small light duty trailer hitch basket


  #1  
Old 06-03-18, 05:27 AM
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small light duty trailer hitch basket

I have an SUV. No trunk. So what do people do when they need to fill up their gas cans? The fumes are not pleasant, especially if you need to travel any distance.

What I want is a small basket (ideally with a lid) to attach to my trailer hitch just big enough to carry maybe two to three 2 gal gas cans. And it would be nice to store this basket in the SUV without it taking up the full width of the cargo area.

Harbor Freight seems to be be my best bet, but in case I missed something, I'd like to throw this out to the community.

https://www.harborfreight.com/500-lb...ier-92655.html

It's bigger than I want, but it's light weight and has very good reviews.
 
  #2  
Old 06-03-18, 06:36 AM
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Read ONLY bad reviews. Even those some will be from competitor, dissing product. Otherwise, like anything that is single point attachment and wide object, it will wobble side to side or lean this way or that way. But it'll do for small loads. Get a cargo net along to completely secure cans in place.
NEVER drive with gas can, with gas, inside a vehicle. I could tell you real life story......
 
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Old 06-03-18, 06:40 AM
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I suspect for something smaller with a lid you'd have to have it custom built. .... and while the extra size might not be needed presently I'd bet a time will arise when you'd be glad you had the extra capacity.
 
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Old 06-03-18, 07:25 AM
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The rack you posted doesn't appear to be welded anywhere so I would think with a little time and effort you could modify it to suit your needs.
 
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Old 06-03-18, 07:39 AM
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I have that exact one on my truck right now. I use it to transport various things... right now a wheel barrow is strapped to it. Gas cans would work fine on it. Maybe make a box to sit inside with higher sides.
 
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Old 06-03-18, 08:24 AM
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If I were without a truck, something like that is exactly what I would be looking at. Perhaps not ideal, but far more ideal than transporting gas cans in a passenger area of a vehicle. Funny how many people who are not engineers, myself included, will look at something like that and decide that it's not strong enough here or there, so you may decide to improvise a bit with a board here, an aluminum strut there, or whatever, but at least you'd have something to start with. I don't know how many other options there might be across the country, but a couple others you might want to take a look at are Tractor Supply and Northern Tool, as well as outdoor places like Bass Pro Shops and Cabella's. Not advocating any of them over HF, but I'd look around a little and see what's out there to best meet your wants.
 
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Old 06-03-18, 08:54 AM
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Thanks for the feedback.

UKRBYK, I can only imagine the bad stories you might have. Right now because I have no choice I cover the containers with a heavy blanket and do short rides.

The rest of you guys have pretty much echo what I've been thinking. Including a custom made one. If I had welding skills it would be a no brainier.

XSLP'r, Glad you like it. I think that's what I'm going for. And today's Sunday paper has their 20% discount. I'm in.
 
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Old 06-03-18, 02:14 PM
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If I had welding skills it would be a no brainier.
Again, the rack you posted from HF doesn't appear to have any welds it looks like it is simply screwed together. A little time and imagination could produce exactly what your looking for. YMMV
 
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Old 06-03-18, 02:42 PM
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Why not just use a cooler for a box? You can find 'em big enough for 2 x 2gal gas cans at yard sales and thrift stores all the time for cheap. Maybe one with broken hinges or something wrong where the avg person won't buy it for it's intended use. Couple of light duty ratchet straps and yer set.


So you guys don't think it a good idea to carry 18 gal of gas cans in my trunk home from the station every 2 months when I have $1 off per gallon in rewards points? It's only 2.6 miles.
 
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Old 06-03-18, 03:00 PM
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Depends. Do you smoke in your car? LOL
 
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Old 06-03-18, 03:13 PM
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Not in the trunk......................anybody in the trunk just stinks...they don't smoke. (Get it...anybody....any body..."any"..."body"?
 
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Old 06-03-18, 03:16 PM
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It's not ideal to transport fuel in the trunk but if I only did things the correct/ideal way I'd still be stuck in 1970
 
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Old 06-03-18, 05:17 PM
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Again, the rack you posted from HF doesn't appear to have any welds it looks like it is simply screwed together. A little time and imagination could produce exactly what your looking for. YMMV
Interesting point. I'll have to take a look at it. XSLEEPER, what do you think?
 
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Old 06-03-18, 05:25 PM
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The rack is bolted together... it's easy to assemble. No way I could make something even half as good for what I paid for mine. Don't regret it a bit. We drove home from NJ to Nebraska with it and a load of boxes behind our car... tarped it up, drove through rain... no problem.
 
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Old 06-03-18, 05:27 PM
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Good enough for me.

Thanks to all.
 
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Old 06-03-18, 05:32 PM
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If you have the 1 1/4" square hitch on your car like I do, you will need the 1 1/4" to 2" square hitch adapter that they sell seperately. My truck has 2" square but the Lincoln has 1 1/4".
 
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Old 06-03-18, 05:50 PM
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I have the 2" square hitch on the car.
 
 

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