Need an idea/solution quick... front hitch wobble...

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May 13, 2021 | 08:57 PM

#16

Desert Don

Hotshot

Joined: Oct 2006

Posts: 10,146

Likes: 7,971

From: Texas

So, WTF is wrong with pulling a trailer? This whole set up seems like a clusterf$%k to me. Sorry, but that is my opinion of the whole mess.
Carrying a bicycle or spare tire up there, fine. Motorcycle, good luck on it working out for you. I am sure CHP will get a good chuckle when they see it.

May 14, 2021 | 10:14 AM

#17

Super Duty DJ

More Turbo

Joined: Jun 2008

Posts: 562

Likes: 89

I think that you have a couple of different issues here:

You have too many pinned joints in your setup. Even with anti-wobble measures, a pinned joint will have way more motion than a welded joint. I would recommend that you at the very least look at replacing your drop hitch adapter with something that is welded, and therefore non-adjustable. This will eliminate one pinned joint and reduce movement.
None of your anti-wobble measures are positioned to eliminate side-to side or rotational motion, just up and down motion. Adding some bolts to apply pressure to the side of each pinned joint similar to the vertical ones that are already in place would likely help with both the sideways and rotational motion because it would push the inside piece of the joint into one corner of the receiving tube.

May 14, 2021 | 11:00 AM

#18

WWR

Cargo Master

Joined: Dec 2015

Posts: 2,912

Likes: 506

Quote:

Originally Posted by Super Duty DJ

I think that you have a couple of different issues here:

You have too many pinned joints in your setup. Even with anti-wobble measures, a pinned joint will have way more motion than a welded joint. I would recommend that you at the very least look at replacing your drop hitch adapter with something that is welded, and therefore non-adjustable. This will eliminate one pinned joint and reduce movement.
None of your anti-wobble measures are positioned to eliminate side-to side or rotational motion, just up and down motion. Adding some bolts to apply pressure to the side of each pinned joint similar to the vertical ones that are already in place would likely help with both the sideways and rotational motion because it would push the inside piece of the joint into one corner of the receiving tube.

Translation: it's a giant sloppy CF

May 14, 2021 | 11:35 AM

#19

99powerstrokedF250

Logistics Pro

Joined: Jan 2010

Posts: 4,094

Likes: 1,629

Quote:

Originally Posted by WWR

That's super sketchy, you're using a drop draw bar adapter of some kind. That'll eventually snap, I'm not seeing any triangulation.

The solution is something custom fabbed, you need at least 2 points of contact, not a central receiver

This was my thought. You're trying to put too much weight on one point, with a lot of loose connections in between. If this were going right into a receiver, like on the back of a motorhome, you'd probably be okay-ish, still some wobble but not as much. Adding that drop receiver in there is just amplifying the problem.

If you ditch the drop receiver, you'd find a lot of your wobble would go away, but I still wouldn't use it much. For that much weight on the front of a vehicle (remember, all your steering and most of your weight is up there, so that's the part of the truck that moves the most is), you really want minimum two points of contact, three would be better.

I really think a trailer is the way to go here, unless you can get it in the bed of the truck, which works too. You'll get there safe and sound, and one side of the bike won't be completely covered in bug guts, just the front of it.