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Topic ClosedReceiver Hitch / Spare Tire
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Tars Tarkas View Drop Down
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Posts: 1446 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Receiver Hitch / Spare Tire
    Posted: 09 Mar 2018 at 7:38pm
Originally posted by GlueGuy

While we're here. Has anyone ever swapped the 1-1/4" receiver for a full 2" receiver? You'd have to add a cross brace, but you wouldn't have to worry about the weight or the bouncing.

There may be a way to mount a 2" hitch so that it will carry more weight than the stock 1.25" hitch, but I'm sure a lot of the load capacity on the back end is based on the strength of the frame, not the size of the receiver.  The frame would need bracing not just in the immediate vicinity of the hitch.  Think of it this way: if you're pretty strong, you might be able to hold a 1.25" receiver in your hands with the spare tire attached to it.  Holding a 2" receiver in your hands with the spare tire attached isn't going to make it easier on you.  You'd need stronger hands, forearms, biceps, shoulders, back, etc.  A 2" receiver isn't going to help.  You can brace the frame but unless you brace the whole frame you're still going to have a problem.

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CharlieM View Drop Down
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Posts: 1797 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Mar 2018 at 10:07pm
Originally posted by Keith-N-Dar


Maybe, but bike and carrier together may be close to the tire weight.  And the converter puts the weight out further giving more leverage per bump on the relatively weak reciever.

Correct. The 2" to 1-1/4 adapter is really asking for a failure due to the moment arm. Two bikes on a lightweight rack seem to work OK but anything more would require a significant upgrade involving welding onto the frame rails. It has been done but I don't recall by whom. Perhaps a search of forum postings would find it.
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john in idaho View Drop Down
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Posts: 610 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Mar 2018 at 9:14am
Can you get your bikes thru the door?  If so you could just put them in the "hall way" just prior to departure.
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Jamie027 View Drop Down
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Posts: 12 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Mar 2018 at 9:50am
I'll report back on this, John. I had the same idea. We don't get our bikes muddy very often, so I don't see the harm in this. I'm just not sure how much room the slider leaves in the hallway.
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john in idaho View Drop Down
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Posts: 610 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Mar 2018 at 11:53am
And there is the outdoor shower to hose them off.
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Pod People View Drop Down
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Posts: 1065 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Mar 2018 at 5:38pm
We added a 2”receiver as well as a lot of additional bracing. Check our mods.
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Posts: 1065 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Mar 2018 at 6:39pm
I should have added more info about the 2”receiver installation,

I had triangular metal gusset plates added to the existing 1 1/4” receiver and then added the 2”receiver underneath  with more gussets below the new receiver. We added a 2x2 beam at the back of the receiver that went across the pod from frame member to frame member. The receiver was connected to this new beam by a piece of 2x2 angle iron also. All of the welding was done by a professional welder , not me. He also beefed up the existing welds between the frame members and the original receiver.

Another important part of the installation is the use of 2 eyebolts that are installed through the trailer and connected on the inside to wooden framing of the bed. We use webbed cam straps connected on each side of the bike rack to stop the back to front and side to side sway. Once it is connected, it is incredibly stable.  At the receiver, we use a hitch quiter to stop any slop in the receiver to bike rack connection. Overall, we have added less weight with the mods, the rack and 2 adult bikes than the spare tire and tire carrier’s original weight. I have followed the pod with the bikes in place and have seen the results as my wife drives down the road. I am pretty confident that this system works and does not impact the frame or handling in a negative way.
I am not recommending that all bike rack installations are safe and non-damaging. I think you can work within the limitation carefully and come up with a system that will work
Travel safe
Vann

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jato View Drop Down
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Posts: 3216 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Mar 2018 at 9:44pm
John, you bring up an excellent idea.  This is the way we normally carry our road bikes, by putting them inside our 177 just before transport.  We have 3 options doing it this way, either putting both standing up in the hallway, one laying on its side in front and in back or put both together on their sides on the bed in the back or on the table in the front (in transport position).
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Andy View Drop Down
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Posts: 65 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Mar 2018 at 10:25pm
I have done exactly that and it works well for 1 bike, two at the most.  It's really out of site so be wary of that.  The converter also adds some distance from the trailer 
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MikeVagg View Drop Down
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Posts: 6 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 May 2018 at 11:16pm
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