Hitch mount motorcycle carrier AND towing a TT
 

Hi All,

I have a F250 SD CC 4x4 and I tow a 5000lb Travel Travel with a 550 LB tongue weight. Currently I put a 250 lb dirtbike in the bed. The problem is I have to unhitch to get the bike out.

I like the idea of these hitch mounted carriers...the bike unloads "perpendecular" to the truck bed. Thus if I could have that mount and tow the trailer this would be ideal.

Anyone done this? I was thinking of adding extra support from the frame out to the bike rail to get good support for the hitch. I use a load equalizing hitch.

Any products out there? I've seen Versa Haul but stock it is only rated for 300lb hitch weight. I've sent them an email about if I add add extra support from the frame but got no response.

Any ideas appreciated.

-Glen

how about a nice sturdy FRONT-mounted hitch to put a carrier on?
That would even out the weight on the truck when towing, rather than add more behind the rear axle. When not towing, you could move the cycle carrier to the back. Issues might be weight on the front axle (maybe some Timbren overload springs?) and getting bugs on your front-mounted motorcycle.... :-)

Or, put a receiver on the back of the TT, and mount the bike carrier all the way back...

OR, better yet, how about mounting a piece of channel across the tongue of the TT to set the bike in?


Brainstormin...

Robert

$139 for front mounted receiver. 500 lb tongue weight, 9K load rating.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...oid=85456&.jpg

Oh hi,

Thanks for the help so far.

1)If I put the bike on the back of the TT then the tongue weight is less than 10% of total, so I not comfortable with that. (actually this will happen at the end of trip, because fresh water from stored in the front moves to waste water stored at the back)

2)Not enough room on TT tongue...unless I move the Propane, but still, I lose turning radius. Bike will hit truck in turns.

3)Any lighting or cooling issues when mounting the bike on the front (remember I am towing a TT). I do have the Camper package ith heavier front springs.

I'm leaning toward a custom welding project.......

-Glen

i have my spare tire mounted in the front, about 3" from the grill and covered.
i have driven fully loaded thru mountains without cooling problems, but
also have a 4-core radiator. a motorcycle probably wouldnt block as much air as my spare cuz it would be further from the gril...

hadn't considered the lighting issue. i guess it depends on how high/low the bike is mounted and where your headlights are at. i s'pose some aux lights like those used on snowplows could take care of that, but that's getting complicated now...

Have you considered cutting off the tongue, and welding on a new tongue with a longer reach? That way, you'd be able to jack knife your trailer to get your bike out, and not have to disconnect.

Not really. The TT frame is two C rails...basically the same size as the truck frame that are angled and joined at the hitch. Looks like a triangle from looking down at the hitch. Hmmm so I guess I would make a new triangle, welding onto the sides of the original and then need to put a cross brace at the intersection of the old hitch.

I would probably need a pro welder for this solution (which is fine). I'll have to noodle on this, screwing with the trailer frame is a little scary.

I was kinda hoping for the response
"Oh yeah, I had this problem, here's exactly what you do......

(BTW, I have three Fords, and every issue or modification I've had, has been done before and I found info on ford-trucks.com. So I never really needed to post before.)

Thanks,
Glen

I don't tow, and I usually get a trailer from Uhaul rather than loading my 500-ish-pound Triumph Tiger into the bed on those very, very rare occasions when I'd rather take the truck than the bike! So take this response with a grain of salt.

Since you are willing to undertake some custom welding, couldn't you make an angled ramp? If the truck was turned 45 degrees (or whatever) to the left of the trailer center line, there should be clearance. I don't know how wide your handlebars are, or how skillful the loader will be, which are both factors.

This assumes you ride the bike into the truck. If you should slip on the front brake lever, you will (a) dent the back of the bed (who cares!) and (b) receive some fork damage which will not be cheap to fix on the bike. DAMHIK :(

If turning the truck is not an option, the previous suggestion of a front hitch receiver sounds like the best one. It can come in handy for other stuff too.

Lastly, which of these arrangements is least likely to attract unwanted attention from law enforcement officers? IMHO the custom welded receiver is going to get a lot more attention than the other two alternatives. Even if a ticket is not issued, who wants to be stopped? YMMV.

One other thought is a diamond plate bed cover...which is advertised as capable of carrying an ATV. Can't remember the web site. I'm not sure how the logistics of loading a bike onto one of these would work.

Please let us know what you eventually work out!

Hank Murphy
1999 Triumph Tiger "Full Moon"
2005 F-150 XL Work Truck

>Since you are willing to undertake some custom welding, couldn't you >make an angled ramp? If the truck was turned 45 degrees (or whatever) >to the left of the trailer center line, there should be clearance. I don't >know how wide your handlebars are, or how skillful the loader will be, >which are both factors.

On problem is the bike is squished into the bed with a bunch stuff I shouldn't be taking dirt biking but I do. The other is, sometimes I get into a knarley campsite where I can't turn the truck much...kinda a straight thorugh between trees. (remember the trailer needs to be level for a variety of reasons...fridge, sleep, avoiding the fun house effect, and God forbid, too much alcoholhttps://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=3060537


>This assumes you ride the bike into the truck. If you should slip on the >front brake lever, you will (a) dent the back of the bed (who cares!) and >(b) receive some fork damage which will not be cheap to fix on the bike. >DAMHIK :(

Rode it in once...never again!

>If turning the truck is not an option, the previous suggestion of a front >hitch receiver sounds like the best one. It can come in handy for other >stuff too.

Yep, I will need to check this option seriously. I don't think I'm worried about cooling, but I may need to worry about lighting.

>Lastly, which of these arrangements is least likely to attract unwanted >attention from law enforcement officers? IMHO the custom welded >receiver is going to get a lot more attention than the other two >alternatives. Even if a ticket is not issued, who wants to be stopped? >YMMV.

I have seen many many bad and unsafe "hacks" on the rode, and talked to a bunch in campgrounds....apparently the law doesn't care. I think the liability is in lawsuits. Actually tailgating at an Oakland Raiders game is quite the "experience" when checking out the RVs that some how make it to the stadium!

One funny thing was, I'm looking at this guys truck and he only has 3 lug nuts on one of his rear wheels. I mention it to him and he responds, "Oh the others are optional."


>One other thought is a diamond plate bed cover...which is advertised as >capable of carrying an ATV. Can't remember the web site. I'm not sure >how the logistics of loading a bike onto one of these would work.

I think I saw that to, getting a dirtbike up on the bed rails is a pretty scarey thought. Hmmm you could ride it up, since if you over shoot just jump off the other side, I guess.

>Please let us know what you eventually work out!

Yeah I thought I might get this done before Thanksgiving, but now I'm not so sure.


-Glen

Sounds like the easiest solution would be a motorcycle rail on the back of the trailer. Just extend the frame rails and weld a c-chanel on top.
Of course you will have to add weight to the tounge to balance it out, or rearrange stuff.
steve

I tow a 10,000lb TT with a 4 wheeler in the bed and a motorcycle on a front mounted hitch. The truck tows it without a hiccup and only on the longest steepest grades will the engine fan come on. Seems to come on about as often as without the motocycle. Doesn't seem to hurt anything at all. This is by far the easiest solution.

Thanks Hunter4....I'm going to do that!
did you have any night/headlight issues?

-Glen

The headlight that is closest to the gas tank is a little obscurred, but there seems to be plenty of light. I always put the front tire of the mc on the passenger side of the truck for better visibility both day and night.

The dirtbike mounted in front will definately create a lot of visual blockage of the road ahead...and could possibly be illegal.

Ever check into these:

http://www.monsterhauler.com/sideloa...tructions.html
http://www.monsterhauler.com/pages/c4.html

Or this which is a little cheaper:
http://www.off-road.com/atv/reviews/atvhaul/