Help with receivers to attach accessories

[Tool Man]

As I said over in the newbies forum, I'm just starting a teardrop trailer project. I've seen several photos showing accessories such as tables, umbrellas, and canopies mounted to receivers that are welded to the trailer frame. I know little to nothing about receivers, and was in hopes that someone here could answer my questions before I get to welding:

Should I go with a standard 1 1/4" receiver for monting side tables and possibly a small canopy? Seems like overkill to me, but I don't know what else is available.

What do I get to slide into the receiver hitch? Do I have to cut off a perfectly good ball mount to build off from? Seems to me someone would make just the square metal bar with the hole in it for people who are fabricating their own accessories, but I don't know what to search for. Failing that, can I just buy steel bar stock, (or better yet square tubing) and if so, what size? Does a 1 1/4" receiver
have an ID of 1 1/4", or does 1 1/4" refer to the size of the bar that goes into it?


Thanks for your help!
-Tim

[laoutdoorsman]

you can buy raw square tube at a steel supply shop, or a welding shop cheap...

"standard" size for towing receiver hitches is 2 1/2 inch for the receiver, and the drawbar is 2 inch...


if you just want light duty...they do have 1 1/4 hitches...but for your question, id still look into getting the raw iron rather than trying to get stuff already made...($$$)

harbor freight has some tubes made up (with the hole)...i think for an 18 inch it was like 15 bucks....i can buy a whole 10 foot stick for that...

i read somewhere where somebody just found a local machine shop or fab shop somewhere and got what they needed, and for only a few dollars more, the shop cut and drilled everything...

a busy shop, will have stuff like this just laying around in their scrap bins(drop pieces)...

[Dale M.]

Pretty much as "laoutdoorsman" says....

Go to steel sales or machine shop (check industrial suppliers in phone book) and get needed materials and make them up to fit your needs....... Juut be aware of inside and out side dimensions of tubing and wall thicknesses..... Most rectangular steel tubing "telescopes" with some clearance.......

Dale

[Tool Man]

Thanks! I had seen the receivers at Harbor Freight, but couldn't see paying those prices. I checked McMaster Carr, and their website doesn't specify whetether the dimensions are ID or OD, so I wasn't sure they would telescope. Guess a trip down to Mac Steel is in order so that I can see it in person.

-Tim

[bobhenry]

a 2x2x5/16 square tube has an inside dimension of 1 3/8" the 1 1/4 ball mount will slide in easily.

I intend to tow tandums and used 2x2x1/4 for my tongue and ran it clear to the rear where I installed a 1 1/4 ball mount for the second trailer. If I had used the thicker wall I would not have had to shim with 1/8" flat stock inside. DUH !

1 1/4 square tube is available and it would fit in the 2x2x5/16 as well. It is available in 4 wall thicknesses .065 ~ .083 ~ .12 ~
and good old 3/16"

[jamscal]

Receiver tube is 'special' and not 2 1/2", but very close. It's a tad larger on the OD, and the ID is something like 2 1/6" and the internal seam is either flattened or removed.

You can use 2 1/2" 3/16" wall for general stuff, but it will be a bit sloppier.

The HF stuff is actually a good deal IMO because they're on sale a lot and you can use one of the many 20% off coupons.

Esp. if you only need a foot of it and consider the 2 5/8" holes you won't have to drill.

You'll make your attachments out of 2" OD tubing.

Good luck with your project

[bobhenry]

I got in good with the guys at a local muffler shop. It is truely amazing what they can do with a bender.

A local muffler shop could bend pipe for many of the accessories and flare the ends to slip over stock pipe welded to the frame. By drilling a indexing hole thru the pipes a cotter pin type clip could secure the accessory. This type of support could possibly be lighter and easier to fabricate.

Even a wood stove chimney

[Tool Man]

Thanks for the info! That's exactly what I needed to know. I think I'll go with the 2x2x5/16 welded to the frame and 1 1/4 square tubing for the table frames, etc. I'm putting 2 on each side and 2 on the back so the tubing is a better deal than the HF stuff for me.

I've got a buddy who is a machinist/welder/miracle worker who is always willing to help out and has every metalworking tool you could ever imagine.

jamscal - Where would I find those HF coupons?

Bobhenry - That has to be the coolest attachment I've seen yet! Too bad I could never convince my wife to go camping with me in the winter.

[Jst83]

I could never convince my wife to go camping with me in the winter.

Mine either, but that's not a bad thing kind of nice to get away.

[jamscal]

http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/com ... ycode=0000

I don't know if you'll be able to see that^^^ one.

But sign up at your local store and they'll email you 20% off coupons on a regular basis.

Also, HOT ROD and many other magazines now have HF ads with the coupon in them. Popular Mechanics too, I think.

If you want to buy something big it's worth buying the magazine.

[Tool Man]

Thanks jamscal. Unfortunately I live in the boonies and that coupon is only valid in-store. I'd have to be buying something pretty expensive to make it worth the 200 mile round trip to my nearest store. Hopefully they'll send me some coupons that are valid for web purchases now that I've placed an order with them. I'll check out the magazines though.