Golf cart carrier

[kowbra]

Originally Posted by RVDH

Like I said in the previous post the about the cargo gate on the back already with I already carry about 300lbs on between the generator and dock box full of equipment. Plus I if don't fill the water tank that saves me 450lbs which is just forward of the rear bumper. I figured taking the batteries out and put them in the truck bed and I shouldn't have a problem. Of course you have to keep the overall weight and balance in check, so again where do you come up with your comments? I this by experience? Have you ever looked into it?

If you want to know the right answer, ask the manufacturers; in this case Keystone/Montana and Lippert. But I think you already know the answer.

I find it strange how aggressive you are in coming here ostensibly asking questions then slamming the people who provide them.

Try it out and report back. Maybe it works, but more likely your slides start jamming, or you start noticing cracking in the fibreglass. Will the local welder fix those issues if they arise?


But, hey, I hear some local welders can make anything work


Brad

[Bstarr]

Listen to everyone. It’s not safe. I have a swivel wheel trailer I haul mine on and had the OEM hitch removed and had a beefed up one installed. It is now rated for the weight of a golf cart. How can you go and ask a question and turn around and not like your answers. Good luck with being a hard head

[steiny93]

Many of us tow with Montana 5th wheels (which isn't a warranty happy place), some have issues some don't, individual results vary. But in general on the forums it isn't a positive topic.

I towed a 4500lb boat with a tandem trailer, it was about 500lbs of dynamic tongue weight. I thought it was a lot of weight for the rv, it pulled different and didn't act the same as when it was empty, it worked but I believe it was at the edge of being do able.

On the carrier topic.
Your local welder isn't going to know if the frame can or can't handle the load, the local dude will know if what they weld on to the frame will handle the load but that is it. I personally believe one could re-enforce a frame to make this work, but knowing what to re-enforce will likely be a challenge. For the weight your looking at you will need class V hitch strength from the pin of the 5th wheel hitch all the way to the receiver holding the cart.

A small trailer would significantly reduce the stress on the rv but you loose maneuverability, totally get that.

[Bstarr]

I had to have a duel hitch welded up all beefed up with gussets. I wish I knew how to put pictures on here to show you. Best of luck to ya. Be careful out there. Happy RVing

[badknees]

Originally Posted by RVDH

I have a Montana 35 high country and I'm looking for a rack to carry my golf cart on the back frame. Ant ideas/

Hi RVDH I have a smart trailer. I bought it 2019 hauled my golf cart to Florida the first year and back to Mich and back to Florida,found aplace to store cart in florida, so don't need trailer .Its for sale it got two swivel wheels double hitch hookup ramps,steel deck lights. I had on my 42' 3931 montana. i nice thing it turned with the fifth wheel backin upjust call me badknees

[Sokcap48]

Sir-I think it is a matter of leverage. My bench sticks out 30” past the back, but I have only about 20” of useable room. You would have to extend that another 20-28” in order to have room for your cart. It is not just about the weight but how far back that weight will be sitting. I think a trailer would be safer. People out west double haul all the time. Hope this helps.

[Ram Montana High Country]

Originally Posted by RVDH

How do you figure that? The gate on the back right now is rated for 500lbs, total weight of my golf cart with batteries is 875lbs without batteries 476lbs well within the spec for the trailer. I appreciate your input but don't give out opinions without fact. I may have my local welder come up with something.

Just check with manufacturer, my bet is you’ll void frame warranty. And you should not be rude when you ask for opinions, accept what you get

[BB_TX]

As has been said in various ways, you need to look at it from an engineering standpoint and consider the mechanics and dynamics of it. You can't just consider a dead weight. I am sure if you ask the hitch manufacturer they will tell you the 300 or 500 or whatever pound rating the hitch has is the vertical weight. That would normally be the tongue weight of a trailer. That is a downward weight. And since the trailer is attached with a ball hitch that can rotate with road imperfections, there is little torque force applied to the receiver.

But if you cantilever a platform off the receiver, that weight is no longer just a downward force, it also applies a significant torque force to the receiver. That is a rotational force trying to bend the receiver downward. 500 lbs extended one foot from the receiver would be 500 pound feet torque force. If that weight is centered two feet back, then the torque force would be 1,000 pound feet. And if the 500 lbs is centered three feet back, that would be 1,500 pound feet of torque force on the receiver. And that is just at the receiver.

Now consider that the 500 lbs is not only 3 feet back of the trailer, it is also over 10 feet back of the rear most axle. The rear most point of the suspension is the point at which the whole rear of the trailer is cantilevered. So now that 500 pound feet becomes over 5,000 pound feet of torque on the trailer frame behind the rear axle.

And those are just the static torque forces, meaning sitting still. Considering the significant bouncing that goes on back there on the highways, the dynamic torque force is significantly greater than that. It would take a mechanical engineer much smarter than me to calculate what forces that would be.

Tell your welder that you need a hitch and frame reinforcement to withstand forces greater than those noted above.


Still not the answer you wanted. But there are a lot of people smarter than me on here. And they are just trying to help and not offend.

[skippydoo]

Hi there,
I do not have an answer to your question.

I am very interested in your follow UP info for us when you hitch everything up.

We would LOVE to have a golf cart on back of our MHC. So far we have not found anyone who has done it. Come to think of it, we have never seen one either in all of our travels.

Cant wait to find out what you have decided.

[RVDH]

Is that Idaho tote legal in all states?

[kowbra]

Originally Posted by Sokcap48

Sir-I think it is a matter of leverage. My bench sticks out 30” past the back, but I have only about 20” of useable room. You would have to extend that another 20-28” in order to have room for your cart. It is not just about the weight but how far back that weight will be sitting. I think a trailer would be safer. People out west double haul all the time. Hope this helps.

Another complication... a golf cart is tall and the roof is almost as wide as the base. Any bouncing and the roof could easily hit the back of the RV.

If you've ever following someone hauling (a relatively lightweight) load of bicycles, you will see how much they bounce and I've personally seen more than one who has put a handlebar into the fiberglass on the rear of the RV.

So... how far out will the cart need to be to allow for movement without the roof hitting the back of the RV? 6'? 7'?

That is a huge lever arm with a huge lever moment!



That's where I think the idea of swivel wheel, smart trailers, freedom hauler, etc, will make a lot more sense. When I researched this and if I was to go this way, I'd go with the Freedom Hauler (aka Idaho Tote). I really like their patented turning axle.



As to legal in all states? Many states and provinces do not allow 'double towing', but the above solutions connect in multiple points to the RV. Apparently this means it is an extension of the trailer and not a separate trailer. There are some on other forums who have travelled all of the lower 48 and Canadian provinces where they were never stopped for having the extension. One even said they went through safety stops and while they looked at the extension, they never asked about it.



hth



Brad

[RVDH]

I'm not slamming anyone, just gathering info! I research everything prior to making a decision on which way I want to go. if I seem to come off as a little crass and insulting that is not my intent, but I've been on forums plenty of times before and since my profession is in the boating field I see a lot of false, misleading info posted when I know for certain what the answer is, so again its about wading through the BS to get the info I need. I also look at other resources beyond this particular forum including other forums, manufacturers, other people who have successfully done this, which in my opinion is the most valuable info due to it's real life situations and not speculation.

[WeBeFulltime]

Does the High Country still have only the 10" frame instead of the 12" like regular Montana?

[kowbra]

Originally Posted by RVDH

I'm not slamming anyone, just gathering info! I research everything prior to making a decision on which way I want to go. if I seem to come off as a little crass and insulting that is not my intent, but I've been on forums plenty of times before and since my profession is in the boating field I see a lot of false, misleading info posted when I know for certain what the answer is, so again its about wading through the BS to get the info I need. I also look at other resources beyond this particular forum including other forums, manufacturers, other people who have successfully done this, which in my opinion is the most valuable info due to it's real life situations and not speculation.

Well I think you've found your answer then. This is the largest forum for Montana 5th wheels on the internet, and no one has commented on how they've done it. So it seems no one has, but many are sharing their 'real life' experiences of not doing what you were suggesting or using various "extension trailers" instead.



On other forums, there were a few who installed Cruiserlifts on 5th wheels. There were a lot of issues. Cruiserlift used to advertise heavily for both Motorcoaches and 5th wheels, but now you won't find any reference to installing their lift on the back of 5th wheels, and no photos of any past installations. Motorcoaches have heavy duty "bus" frames, 5th wheels do not. The company now offers the SwivelWheel as their solution for 5th wheels.



In years past, I've done this research, and the answer I found was always the same - 5th wheel frames do not have the strength to support that much weight, that far from the axles, with that much overhang. My solution? I bought a used motorcycle to keep in AZ where we winter and gave up on trying to haul it with me.



Brad

[Edd]

Originally Posted by RVDH

Like I said in the previous post the about the cargo gate on the back already with I already carry about 300lbs on between the generator and dock box full of equipment. Plus I if don't fill the water tank that saves me 450lbs which is just forward of the rear bumper. I figured taking the batteries out and put them in the truck bed and I shouldn't have a problem. Of course you have to keep the overall weight and balance in check, so again where do you come up with your comments? I this by experience? Have you ever looked into it?

I built steel 4x8 foot deck on the back of my Montana witch puts us at 44 feet. I carry a late model 1k pound full dress Harley Davidson on the back with ease. The deck is about 225 pounds. I welded two receivers on both side I beams and regular trailer hitch square tubing on the deck. It slides in and with ease! We have over 30k miles on this rig with 0 problem's! and that is saying alot with all the jacked up roads in this US of A

[PNW Fireguy]

Originally Posted by RVDH

Is that Idaho tote legal in all states?

Yes it is and I have one for sale

[DutchmenSport]

Quote:
Originally Posted by RVDH View Post
Is that Idaho tote legal in all states?
Yes it is and I have one for sale
__________________
SOB

...

They are legal in Indiana, as Indiana has no problems with double towing. I don't know the laws for every state, but in Indiana, if it has a wheel and the wheel touches the ground, it's considered a trailer. And trailers have to have their own license plates and lights. They need brakes too, but only if the total weight of trailer and all cargo exceeds 3000 pounds.

If it doesn't have a wheel and does not touch the ground, then it's a cargo carrier. No lights or registration required.

[DutchmenSport]

Originally Posted by WeBeFulltime

Does the High Country still have only the 10" frame instead of the 12" like regular Montana?

My MHC has the 12 inch frame.

[grass man]

Hello badknees,

If you still have the trailer for sale I am interested.

Thanks,
Grass man

[bshgto]

Originally Posted by Edd

I built steel 4x8 foot deck on the back of my Montana witch puts us at 44 feet. I carry a late model 1k pound full dress Harley Davidson on the back with ease. The deck is about 225 pounds. I welded two receivers on both side I beams and regular trailer hitch square tubing on the deck. It slides in and with ease! We have over 30k miles on this rig with 0 problem's! and that is saying alot with all the jacked up roads in this US of A

Glad this is working out for you. Some of the Sandford and Son adaptions to ideas is the reason I follow no one traveling, rolling the dice. The last one was the short extension ladder that was tied to the rv ladder that came off as the Bufoone passed us, and was laying right in the middle of the road, I swerved missed it the guy behind me didn`t the clown kept going.
Several manufactures make products for hauling unusual loads behind RV`s
Why would anyone want to try and out do their engineering and testing to save a few dollars. Besides you could sell it for at least half when your done with it and rest easy that your not going to endanger the traveling public.
,