Looking for ideas on the best way to secure a 3700 watt inverter generator to a rear cargo carrier attached to a trailer's frame mounted reciever hitch. Genny weighs about 95 lbs. I've seen a couple of products online, one being a locking tray that attaches to a reciever hitch: Generator tray for receiver hitchAs I would like to use my larger 60x24" cargo carrier (to carry additional fuel), what have RV owners done to fabricate something like this with an existing carrier? Pics would be helpful.I thought about constructing a 5-sided expanded metal box to slip over the generator, bolting it down to the carrier and punching out 2 windows for front panel and fill cap access. I could then slip over a waterproof cover and it would be hidden from view.The plan is to make power accessibility extremely easy for an up coming 2 month alaskan adventure. As we'll be moving pretty frequently, it would be nice to be able to remove the cover, connect the 30 amp trailer plug, and use the wireless remote to start/stop the genny without ever having to move it.Again, any pics on how to best secure a generator tona cargo carrier are appreciated.

I use a heavy 3/8 inch links chain, about 10 feet long so that I can move the gen off the carrier and a little way away from the RV when running. I use a couple of those circular locks to lock it to the RV. The gen set has a steel frame tho I understand some do not. It is an inverter 3500/4000 Champion. I also carry a 5 gal gas can back there and run the chain thru the can handle. I have to loop the chain around a couple of times thru the carrier because it is long. This worked for 9000 miles this summer.As for cover Champion sells a waterproof cover for $15 on Amazon that worked OK. It has a draw string around the bottom and it stayed on all summer.If you run the gen on the carrier the noise and vibration inside will not be very tolerable. I did it once for 5 minutes or so.

agesilaus wrote:If you run the gen on the carrier the noise and vibration inside will not be very tolerable. I did it once for 5 minutes or so.This is a very quiet Westinghouse inverter generator. It's not an open frame generator. Similar to a Champion 3100/2800 Inverter generator. Noise is comparable to a Honda.

The 3500/4000 inverter champion is also very quiet so I would run yours on the cargo rack before building anything just to see how it goes. Goes inside and sit down for a few minutes to see if it is tolerable.

agesilaus wrote:The 3500/4000 inverter champion is also very quiet so I would run yours on the cargo rack before building anything just to see how it goes. Goes inside and sit down for a few minutes to see if it is tolerable.I had my 2800/3100 inverter generator on the front of my trailer for deer camp and it worked out great. The Westinghouse is the same and truly is an Inverter generator. Can't use the front this time as the space is all taken by my tongue box and battery bank. So, I'm looking for security solutions on the rear with a cargo carrier.BTW, I was unaware that Champion manufactured an insulated inverter generator in a 3500/4000 series. The only one that I found was a 64 dBA construction frame genny (compared to 52 dBA on the Westinghouse). But I digress.

For those that use cables to secure your "stuff" to prevent theft:You can buy this cable cutter at HF for $20 to silently defeat the thickest cable.If on the other hand, if you use heavy chain, you take your pick of bolt cutters that will pop a chain with almost no noise:https://www.harborfreight.com/search?q=bolt%20cutterIf all else fails, Dremel makes a battery powered tool with a cutoff wheel attachment that will slice through just about anything including hardened locks. It does make a little noise though.The point I'm making is that nothing is safe anymore if the theft shows up prepared. Bolt those things down - you can't rely on chains and cables anymore.

Securing Generator To A Cargo Carrier On A Receiver Hitch

CJM1973
Explorer
Mar 01, 2020
Thanks for sharing. I do have the option of installing a receiver hitch on the front of my tow vehicle, a 1 ton GMC Savana 3500 extended passenger van. But, I'm not keen on keeping a covered generator and gas can on the cargo carrier in plane view.

I would like to see how you fabricated the mounts to your cargo carrier. Do you have a pic of it? Just looking for ideas.

I thought about fabricating some metal strapping up and over the top of the generator and bolting the ends to the cargo carrier's frame. That would take care of both the mounting issue and security issue. I could then apply a metal cage over top and cover with an oversized cover.
agesilaus
Explorer III
Mar 01, 2020
2) I would get nervous with a 100lb generator plus another 100lb of gas...that's a lot of weight and the back of a trailer can move around quite a bit on rough roads.
------------------------------------------
The gen weighs 80 pounds and the gas can 40, so 120 pounds not 200. And what are those carriers designed to carry, feather pillows? I usually see big ice chests full of water and cans.
valhalla360
Navigator
Mar 02, 2020
agesilaus wrote:
2) I would get nervous with a 100lb generator plus another 100lb of gas...that's a lot of weight and the back of a trailer can move around quite a bit on rough roads.
------------------------------------------
The gen weighs 80 pounds and the gas can 40, so 120 pounds not 200. And what are those carriers designed to carry, feather pillows? I usually see big ice chests full of water and cans.

OP said 95lb generator and a couple cans of gas...that can get up pretty close to 200lb.

I see people doing scary stuff too...doesn't mean I would recommend it. If things shift on the rack, that's a lot of torsion on the 2" receiver and some have a pretty sloppy fit in the receiver, so I've seen them flopping around. A bad weld or using the paper thin rear bumper for support and after a few thousand miles on rough roads (OP is heading to alaska), and a failure is a real possibility if not a solid design.
CJM1973
Explorer
Mar 02, 2020
valhalla360 wrote:
agesilaus wrote:
2) I would get nervous with a 100lb generator plus another 100lb of gas...that's a lot of weight and the back of a trailer can move around quite a bit on rough roads.
------------------------------------------
The gen weighs 80 pounds and the gas can 40, so 120 pounds not 200. And what are those carriers designed to carry, feather pillows? I usually see big ice chests full of water and cans.

OP said 95lb generator and a couple cans of gas...that can get up pretty close to 200lb.

I see people doing scary stuff too...doesn't mean I would recommend it. If things shift on the rack, that's a lot of torsion on the 2" receiver and some have a pretty sloppy fit in the receiver, so I've seen them flopping around. A bad weld or using the paper thin rear bumper for support and after a few thousand miles on rough roads (OP is heading to alaska), and a failure is a real possibility if not a solid design.

The trailers receiver hitch is not oem. It was fabricated by a metal shop that specilizes in hitches. It was secured and reinforced to the frame rails by a professional fabricator/welder. It looks better than any class three hitch I've seen on most motor vehicles. I've seen some sketchy bumper mounted receiver hitches that are about as polar opposite as my frame mounted trailer hitch. So, quality is a mute point.

It's a 95 lb generator and two 2.5 gallon cans of fuel (30 lbs). The cargo carrier is approx 55 lbs. Would be well under 200 lbs.
valhalla360
Navigator
Mar 02, 2020
CJM1973 wrote:

The trailers receiver hitch is not oem. It was fabricated by a metal shop that specilizes in hitches. It was secured and reinforced to the frame rails by a professional fabricator/welder. It looks better than any class three hitch I've seen on most motor vehicles. I've seen some sketchy bumper mounted receiver hitches that are about as polar opposite as my frame mounted trailer hitch. So, quality is a mute point.

It's a 95 lb generator and two 2.5 gallon cans of fuel (30 lbs). The cargo carrier is approx 55 lbs. Would be well under 200 lbs.

That sounds much more viable.

Forum Discussion

Securing Generator To A Cargo Carrier On A Receiver Hitch

About DIY Maintenance

Related Content

generator security need?

RV Security

Security

Campsite security

Need drop receiver and receiver extension