Weld to frame

[Lagman]

I was thinking of adding a receiver to the back of my 17fq. It looks like 2 I beams running the length. Think they will hold 2x4 3/16” tube welded across the bottom? Then I’ll weld a receiver to that. For a basket or the double fold down bike rack Trying to stay away from the bumper entirely. Thanks

[TheWolfPaq82]

I've got the factory fold down rack on our 2018 Cherokee Patriot. I like that it's clamped to the the "frame" and not the bumper. Capacity is 200 lbs.

[SeaDog]

curt makes a bolt on to the frame receiver type hitch. I installed one on my rig to pull my boat. Might be less expensive and time consuming then building yourself.

[OYO]

I had a local fabricator do that for me. No issues two years later.

1st photo (looking towards rear) shows the new beam (he used a rectangular piece, not tube) going left to right..

[Lagman]

Originally Posted by OYO

I had a local fabricator do that for me. No issues two years later.

1st photo (looking towards rear) shows the new beam (he used a rectangular piece, not tube) going left to right..

Is the rec. tube welded right to the main I beams? How far back from the bumper?
Thanks

[OYO]

Originally Posted by Lagman

Is the rec. tube welded right to the main I beams? How far back from the bumper?
Thanks

I crawled under there. 1st off the new beam is a 3" 'L' welded between the frame side rails. The rec tube is bolted to that then the bracket at the rear is welded to the rec tube and then bolted to the rear frame member, not welded.

The rec tube is ~ 30". There are no other frame cross mebmbers between the new one and the rear one in the photo.

Hope that helps. Hard to get a good pic.

Not sure where the frowning emoji came from. Not intentional.

[Lagman]

Yeh I wasn’t sure about the I beams. They say they’re aircraft, light let and stronger than regular iron. Just don’t want to be so far back with the cross member that it flex the I beam.
It looks like 1/8” flanges top and bottom of the beam.

[Super 8]

My I-beams on the camper have a 3" lip this is why I started with attaching a 3" angle iron. Everything is bolted on, not welded to frame.
2-3"X20"X3/16" thick angle irons
1-2"X4"X1/4" thick tube that is 71.25 inches long
8-7/16X1" length bolts, nuts and lock washers. 5/8" head
4-1/4"X1" length self tapping bolts with washers. 3/8" head
1-2"X12" Receiver
2.5"X4" Plate 3/16" plate cut in half diagonally to support Receiver
5.5" tall gusset welded in middle vertically and attached with self tapping bolts to inside rear tube of camper.
After I bolted up the angle Irons to the bottom of the camper I slid the 2X4" tube (horizontal) between them and leveled fore and aft, then tacked into place. After positing the receiver and center gusset, tacking them into place I removed the whole unit and finished welding, installing side gussets to the receiver.

[Lagman]

Thanks! Looks good. Just wasn’t sure if I should weld right to the main I beam stringers.