Hauling my snow blower around in the Explorer's trunk area was a pita. In order to shut the hatch I had to leave the rear glass open and tilt the snow blower back so the handles could stick out. Even with a rubber trunk protector the melting snow still made a mess of the trunk. A receiver hitch basket would allow me to carry it and keep the mess outside.

http://www.explorerforum.com/data/3364/18205Receiver_hitch_basket_4_WEB-med.jpg

I picked up the angle brackets at Home Depot (cheaper than Lowes or local steel supply). The steel comes with a protective coating so I used the angle grinder to remove it at all my welding joints. A sander could also have been used, but at a mush slower rate.

Dimensions 30" x 48" x 1 1/5 high. Approx Cost: $86

$42 Angle stock
$28 Square tube (2")
$16 Expanded Metal (http://www.mcnichols.com/products/expanded/standard/) (3/4 #9)


Note: I had to buy a full 4' x 8' sheet of Expanded metal $51, but only used 10 sq ft for the project.

I picked up the 2" Square tube and expanded metal at Turner Steel (http://www.turnersteelcoinc.com/). I picked up the angle stock at home depot (Cheaper than Lowes or Turner Steel)

An Angle grinder with cut off wheels quickly cuts all the steel.

To ensure good support for the snow blower I placed the stringers about on-center with it's wheel track width.
http://www.explorerforum.com/data/3364/18205Receiver_basket-med.jpg

Since the stringers were at the same height as the frame I attached Stringer supports (Underside of basket):
http://www.explorerforum.com/data/3364/18205Receiver_hitch_basket_support_WEB-med.jpg

Here is the basket frame ready for the expanded metal floor. Notice the left side is open as it is where the ramps attach:
http://www.explorerforum.com/data/3364/18205Receiver_hitch_basket_2_WEB-med.jpg

The expanded metal floor has been installed with a tack weld at each contact point (108 in all). This greatly aides to the structural integrity and rigidity of the unit.
http://www.explorerforum.com/data/3364/18205Receiver_hitch_basket_3_WEB-med.jpg

Expanded metal Close up:
http://www.explorerforum.com/data/3364/18205Receiver_hitch_basket_expanded_metal_1_WEB-med.jpg

I made 5' ramps out of 2x8 lumber and some aluminum ramp ends.
http://www.explorerforum.com/data/3364/182055_ramps_WEB-med.jpg

Just about all Fab'd up. I just need to drill some holes for tie down hooks. For rust prevention I am going to sandblast it and give it a few coats of Por-15 (www.por15.com)

http://www.explorerforum.com/data/3364/18205Basket_with_snow_blower_WEB-med.jpg

Notes: The 2" Square tube fits perfectly within the receiver, but I noticed a tiny amount of slop (1/16") at the receiver. This translates into a 1/16" movement on the centerline that grows to about 1" as you reach the extreme left or right sides of the basket. I searched the Webb and found this wobble is completely normal and can be minimized by using various anti-rattle devices (http://www.etrailer.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=E&Product_Code=76820&Category_Code=L).

Nice job; I was wondering where you are going to store the ramps and I thought you could weld up some tabs and drill holes in the ramps and attach with bolts and wingnuts.

real freaken nice,

i wonder how big and how heavy of something you could make one of those before it started to be too much for the hitch....

it all depends on the tounge weight rating of the hitch, usually about 500lbs. If ya got somethin' heavier than that ya need a trailer :D

btw, why did you make this in spring?

Looks really good. Nice job man! :thumbsup:

Looks great. Nice work!

Thanks guys...

I just got a welder at the end of Dec, and haven't gotten around to building it until now (too many family functions and holidays). I had kind of assumed I would be getting all my steel at a local steel mill the next town over. I was surprised :confused: to learn Home Depot had cheaper prices. So I need to find a reasonable steel supplier.

Broccoli1: I am trying to design something similar to your suggestion to carry the ramps. The wing nuts would work, but (IMO) they'd be too cumbersome to align and thread on each time. I'm thinking to fab up some 5" deep "U" shaped brackets the ramps can just sit into. I would then use a few bungie cords to keep them from moving around.

The platform is rock solid, and most of the cheapo ones you can buy ready made have max capacity of 500 lbs or your hitch's tongue rating. Check out this ATV Hitch Carrier (http://www.discountramps.com/tilting_atv_rack.htm). Its massive...

I agree on nixing the wing nuts: they're a good idea until you have to use them all the time :D

Yea man, looks good..I was debating on making or buying one. Buy one--$60..less labor..built flimsy....Spend a few extra bucks and make one solid as a tank and to my dimensions and needs!!!

Don't you want some triangular braces going from the 2x2 to the basket? I would think that a big enough bounce would be able to break the welds b/c the weight is cantilevered out from the center.

Yea man, looks good..I was debating on making or buying one. Buy one--$60..less labor..built flimsy....Spend a few extra bucks and make one solid as a tank and to my dimensions and needs!!!

The cheapest I found them was $90 at Cabela's near Pottsville, PA

I ended up making my own. I used an old bed frame for the channel steel that I picked up at goodwill for next to nothing

I have been seeing similar setups to carry motorbikes, and I considered it for me. Just a little worried that it wouldn't hold up to a 350lb bike back there.

Don't you want some triangular braces going from the 2x2 to the basket? I would think that a big enough bounce would be able to break the welds b/c the weight is cantilevered out from the center.

Not the best pic but here's what I did with mine

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=23002&stc=1]

This thing is crazy strong!

Don't you want some triangular braces going from the 2x2 to the basket? I would think that a big enough bounce would be able to break the welds b/c the weight is cantilevered out from the center.

Thanks for the info and will seriously take that into consideration. To make it is as stable as posible I tacked all 108 contact point of the expanded metal to make the whole unit one solid piece. I will also keep the load centered directly over the 2x2 support tube to help minimize any additional torque loads (which use the 2x2 as a folcrum).

I have followed Hokie's advice and added 4 additional support brackets. These brackets are made of 1" angle sistered at each end for 8" and attach to the center tube in a triangular configuration.
http://www.explorerforum.com/data/3364/18205Basket_with_supports_WEB-med.jpg

Hokie,
Not that the braces are a bad idea but if the joints are welded correctly the welds should not fail- the metal itself would/should bend/break first. A good weld will always be stronger than the base metal. If your welds are breaking then you are not getting good penetration. A good cheap test is the ol' sledge hammer test: weld two flat pieces together and put it in a vise and give it a few wacks- the metal should bend but the welded joint should stay together. If you can break the joint apart with the sledge then there wasn't enough penetration during the welding.

Ed

I think the supports on the commercial ones are to keep it from bending the carrier frame OR breaking a weld.. every aftermarket carrier that I've seen rated for 500 lbs has a those type of supports, though these are usually 20"x60" which means the weight can be pretty far from the center pivot, allowing for a higher stress on the frame and the weld, IMHO.. but I'm not an engineer.

more support never hurts, his particular application is pretty much centered, so it shouldn't be an issue. Hokie thinks like I do.. yeah maybe it would be fine... but its one more possibility of making it home even if it does break, without loosing the cargo, for maybe $8 in metal and $1.00 in weld wire, it cheap compared to a new snow blower to replace the one that went sliding across the freeway...

Hokie,
Not that the braces are a bad idea but if the joints are welded correctly the welds should not fail- the metal itself would/should bend/break first. A good weld will always be stronger than the base metal. If your welds are breaking then you are not getting good penetration. A good cheap test is the ol' sledge hammer test: weld two flat pieces together and put it in a vise and give it a few wacks- the metal should bend but the welded joint should stay together. If you can break the joint apart with the sledge then there wasn't enough penetration during the welding.

Ed

Good to know... we welded the crap outta it when making it, I just put the triangular braces b/c I had seen every other one out there like that, it seemed like a good idea, and i had the extra metal laying around :)

I have followed Hokie's advice and added 4 additional support brackets. These brackets are made of 1" angle sistered at each end for 8" and attach to the center tube in a triangular configuration.

Lookin' good! :thumbsup:

More support can never hurt but with Derocha's design he had already incorporated as much structual integrity as Hokie's because he ran angle iron/braces out from his center post where as Hokie did not and the braces that Hokie used allows him not to need the angel iron in the middle of his basket. As Hokie said " this thing is crazy strong" and I believe him, he followed the commercial ones he had seen and building your own sh*t is always rewarding.
and if Derocha's basket falls apart then he probably didn't let the weld dry long enough in that cold weather he's got up there :D

More support can never hurt but with Derocha's design he had already incorporated as much structual integrity as Hokie's because he ran angle iron/braces out from his center post where as Hokie did not and the braces that Hokie used allows him not to need the angel iron in the middle of his basket. As Hokie said " this thing is crazy strong" and I believe him, he followed the commercial ones he had seen and building your own sh*t is always rewarding.
and if Derocha's basket falls apart then he probably didn't let the weld dry long enough in that cold weather he's got up there :D

Yeah, i thought about putting a support in the middle of the grate, but its only a 17" gap between my L Brackets, and the expanded steel is really strong. When I up and down on it in the middle of the grate, the expanded steel barely bows. It would probably be a cold day in hell before the expanded steel gave away and allowed a strapped down load (I strap to the frame) to break free. I really only need it to carry a tupperware contain with kayaking gear or a cooler or a grille or fire wood or a dead deer every now and then anyways ;)

RYF, the weld should not fail, the metal around the welded joint would break apart first. Welding electrodes are made of much better quality material than the base metal. As you mentioned the braces relieve stress at the joints and spread it around the entire basket but they do not prevent welds from failing. If you get a chance check out a place that installs trailer hitches to see if they have any mangled/overloaded hitches that they have removed from vehicles- it will be a mangled mess ut the welded joints will be still intact. :cool:

haha the snowblower looks kinda funny on there, like you're carrying around your Rascal wheelchair :D But seriously now, that looks real nice. Looks like it'll hold up well :thumbsup:

Mine got put through a nice little test too... I drove 500 miles from Charleston, SC to Charlottesville, VA like this

Worked great :thumbsup:

EDIT: Sigh, that was the last pic I took when she was still lifted... :( Friggin' gas prices... :fire:

Nice packing job :thumbsup: I know you have it strapped down good but I'd be afraid to hit a bump and have the grill end up on some guy's hood behind me (I'm paranoid like that). I still have to check any D.O.T laws to see if I need to anything in regards to relectors or lighting...

Looks Great! Just wondering are you going to put sides on it? Seems with sides you could use it for so many other items. Of course one would have to be removable, or just 3 sided.

I have a large 48 qt RubberMaid Action packer that I can strap down if needed, but I have no plans to box in the basket. The receiver hitch basket is mainly going to get used hauling my push mower and snow blower around. I'm currently working on a Utility Trailer project (http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=133129&highlight=trailer) to haul larger loads. so between the two options I should be good to go.

this is the one i threw together for my dad's envoy. They needed extra space for a 3 week camping trip out to CO. We built it so the rear hatch would still open with it installed.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/6/web/474000-474999/474045_118.jpg

And here it is "offroad"....he isn't an offroader by any means and that was his corporate car so ....And as most of you would gather it wouldn't be very good for offroading but he said it was quite on the highways and alot easier for loading/unloading than something on top (which was the other option he considered). He kept all the camp stuff in it. and used it as a makeshift table when they stopped for lunch and what not

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/6/web/474000-474999/474045_119.jpg

I just wanted to ask those of you with that use these receiver baskets if they shake from side to side very much. It looks like they would on rough roads with them loaded.

Eventually, I would like to build one is why I am asking. ;)

thanks,
Brian_B

I just wanted to ask those of you with that use these receiver baskets if they shake from side to side very much. It looks like they would on rough roads with them loaded.

Eventually, I would like to build one is why I am asking. ;)

thanks,
Brian_B

That is a good question.. It was probably hard to see (because of my long post) but I addressed this at the bottom of post #1. Basically there are various devices on the market to tighten up the receiver conections and help minimize any unwanted movement.

I feel silly for asking now. I did not see that at all. Sorry, I thought I read the whole thread. I was thinking maybe you had used rachet straps from the corners back to each side of the hitch or something. Thank you.

i have a carrier for my dirtbike without the "slop tightener" so it rocks side to side somewhat. Its noticable, but its not too too bad. as long as your shit's tied down good, which it should be, you probly don't have too much to worry about...although I wish my carrier had one of those ;)