There is someone on here, who built a rack that goes over the top of his TV, and he can pack 4-5 ATVs on the truck.....looks like a auto hauler
I'd worry about that weight on the back end....it's one thing, to haul a genset back there, but you're talking 2-3 times that weight!!
maybe one of those lock on trailers that would hold the weight of the ATV, but allow you to store it back there. Not sure how they really work, but think I saw one use behind a MH once......and since it locks at two points on the RV, it will back when you do.....but you will probably go through a lot of tires on it, as I don't know how it's set when you turn....maybe swivels? HERE is a video
Not sure what it will add as far as weight, but should be better than mounting on back of trailer as you suggested...
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A guy can strengthen the frame etc. But I would be worried all the weight at the back would make the tongue weight to light. All the frames I have seen or repaired would have been to lightly built to hang the weight back thee.
Wayne60 wrote: I have a 31.5 ft. 2005 Pilgram bumper pull RV. Thinking about building a rack on the rear to haul a ATV. Machine weight about 500lbs plus rack.
Has anyone done this? Concerned that is will be too much weigh on the rear and make the trailer bird dog. Any other concerns I should know about?
Hi Wayne,
That is too much in the back. It will hang several feet behind the camper. You can end up going really low on tongue weight that can create a real issue with TT sway. And you may end up overloading the rear axle of the camper even if the main frame can take it.
If you really want to see how this will negatively affect you we need some actual scaled weights and dimensions from your camper now. Need all these, not just part of them.
Need scaled TT loaded GVW.
Need scaled TT loaded tongue weight.
Need scaled TT axle weight.
Need TT Axle GAWR from the Vin sticker.
Need scaled weight of the ATV
Need GVWR of the TT
Need distance from tow ball to center of the 2 axles. (equalizer pivot point)
Need distance from center of axle to center of axle. Some of the Pilgrams had spread axles.
Need distance from tow ball to the rear wall of the camper.
Need distance from the rear wall to the end of the new added frame.
Need left to right distance of the ATV in width
Need the main frame size of the camper
I can do the math to show you this is a not a good thing to do if you really still want to investigate this further. It is just too much weight hanging off the back of the camper.
Try the truck bed approach providing the truck can take the weight.
Hope this helps
John
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To add to the above...the weight of the load on the rear is a bad enough factor, but you'll get a bouncing motion which adds even more stress and strain to the rear of the trailer frame...doubling the weight action on the rear frame member.
That's why the vast majority of Travel Traiers and 5th wheels have exclusions written into the warranty specifically saying not to modify the frame in any way. Even tho yours is out of warranty, it still shows that it ain't a good idea.
Trailer frames are matched to the load and length of the trailer with very little if any engineered extra weight load ability. It's called "minimaly engineered." Welds start popping, frame members begin to crack, floors and walls of the RV start to pop loose.
Your truck bed, on the other hand...is made for this!
My posts shouldn't be taken for factual data. They are purely fictional, for entertainment purposes and should not be constituted as actually related to scientific, technical, engineering, legal, spiritual or practical advice. Amen.
Another thing that will happen, you will add the 500-600 pounds to the rear as everyone has noted. You will remove approximately 90%-100% of that much from the tongue. That will equal 1,000-1,200 pounds added to the axles. You can, and most likely will, overload the axles when fully loaded to go.
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As John Barca says, you will be overloading the axles on the trailer even if the frame would take it. I would agree the 600 pounds is going to be the minimum. Due to the leverage involved, this will be 1000 pounds or more added to the axles. You most likely have 2 axles. That is 500 pounds each, and 250 pounds per tire. Take the trailer to the scales now and get individual wheel weights and you will see that you will most likely be overloading tires. That is a sure way to have very high failure rates.
To give you an idea of the effects of this leverage, I have a 32 foot fiver. I have problems with not enough pin weight. One of the worst things for me to do is go on a family camping trip with the water tank full. It overloads the spring on the right rear by 100 pounds. Now if I put two Honda generators, two spare 30 pound propane tanks, and a chainsaw with a gallon of chain lube in the front storage compartment, I am no longer overloading any wheel position, even though the total weight on the axles has increased. The thing tows better too.
Knowing this now (I have finally gotten all of the data within the last couple of trips), on future family camping trips where we will have full hookups, I will put about 5 gallon of water in the fresh water tank and fill the holding tank for the shower half full (it is all the way up front).
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