Has anyone attempted to weld in a receiver hitch to the rear frame? It appears that the frame rails are strong enough, huge (8" I beams). I'm interested in carrying my dual sport motorcycle with me behind the trailer on a motorcycle lift (hydraulic lift with a plate that supports the bike under the motor). I use this setup now on my suburban and it works well, whole setup ~400lb with bike, lift and reciever. One gent suggested boxing the frame with additional support members as he would be concerned about the cantilever bending the frame when bouncing down the road. I would be attaching this to a 27T type trailer. Any thoughts?

I would agree with the fellow that said it may bend the frame when bouncing. My biggest concern would be that it would remove the 10 to 15 percent of total weight that is needed on the hitch for safe towing. Your Suburban was designed to carry weight in the rear.

I would pull a motercylce trailor behind it. I pull a small Utility trailor behind my 21TL and it works great i wired the hook ups for the brakes , marker lights etc, wire tied it under the camper to the rear hitch.

Paul,

I'd love to do that, but CA doesn't permit double towing with passenger vehicles. When you are using your utility trailer, what does your utility trailer tongue weight come in at? If it is around 300-400lb then you would be essentially doing the same thing as I am proposing with the cycle on the reciever.

my 3 ft tongue weight on the utility trailor is less that 100 lbs the trailor is only 9 ft long with 4 x 6 ft box that is center weighted evenly over the axles and 13 inch tires. the trailer total empty weight is 236 lbs.

perhaps filling front water tanks plus 2 of those tall boy propane tanks and an extra heavy duty batt. mounted next to org. batt. that might help even out the weight difference. may seem like a lot but i carry the extra batt. & propane not only to feel i have enough fuel & energy but to even out the hitch rack (removable) on back that carries a tool box & generator.

abnrgr,
We have a 2704T, and soon after purchasing it I had a 2" receiver welded on professionally by a hitch specialist. Using heavy square tubing and gussets, he tied it into the main frame members on either side, and the whole set up is VERY secure. We ONLY use it for carrying our bicycle carrier and bikes.

Our experience with just bikes (total load weight of less than 100 lbs) has been positive, with one side effect I didn't expect: Our bicycles get seriously bounced and whipped around. Reasons include the effective overhang from the rear axle to the bike carrier, fitting slop between the bike carrier shank and the receiver, frame flexing, stiffer trailer suspension... and who knows what else! Attempting to minimize bouncing, I've even welded up all the joints on the bike carrier.

Mountain bicycles are pretty tough, and other than some worn paint and chafing marks, they haven't received serious damage. In addition to the good point that PopRichie77 makes, my gut is telling me that adding several hundred pounds could increase the bounce factor, putting much greater stress on the trailer frame, hitch assembly and your motorbike. My friend, I suggest you use care strapping that kind of weight on the back of your Hi-lo.

Good question!
Jim

__________________
1967 17' Hi-Lo Bon Voyage (1967-1969)
1969 19' Hi-Lo Bon Voyage (1969-2011)
2004 27' Hi-Lo TowLite (2010-present)
2015 Chevy Tahoe LTZ

Being Motorocycle person, that has contemplated & accomplished hanging motorcycles from the darnedest places, I would venture to say one option might be to put a reciever hitch on the front of the tow-vehicle, and use on of those cycle haulers that way.

We forever carried one bike on the front of our f150, this was back many years before I ever had seen a reciever hitch bike carrier. Ours was the old fashion bumper hoops and clever bracketing.

FWIW, I think the hilo could carry it easy enough, I would modify the heck out of the mounting to get it absolutely as close to the camper as possible. I have seen other campers in front of me, I fear that one day they'd lose bike, from the way out back & big bumps we've encountered.

My motocycles only weigh 150lbs full of fuel so I can usually haul 2 where MX guys or trail riders have more weight.

Good luck, not many states are a crazy regs like Cali, not sure the sunshine and beaches are worth it, lol. (was in sandiego for a couple years myself).

__________________
From Kansas: 29ft '95 5th, converted to toybox in rear, by Hilo. Pics soon, Some Here.