# Tote Along Carrier Rack



## Chuggs (Jun 8, 2010)

I finally figured out a way to carry the tote along with a bumper mounted rack.

The larger Barker tanks, 2-wheel models...have a telesopic handle. They are square steel tubing. The idea of the rack...is to lift the empty tank up...and skewer the telescopic handle down upon the long upright. There is a hole in the upright that aligns with the adjustment pin holes on the telescoping handle. You can put the pin through there...or use a 1/2 in hitch pin lock (for a tad more security)

Here's a couple of pix... will try to add more when the paint cures a bit more.


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## heron (May 13, 2010)

Chuggs said:


> I finally figured out a way to carry the tote along with a bumper mounted rack.
> 
> The larger Barker tanks, 2-wheel models...have a telesopic handle. They are square steel tubing. The idea of the rack...is to lift the empty tank up...and skewer the telescopic handle down upon the long upright. There is a hole in the upright that aligns with the adjustment pin holes on the telescoping handle. You can put the pin through there...or use a 1/2 in hitch pin lock (for a tad more security)
> 
> Here's a couple of pix... will try to add more when the paint cures a bit more.


Looks great! Just getting ready to build something for my 42 gallon barker. I had seen someone else use an old hand truck cut down and mounted to the bumper. They covered the tubes with pipe insulation and secured the bottom plate with the u-bolts. I'm going to try to do something so it will lie side ways but not sure yet how I'll do it. I'm wondering if the bumper will hold well with the spare tire and my grill rack already located on the bumper...?


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## joeymac (Aug 19, 2010)

That is awesome. Did you buy this or manufacturer this yourself ? I have been searching for a soultion to this myself. Nice work !
Right now mine is wedged behind the spare tire and bungie corded to the bumper. 
If you bought this where ?


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## Chuggs (Jun 8, 2010)

I welded it together myself. It's just 1" square tube welded to a flat plate. The extra cross brace gave it more rigidity. The U bolts I actually found a while back at tractor supply company.

Can't wait to try it out on the road...

Consider the fact that that lower axle tends to pop-out of the groove when you make your design. It would stink to get to your destination to find your tote with no wheels. I got a couple of responses from other's with the same problem. One guy used epoxy to keep the axle from popping out ...the other looped a bungee from axle to axle across the top of the tank to keep it secure.

With the wheels facing aft...even if my axle pops loose..the assembly would be held captive between the tank and the rack...


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## Chuggs (Jun 8, 2010)

The paint is dry...it doesn't look half bad...

The tank was very easy to mount on the upright. It seems to be very secure, and doesn't rotate around the upright at all. I'm excited about it, so far... I'll put a little padding on the tank handle to make sure it can't contact the rear window...until I'm certain that bouncing down the road won't jiggle it enough to make contact. A little proof of concept exercise, if you will...

Here's what it looks like on the rack...


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## Chuggs (Jun 8, 2010)

I road tested this rack during our latest trip to Ft. Wilderness. I know, I know...Ft. Wilderness has full hookups...but I just couldn't wait to road test the rack.

It is supper easy to put the tank on the rack...and I secured it with a hitch pin lock. It rode very nicely on our short 2 1/2 hr journey to Ft. Wilderness...and back home again. It's still hanging on back there...ready for our trip to Curry Hammock (FL KEYS) next week.


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## hautevue (Mar 8, 2009)

Heron mentions that he has a spare tire, a grill rack and now maybe the toter and frame. All nice, but watch out for overloading the bumper. It is not at all strong in the rotational direction--several OBers mentioned that they experienced twisting (and therefore ruining) of the bumper due to overloading.

I think the max load is 200 pounds per Keystone. But the rotation of the load is more important that the absolute dead weight.

If you mount a receiver on the bumper, and put a 75 pound flat steel mesh carry-all on it, the load when you add stuff to the carry-all will induce huge torque in the bumper, and the bumper will likely twist or fail or both.

Even bike racks shouldn't be mounted directly to the bumper due to bouncing and twisting while towing. Be careful of torque loads unless you have a frame mounted receiver.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Are you using the tote to empty the Black or Grey tank? Both?

I ask as Steve (Y-Guy) gave me his tote when I bought his 2004 Outback (since been sold and bought the 301BQ) and I don't think I have ever used it. Think I brought it camping once....not sure why I still have it.

Are you dry camping (YEA!!!!) and don't have hook-ups?	We dry camp 90% of the time and go for 7-10 days and we never fill the Black tank. We use the campground restrooms during the day (yep...sometimes just a pit toilet) which really helps save space in the black tank.

I'm not trying to negate your idea/mod...just trying to wrap my head around the project.


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## Chuggs (Jun 8, 2010)

hautevue said:


> Are you using the tote to empty the Black or Grey tank? Both?
> 
> I ask as Steve (Y-Guy) gave me his tote when I bought his 2004 Outback (since been sold and bought the 301BQ) and I don't think I have ever used it. Think I brought it camping once....not sure why I still have it.
> 
> ...


I mainly use it for GREY water. Although, I have used it once for Black. (un-trustworthy monitor panel reading)

We like to camp in the Florida State Parks. Only a few have FULL HOOKUPS... most only provide you with water and electric. There is a dump station in the campground. We tend to shower frequently in the HOT Florida climate. So, you can imagine how quickly a 30 gallon GREY tank fills up. If we stay more than two nights...it's a trip to the dump station. The tote allows us to do this job quickly without the hassle of folding the dog crates, pulling the slides in, disconnecting the umbilicals...etc, just to go empty the 30 gal grey water tank. For that small inconvenience we are rewarded with being able to use our facilites vs the camp shower house.

I don't want to sound like I'm bashing the Florida State Park system...but the bathhouses are sometimes pretty disgusting. To be green they've gone to "waterless urinals" in many of them. Many have NO (or insufficient) air conditioning... Add a hot day to the mix and you have to hold your nose to walk inside. Rainbow Springs State Park has one of the nicer bath houses...air conditioned...but they also provide FULL HOOKUPS in the campsite, so we don't really use it.

So, long story short... the Blue tote is more for campgrounds with dumpstations...not dry-camping per se. For us...dry camping is relegated to the mild weather months, where air conditioning wouldn't be needed. The bathhouses aren't that much of a compromise when the weather is cooler.

I long for the day when I can retire and head up to the PNW for some good dry camping. It's tedious to always have to look for electricity to run the air conditioning. It doesn't take long for the interior temps to get over 100 degrees down here.

I never gave much thought to how location would make having a Blue Tote less of a need. I do tend to bath less often when the weather is COLD out... Down here...you can break a sweat just walking back to your camper from the bathhouse...so it's nice to be able to take an evening shower right before you go to bed without leaving the comfort of the air conditioned camper...







(SPOILED ROTTEN I AM!!!)


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Chuggs said:


> I long for the day when I can retire and head up to the PNW for some good dry camping. It's tedious to always have to look for electricity to run the air conditioning. It doesn't take long for the interior temps to get over 100 degrees down here.


Something like this? Look to the right of the Ouback...Yep, that is a lake. See other campers? Nope!	The trailer you see in the bottom of the picture is trail we take out of camp on our motorcycles.


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## Chuggs (Jun 8, 2010)

Now THAT'S the ticket!!!


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