Installing Custom Cargo Carrier on Rear of Coleman CTS192

[WannaBeFree]

A great feature of the Coleman CTS192 is the cargo carrying capacity - over 3,500 in this TT. To take advantage of that I'd like to add a cargo carrier to the rear which would tie into the trailer's frame versus trying to connect to the weak sewer hose bumper. Somehow I'd like to get it above the existing bumper for additional clearance for less than stellar boon docking roads. The carrier will store 6 5 gallon jerry cans, Champion 2000 generator, bicycle, ladder, and an additional large storage container or maybe a kayak. I'd like the carrier to extend the full width of the TT and extend out from the TT 2-3 feet and carry about 500 pounds of gear.

Has anyone had a custom cargo carrier like this installed?

Any suggestions on finding the maximum size cargo carrier? I'm thinking that you can only extend so far from the rear of the trailer. A contractor did some work for me who said he had to place red flags on ladders extending "too far" from the rear of his van.

[DC8Captain]

If you do that you are going to change the center of gravity which will make the trailer unsafe to tow. Your tongue weight should be about 10 to 15% of your loaded trailer weight. This is necessary for stable towing. A trailer without the proper tongue weight will not track properly resulting in sway problems which will be unsafe.

[WannaBeFree]

Thanks Dale & Deb,

I took a look at the layout, attached, and if I keep the cargo carrier load to about 460 LB I think I might be OK. I'm loading the tongue with about 350 LB. If I forgo the kayak on the cargo carrier, the cargo carrier will be loaded with 460 LB with all the full Jerry cans. I only plan to have all those cans full when in really remote areas. The cargo carrier will weigh something but hopefully be somewhere in the realm of under a 100 LB.

Note that in the stock configuration the tongue does not include the battery bank case, 4 6V batteries, or spare tire. I'm starting with 4 6V batteries but may opt for 6 6V batteries (adding another 120 LB to the tongue), especially if I see trailer is too light on the hitch.


BTW, the only way I can think of to determine the tongue weight and the trailer weight is to use the scales at truck stops. I'm guessing truckers aren't too keen on an RVer weighing the truck with the trailer hitched, backing up, disconnecting the trailer and weighing the truck, reconnecting the trailer, disconnecting the trailer, weighing the trailer, and finally reconnecting the trailer and getting out of the way of truckers. Are there other places or an affordable tool to get the hitch/trailer weights?


This trailer carries 60G fresh, 42 black, and 42 gray ~ 1152 LB. I'd hope this is all nicely centered over the axles where it doesn't matter if these are empty, partially full, or full but now I wonder if I need to be more cognizant of their load.

[PamW]

Originally Posted by WannaBeFree

Thanks Dale & Deb,

I took a look at the layout, attached, and if I keep the cargo carrier load to about 460 LB I think I might be OK. I'm loading the tongue with about 350 LB. If I forgo the kayak on the cargo carrier, the cargo carrier will be loaded with 460 LB with all the full Jerry cans. I only plan to have all those cans full when in really remote areas. The cargo carrier will weigh something but hopefully be somewhere in the realm of under a 100 LB.

Note that in the stock configuration the tongue does not include the battery bank case, 4 6V batteries, or spare tire. I'm starting with 4 6V batteries but may opt for 6 6V batteries (adding another 120 LB to the tongue), especially if I see trailer is too light on the hitch.


BTW, the only way I can think of to determine the tongue weight and the trailer weight is to use the scales at truck stops. I'm guessing truckers aren't too keen on an RVer weighing the truck with the trailer hitched, backing up, disconnecting the trailer and weighing the truck, reconnecting the trailer, disconnecting the trailer, weighing the trailer, and finally reconnecting the trailer and getting out of the way of truckers. Are there other places or an affordable tool to get the hitch/trailer weights?


This trailer carries 60G fresh, 42 black, and 42 gray ~ 1152 LB. I'd hope this is all nicely centered over the axles where it doesn't matter if these are empty, partially full, or full but now I wonder if I need to be more cognizant of their load.

Is your spare tire already under the tongue or did you get a different mount for it?

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

[WannaBeFree]

I'm having a mount installed for a spare tire. My trailer did not come with a spare tire. I was watching a video where a trailer was having a battery box installed. That trailer had the spare tire installed where the factory battery tray is currently installed on my trailer. As I'm going to install a battery box above the tongue I'm going to have a spare tire mount installed under the box. I'm not for sure of the tire/rim weight so I made a guess of 50 LB.

Link showing the spare tire location:

Making Trailer Batteries More Secure

[PamW]

Originally Posted by WannaBeFree

I'm having a mount installed for a spare tire. My trailer did not come with a spare tire. I was watching a video where a trailer was having a battery box installed. That trailer had the spare tire installed where the factory battery tray is currently installed on my trailer. As I'm going to install a battery box above the tongue I'm going to have a spare tire mount installed under the box. I'm not for sure of the tire/rim weight so I made a guess of 50 LB.

Link showing the spare tire location:

Making Trailer Batteries More Secure

That's pretty slick, thanks for sharing! A task for me this coming weekend is to mount my small generator on the back of my trailer and it really would be nice to move the tire to the front to balance the load. I'm sure it will be fine regardless. The 61 pounds I'll be adding behind the axle will hardly make a dent in balancing out the 230# in the fresh water tank right at the front left corner of my trailer!

[WannaBeFree]

Here are some nice trailer racks:

https://youtu.be/cFryJQn_5Lo
https://youtu.be/Z5CqRzPRa00