Front mount swivel wheel platform

[noteven]

So if a guy has a front receiver on a 3500 won ton / truck camper

any reason you couldn’t push a swivel wheel platform connected on the front with proper side markers and a snow plow type lightning kit on it? 

Carry low stuff on it so you can see over it... fire sticks, cast iron pots, warsh tub, 

about a 4x7 footer...

[rdickinson]

Back in the 80's I had a plow, the problem was overheating the engine.  The plow blocked airflow to or through the radiator at hiway speed. Not so much of a problem when plowing at low speed.

You did say low though.

[Kirk W]

Big5er is the guy who likely would know about the legality of this approach. I wonder if it wouldn't make the rig difficult to handle at highway speeds? Since you suggest it having wheels I would take that to mean you want a fairly large one, holding significant weight.

[Al F]

8 hours ago, noteven said:

So if a guy has a front receiver on a 3500 won ton / truck camper

any reason you couldn’t push a swivel wheel platform connected on the front with proper side markers and a snow plow type lightning kit on it? 

Carry low stuff on it so you can see over it... fire sticks, cast iron pots, warsh tub, 

about a 4x7 footer...

Take a look at the swivelwheel at this link:  http://www.cruiserlift.com/swivelwheel

Note that when towing the wheel extends out the back.  If you are to push it, the wheel tucks under the trailer.  This is problematic as it allows the part that sticks out in front to dip very low and will scrape when approaching a driveway or entrance to anywhere with a short steep incline.  I know from trying to back up into a steep place.   If there is a little lip you run into it will jam the front of the trailer and stop your truck.

Don't ignore the geometry of the swivelwheel may have a problem being pushed at highway speed.   Don't know this for a fact, but you won't know until you get setup and drive down the hwy at 60mph. 

You can always try it and see if it works.

[Lance A Lott]

My parents had a swival wheel rack on the back and it made the rig handle terable and that was in the back. Ever watch the front wheels on a shopping cart.

[noteven]

Thanks for the ideas and info - I’m thinking about eliminating the grounding by using wheels and the hinge point like a swivel wheel. Also it would not over hang it’s own wheels enough to ground. 

Very much in the daydream stage...

and yes I think about caster wobble - I can accidental pick that shopping cart out of hundreds 😀

[orca]

I once toyed with the idea of transporting one of my motorcycles on the front of my truck. When i looked into the legality of doing so i found that here, it is not legal to mount anything on the front that projected more than (i think) 24'' in front of the bumper.  There has been much discussion here as to whether a swivel wheel was considered an extension of the RV or a double tow. If it is in front it will be hard to convince a LEO that it is just an extended bumper with a set of wheels for support! As stated somewhere else one also needs to think about airflow to the rad.

[Al F]

About caster wobble.  The swivelwheels made by http://www.cruiserlift.com/swivelwheel in the Houston, TX are have an adjustable swivel brake built into the swivel.  You can adjust it as tight or loose as you need it.  I always kept mine just a little tight.  Never saw any abnormal wear on the tire. 

[accumack]

I designed and build my own never had caster wobble. I don't know how it would affect the handling of your truck mounted on the front.

 

[Lance A Lott]

On 12/19/2018 at 10:43 AM, noteven said:

So if a guy has a front receiver on a 3500 won ton / truck camper

any reason you couldn’t push a swivel wheel platform connected on the front with proper side markers and a snow plow type lightning kit on it? 

Carry low stuff on it so you can see over it... fire sticks, cast iron pots, warsh tub, 

about a 4x7 footer...

Just a thought, on the farm we had what we called wool racks over the cab of all the trucks they were supported by pipes going down to the bumper. You could put at least a 1000 lbs of hay up there on a 3/4 ton pickup. With a hoist you could put a generator and other things up there. Fire wood, or bicycles would be easy. I have a plow on my truck and I would not want something similar sticking out there all the time. Plow like lights are not the best they tend to shake and go out of alignment.

Just a guess but I think you would be happier with a small trailer. 

[kb0zke]

The first thing to check is the legality of what you are proposing. Assuming that you can get past that part, you can start thinking about the engineering part. Your bumper doesn't stay at the same height over the pavement all the time. It constantly moves up and down. That means that you will have to allow for that movement as you design the suspension system.

I suspect that you have a 5'er, which means that most of the truck's bed is taken up with the hitch, which is why you are thinking of this idea. I wonder if you efforts might be better spent is figuring out a way to use the space above the cab. Unless you have a Titanium 5'er, you ought to have at least a couple of feet up there that is still well clear of the nose of the 5'er, and you may be able to extend forward a bit to over the windshield. That may make seeing some overhead traffic signals more difficult, so you may have to stop farther back from the intersection than you otherwise would, but that's something that you can easily work out.

[Dutch_12078]

Maybe something like this setup would work better: 

 

 

[Al F]

10 hours ago, Dutch_12078 said:

Maybe something like this setup would work better: 

 

Must be photo shopped?   Can't see all that stuff hanging on driving down the road.

[Dutch_12078]

On 12/31/2018 at 7:50 AM, Al F said:

Must be photo shopped?   Can't see all that stuff hanging on driving down the road.

Well, here's the rest of the story. You decide... 

And yes, that Jeep is being towed!

 

[Wrknrvr]

  Now this idea could allow you to balance the load as needed.

 

  Just build a rack system 8'6" wide and as long as you want and is not over legal length. Now it needs to fit the body shape all around the truck, clearance for the tires turning and other such needs. Install it so you have a platform to use as a step to enter your truck. Then you have all kinds of space for storage. The weight can be adjusted as needed.

 

 Then you have a work platform for working on things on the vehicle. Maybe even use it a a seat for when one needs a cold one. Or putting on fishing gear.

  Ok I was reading the original post again. Yes now tou could install lights to fancy it up. Use expand metal to save weight. Except where tire spinoff may mess things up.

 Now I never build anything out of the ordinary. But I my just start being different.

  Now one has a lot to think of on this idea.

 Safe Travels,.   Vern

[noteven]

Vern - a guy could dress that rig up and “stealth camp” in the parade...

[noteven]

12 hours ago, Dutch_12078 said:

Maybe something like this setup would work better: 

 

Nope, it wouldn’t. No hinge point, wheels, or lights.

[Kirk W]

2 hours ago, Dutch_12078 said:

Well, here's the rest of the story. 

I have seen some pretty bad examples but I think that one is about the max! Where did you see that guy?

[Dutch_12078]

2 hours ago, Kirk W said:

I have seen some pretty bad examples but I think that one is about the max! Where did you see that guy?

Not my pics, Kirk. They've been floating around the net for a few years now. Here they are over on an Airstream Forum a couple of years ago...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f310/hitch-receiver-cargo-box-availability-147054.html#post1752773