Forum Discussion

campermama's avatar
campermama
Explorer II
Apr 16, 2020

Rear Hitch Receiver

I'm getting ready to go full time. Adding a hitch carrier to the rear hitch receiver on my trailer will give me some nice storage for those less used items.
My idea....get a hitch carrier, the size is 60Wx20Dx6H, then I want to add a box that will fit in the carrier that I can lock. I like the diamond plate boxes but can't find a decent size for a decent price.

Have any of you done this? Ideas on boxes? Pictures??

Thanks!!

20 Replies

  • Be careful putting 300lb on the back of a travel trailer. That is so far back that it will be almost pound for pound off the hitch weight and the weight of the hitch has to be included.

    Also, it will result in almost double the weight on the trailer axles, so with only 1875lb cargo capacity, that's almost 1/3 of your cargo capacity.

    At 10,000lb GVWR, assuming 1200lb hitch weight, 300lb could drop you to 900lb hitch weight or 9% which is well below the desirable 12-15% or even the minimum 10%.
  • Again....I am asking about box ideas.....there is no bumper on my trailer, hitch is welded to the frame. There will not be that much weight on the carrier.

    Soo....Anybody have a box on their trailer or have other ideas (about a box)?
  • Metal box will eat up weight capacity of your platform.
    For heavy weight, get a receiver Hitch welded to the frame bars ahead of the "bumper", sewage hose storage tube. For light to medium weight, get the reinforcing hooks that bolt to the frame bars to add extra support to the bumper. The bumper tube is thin steel and butt welded to the frame bars, not always too strongly.
    I have a factory rear rack. While it rests on the bumper, its pivot hinges clamp to the frame in front of the bumper. It is rated for 250#, IIRC, and part of that weight is the mounted spare tire.
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    jdc1 wrote:
    Have a welder look at the trailer frame first. They are not all created equal. Having two sources of contact vs one will allow for a larger load. That same welder can fabricate what you need, to your specifications.


    I have seen mobile welder working on an RV in the middle of a major highway not 2 blocks from where I used to live The RVer had put a cargo tray on the hitch receiver and.. well. overload happened.
  • The hitch is connected to the frame on both sides. I am not going to have that much weight on there so I'm not worried about it.

    What I am looking for (this post is about) is a box to put on the hitch carrier. Looking for ideas, advice, etc....
  • jdc1's avatar
    jdc1
    Explorer II
    Have a welder look at the trailer frame first. They are not all created equal. Having two sources of contact vs one will allow for a larger load. That same welder can fabricate what you need, to your specifications.
  • I'm interested in this because I want my next camper to have a receiver to do the same thing. They aren't all created equal though. Some are only good for a few hundred pounds or as a place to add a bike rack, while others allow for a much more robust purpose. I've learned to email the manufacturer when I'm interested in an RV to get the actual specs on the hitch receiver because dealers don't seem to know very much about what they sell.

About RV Tips & Tricks

Looking for advice before your next adventure? Look no further.25,149 PostsLatest Activity: Jul 17, 2025