DIY project for Generator rack

What i did was i bought a trailer hitch for a motor home and cut it down so it would fit between the frame of my trailer and then welded it in then made my rack out of 2x3 angle iron which it 1/4 " thick made it he same size as my generator and mine weights in at 240 pounds and have never had a problem but if you do get it done get a good welder to attach to your frame and not the cheap bumper

2manytoyz wrote:
Of course it's been done successfully. Here's a link to the related Google images on this topic. Click any of them for more details. Whether it can be done to YOUR camper, is another story.

https://www.google.com/search?q=generator+on+back+of+travel+trailer&client=firefox-b-1-e&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjmh468ssTkAhVRiOAKHSGYB48Q_AUIEygC&biw=1536&bih=770

My last camper was a 25' Rockwood Ultralite. I could have added one to the back of mine. Here's how...

This is the frame of that TT:



I'm not sure who's camper has a frame and/or rear bumper made as thinly as pop cans, but I've never seen one.

The square tube on the back is actually welded to the I-beam frame. I can stand on the middle of it, doesn't flex.



I would simply add a piece of angle iron under the square tube, and weld it along the tube, and to the frame rails. This way the weight can be supported, and more importantly, stop the twisting action of having a generator hanging off the back.

You can weigh your camper, then the tongue weight, then have someone stand on the rear bumper to see how it affects the tongue weight. If you're still in the 10% range, good to go. The rear axle is not halfway between the tongue, and the rear bumper. 200 lbs on the back doesn't equal 200 lbs less on the tongue.

Some states allow triple towing. People add hitches to the back of their rigs. Same idea...

YMMV, but it has been done successfully with other rigs.

I tend to agree that with your idea of welding a continuous angle iron across the back of the 4 " bumper. The generator I am looking at only weighs 100# and I could also do a test to keep the tongue wt in the 10% range.

2manytoyz wrote:


My last camper was a 25' Rockwood Ultralite. I could have added one to the back of mine. Here's how...

This is the frame of that TT:



I'm not sure who's camper has a frame and/or rear bumper made as thinly as pop cans, but I've never seen one.

Take a look at those welds where the vertical piece meets the top & bottom pieces. If I am not mistaken, it appears to be just the type of flimsy frame that should be avoided. I would rather have a real I-beam, not something pieced together.

Of course it's been done successfully. Here's a link to the related Google images on this topic. Click any of them for more details. Whether it can be done to YOUR camper, is another story.

https://www.google.com/search?q=generator+on+back+of+travel+trailer&client=firefox-b-1-e&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjmh468ssTkAhVRiOAKHSGYB48Q_AUIEygC&biw=1536&bih=770

My last camper was a 25' Rockwood Ultralite. I could have added one to the back of mine. Here's how...

This is the frame of that TT:



I'm not sure who's camper has a frame and/or rear bumper made as thinly as pop cans, but I've never seen one.

The square tube on the back is actually welded to the I-beam frame. I can stand on the middle of it, doesn't flex.



I would simply add a piece of angle iron under the square tube, and weld it along the tube, and to the frame rails. This way the weight can be supported, and more importantly, stop the twisting action of having a generator hanging off the back.

You can weigh your camper, then the tongue weight, then have someone stand on the rear bumper to see how it affects the tongue weight. If you're still in the 10% range, good to go. The rear axle is not halfway between the tongue, and the rear bumper. 200 lbs on the back doesn't equal 200 lbs less on the tongue.

Some states allow triple towing. People add hitches to the back of their rigs. Same idea...

YMMV, but it has been done successfully with other rigs.

You'd do well to reinforce your trailer bumper with a Mount-n-Lock Safety Struts Kit. That said, putting all that much weight at the far rear of such a short trailer will unduly unload the trailer's gross tongue weight. Bottom line - regardless that some do it anyway a genset doesn't belong at the far rear of any trailer. :(

I added a 2’x5’ cargo rack to the rear of our camper. It is attached to the top of the frame between the bumper and the camper. It weighed in at 35 pounds or so. I had a tongue scale set up and put 100 pounds on the rack (2 grandsons). The tongue weight went down only 25 pounds. I put a bike, spare tire, 6’ aluminum ladder, patio mat and sewer tote on it. I weighed each one and the total came out to just over 100 pounds.
It’s been about 4 years now and still works well. I have never experienced any sway, with our previous Frontier or the present Silverado. With the small amount of unloading, tongue weight is between 12% and 14%, depending on loading.
And, GASP!, it’s on a Lippert frame.

Snomas wrote:
Sounds like I need to put the generator on the front rack where the battery goes. The generator alone would add about 110# to the tongue wt. How would that affect towing?

I don't want to have to move the generator in and out of the trailer or tow vehicle when on a trip for obvious reasons.

Yeah, this is the only place I'd mount it on a short trailer. More tongue weight generally makes the trailer itself more stable, as long as the truck can take it.

Etrailer has some over-the-tank generator racks which might be a good, easy solution.

How big is your trailer frame? Does the A-frame go through or under the front header, or is it welded to the face of the header? Some smaller trailers have marginal A-frame construction to start with, so you might need to reinforce that before adding the genny.

stevemorris wrote:
no way!!
the bumper isnt strong enough and 200 lbs plus on the rear is going to affect all kinds of stuff mostly related to tongue weight
put the generator inside the trailer or tow vehicle

Inside the trailer or tow vehicle would be a last resort thing for me to do, because my DW needs a cooled down trailer when we make quick stops on trips to eat lunch, etc and I don't want to take the time to fool with a 110# generator.

Jebby14 wrote:
your rear bumper is likely little more than a pop can. remove it and integrate with the frame. also expect tongue weight issues and sway problems. can you put it on the nose?

While the bumper is usually of "pop can" quality, the frame may not be much better. Some frames are pieced together and have little capacity to carry additional weight.

Sounds like I need to put the generator on the front rack where the battery goes. The generator alone would add about 110# to the tongue wt. How would that affect towing?

I don't want to have to move the generator in and out of the trailer or tow vehicle when on a trip for obvious reasons.