Welding a hitch

[Mjlebsa]

I’m looking at trading into the imagine trailer line and would need to have a hitch receiver in order to mount bikes. I don’t have the trailer yet, not sure going to get it, but if I do is there any reason why a bike rack cannot be welded to the frame?

Thanks


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[FT4NOW]

I think its doable. A coworker of mine has a 2800BH and got a hitch welded so he can double tow a utility trailer for his SxS, he said it worked out well.

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[sande005]

Others that may have done it will likely comment. I'm no engineer, but it doesn't seem to be hard from an access to stuff perspective. Ask your local Grand Design dealer what shop they refer their customers to for this kind of work, and discuss with those folks. How hard, how expensive, etc. Grand Design has not, to the best of my knowledge, used mods like this as a general reason to disallow lots of warranty work - but would, of course, be within their rights in specific situations, if they ever came up.
Note that for any pull behind trailer, they need a pretty robust hitch structure and mounting, and the bike rack itself needs to be rated for RV's - most (but not all) specifically warn against such use. There's a very long moment arm from the axels to the bikes, that greatly compounds the banging up and down as they go down the road.
Also note that all travel trailers must have a given minimum amount of weight on their tongues to prevent sway. Putting loads out from the rear end can sometimes significantly reduce that tongue weight and make for dangerous driving. There are several adaptors that allow one to mount the bike rack over the tongue. Net result is much, much less cost and no compromising safety. One does have to lift the bikes up to the elevated position, however.

BTW - as far as double towing trailers, check with your state. Those that do allow it usually only allow it for fifth wheels, NOT conventional travel trailers. Surprisingly few allow any double towing at all.

[xrated]

I have a Momentum and the garage was just getting too crowded with a Can Am Spyder, a fire pit, a dog cart that we tow behind the bikes, etc. So I decided to add a hitch to the rear of the trailer. Instead of welding the actual hitch to the trailer, I bought two pieces of 4" steel channel and had a welder come to the house and weld the two pieces to the main frame rails of the trailer. The frame structure on the trailer is 12" "H" beams and the 4" channel fits in between those two frame beams and sits on top of the bottom flange. They were aligned where I wanted them and welded in by a certified welder. Once the 4" channel was welded in place (I had pre drilled the channel to match the mounting holes of the hitch) I raised it up and bolted it in place using eight grade 8 bolts. The hitch is a Curt Class III hitch. If something ever happened to the hitch, I can unbolt it and replace it...vs...having to have it cut out from being welded in place.

[Mjlebsa]

Others that may have done it will likely comment. I'm no engineer, but it doesn't seem to be hard from an access to stuff perspective. Ask your local Grand Design dealer what shop they refer their customers to for this kind of work, and discuss with those folks. How hard, how expensive, etc. Grand Design has not, to the best of my knowledge, used mods like this as a general reason to disallow lots of warranty work - but would, of course, be within their rights in specific situations, if they ever came up.
Note that for any pull behind trailer, they need a pretty robust hitch structure and mounting, and the bike rack itself needs to be rated for RV's - most (but not all) specifically warn against such use. There's a very long moment arm from the axels to the bikes, that greatly compounds the banging up and down as they go down the road.
Also note that all travel trailers must have a given minimum amount of weight on their tongues to prevent sway. Putting loads out from the rear end can sometimes significantly reduce that tongue weight and make for dangerous driving. There are several adaptors that allow one to mount the bike rack over the tongue. Net result is much, much less cost and no compromising safety. One does have to lift the bikes up to the elevated position, however.

BTW - as far as double towing trailers, check with your state. Those that do allow it usually only allow it for fifth wheels, NOT conventional travel trailers. Surprisingly few allow any double towing at all.

Thanks. The hitch would be for two E-bikes and the current bike rack I have is RV rated. The bikes weigh a total of 150 pounds. I don’t think/hope it would take away from the tongue weight because I will have enough crap in my front storage area to off set the weight.


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[Mjlebsa]

I think its doable. A coworker of mine has a 2800BH and got a hitch welded so he can double tow a utility trailer for his SxS, he said it worked out well.

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Does your friend like his trailer? That’s one of the two trailers we are considering in the imagine line.


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[Bungy]

BTW - as far as double towing trailers, check with your state. Those that do allow it usually only allow it for fifth wheels, NOT conventional travel trailers. Surprisingly few allow any double towing at all.

Actually surprisingly few DON’T allow it, for example WA and OR are the only ones west of the Mississippi that ban it.

[FT4NOW]

Does your friend like his trailer? That’s one of the two trailers we are considering in the imagine line.


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Yes, he enjoys it a lot. He also takes it hunting and only does off grid camping. He has a single 100AH lithium battery and says it works out well. I think he brings a generator with him to charge it.

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[Paul & Deb]

I’m looking at trading into the imagine trailer line and would need to have a hitch receiver in order to mount bikes. I don’t have the trailer yet, not sure going to get it, but if I do is there any reason why a bike rack cannot be welded to the frame?

Thanks Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We have a new 2022 22MLE and I did have a receiver welded to the trailer frame to attach our Hollywood rack for our 2 eBikes. I had a welding shop I have used for years on my hotrods and my trailers. All custom, no bolt on and not cheap .... $650.

Here's a few pictures:









BTW, I removed the spare which I will temporarily carry in the bed of the truck until BAL's undercarriage tire carrier is off back order.

[Mjlebsa]

We have a new 2022 22MLE and I did have a receiver welded to the trailer frame to attach our Hollywood rack for our 2 eBikes. I had a welding shop I have used for years on my hotrods and my trailers. All custom, no bolt on and not cheap .... $650.

Here's a few pictures:









BTW, I removed the spare which I will temporarily carry in the bed of the truck until BAL's undercarriage tire carrier is off back order.

Awesome.
Thanks


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