500-lb capacity hitch rack from Harbor Freight

[rayra]

http://www.harborfreight.com/500-lb-capacity-deluxe-cargo-carrier-66983.html

Seen a few in use, in the wild and on members' vehicle here. Had oft thought of getting one, even with our big SUVs, 'for when 140cu' of interior space is not enough'.
They have a goose-necked / riser version, listed as being for 'ATV' use. And it has a lower rated capacity of 300-lbs. I wanted the 500-lbs capacity and I intent to modify it, adding a riser gooseneck gusseted with steel plates. I want to raise it up at least flush with the step bumper.

I had a 'super coupon' that was set to expire so finally went ahead and bought it a few days ago. $46 instead of $66. Today I unpacked and assembled it, put it on the Sub and farted around with various container arrangements. I found the welds to be the expected poor quality. They were bird-crap ugly, but seemed to have good penetration and strength. The bolt hardare provided seemed sufficient, nice mix of lockwashers and nylock nuts. One could replace all that with hardened #8 bolts, or even just weld up the whole thing. I might do that in the future, plan to get a wire-feed rig before the end of the year. It's been more than 25yrs since I did much gas or arc welding.
Overall I don't consider it a bad starter kit for the price.

It sticks out from the hitch about 4" and the top edge is about 6-3/4" below the top of my GMT800 Suburban bumper.

I then started experimenting with various bits of gear, seeing how things fit. No matter how I rearranged things or mixed up various containers, I couldn't fit more than 6 commercial fuel containers in the rack. Call it 30-35gals, depending on your containers. Using strictly Jerry Cans / MFC / MWC, I could fit 7.

One nice thing of the stock low height, I could still open the rear Liftgate on my Sub and I suppose any similar SUV would be the same.

But it's not a config for anything but paved roads or well-graded dirt roads. Not unless you are desperate. Makes an already poor departure angle even more impractical.

it's also certainly NOT something I'd want to display in something like say a hurricane or post-disaster evacuation. If you are going to do that, I suggest at least a tarp and maybe some unsightly household crap on top of them, as camoflage. Find somewhere out of sight to use the fuel.


I was able to force-squeeze the commercial jugs into the rack in pairs, side by side, front to back. But I wouldn't recommend it for a long drive. And I'd definitely suggest using smooth carriage head bolts in the assembly of the top frame, elsewise the bolt heads will wear thru your containers in short order IMAO.

I also did some messing around with water containers. It would hold (4) 7gal 'Aquatainers', 28gals. Or again, it would hold (7) MWCs, 35gals+

I got this as an 'extra' / Prepper sort of item, partially prompted by the fresh noise about big quakes in my area. I'm ~15mi from the San Andreas, already lost my prior home to the Northridge Quake (I lived about 2 blocks west and south of the apartments that collapsed and killed most of the folks lost in that Earthquake). Since then, I've paid a lot more attention to stores, Prepping, 'bugging out'. This hitch carrier / rack fits into that sort of thing nicely. And would be useful for folks with bigger families for whom even a Suburban or Excursion is not enough room.

/now I keep eyeballing HF's well regarded folding 4'x8' trailer. Not as snazzy as a tall military trailer / pintle setup, but I can do a hell of a custom build-out on one for about the same money.

 

[Jelorian]

I have the same HF rack. Similarly to you, I've added reflective tape on the bars. For the money it's a decent carrier. Before I picked up my Suburban I used the HF rack as well as a Thule cargo box on my wife's VW Touareg when going out camping/etc. Now it sits mostly unused as most of the time I can fit everything in the Sub'. I have used it a few times to haul firewood on our occassional 3 day weekend camping trips, but I agree, it does decrease departure angle significantly.

 

[MOguy]

Hanging a lot of weight like that can affect how the vehicle drives. You have a heavier vechicle so that won't be as much of an issue. Another issue if you cannot open the back of your vehicle unless you take off the cans even then the hitch hauler will be in the way. My main concern would be the red plastic jugs you have.

Years ago I drove from Tennessee to Barstow with a hitch hauler just like that and a red 5-gallon jug just like that. I refilled the jug in Flagstaff Arizona it was in perfect condition. By the time I got to Barstow the seam had split and was completely empty. The jug made it all the way from Tennessee to Flagstaff but as soon as I got to the hot desert heat it split. I suppose it's a combination of the extreme heat and the vibrations but if you're going to be traveling in Southern California heat I would not use those red cans.

 

[maktruk]

Before anything you should have sanded the thing, degreased it, and used quality rust preventative paint. It'll start surface rusting in less than a year just in dry climates. Ask how I know.

 

[rayra]

I agree better cans are in order, but not at $50-75ea. If my local Costco ever gets - or I can order - some of the new Scepter 'civilian' jugs at their lower pricing, I'll do so. I'm chasing a lead on the water versions right now at a crazy low price.

As to your cans splitting in the hot west, can't answer that mystery. As you can see from my pics I've been using a wide mix of containers here in our SoCal heat, for decades. I've never had one split on a seam. They've died other horrible deaths by misadventure, but never had one just fail due to their design or extreme age. In fact these jugs live in a wood 'paint locker' on the south side of my house, which is in full sun all day. The house-facing side is metal mesh and wood lattice, so the fuel and water jugs are basically sitting in ambient / shade temps, 24/7/365. 38-114deg. Yet they live.

The rack I'll certainly rework. It will likely be the experimental subject for blowing the rust off my welding skills, over the winter. So it will get refinished once it is remodeled.

Since my primary intended use for it is 'bugout', I'm not worried at all about the inconveniences it might add. If I actually have to use it as pictured, I'll have far worse concerns. I don't have any intention to use it for general camping / road trips.

 

[Bear in NM]

I have one like it, the Hitch Haul I think, hanging in my yard. I used it all the time on my Jeep. Have not needed it with my Avalanche.

The rated capacity may be 500 pounds, but I tell you with even less weight, that thing will rock and roll like crazy. When I was doing reasonably hard off road, it would torque and roll, and bounce. I never worried about weight in the vertical plane, but the torqing really bugged me. My Jeep had a couple of plates mounted above the rear lights from an old cargo rack. I ran a ratchet strap from each end of the basket up to each bracket. Just a little tension on the strap, not lifting much, and it became solid as a rock. You have nothing obvious on your Sub up high to attach, but maybe some type of folding or extending anchor point could be built off your rack? maybe only used if doing any type of trail where you are getting body roll?

Another point for anyone running one of these that has a rear outletting exhaust. Even with a foot or more of distance between your tail pipe and rack, you can melt plastic tubs........

Craig

 

[MOguy]

I agree better cans are in order, but not at $50-75ea. If my local Costco ever gets - or I can order - some of the new Scepter 'civilian' jugs at their lower pricing, I'll do so. I'm chasing a lead on the water versions right now at a crazy low price.

As to your cans splitting in the hot west, can't answer that mystery. As you can see from my pics I've been using a wide mix of containers here in our SoCal heat, for decades. I've never had one split on a seam. They've died other horrible deaths by misadventure, but never had one just fail due to their design or extreme age. In fact these jugs live in a wood 'paint locker' on the south side of my house, which is in full sun all day. The house-facing side is metal mesh and wood lattice, so the fuel and water jugs are basically sitting in ambient / shade temps, 24/7/365. 38-114deg. Yet they live.

The rack I'll certainly rework. It will likely be the experimental subject for blowing the rust off my welding skills, over the winter. So it will get refinished once it is remodeled.

Since my primary intended use for it is 'bugout', I'm not worried at all about the inconveniences it might add. If I actually have to use it as pictured, I'll have far worse concerns. I don't have any intention to use it for general camping / road trips.

Any of those cans are fine for storage. Sitting on a rack bouncing behind a vehicle will be far more abusive than storing them. We have some of the less expensive scepter civilian fuel cans at work and they aren't has thick as the Military ones but they seem better than other cheap ones.

I ran around in the desert for a few years while stationed at Fort Irwin and never had an issue with the scepter MFC, and it would get 125 plus.

 

[MOguy]

I have one like it, the Hitch Haul I think, hanging in my yard. I used it all the time on my Jeep. Have not needed it with my Avalanche.

The rated capacity may be 500 pounds, but I tell you with even less weight, that thing will rock and roll like crazy. When I was doing reasonably hard off road, it would torque and roll, and bounce. I never worried about weight in the vertical plane, but the torqing really bugged me. My Jeep had a couple of plates mounted above the rear lights from an old cargo rack. I ran a ratchet strap from each end of the basket up to each bracket. Just a little tension on the strap, not lifting much, and it became solid as a rock. You have nothing obvious on your Sub up high to attach, but maybe some type of folding or extending anchor point could be built off your rack? maybe only used if doing any type of trail where you are getting body roll?

Another point for anyone running one of these that has a rear outletting exhaust. Even with a foot or more of distance between your tail pipe and rack, you can melt plastic tubs........

Craig

Mine is made by different manufacturers rated 500 pounds I did bend it off roading and I've never cared more than a hundred hundred pounds if even that. I change the original bar that went into the hitch with a thicker one. I also use a ratchet strap to secure it to keep it from moving

View attachment 369835

 

[Jelorian]

Hanging a lot of weight like that can affect how the vehicle drives. You have a heavier vechicle so that won't be as much of an issue. Another issue if you cannot open the back of your vehicle unless you take off the cans even then the hitch hauler will be in the way. My main concern would be the red plastic jugs you have.

Years ago I drove from Tennessee to Barstow with a hitch hauler just like that and a red 5-gallon jug just like that. I refilled the jug in Flagstaff Arizona it was in perfect condition. By the time I got to Barstow the seam had split and was completely empty. The jug made it all the way from Tennessee to Flagstaff but as soon as I got to the hot desert heat it split. I suppose it's a combination of the extreme heat and the vibrations but if you're going to be traveling in Southern California heat I would not use those red cans.

Navin: He hates these cans! Stay away from the cans!

Sorry, I was reminded of the old movie when I read your post.

I've never heard of the red ones splitting at the seams, although I'm sure it's plausible especially if it was sitting near the exhaust.

 

[MOguy]

Navin: He hates these cans! Stay away from the cans!

Sorry, I was reminded of the old movie when I read your post.

I've never heard of the red ones splitting at the seams, although I'm sure it's plausible especially if it was sitting near the exhaust.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RmYnZqKOUu4

The Jerk

 

[rayra]

I have one like it, the Hitch Haul I think, hanging in my yard. I used it all the time on my Jeep. Have not needed it with my Avalanche.

The rated capacity may be 500 pounds, but I tell you with even less weight, that thing will rock and roll like crazy. When I was doing reasonably hard off road, it would torque and roll, and bounce. I never worried about weight in the vertical plane, but the torqing really bugged me. My Jeep had a couple of plates mounted above the rear lights from an old cargo rack. I ran a ratchet strap from each end of the basket up to each bracket. Just a little tension on the strap, not lifting much, and it became solid as a rock. You have nothing obvious on your Sub up high to attach, but maybe some type of folding or extending anchor point could be built off your rack? maybe only used if doing any type of trail where you are getting body roll?

Another point for anyone running one of these that has a rear outletting exhaust. Even with a foot or more of distance between your tail pipe and rack, you can melt plastic tubs........

Craig

There's a better trick. You just lay a few fat weld beads on the outside of the tube going into the receiver and grind them down to achieve a snug custom fit in the receiver. I used to use windings of tape to accomplish the same thing, before I read of the weld bead trick.


/Somehow I always get 'SERPENTINE, SHELLY!' ('The Inlaws') mixed up with that scene from 'The Jerk'. Both came out in '79

 

[Kerensky97]

I like the idea of ratcheting them down to stop the shaking but I still can't get past the departure issues they cause off road. I already drag my bare hitch through the ground all over like a boat anchor.

But for a quick pavement based bugout of natural disaster I think it's would be great.

 

[Bear in NM]

There's a better trick. You just lay a few fat weld beads on the outside of the tube going into the receiver and grind them down to achieve a snug custom fit in the receiver. I used to use windings of tape to accomplish the same thing, before I read of the weld bead trick.


/Somehow I always get 'SERPENTINE, SHELLY!' ('The Inlaws') mixed up with that scene from 'The Jerk'. Both came out in '79

Yes, I have been that road as well. I do not weld, but had the shop place a couple of tacks on mine, then commenced to filing (I now have a grinder). There is a fine line between snug and limited roll, and mechanically locked ;^) Always seemed that when I got to camp, and went to remove, the darn thing was wedged tight. But then it was also a Jeep, and by definition, overloaded. The straps were ghetto looking, but much easier. I also use the same principle on my hitch motorcycle carrier, but by design it needs to be attached low, on the bumper/frame, with two straps. When snugged down, zero roll.

In any event, mine sits unused, but no way I am getting rid of it. In the right application, it is just too useful.

Craig

 

[Ghostyman]

Just get a $20 hitch stabilizer. They work great to eliminate the side to side motion.

The haulers are convenient for carrying extra stuff (firewood, coolers, etc) but, as noted earlier, they absolutely ruin your departure angle.

 

[rayra]

This rack is going to be $38 in their upcoming 'Black Friday' sale
http://www.bfads.net/Black-Friday/Harbor-Freight/Ad?page=7#viewer