Question about welding on hitch

I would take two pieces of 3/8" plate, one bolted to the same place on the frame that the end pieces of the hitch attach to. I would weld one piece of 18" seemless receiver tubing to each of these pieces (before installation) so that the receiver tubes extend rearward. I used to set up pieces like this for an extension bumper to protect the campers that would hang over the rear of the truck. Sometimes I would make these extension bumpers also capable of pulling trailers. I would make this assembly a deck that can be easily removed with 3- 5/8" pins. One pin in the towing receiver tube and one pin on each side receiver tube.

FireGuard wrote:
Also thought about supporting the ends of the rack to the camper, but don't think it's a good idea to have 1 attachment point to the truck and 1 to the camper. I'm sure they move differently and would put stress on either.

Not only that, but there's no place on the camper solid enough to support something like that. Inevitably you'd end up tearing a chunk or two out of your camper, and that's no fun.

As long as you don't clamp the ground on the main computer, nothing bad will happen.

Wow I guess I completely misunderstood. I though by deck you meant one of those storage racks, like for coolers. I didn't catch that you meant an actual deck. For that, I'd completely concur with 3 total attachments.

Thanks for all the posts.
I do have a solid center ext that I flat tow my Jeep on. I would tow a light trailer, but if ot has much tounge weight, I'll pull the deck off and tow off my 2' Reese ext.
I tried the turn buckles but they don't work the best. When you step up on one side, you need something solid holding it so it doesn't "teeter totter"
I used this setup on a class A, and it was rock solid. The rack has the extensions so all I need are the 2 female pieces welded on my hitch.
This setuo will also make a more solid towing platform.
Also thought about supporting the ends of the rack to the camper, but don't think it's a good idea to have 1 attachment point to the truck and 1 to the camper. I'm sure they move differently and would put stress on either.

CAJW wrote:
Fire Guard - Timely topic as I'm in the process of doing the same. Please post up pics with finished project.
Possilian - Any pics of your project? Might want to submit to TCU.
Rooney 77 - Cable idea is a good one. Some have raised the attachment point from the bumper to the camper jacks for a higher angle. Not sure what stress issues might be introduced by putting cables there, but hopefully someone with experience with that setup can comment on this.

The cables and extension setup is kind of a belts and suspenders way to go. The majority of the weight would be supported by the extension, depending on how tight you made the cables.

Fire Guard - Timely topic as I'm in the process of doing the same. Please post up pics with finished project.
Possilian - Any pics of your project? Might want to submit to TCU.
Rooney 77 - Cable idea is a good one. Some have raised the attachment point from the bumper to the camper jacks for a higher angle. Not sure what stress issues might be introduced by putting cables there, but hopefully someone with experience with that setup can comment on this.

Here is what I'd do. Red is what I'd add. The cable/turnbuckles, I'd add two going back to the bumper at an angle when facing the rear of the rig.

While I think you'll be fine welding it, why not use heavy duty turnbuckles going back to the frame? It'd be lighter than the all steel setup.

I debated doing three points like you have discussed (if I understood your idea correctly) and I debated extending my trailer tongue. In the end I chose to stick with the existing turnbuckle setup. After running the calculations (ME by trade) it was the lightest and comparably strong setup. The trailer tongue extension was strongest but had it's own set of issues, mainly vehicle to trailer vertical angles (think truck pointing up and trailer still level).


edit: I reread your post and realized you were making a deck not just an extension. For that, it'd be more beneficial to sleeve the male part of the receiver to eliminate slop, as well as extending both the female and male portions further towards the front of the truck.

After what I did to my setup, I would not weld it. My end solution to wobble stopping the deck was shimming the tube the went into the receiver. Then vertical and horizontal 5/8" bolts. I used 4. Put on with a breaker bar and a 3' extension. I did gusset the platform 3' 3" from center post. Used 1/4" thick tubing that supports 2 people and whatever I decide to throw on it.