hitch mod on camper

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Hello and good morning!I received a cargo carrier for Christmas this year rated at 500lbs.  I want to use it to carry firewood when camping.  Problem is the camper has one of those dumb bumper mount receivers on it (see picture3).My thoughts are either weld some 2" 3/16" angle iron from the main camper frame (both sides) back to the bumper and attach it to the bumper on each side of the receiver (just to add some support). Or, build a frame using 2" 3/16 or 1/4" square tube with a new receiver and attach it to the camper frame and bumper (see drawing).  This would be attached to the bottom of the frame and bumper.I do not plan to ever tow anything behind the camper.Your thoughts and suggestions are appreciated! Attached Images
Reply:that would work or just run a  bracket straight back to the next frame cross member welded to either side of the existing hitch as you are not going to have any lateral forces only a down force from the carrier...the bumper its bolted to now looks pretty stout.I believe you are talking about mounting one of theseLast edited by soutthpaw; 12-26-2012 at 09:41 AM.Tiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:what's that bumper made of? why not just weld the hitch to the bumper?Last edited by TimmyTIG; 12-26-2012 at 09:46 AM.
Reply:Yes, the carrier is like the one posted.The bumper and the braces it is attached to are super thin.  I wouldn't trust it to hold up to any weight with a hitch just welded to it.I like the idea of just going straight back and attaching to a cross brace under the camper.  Much simpler.
Reply:What do you think about adding a piece of say 4” x 4” x 3/8” angle iron on the backside of the box tube bumper?Don’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:build a stronger bumper and weld your hitch to it
Reply:I second the bumper idea, My camper came through with a thin sq tube bumper, I knew it wasn't for anything significant but I mounted a bicycle rack to it and set off for Cape Cod with the kids bikes on it, they were young and the bikes were small, not long down the road the cars started passing me blowing the horn and pointing, pulled over and a quick check showed the bumper had twisted right around and the bikes nearly dragging on the ground. Bikes went into the camper, next week the junk was cut off and a 4x4x3/16 tube was swapped in and welded to the frame, no regrets."Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum"Lincoln Idealarc 250 AC/DCMillermatic 251   Syncrowave 300   30A spoolgunLincoln MP210Hypertherm 45(2) LN 25(2) Lincoln Weldanpower 225 CV(4) SA200   1 short hood    SA250    SAM 400
Reply:Do not weld to the vehicle frame. Use bolts to attach your assembly to it..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWDo not weld to the vehicle frame.
Reply:Originally Posted by TimmyTIGWhy not weld to the frame? You won't have to worry about the nuts coming off.
Reply:Originally Posted by TimmyTIGWhy not weld to the frame? You won't have to worry about the nuts coming off.
Reply:Between the rear spring hanger, and the far forward spring hanger I'd be real cautious welding on some frames, but back by that flimsy bumper I doubt there will be any problems.  I'd look into something like this. Attached ImagesDon’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:Looking at your pictures and seeing the tires in one picture, I believe I'm seeing a trailer as your "RV."   For what you want to do, I personally wouldn't hesitate to simply weld on a cross beam as suggested earlier by southpaw.  It's not like your welding onto the frame of a truck or car,  in which those vehicle chassis tend to generate more critical forces upon themselves,  unlike the tail end of the trailer frame.  In another pic, there are welds currently holding up the existing bumper to the frame.  Again, you said you will never use this strengthened receiver to tow with, so you should be fine with your idea.  (Provided you know how to properly weld).  Then again, I tend to just answer a question without always getting too analytical and trying to pre determine someone's skill level, without even knowing the person in the first place.  I prefer to leave  the "qualification and abilities" aspect up to the original poster himself.Last edited by SuperArc; 12-29-2012 at 05:26 AM.Lincoln Power Mig 216Lincoln AC/DC-225/125Miller  625 X-Treme PlasmaMiller 211 Forney 95FI-A 301HF 91110Victor Journeyman O/PMilwaukee DaytonMakita  Baileigh NRA Life Member
Reply:I built one years ago on a Ramcharger.  You will want to add a frame rail to frame rail piece of tubing between the frame attach points of the angled tubing.  Then lengthen your receiver to tie into the cross tube.  Weld it all solid to the tubing, weld tabs onto the side of the angle pieces to attach to the frame.Once done, you can add a piece of angle above the bumper to bold the receiver to.  Now you have one that will hold stuff.MarkI haven't always been a nurse........Craftsman 12"x36" LatheEnco G-30B MillHobart Handler 175Lincoln WeldandPower 225 AC/DC G-7 CV/CCAdd a Foot Pedal to a Harbor Freight Chicago Electric 165A DC TIG PapaLion's Gate Build
Reply:I built a hitch/bumper setup for a camper about 3 years ago for a guy that wanted to pull his boat behind it. It turned out really well I thought and he loves it. I think with the right bracing and structural support it can be welded. But bolted would be fine as well is you use flanged head bolts and serrated nuts. DSW has way more knowledge than I do but I do know that nothing structurally has failed and it doesn't look like it will. Attached ImagesMiller Dynasty 200Millermatic 211Instagram?.... find me @ WELD_MEDIC
Reply:The more I look under the camper, the more convinced I am that just welding a brace to the bumper may not work.  The bumper isn't actually welded to the frame, but to two "extensions" that are welding to the I beams of the camper frames.  Basically, they cut some rectangular tube, slid it between the top and bottom plates of the I beams and tacked it in a few places.  Then the bumper is attached to that.What I will most likely do is build a receiver that slides into the I beams on the side opposite the exisiting bumper supports and drill/bolt the receiver to it.  Then weld the receiver to the bumper just to have the two joined together.I've got an uncle that is a retired welder that will help me out, so I belive I can get this working, especially since I don't plan on towing with it.Thanks for all of the feedback guys!
Reply:I would not go welding on a modern frame anywhere along the span where it supports the loads or in the area of the spring hangers but at the very end I do not think it is and issue , only thing is if it is an alloy that just won't weld right. should not be a problem."Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum"Lincoln Idealarc 250 AC/DCMillermatic 251   Syncrowave 300   30A spoolgunLincoln MP210Hypertherm 45(2) LN 25(2) Lincoln Weldanpower 225 CV(4) SA200   1 short hood    SA250    SAM 400
Reply:Be careful how much weight your are putting back there. The camper was designed to have a specific tongue weight (if its a 5th wheel you dont have to worry about it as much). When you go a load a couple hundred pounds at the very back of the camper, your going to alter the tongue weight quite a bit and will effect your handling. Might not seem like it at first under normal driving, but it will...Just make sure you do the math and counter your weight if you need to.
Reply:These pictures aren't of my camper, but this is along the lines of what I am thinking.  Thoughts? Attached Images