Relocating Spare Tire & Storage Trunk Carrier

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Hello everyone,
My next modification was Relocating Spare Tire and installing a Storage Trunk Carrier in the existing hitch receiver.

I removed the existing spare hardware and relocated the spare using the BAL 28217 Hide-A-Spare Tire Storage Mount.  I installed a MaxxHaul 70355 1-1/4" to 2" Hitch Adapter with 4" Rise and 3-3/8" Drop and a CURT 18153 60 x 24-Inch Basket Hitch Cargo Carrier.  I also found this 16 CU Ft  Buyers Products - 1712255 Black Poly All-Purpose Chest.  It fits perfectly in the carrier.  I drilled a couple of holes in the chest and carriage bolted it through the bottom of the carrier.

The large storage chest is great.  I have enough room for two small generators, one 5-gallon gas container and two 6-gallon water containers.  However, with the weight limitations of the original 1" receiver, I won't be putting the full water containers in there during travelling.  I need to find a solution to strengthen the 1" hitch somehow.

One note on the BAL spare tire system - it is a total royal pain to get the spare in and out of that thing.  I understand that's not a thing that I will be doing often, but I dread the first time that I will need to change a flat.. lol

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amesghali Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 16 Aug 2020 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5	Topic: Relocating Spare Tire & Storage Trunk Carrier Posted: 18 Apr 2021 at 11:53pm
	Hello everyone, My next modification was Relocating Spare Tire and installing a Storage Trunk Carrier in the existing hitch receiver. I removed the existing spare hardware and relocated the spare using the BAL 28217 Hide-A-Spare Tire Storage Mount. I installed a MaxxHaul 70355 1-1/4" to 2" Hitch Adapter with 4" Rise and 3-3/8" Drop and a CURT 18153 60 x 24-Inch Basket Hitch Cargo Carrier. I also found this 16 CU Ft Buyers Products - 1712255 Black Poly All-Purpose Chest. It fits perfectly in the carrier. I drilled a couple of holes in the chest and carriage bolted it through the bottom of the carrier. The large storage chest is great. I have enough room for two small generators, one 5-gallon gas container and two 6-gallon water containers. However, with the weight limitations of the original 1" receiver, I won't be putting the full water containers in there during travelling. I need to find a solution to strengthen the 1" hitch somehow. One note on the BAL spare tire system - it is a total royal pain to get the spare in and out of that thing. I understand that's not a thing that I will be doing often, but I dread the first time that I will need to change a flat.. lol

jato Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3221	Posted: 19 Apr 2021 at 6:44am
	I agree, a LOT of reinforcing will be necessary for this to adequately function w/o a nasty result as in a bent frame or cracked hitch and support members. As you are likely aware, there will be a lot of bouncing going on and the 'cantilever effect' will take its toll unless major welding takes place to support all that weight. There have been numerous members who have been successful in this venture however and the one that comes to the forefront is what Marwayne accomplished on his R-Pod. You can see it here: Go to non-pod discussion, then mods, maintenance tips and tricks and then click on the topic that states "generator on rear cargo carrier."
	God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."

Pod People Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 22 Sep 2011 Location: Chapel Hill,NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 1067	Posted: 19 Apr 2021 at 7:35am
	We reinforced our hitch by adding a 2" receiver, an additional 2"x2" steel cross member, angle iron and use a hitch tightner on the shank. We use it for a bike rack. here is the new 2" receiver added to the existing 1 1/4" receiver here you can see the new 2x2 cross member and the angle iron connecting the rear of the receiver to the new cross member here is the hitch tightner with the shank In addition, we also added an eyebolt at each end of the frame and connected cam straps from the frame(eye bolts) to the carrier. This helps to eliminate any side to side or up/down motion. All of the welds were done professionally. I also added a second set of taillights about 30" above the stock units as the carrier blocks the original lights. You are taking a risk by reinforcing the area and carrying a lot of weight that is cantilevered beyond the frame.and should consider the consequences. Vann
	Vann & Laura 2015 RPod 179

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 19 Apr 2021 at 8:32am
	Just to be clear, reinforcing the hitch area will not help protect the frame from bending. That will occur at the axle attachment points if it is going to. I believe Marwayne reinforced his frame over it's full length as part of his mods. There is a very good reason FR limits the load on that hitch, and extending it further from the axle at the same weight is just as bad as adding more weight.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Pod_Geek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 04 Dec 2019 Location: Colorado Online Status: Offline Posts: 260	Posted: 19 Apr 2021 at 9:26am
	My naïve take looking at the photos is that this setup will work great in the driveway but I'm not so sure about what will happen when hitting bumps at 65 MPH. Hey Pod People...what's with the flamingos?
	2020.5 R-Pod 195 Hood River 2018 RAM 2500 6.4L

amesghali Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 16 Aug 2020 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5	Posted: 19 Apr 2021 at 12:47pm
	Thanks for the great tips on reinforcing the hitch bar. At this time I don't intend to load that hitch more than 150 lbs. I believe that weight will be safe. I don't understand what people mean by "the frame bending at axel attachment points". The only thing that I can see that would bend or warp is the 1.25" hitch cross bar that is welded to the 2x4 main frame. I can't see how loading up that hitch can bend any other frame components. I'm a noob at this. As I take out this 2020 R-Pod on the road, I'm sure I will learn more. I will post updates as they happen. I'm hoping the learning experience will be peasant. I hate learning from mistakes.

lostagain Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Location: Quaker Hill, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 2587	Posted: 19 Apr 2021 at 1:52pm
	Think of your trailer as a teeter toter with the pivot point at the axle attachment. I think that is what OG was referring to when he said that would be the point at which it would bend. There is nothing between that pivot point and the end of the trailer cargo tray that supports weight from the ground up.
	Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

jato Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3221	Posted: 19 Apr 2021 at 3:24pm
	+1
	God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."

StephenH Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6288	Posted: 19 Apr 2021 at 3:45pm
	I think that trunk would be okay if you used it for a couple of lawn chairs and cushions. Anything beyond that is asking for trouble. The force of 150 lbs that far out gets multiplied. Hit a bump, and the whole thing is likely to be bouncing on the highway. Generators are too expensive to risk that way.
	StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 19 Apr 2021 at 3:53pm
	If you hit a bump or pot hole with the trailer wheels two forces will combine to put bending stress on the box tube frame rails. First is the g force from pushing the trailer up, that creates a stress on the frame where it is connected to the axle bending the frame downward as it tries to lift up everything loading the trailer behind the axle. The second is the torque created by the torsion axle hitting it's stop as it gets pushed upward. That torque will try to twist the frame where the axle is attached. These two forces combine at the point where the rear of the axle attachment bracket is connected to the frame. The more weight hung off the rear of the trailer and the farther out it's placed from the axle the worse the bending forces are. That's because the frame is a big lever or teeter totter as LA explained. The tube frame is pretty thin in order to keep the trailer weight down, so the safety factor designed into the frame at that point to handle these loads is minimal, only around about about 2g's or a bit less. It's the weakest spot on the whole trailer, along with the axle itself, but that's a story for another day. It's pretty easy to get a 2g load hitting a pot hole or bump. We've had one member report their frame bending at exactly that spot. If I wanted to hang stuff off the back of the trailer (I don't because it reduces tongue weight which increases sway) I would strengthen the frame at the axle by adding a second 2x4 tube under the frame, and eliminating the axle riser. The second tube wouldn't have to be very long, a 4-5 ft piece centered on the scale would do it. That's because the bending forces fall off quickly fore and aft of the axle.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold