Forum Discussion

4x4ord's avatar
4x4ord
Explorer III
Dec 23, 2017

Hitch receiver on 5ver

I am in the process of building a motorcycle carrier for the back of my fifth wheel. I can't stop being concerned about how I'm going to fasten it to the trailer. The custom made hitch receiver on my trailer is very well built and It seems like a shame to cut it off. I've wavered back and forth on thinking that adding a couple receivers to it would be enough to make it work; then I start thinking "just cut it off and start fresh". I've decided to cut it off and build a heavier hitch that can take the torsional strain of an 800 lb bike bouncing 5 feet behind the hitch's main cross beam. I'm thinking a 4x4x1/4 square tube for the cross beam should be able to handle the stress as long as I make sure the plate I use to secure it to the frame is up to the task (I think I've got a chunk of 5x5x1/8 kicking around...would that be better?) The frame rails are 6 feet apart. Is there any engineers on here that would be willing to give some thought and input to this? Or maybe there is others who are carrying 900 lbs of tongue weight acting on a 5 foot lever behind their 5ver that would like to comment.