrative purposes.

[Chance]

They make various anti-rattle devices, and most just bolt on so no welding is required.

I went with two-receiver system in large part because I didn’t want cargo carrier moving/rotating around the 2” receiver tube. When load is not perfectly centered over receiver tube, the up-down bouncing causes additional stresses I didn’t want to worry about.

[Elite Washington]

Originally Posted by Pete'sMH

Forgot to add photos...Attachment 18669Attachment 18670

Thank you for the info and pictures. I just need to find one that is 24 inches wide on the inside now.

[Freehood]

Northern Tool has a good selection on rear racks


https://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...cargo-carriers