Need advice on steel type for project

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Hi all,My first welding project is going to be a goal-post shaped rack for the front of my truck, to support a piece of large plastic pipe that will contain my hang glider.I've installed a tow receiver to the front of my F150, so now what I have to do is fabricate the rack itself.Since the receiver itself will take a 2" x 2" square tube, that's what I plan to weld it out of. So, my question for you folks is, what kind of steel should I use? How thick? I think the slide-in hitch that I have for my rear receiver is 3/16" thick and that seems pretty thick and like it's going to be heavy as hell, so is that overkill?It's probably going to be a single vertical tube about I don't know, 5 feet, then a horizontal tube to support the hang glider container itself that's maybe 5' wide.Please see attached image. I assume that the diagonal supports will be necessary...but I assume I can use something smaller than 2"?As you can see I'm an amateur, but any help would be much appreciated! Attached Images
Reply:How Much Weight Is Going To Be On It
Reply:Good question. Not too much, 50-100lbs maybe? The 20 foot piece of 12" plastic pipe that I'm going to mount to the rack will also be supported by a middle support on the roof of my truck (a Thule rack) as well as something else I have to fabricate for the bed. So between the three supports maybe 120lbs, but that might be way more than reality.
Reply:I made the same thing for a pickup truck that went in the rear so we could haul 20' sections of 4X4'STube out of the hitch was 2"..Everything else was 1.5" square and it was good for over 700 LBS and it stuck out 3 feet from the hitch..Marc still has it...somewhere.....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Hey thanks my man, much appreciated. I think I'll go with that. Did you also do the diagonal supports like in my drawing?THANKS!
Reply:I made one offset to the right side of the truck, Its 2"x3/16 box out of the receiver two foot or so to the right and then let the receiver slack hang the adapter down and then welded the upright level and the top level with headache rack and mount at rear of bed. This means that the angle from the front of truck between horizontal piece and vertical piece is not 90, probably about 85 or so but keeps everything aligned and is plenty strong. There is going to be a lot of slack that would let the mount move right and left quite a bit in just a vertical piece as it was 5 degrees or so on my receiver.
Reply:14g 2"x2" will work for youGusset the L part that slides in the receiver with some Triangles, sammich the tubing and you'll be good.Your Y Braces up top will hold the top together so no real need for Gussets up there.Ed Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:Originally Posted by mwshawI made one offset to the right side of the truck, Its 2"x3/16 box out of the receiver two foot or so to the right and then let the receiver slack hang the adapter down and then welded the upright level and the top level with headache rack and mount at rear of bed. This means that the angle from the front of truck between horizontal piece and vertical piece is not 90, probably about 85 or so but keeps everything aligned and is plenty strong. There is going to be a lot of slack that would let the mount move right and left quite a bit in just a vertical piece as it was 5 degrees or so on my receiver.