help with some custom work?

[Eug]

hi all,

i have an idea that i'd like fabricated. would like to get a hitch mounted bar made up to support a rear ladder rack. reason being is that i have a hard lid but will occasionally carry long items to go onto the front sports bar rack.

thule make a goalpost hitch which would do the job, but limits my accessibility into the tray. (ideally something similar but rather than the single support beam in the middle i'd have one coming up each side so that the tray can come down). i realise that the rear lights would be blocked but nothing some off the shelf trailer lights wouldn't fix.

if anyone could point me in the right direction, i'd like to see how much something like this would set me back. a canopy is an option but i don't need that much storage space and would ideally like something that's removable as i won't be carrying things often. max weight would be 80kg spread over the front and rear racks.

cheers
eug

 

[Eug]

here's a rough picture of what i'd like done.

cheers
eug

 

[Cleasc]

Wouldn't be too hard to weld something up yourself if you had the equipment.
But at a guess (based on various quotes I've had done), I'd say around the $800 mark from a fabricators. Prob be looking at half that DIY.

If I understand your idea correctly, you might want to be careful with overloading one side. The good thing about the single post up from the hitch is all the load is transferred directly down. Where as if you had 2 posts in front of the tail lights, it wouldn't be hard to bend/crack the welds onto the piece of steel into the hitch. Just something to think about...

 

[Cleasc]

here's a rough picture of what i'd like done.

cheers
eug

Yeah, if you do opt to attempt this yourself be very careful around the hitch connection. Just remember, the more weld, the stronger the connection will be.
You'll want at least 100mm of weld top and bottom (plus vertical welds) at the hitch connection.

Thinking about it, you would prob need to put in some small angles each side of the hitch to increase the weld length.

Easiest solution might be to get the single post one... surely there is one that folds down like some of the bike carriers.

 

[nakedape]

The design looks alright at first glance... But, using the hitch will set up a fair bit of resonance over that width - you'd have to use some pretty heavy gauge material to counter the inevitable vibrations. You may also need to triangulate/ brace the vertical posts thereby making tray access hard; and the whole thing a little redundant. As an alternative, you could get a 63mm dia (or there abouts) rear bar made to bolt onto the top of the tub.

Having said that - have a chat to your local metal fab blokes & get their opinion.

 

[Eug]

Cleasc: I agree with the small angles to brace perpendicular supports. If there was a fold down one that would suffice, although it would be annoying to remove the load in order to get into my tray. For small items it'd be possible to simply lift the hard lid and get it through there but at this stage just exploring my options and costs.

The Thule item is approx. $400 not including delivery, I figured if I could get one made up around the same price the added convenience would be a bonus.


nakedape: Not quite sure what you mean by the resonance and vibration? Don't really want to bolt anything to the tub as I'd only carry items once in a while. I got the idea from sites like this: HitchMate Cargo Carriers, Motorcycle Carriers, Aluminium Alloy Boxes and they have setups to carry scooters and motorbikes! I'm only looking at 80kg, couple of kayaks and the occasional timber.

If anyone knows some local people (Brisbane) that I could have a chat to that would be great. Called up a few places but they work with ally and have said that a steel bar/frame would need to be made up first.

Cheers
Eug

 

[WoodyD40]

Eug

i know you only want to 'use it occasionally', but i'd be tempted to mount back to the chasis instead with a custom Tow Bar with brackets at each end that you can mount the vertical's too. Taking this approach will still allow the use of the lid, tailgate and possible trailer - all at the same time. It would also provide a more stable rear rack as it will have TWO point fixing instead of a single central mounting location.

I have concerns that a central mount location like you have initially thought of doing would allow too much sideways movement and put a side twisting action on the tow hitch.

anyhow, thats my 2c contribution.

 

[nakedape]

[/QUOTE] nakedape: Not quite sure what you mean by the resonance and vibration?

Cheers
Eug[/QUOTE]

Any bump you hit, any wind drag etc will cause vibrations and thus set up a resonance centered on the hitch - that if not accounted for will cause metal fatigue and failure. The Thule model will also resonate, but because it's only one pole directly over the hitch it will be minimal. Other hitch mount gear I've seen (wheel carriers etc) have very heavy material, braced like a bastard, to counter this.

I like the idea of a custom tow bar that allows for direct mounting of the risers - it could even be a money spinner.

 

[scottybobcat]

I have PM'd you Eug

 

[Eug]

thanks for the opinions boys i'll take them on board. i agree a custom towbar for rear racks is a handy thing, not too sure why no one else has done it!

cheers scotty i'll give you a call when i get a chance.

 

[ONLOCK]

Your idea looks fine to me id just put some stabiliser arms on it that go under you rear bar and sit against and under your chasis rails, this is how I made my motorbike carrier for my old patrol, it just stops it from trying to twist in your tow hitch

 

[NA_R33]

Dude, how bout you feed me beer and I build it for you! Sorted!

 

[Dion]

No need to make a custom towbar, just make a pair of slide-in mounts that bolt to each chassis rail, separate to the towbar.

 

[WoodyD40]

No need to make a custom towbar, just make a pair of slide-in mounts that bolt to each chassis rail, separate to the towbar.

YUP .. that'll work too.

Its still a TWO point fixing method - not just relying on the tow hitch point.

All i know is that the few times i've put the BIKE rake on the tow hitch, the push bikes rattle around like you wouldn't believe - and i'm sure they would weight less than half of the 80kg's that you talking about (ie less than 40kg's). Thats why i wouldnt do it. (i tend to tie up the push bikes upto the ends of the roof racks to provide stability to the push bike mount).

Dion's idea of two seperate mounts fixed to the chasis - would give the desirable option of leaving the existing tow bar in place. No need to worry about ADR ratings/problems with making your own tow bar then.

Dion: i wish i thought of that first ...

 

[Eug]

Dude, how bout you feed me beer and I build it for you! Sorted!

dude i know you guys are busy so didn't want to bother you, also looking around to get some ideas. otherwise we can have a chat about it next time.

No need to make a custom towbar, just make a pair of slide-in mounts that bolt to each chassis rail, separate to the towbar.

there's an idea!

 

[NA_R33]

Yeah busy 5 to 5 but never to busy for busy beer and mates!!

 

[NA_R33]

for beer and mates... shite balls too many beers....

 

[Eug]

haha okay bud will give you a call this week.

 

[SideStep]

Hey mate I was browsing ebay.com for frontier p0rn and saw this...

CUSTOMIZED 2005 Nissan Frontier LE 4x2 Crew Cab FULL WARRANTY

Might not help you tbh, but hey... I think this bloke had the idea and went wild with it!

PIMPED Ride with a MAD MAX Hairstyle!!

 

[Eug]

that looks mad!

scotty i tried to send you a pm but your inbox was full. i've forgotten what i was going to say in the end anyway.

looks like i've come up with a solution will update when it comes to fruition.

cheers
eug