So much for the slide out cargo platform.

[BookPaul74]

I saw that it had a 200 lbs limit. I guess that must include the spare tire and wheel. I had a Predator 3500 with fuel. Two 5 gallon gas cans, one empty. A steel burn barrel. That’s it. But I guess with the weight of tire and wheel it was too much.

It bent down in 140 miles of travel. Nothing was damaged except the platform. The tire dragged on the pavement but it didn’t really damage the tire cover.

So plans are underway to reinforce and modify the design. Anyone else have the same problem?

[roadglide]

Originally Posted by BookPaul74

I saw that it had a 200 lbs limit. I guess that must include the spare tire and wheel. I had a Predator 3500 with fuel. Two 5 gallon gas cans, one empty. A steel burn barrel. That’s it. But I guess with the weight of tire and wheel it was too much.

It bent down in 140 miles of travel. Nothing was damaged except the platform. The tire dragged on the pavement but it didn’t really damage the tire cover.

So plans are underway to reinforce and modify the design. Anyone else have the same problem?

That weight was calculator in a controlled area really you’re load wasn’t much over 30 lbs. What part of the apparatus failed ?

[NH_Bulldog]

Remember that the 200 lbs. so far behind the wheels is going to bounce on every bump. On each bounce, the weight is lessened as it rises, and is drastically increased as it comes back down and bottoms out.

My trailer had loose lug nuts on the bumper mounted spare from the factory to the dealer (about 200 miles). In that distance, it had ripped the bracket mounting bolts from the rear wall and it was hanging on by a thread. Just an inch of play on that tire was enough to cause big damage.

The generator is 100 lbs. Then add the spare tire, the gas cans, the metal pot and the weight of that white tube and anything inside that and the black tube bumper. Consider that the weight is at least doubled on the downstroke of every bump. It was designed for a couple of lawn chairs or bicycles, and that’s about it, just like in the brochure below.

Think of it this way: extend the cargo tray and have a 150 person stand on it and bounce (not jump) on it and see what happens.........

[notanlines]

Regardless of redesign, are you ever going to be comfortable using this again? And if so, what would you risk hauling back there?

[BookPaul74]

Originally Posted by roadglide

That weight was calculator in a controlled area really you’re load wasn’t much over 30 lbs. What part of the apparatus failed ?

It’s all physics. With the roads it’s just bouncing it self to death.

[BookPaul74]

NH_Bulldog. I plan to modify it so the weight isn’t cantilevered off the back. After reinforcing the lower brackets and changing the bent tubes and putting thicker wall tubing inside of the existing tube. I plan to make brackets for the corners of the fifth wheel and run aircraft cable to each corner with turn buckles to support the weight and stop the bouncing.
Picture to follow.

[BookPaul74]

Originally Posted by notanlines

Regardless of redesign, are you ever going to be comfortable using this again? And if so, what would you risk hauling back there?

Yes. The idea is to change it from being cantilevered to being a platform. Design is still in the works. 😁

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by BookPaul74

It’s all physics. With the roads it’s just bouncing it self to death.

And driving on unpaved roads don't help. Those slide out trays look like a great idea in the sales literature like the "1/2 ton towable, polar package, roof ladders, etc.,etc."

I'm sure if you find that fantasy land where they show the camper by the lake with the manicured grass, the fit, attractive couple and their cute young'un roasting marshmallows by the perfect campfire in their nice lawn chairs . The camper door wide open without a single flying or crawling creature about. I've always wanted to go camping at "Lake Idyllic" but can't seem find it on a map.
:-(

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by roadglide

That weight was calculator in a controlled area really you’re load wasn’t much over 30 lbs. What part of the apparatus failed ?

The 5 gallon cans of fuel probably weighed 30lbs each + 100+lbs for the generator + 50-75+lbs for the spare & mount + the burn drum with whatever is loaded in it = 300+lbs flopping up/down at every little seam in the pavement.

[BookPaul74]

Over at my friends house doing repairs and reinforcing the slide out tray. Putting a 4’ piece of 1 3/4” by 1 3/4” 11 ga steel inside the 2” by 2” 3/16 original steel tube. Have to put 1’ pieces where the original tube bent. Going to put steel angle on the rear brackets bent down. Will replace the pins with bolts so they don’t bounce in the holes.

Was going to make brackets for the sides of the trailer and run aircraft cables with turn buckles to take up the tension but decided not to go that route.

The spare tire is going to be moved underneath the front of the trailer using a spare tire winch. Generator will ride in the back of the truck for security and protection from rain.

[Ken / Claudia]

While at it, check our the welds on the paper thin bumper. Maybe even replace the bumper with a better gage of metal that will not rust through or break off the brackets as long as you own it.

[BookPaul74]

Originally Posted by Ken / Claudia

While at it, check our the welds on the paper thin bumper. Maybe even replace the bumper with a better gage of metal that will not rust through or break off the brackets as long as you own it.

The welds are good and just surface rust on the slide arms that went underneath the trailer.

[cavie]

The pic is what they have "Engineers".

[Gegrad]

You are on the right track. I don't have pics of it, but back in the mid 90s my dad took a standard receiver hitch, welded it to a long piece of plate steel that was the width of the frame and bolted the plate steel to the frame on each side of the trailer. Then welded the top of the receiver hitch to the bumper for support. The he was able to use a receiver mounted bike carrier in there to hold our bicycles. Of course he had modified the carrier to hold 4 bikes instead of 2 as well. But that setup never bent carrying 4 bikes several thousand miles strapped on the back. Not quite the weight of a generator, but still substantial and carried over a long distance. Reinforcing everything like you are doing and you should be good to go, especially if you tie it to the frame of the trailer.

[ewbldavis]

I'd have to agree with the bounce factor. I bet they don't take the "live" load into consideration.

We have just a hitch - only thing I really trust in it is my spare tire, and I made sure it can't "bounce" into the back wall.

[Bandit12]

According to the sales brochure, my Cougar rear hitch is rated for 300 lbs. The tray I added weighs about 50lbs and it's rated for 500 lbs. All that said, the ONLY thing I ever put on that tray is my Predator 3500 generator, a lock and cable, and a pair of cargo straps to hold it in place. I've watched the generator on my back up camera and it does move a little, but not by much. I weigh in the upper 2/3 of the hitch rating and I've gotten on the tray and bounced a little. Seems pretty solid but I won't trust it for more than my genny.

[jteigen]

Our Cougar fifth wheel has that same design. We hauled our E-bikes back there one time. Thankfully it was a fairly short trip to the coast. I watched them bounce on our rear camera as we drove. Arrived and checked things out and could see that thing was not going to hold. Came home and had a hitch installed on the front of the truck. Bikes go up there on a bike rack. Only time we slide that thing out how is to use it when we're parked. Worst design ever!

[Poppy]

My son had a Jayco BH with a bicycle rack that he put on. I told him it was junk, but he insisted that it was good for the weight. When we arrived at the campsite, the bikes were coming loose from the brackets and the carrier was coming loose from the TT.
This year I bought a Cougar 25res that had a bike rack. I was real hesitant about using it, but on closer inspection, I found it to be better built Than what I thought. Plus, it was welded straight to the trailer frame. I mounted 3 bikes and we went about 150 miles round trip, without any problems. It’s only rated at 250 lbs. so make sure that thing is mounted solid to a solid frame and you should be alright.

[BookPaul74]

So an update for everyone. Several good ideas.
It got a real good looking over when we pulled it out to start the repairs. The ends extend back into the frame about 4’ when it’s slid out. The failure was at the holes where the pins go to lock it in the out position. There’s a LOT of play, up and down there. The little “L” bracket have vertical slots, to make it easier to put the pins in is my guess. Also the steel is not that thick gauge.

So after more than doubling the thickness of the steel and welding new L brackets on top of the old ones and drilling new 1/2” holes for bolts NOT the original pins. It can’t bounce in the brackets. I carry tools all the time so I will be able to remove the bolts when I want to slide it back in and use the pins.

But realizing that I dodged a bullet when it failed, I not wanting to gamble that the next time it won’t damage the generator or the spare tire and having gas cans slide down the freeway.

The generator is back to living in the bed of the truck. One reason is I don’t think I’ll be using it as much this winter after adding 400 watts of solar to the roof and 450 amp hour of batteries.

And today the spare tire found a new home. It now resides underneath the front of the trailer. I used the same tire winch that is used on late model Fords, figure if it can hold up my 17” tire it should work on the trailers 16”.

I mounted it inside the front storage/generator compartment. I reinforced the floor with a piece of 12” square steel plate. Had to cut a hole through both pieces of steel because the hanger does not come off the winch. A 3/8” drive fits into the slot on the winch.

The last step is I need to mount two pieces of aluminum square tube underneath the floor for the tire and tighten up to. The auxiliary propane line keeps it from being fully tightened up.

BTW the dark spot on the tire is where it rubbed on the highway when it failed. 😱

[Phil Saran]

I have the fold down storage rack as shown in the picture with the
two bicycles and the spare tire. (my tire is up front in the compartment
with my batteries).

BUT I had my two Honda 2000i generators strapped down on the rack
my last trip out and going down I-25 threw the construction around
Monument one of the generators broke loose (now only held in place
with a cable lock) somebody was nice enough to tell us to pull over.
Rescured the generators with more straps and went on our way.

On the way home the generators rode in the bed of the truck.