design problem [ scooter carrier and tow dolly for car

1946 BN IHC · Dec 16, 2021

to those who are design persons.

My wife Brenda has an electric scooter.
Our [new to us] mobile came with a hand made bumper / hitch type flatbed rack. ( it is removable- hooked to the 2 inch receiver and secondarily secured the the bumper with bolts) { It was too wide back to front } I have modified the width and shape of it to fit the scooter / smaller, narrower in width. While I am redoing the carrier I had the idea to add a hitch to tow our front wheel drive car on a 2 wheel dolly.
Now the problem. I was thinking to add two 2 square tubes and receivers to the frame of the RV to add extra security and strength to the carrier so the 2 inch receiver hitch could be added the back of the platform to attach the tow dolly for the car.
My email is [email protected] for direct contact, with drawings or thoughts.
Thank you for any and all thoughts, directions and cautions.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all may each of you and your family have a safe pleasant holliday.
Wm.

jon f mn · Dec 16, 2021

Almost no rv bumper is strong enough to tow anything from. Most are less than 1/8 thick and so prone to tear. If your going to tow you need to be attached to the frame

DoubleO7 · Dec 16, 2021

I am guessing you meant to say this tow vehicle is a motor home?
Does it have the rather common 4" sq bumper that is typically maybe made of 10ga steel?

If the bumper is supporting the scooter on the platform, why not buy a ready made for your motorhome receiver hitch??

Mike M · Dec 16, 2021

I think I would get a hitch and hook the tow dolly and car up and then hook the scooter to the back of the car ?

DoubleO7 · Dec 16, 2021

(quoted from post at 17:15:52 12/16/21) Almost no rv bumper is strong enough to tow anything from. Most are less than 1/8 thick and so prone to tear. If your going to tow you need to be attached to the frame

I think he is looking to basically extend the frame rails via 2" sq tubing or receiver tubing.
Long enough to reach the rear most portion of the scooter platform.
And from there add a centered receiver for a conventional drawbar with 2" ball.

i think.

BarnyardEngineering · Dec 16, 2021

Of course you will be attaching this carrier primarily to the RECEIVER HITCH on the motorhome.

I can't imagine you would even be considering using the flimsy bumper on the rear of the motorhome to attach a trailer. It's meant to store your black water drain hose.

They make receiver hitch extensions. I would install one of these and mount the carrier to it. Then the receiver extension runs under the carrier and takes all of the load from the trailer.

Janicholson · Dec 16, 2021

Not best. The hitch on the tow vehicle is marginal at best. Put the scooter on a rack on the back of the car. Same load different leverage. Jim

Stephen Newell · Dec 16, 2021

What about something like this for the RV or the tow car. They aren't very expensive.

1946 BN IHC · Dec 16, 2021

TO MAKE clear The more home has a 2 inch receiver that the carrier hooks into///then two brackets were added to the outer edge of the carrier
to give added strength [by the previous owner who had carried motor cycles. Brenda's scooter is electric 3 wheel and in poundage is probably 100 to 150 LBS. All I am thinking is to add a second receiver and extra supports from the frame of the RV back under the carrier to it to draw the 2 wheel dolly with the front wheel drive locked on leaving the rear wheels on the ground.
>>>HOPEFULY this clears up any mis understanding of my thoughts.
Wm.

DoubleO7 · Dec 16, 2021

What is the scooter model?
And will you own the car dolly or rent?

Depending on your answers, maybe use this drawbar in the existing receiver.
Then the drawbar for the tow dolly in the bottom.
And the scooter carrier in the upper.
Might have to use drawbars with a drop.
Or a dual hitch extender that is taller.

This post was edited by DoubleO7 on 12/16/2021 at 05:24 pm.

showcrop · Dec 17, 2021

Why so much about not attaching to the bumper when the OP clearly states frame???

"2 square tubes and receivers to the frame of the RV to add extra security and strength"

Carlmac 369 · Dec 17, 2021

(quoted from post at 09:07:42 12/17/21)

[b:e6486b03fc]Why so much about not attaching to the bumper when the OP clearly states frame???[/b:e6486b03fc]

"2 square tubes and receivers to the frame of the RV to add extra security and strength"

Lack of reading I expect.

1946 BN IHC · Dec 17, 2021

double 07 I like what you have sent I will look into this idea that you sent a picture of; I will look into this piece as a possible
solution. The only thing is tough the tongue of the 2 wheel dolly would need to be 4 to 5 feet longer to reach in under the platform of the 3
wheel scooter which is 35 inches wide.
I think I will also [when I am over our friend's house where our RV is parked in their large driving shed] measure, photo, the rear frame
members behind the bumper and further investigate how I might install extra fastening points just for safety; such as [2 inch receivers
blocks] under the frame to install 2 inch square tubs into, rather than the bolt on tabs that create extra support to the bumper, and only
relying on the center 2 inch receiver hitch to carry the full load and strain. Maybe I will figure out how to post some pictures of the
present set up too.

jon f mn · Dec 17, 2021

Because he wants to add to a platform
already mounted partially to the bumper.
Those receiver tubes are great and the
proper way to go about hooking up. But
once you bolt to the bumper the bolted
part becomes the tightest fit, therefore
it also does most of the work until it
fails. Anything attached to the bumper is
not safe for towing. And anyone asking the
questions this poster is asking is
unlikely to have the fabrication skill
necessary to build a tow hitch that is
safe.

jon f mn · Dec 17, 2021

It's easy to misunderstand some posts, but
doesn't his original post ask about
modifying a platform bolted to the bumper,
just adding to it with tubing?

DoubleO7 · Dec 17, 2021

Wow, that is a big three wheel mobility scooter.
Must be a rather robust, offroad model.

But do you really have to have the tow dolly ball out from under the platform?

1946 BN IHC · Dec 17, 2021

in the picture where the bend just after the hitch point is about where the back edge of the platform for Brenda's scooter is [at 35 inches
back from the bumper]. I was looking at the unit today; if I created two extra receivers for 2 under the frame where the other hitch bolts
then run out 2 {2} square tubes, then install the second receiver hitch welded to the underside of the platform , just far enough out to
receive the hitch for the dolly.
>>>>Further comments; and thoughts or ideas.

W_B · Dec 17, 2021

(quoted from post at 21:28:53 12/16/21) I think I would get a hitch and hook the tow dolly and car up and then hook the scooter to the back of the car ?

This is what my in-laws did. Towed the car (a Honda mini van) on a dolly behind the motor home with the FIL's scooter mounted on the car. They did that for a couple of years and sold the van for a CRV with the same mount for the scooter. But FIL died before the maiden voyage of that rig and MIL never went back to Florida.

1946 BN IHC · Dec 18, 2021

I am going to figure out how to send a picture of the scooter,& the platform [ I am not an expert on computers] so others may see the two and maybe understand more fully.

RobCons · Dec 18, 2021

An extension 4 or 5 foot long is going to tend to be a weak spot. What about getting a receiver hitch installed on the front of the rv and haul the scooter there?

design problem [ scooter carrier and tow dolly for car

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