Buy a trailer (instead of a pickup truck)

[Piotrsko]

The one inch hitches are supposed to carry 500 lbs, don't think the table is more than 100

Cant be worse than having 2 football linesmen in the back seat

[hayden55]

Originally Posted by Piotrsko

The one inch hitches are supposed to carry 500 lbs, don't think the table is more than 100

Cant be worse than having 2 football linesmen in the back seat

think of a 1/4" ratch 4" long with 100lbs on the end vs a 1/2" torque wrench around 18" long with 100lbs on the end.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by Piotrsko

Well done, although I am more impressed you don't report a COP telling you to park that and get a truck.

I've gotten away with every ridiculous thing I've hauled.

I hauled this at night on the freeway. Side mirrors were blocked and so was my license plate and rear lights.


I've had wiring fail, so that the only light on my trailer at night was one of those free Harbor Freight LED lights with a red lense holding it to the trailer.

Hauled an 8x8 metal shed on top of the bed of the truck, fully assembled. Had C-clamps to the side rails holding it on.

Most crackpot thing was my dad hauling a 5th wheel camper using no hitch at all in his 60's Chevy pickup. He bored a hole between 2 boards and captured the ball of the trailer between those 2 boards, then used a comealong as a safety chain.

[Ecky]

Originally Posted by hayden55

How do they rate those hitch carriers? I would think carrying something with a center of mass like 4' off the bumper would put some good torque and stress on that hitch.

The hitch on my car is a class 1, rated for 200/2000. This rack was originally rated for 200lbs, same as my hitch, but the rack normally fit a 2" receiver, which normally holds 350lbs or more tongue weight. I cut it up and rewelded the rack to fit 1 1/4", and also to sit closer to the back of the car to reduce leverage.

I know tongue weight is normally calculated at the ball. I would imagine that every time you double the distance to the center of mass, you cut your max weight in half. To my knowledge the distance of the ball from the receiver isn't standardized so I have no idea how to double an unknown. (I also realize center of mass is not the best way to figure torque forces)

I've stood on the back edge of it and jumped up and down, and it held fine, but I'm only ~120lbs/56kg. I personally wouldn't care to put more than maybe 60-80lbs (25-35kg) onto this contraption for any regular use, but I base that solely on intuition.

The below chart comes from Curt, so I imagine it's reliable. It kinda looks like the standard distance from the fulcrum is around 24".

[Piotrsko]

Originally Posted by hayden55

think of a 1/4" ratch 4" long with 100lbs on the end vs a 1/2" torque wrench around 18" long with 100lbs on the end.

Fine for torque, this is moment arm. More moment arm force at 18", otherwise airplanes would be tandem wing.

[hayden55]

Originally Posted by Piotrsko

Fine for torque, this is moment arm. More moment arm force at 18", otherwise airplanes would be tandem wing.

Although not as simple as twisting a bolt since its twisting the hitch frame which includes bolts and two axes. But the units for a moment are N*m or lb-ft er ft-lb whichever way you like to write that.
But interesting. I like the information we had pulled up. I always wondered how they were able to rate and test them.

[Piotrsko]

I was thinking more like Newtons 3rd law

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Just another of those small station-wagons from mid-'90s, which for the average Joe would handle most small loads quite well just with the rear seat folded...


Hey, wait, there is a receiver hitch. Didn't see any trailer while I took these pictures, but recently I have seen a reasonable amount of small cars pulling utility trailers and being effectively used for construction work.

[dremd]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

Just another of those small station-wagons from mid-'90s, which for the average Joe would handle most small loads quite well just with the rear seat folded...

Ok, what mid 90’s wagon is that? I’m not recognizing it, maybe a Mazda?

[Ecky]

$25 trailer rental for the day. Still averaged 33mpg with 5 hours of towing.

There are trailers for rent here literally 5 minutes from any home, and they're always available.