Generator rack is finished

[TerryZechman]

Looks fantastic!

[steelpenguin]

did your reflection already come with a rear hitch or did you buy that, modify it and then add it to your reflection? I have an Imagine 2500rl and grand design told us that our bumper is only rated for 75 lbs. Our generator is 95 lbs, so we are looking for ideas. Thanks

[johndeerefarmer]

did your reflection already come with a rear hitch or did you buy that, modify it and then add it to your reflection? I have an Imagine 2500rl and grand design told us that our bumper is only rated for 75 lbs. Our generator is 95 lbs, so we are looking for ideas. Thanks

My fiver came with the receiver hitch. I just modified it to make it stronger and to accept my generator rack. You would want to have a rack bolted or welded to your frame as RV bumpers are known for being thin and weak.

[lawdes]

We took our two Honda 2000 gens to Alaska with us in a Torklift Lock and load basket on the trucks front receiver hitch. A few days into the trip after nearly hitting idiots who pulled right in front of us at highway speeds within 1 hr of crossing from WA into BC, Canada I got to thinking I wonder if the trucks air bags would deploy if I had not been successful at locking up the brakes and sliding around the idiots. One I passed on the breakdown lane of the right lane to avoid slamming into the rear of the idiot.

After some discussion we decided to move our generators and rack to the rear bumper. This lasted only two days as the roads through BC and the Yukon on or way to Alaska were so rough that it was bending the steel parts of the Lock and Load holding the generators and securing them.

So back on the front they went where they rode fine. Just decided there was no room in our travel plans for a front end collision. After 8,000 miles we returned home after a very fun trip with no disasters. Just a lot of trailer breakage due to frost heaves, pot holes and construction zones along the Alaska Hwy.

During day one of our two day transit north up the Cassiar Hwy I began chatting with a new arrival in a large Class A coach from Florida. Asked him how his day was going. He said, better now that I'm off that road. Damn, I hope it doesn't get any worse going north. I replied, oh you haven't seen nothing yet, I lived in Alaska for 25 years before retiring and moving back to WA. Have done the Hwy many times. It gets much worse before you enter into Alaska. We had a rear ladder chair rack on our last 5er. 3 chairs with rack and a very nice Sunbrella heavy fabric cover with heavy nylon straps around it and the ladder to hold it in place that Sally had made for the Alaska trip. We got into an RV Park in Tok, AK and while cleaning up the interior disaster I discovered everything on the ladder, chairs, cover, straps were all jettisoned during the days travel. Totally gone! $350.00 in chairs, rack and fancy cover to protect them from the dust and mud.

My point is if you head for Alaska attaching stuff to the rear ladder or bumper that hang out. They will take a terrible beating on the roads up north. Not to mention being filthy at the end of most days. When we traveled from Tok to Dawson on our return we took the Top of the World Hwy. We overnighted in Chicken, AK. Next day I debated locking in the trucks front hubs but decided not to. (having had previous experience on this road segment in past years) During a couple sections we were plowing through 6" of mud on the road due to recent rains in parts of the route. When we got to Dawson that night we spent around $25.00 at the RV park RV wash station power washing the rig so we could get near it and not get covered in mud. That and be able to see out of the 5'ers windows. Our mostly white trailer was brown. Running boards had an inch of mud on the tops of them.

George

Ouch! In 2016 went up the length of the Alaska Hiway with a Reflection 313 TT and back on the Casiar Hiway. I thought the Casiar back then was pretty good. We are going up and back using Casiar this summer with out 337. You’re scaring me now! Lol! I see dust, dirt and mud haven’t changed, and Yukon and Alaska roads probably haven’t either. I would sure agree something on the back not likely to survive.

[larryl]

did your reflection already come with a rear hitch or did you buy that, modify it and then add it to your reflection? I have an Imagine 2500rl and grand design told us that our bumper is only rated for 75 lbs. Our generator is 95 lbs, so we are looking for ideas. Thanks

It came with it. Its says the limit is 300lbs. So I figure 2 98 lb generstors ought to stay put.. plus locks and what not.

Sent from my SM-T710 using Tapatalk

[DaveMatthewsBand]

It came with it. Its says the limit is 300lbs. So I figure 2 98 lb generstors ought to stay put.. plus locks and what not.

Sent from my SM-T710 using Tapatalk

Wow.
That’s not going to work!
That’s way too heavy from what I’ve read from a dozen other posts on this forum.
You’re not taking into account G-forces.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[johndeerefarmer]

It came with it. Its says the limit is 300lbs. So I figure 2 98 lb generstors ought to stay put.. plus locks and what not.

Sent from my SM-T710 using Tapatalk

Plus the weight of the cargo rack that you sit the generators on...

[BigSwick]

If I am reading this correctly, you can start the genny while enroute and the RV will be cool upon arrival. How did you wire in the electric? I could see running a cord while parked, but underway?

[johndeerefarmer]

Hi,

This is correct. I put a 90 degree adapter on the power cord coming out of the RV so it hangs down straight. I then connected the power cord to that. I ran it straight down the side of the trailer and then routed it underneath towards the rear. I used cable ties and tied it to the spring hangers and whatever else I could find. I then came out the back to connect it to the generator. If I have shore power available I have another power cord that I plug into the one at the rear and plug it into the pedestal

[wileyAZ46]

JDFarmer,
This is awesome and not too far off from what I have dreamed up in my head but have yet to put on paper! I’ve worked in steel fab most of my life so I’m hoping to tackle this project over the winter. One question, did you buy out the two new receiver tubes that you tee’d into the receiver frame? If so, mind sharing the source?

Thanks again for the inspiration [emoji1]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk