best hitch cargo box

[PSchw]

Made this box for mine. Cheap aluminum box on a hitch extension. Still working on a system to be able to access the doors.
No water issues.
Peter

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by PSchw

Attachment 256836
Made this box for mine. Cheap aluminum box on a hitch extension. Still working on a system to be able to access the doors.
No water issues.

What's the weight of it? Interstate EXT's are limited to 500 pounds tongue weight, so the heavier the box, the less weight is left for contents.

On the plus side, a heavy (or heavily loaded) hitch-mounted box helps to tame the rear seat bounce by pre-loading the springs.

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by PSchw

Made this box for mine. Cheap aluminum box on a hitch extension. Still working on a system to be able to access the doors.
No water issues.
Peter

Looks VERY cool. Did you fab the box, or buy it off the shelf and then mate the components?

I've contemplated adapting a truck box, trailer box, trailer tongue box, or somesuch product... the problem if one wants to haul a cooler is that those products are too shallow. Realistically I need at least 20 inches in depth, and a couple more would be preferable because I'd like to be able to open the cooler lid without removing it from the enclosure. I haven't found anything that fits the bill yet.

The one thing we know for sure is that we're going to have a swing-away arm. Unlike lounge model Interstates, we have path-of-travel out the back doors, and I probably use them as much as the side door, so at least one door needs to remain unobstructed. Now, whether or not we build on someone else's swing-away mechanism or fab one ourselves... that remains to be seen.

[xrvr]

United welding service in perry Florida. I bought a hitch carrier from them and also a box for the carrier, all aluminum and very light.

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

What's the weight of it? Interstate EXT's are limited to 500 pounds tongue weight, so the heavier the box, the less weight is left for contents.
....

It's 500 lbs for the T1N also (assuming you don't over-do the interior luggage and come up with a bad overall total weight) - I just looked it up. I think the weight would be do-able for a number of configs. Here's an example config that theoretically might be possible to cobble together:

(1) Jumbo truck box 24" x 24" by 48" long aluminum diamond tread plate - 76 pounds (not sure I'd choose that, but use for sake of example).
(2) Swing-away apparatus by Stowaway for 2 inch hitch - 250 pounds (if we were to choose that)
(3) Peripherals, attachments, and security devices - perhaps 50 pounds
(4) Yeti 45 empty - 23 pounds

That leaves about 100 pounds for frozen food containers, dry ice, and whatever else we could put in the gap space in the box. Yeti would only consume half the space in that config so perhaps an inflatable kayak in there too. My existing Sea Eagle 330 weighs 26 pounds.

[73shark]

At 400 lbs, you'll need an engine hoist to mount it. That swing-away must be really hefty to weigh 250 lbs.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

(2) Swing-away apparatus by Stowaway for 2 inch hitch - 250 pounds (if we were to choose that)

That sounds like it's way too heavy— The Stowaway Hitch Mount Swingaway Frame for sale on Amazon has a shipping weight of only 46 pounds. And that includes the weight of the packaging.

If it really weighed 250 pounds, the FedEx guy would need a forklift to get it from his truck to your door!

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

That sounds like it's way too heavy— The Stowaway Hitch Mount Swingaway Frame for sale on Amazon has a shipping weight of only 46 pounds. And that includes the weight of the packaging.

If it really weighed 250 pounds, the FedEx guy would need a forklift to get it from his truck to your door!

My bad - that's what they said on their website, which was ambiguously designed. They meant that it could hold that amount, not that it weighed that amount. I actually can't find a weight statement, but looking at it more closely, it can't be anywhere near that much.

[PSchw]

My box is pre made of course in China was cheap I think I paid about $200. No swing away yet but got some ideas to do it.
My plans changed and I purchased avAS Skydeck as a full time home. The interstate is sitting inside in Chicago for sale including the box and all other modes.
The box was the biggest I found on the weight I would guess under 100 lbs. has locks and added handles. My wife and I can lift it of and on easy.
I usually took it of on the camping spot and left it there so now the rear doors could be opened. It takes a little planing what to store where but we managed well and did not miss the swing away.
Peter

[c21]

For the money, the Stowaway2 is a great unit. I used one on my previous Navion on a 7500 mile trip and now I have one on my AS on a swing mount which allows the left door to open fully and the right door about 2/3. The AS box has also been on a 7500 mile trip and is getting ready to do another one this May. We stow all of our outdoor stuff + power cord, surge protector & hoses so we don't really need to access the rear doors.

[RoadJager]

+1 on the Stowaway2. It is our hitch mounted shed. We carry our outdoor/utility gear; waterfilter, tele-steps ladder, small duffle bag with towels and bulky clothes, surge protector, power cord, hoses, duraflame logs, gas grill and spare gas cylinders, bio-packs for holding tank, small folding camp table and sun shade bungee tie-downs. In extreme conditions it can also hold 2 bodies.......I jest about the bodies. Seriously this is large enough, if it was larger it would just hold more stuff I may never use. It is NOT large enough to hold our Lafuma chairs even empty, so the chairs ride in the coach. Our stowaway will be following us in May to Sequioa/Yosemite NP.
Trip-On,
Road Jager

[VAtom]

I have the standard stowaway. It has a gasket sealing system. The max has a gutter like a car trunk. Our has not leaked yet in stationary or moving rain.

It was an impulse buy and at first I had buyer's remorse. I was disappointed that the curbside rear door opening was restricted.

I am now a true believer. Unlike most RV's the AI has no exterior storage lockers or cubbies.

I am able to keep all of the make camp / break camp stuff in there; hoses, cords, adapters, camp chairs, folding table, o-grill and then a bunch of small tools and fluids.

We are travelers and our camping is limited to one or two nights. I can pack up and go in about 10 minutes. No bikes or kayaks or toys, however.

I like keeping the camping stuff out of the living space.

Because of the nature of the contents, I am not too concerned about taking extraordinary measures for security.

Our sensors are not obstructed by the box.

[InterBlog]

Update to this older thread... we are not selling anything, but we'd like to pass along a tidbit for those of you who may still be unsatisfied with your hitch carrier options.

The topic of hitch box / carrier is really spread across several threads and regular readers may recall that LB_3 and I struggled and researched the issue literally for 2 years before finally taking the plunge, buying our own welder and tools, and fabricating one to fit our needs exactly (pictured below). A very satisfying resolution for us, but few people are in a position to do that kind of thing.

To make a long story short, we met a hobbyist who lives across the other side of the Gulf Freeway from us. He's a military veteran, just got out a few months ago and now works a "regular" job while he's trying to get his own metal working business off the ground. That's how I met him - I found him on social media and commissioned him to CNC a steel sign for my Canada property, because he has his own plasma table - equipment that is way, way above anything that LB_3 and I have opted to invest in.

During the sign commissioning, we brought our Interstate to the delivery meeting so that we could introduce him to our hitch carrier, explaining that it might be a good line of business for him to explore (some folks have suggested that LB_3 and I fabricate and sell them, but we are already employed in other jobs). He seemed psyched - I think he "got it". He got why this kind of thing is different, a better option for some van owners, and he certainly got that there's no competing product like it in the consumer market.

We customized ours to fit a Yeti, but others may have different needs. If any of you in our neck of the woods are interested in making an inquiry as to whether he could build you something specific, please feel free to PM me and we can discuss further.

[Camerons]

http://nicova.ca/en/home/

We have one. It is awesome. Storage that is lockable. Bikes can be covered so they arrive clean. Swings out of way to get inside.

[jldmd]

Originally Posted by Camerons

http://nicova.ca/en/home/

We have one. It is awesome. Storage that is lockable. Bikes can be covered so they arrive clean. Swings out of way to get inside.

How do you get one of those Nicova cargo boxes? There is no price list or a page to order.

[Camerons]

François Tessier : (514) 285.6363
Pierrot Tessier : (819) 313.2408
Info@nicova.ca

Around 2600 cdn in black. Less in white

[InterBlog]

It's a good time to make a Canadian purchase if you're going to do it. The exchange rate has been running in the 1.30 - 1.35 range.

We also looked at the Nicova and it appears to be a pretty good product. It did not suit our specific needs, though - (1) it blocked both back doors 100% of the time, (2) it could not accept a decent-sized cooler and (3) it was heavier than we wanted, almost twice the weight of the one we designed ourselves. But everybody's needs are different.

[InterBlog]

Cross-post update for the benefit of those who may be conducting searches for hitch carrier info specifically:

Yesterday afternoon we (mostly LB_3) built a supplemental bracket so that we can carry our chain saw's jerry can next to our Yeti cooler. If you have very specific needs such as this, and can either build your own hitch carrier (as we did) or find some independent welder to build one for you, the outcome can be pretty neat!

Not to mention versatile. Note that this is a bolt-on supplemental bracket, not welded on. Right now, there's a gas can there. In the future, depending on trip needs, something else may get bolted in that same space. The possibilities are endless.

For those who may have safety questions regarding this specific mod, let me mention that we only plan to put gasoline in the jerry can during those short, remote local trips when we actually need it to operate the chain saw. Otherwise the can will be mounted there but will remain empty, and thus it wouldn't pose a big safety issue in a rear-end crash scenario. I'll be airing it out after use to prevent vapor issues.

Blog post explaining the bracket here, and here's a pic: