Front hitch/dirtbike carrier

kohldad wrote:
Front axle should have a capacity of 5,200#. You can verify by looking at the door sticker.

Yeah, I don't go by those ratings but what AAM rate the axles at...still looking for the front axle rating. Rear is 10,200 lbs in the 11.5".

9.25" front is not as easy to find so far.

Front axle should have a capacity of 5,200#. You can verify by looking at the door sticker.

You might have capacity to spare, but bare in mind that front weight acts as cantilever on your axle.
Meaning 390 lb on front bumper can make about 500 lb on the axle.

Thanks all. I need to check my front axle capacity...it weighs 4500 lbs with my camper on it. I do have a trailer just wanted the option to not take it all the time when we boondock without the other toys...I guess I could try it with my supertruss but I think I'll get the same issues of rocking.

I do have the factory tow hooks. I was thinking of adding a front bumper, guess a fab shop could engineer a front setup but the axle capacity has me concerned...especially with a plate built bumper/hitch setup.

I have a front receiver that I had specially installed by a qualified welding shop. We carry two adult bikes each weighing about 35 lbs. They bounce around a lot on these bad roads. I wouldn't want to carry that much weight up there even tho the receiver is supposed to be good for 8 - 900 lbs.
I'd think about a trailer possibly an enclosed one that could carry other necessary `stuff' needed for RVing.

Pretty easy to do by replacing the front tow hooks with stub receiverstub receivers and then going from there. With the two receivers, you eliminate the rocking. However, for a 320# bike, you may want to add in a lower support also. As the bouncing will put a very large load on it.

If you do not have factory tow hooks, then make sure you buy the tow hook kit from Dodge because the kit adds re-inforcement bractets behind the mating surface.

Problem with the Dodge diesels is there isn't a weight available for carrying such a heavy load. Usually the axle is within a couple hundred pounds of the axle limit (not tire limit.

Good news is one you build for your 07, if you upgrade to a 14 or later, the mount will move over by just slightly enlarging the mounting holes.

Well I daily drice my truck (for the most part, I can't weld on a carrier) so if this won't work I'll drop the idea..

It just seems this is possible with the carrier racks out there with loads that get to or go over the weight I'm looking at.

Nope, too much rocking! Mine is welded solid. Very strong!

I had front hitch on my F350 for generator carrying and I used rear hitch on my motorhome for carrying 500 lb PWC.
On motorhome I did have triple receiver and that was what it took to carry heavier load without rocking side to side.
So frankly, I don't think single receiver will hold 320lb load steady without additional brackets.