Too Heavy?

[GENECARP]

Hi gang, hope everyone is well, I haven't checked in for awhile, life moves fast LOL, anyway we just moved our Rig up from Myrtle Beach to our CT seasonal site, on the trip up I got to thinking about carrying my motorcycle in addition to our Smart Car which we currently carry in the garage....So I started to think about a suspended platform off the back that will hold the Smart Car, then the garage would open up for other toys.....I started to read up on Hydralift, they show some pretty big platforms carrying Razors and Golf Carts....that lead me to a place in NH ---B&B Truck and RV, they are a dealer for Hydralift, Jason from B&B got right back to me and said after talking to Hydralift about my project they said it was to much weight for my Rig....I definately wasn't expecting that....some of you know my Rig, for those that don't it's a 45' Garage model 2009, built by Silver Crown, it's the Pony express line built on a Frieghliner Columbia Chassis ..Jason said it was about the toungue weight....Overhang etc....granted no one has seen my Rig, just a quick video I sent Jason....I am planning on calling Silver Crown even though they are out of business, but does this sound correct to you guys? I thought our TC could handle just about anything within reason...Thanks for reading....Oyea, the link at the bottom shows a quick vid of the side of the TC with me pulling the Smart Car out of the garage...

[bushpilot]

sounds to me like they think its a conventional pusher !
I've seen where hydra lift extends the frame on some pushers & FREDS for the weight.

IIRC your garage is low in the body....can you get to the frame rails ?

[GENECARP]

I will take a couple of photos next week...the garage is low, bedroom above, but frame ext is right there...

[bushpilot]

if the frame is right there, then i think you should be fine, our coaches haul more on a light work day then we do on the heaviest days.

[Bob86ZZ4]

My hitch is rated at 40k lbs. Most tell me your trailer should put 10% of it's weight on the tongue. That means the tongue should be 4k lbs. (if I was pulling a 40k lb. trailer). That would be about twice the weight of a Smart, wouldn't it? Can't remember your particular hitch setup so maybe it's not the right frame attachment? There's a guy on the Escapee's forum that is a pretty sharp engineer and has done a lot of "outside the box" stuff. He goes by "phoenix2013." I'd send him a private message with some pictures of your setup and see what he thinks. Might get pretty expensive though. What about getting a small open trailer to put the Smart on?

[Bob86ZZ4]

[Gordy]

Originally we were going to tow a trailer and put 2 Harley's and a Tracker inside. Then sweetheart decided to sell her bike and we reevaluated pulling a trailer. So we figured we would tow the Tracker behind the conversion-hmmmm. That just wasn't going to look right (call me anal) so now we either tow a Jeep Wrangler or a 1/2 ton Chevy crewcab-ah much better.

[superbird03]

My thoughts.... My 43' T2000 conversion has 7 1/2 feet of over hang behind the rear air bags that would be considered cantilevered. I pull a 23k lb trailer that is exceptionally nose heavy 4,300 lbs on the ball. I get a little bit of deflection in the frame rails when loaded in relationship to the camper box that is u bolted to it. (I wish I would have double framed mine) I would imagine yours is double framed as all the professional conversions I have seen done are and wouldn't think twice about adding one to yours for your smart car.

[bushpilot]

Im 11.5 feet behind the rear (single) axle center line.

[GENECARP]

Thanks for all the feedback, I will keep on it, take a few photos of my rear frame setup, and keep you all posted, thanks again, I appreciate all your thoughts, G

[Schiada]

This is a idea I have for my RV/Semi. Its for a 2 seat RZR, the SmartC may be to long ? The high lift was to being able to pull my boat trailer under it.

[asitool]

I apologize in advance for my crappy ms paint drawing!! Does your frame extend all the way to the rear of the coach? In most garage units the frame is where the red line is in my drawing. The area that I've filled in green is very strong and can support any weight the axles, wheels, and springs can take. The area in yellow can support a lot less weight without bucking your side walls, and it's carrying capacity depends on a sub-frame or trusses in the walls of the coach.

[GENECARP]

Love that high lift, are you going to build it? ...my frame extends all the way to the back, next weekend I will lay under and get some photos, I understand your diagram, and yes my overhang is long and I am sure has much less strength than near the axle....

[GENECARP]

One more hurdle for my setup, I have that ramp door that you can see in my video, I have to be able to open the ramp with the lift in the lowest posistion...I could always go traditional like Bob showed, there are some real nice small trailers.....I just like to be able to stay at older parks or state parks and just keeping things at 45' makes that an option...The lift will let me off load the car quickly, lift the ramp in the Stowe posistion, and squeeze in some tight spots...

[Schiada]

The lift is on the back burner right now. And my chassis goes all the way to the back door. The lift is a lot like a fork lift, so I can't remove the forks. I did put a pivot point to fold the forks up. With the lift full up their is over 6' of clearance. But for parking I think the down position may be best? Or maybe a awning to mask the lift ?
Randy