Hand Truck Dolly Rack....

OK, so I'm looking for something that can carry my hand truck via the hitch receiver without it taking up bed space. I think there are likely bike racks that could do this....but I am surprised to see no hitch mounted hand truck dolly carriers. I've looked everywhere on the internet. Am I wrong? Has anyone seen one of these?

 

Never seen one, but you could make it pretty easily if you have access to a welder. Box to slide into the receiver with a bracket below to hold the foot of the hand truck, then a simple frame to strap the top end to. I have seen a similar rack on big trucks welded to the front bumper, Coca Cola used to do it.

 

With all the loading and unloading taking my two girls to college, home, and back again, I decided to get a lightweight resin hand truck dolly (Harper, 600 lbs capacity) to free up space in the truck bed. I bought a $40 truck bed extender support (Harbor Freight) and turned it upside down. Put pads in the top support bracket and used a Hitch-Vise and Master Lock hitch pin to secure it. It's solid as hell and doesn't sway or move at all. The Hitch Vise works extremely well at taking all movement out of the device. Nothing on this device touches the truck or bumber. I will likely use a short bungee cord to secure the handle to the bracket but I haven't yet decided how to support the axle against the support arm, although a short bungee would work here as well (blue tape is to mark where I am going to put a small pad to keep the axle from rattling and scratching the support arm). I will use a Masterlock combination cable lock to provide some security against easy theft of the hand truck. Oh, I had to drill 5/8" holes in the support arm that goes into the receiver to have hitch pin holes line up with the Tacoma's receiver.

 

Great idea! Very clever to shove the support arm into the receiver. Wish I'd had one of these when I was dragging my girls' stuff to/from university twice a year for eight years. I can see advantages, like dual-purpose use of the load extender and cost, of using this rig over a hitch-mounted cargo platform.

What's the padded channel in the last pic? For the dolly axle?

 

Wow, maybe you should look into a patent for that!!
Nice Job!! Well Done!!

 

I lowered it a bit so the tires rest against the plastic top of the bumper, tied it down with bungee cords and threaded Masterlock combi cable lock through the backup chain holes on either side of the receiver. I am going to put self-adhesive reflective tape on it as well. This thing is now rock solid but very easy to get dolly off and remove entire unit to access the truck bed. (The prior picture was of the padded support bracket at the top which the dolly handle rests on.)

 

Ahh, so the piece of channel is part of the Harbor Freight package? Looks like I'll be heading to HF this pm.

Only thing I'd consider is something to keep the dolly wheels from scuffing the plastic bumper. On the other hand, I guess it is a truck...

BTW, nice Parkway plate.

 

Yes, the bracket comes with it - it's welded to the top of the support arm (not very visible in the HF pic). Let me post a picture of what I bought before you run to HF. The box had HF's name on it, but I bought it from someway on Ebay. I added some self-adhesive pads to the inside channel of the bracket - which you can see in the picture - to pad it.

Yep, found it on Harbor Freights web site....same price I paid. If you study the product pic on HF's web site and then look at my setup, you will see what I did......you don't use the cross bar at the top, just the two other pieces that fit together.....now, you can always use the product for the purpose it was intended as well

 

Don't worry about the tires rubbing against the bumper. First, the tires are touching only the plastic top to the lower part of the step bumper. Second, the bungee cords keep this thing pulled very tight....I don't think the tires will even move at all, so no rubbing. If you don't like it this way, you can just raise the support arm (see my first pics before I lowered it). I figured basic physics would simply make the support arm all that much stronger if it was shorter. That was really the only reason I lowered it.

 

Any problem with cops and the obstructed license plate? In some states that's a ticket. Not flaming, just curious.

 

Yeah, I thought of that...I'll have to check in NC, but I figured it was one I should be able to talk my way out of......if there was ever a reason for leniency.

 

Yeah, just have your daughter start crying. Works every time.

I see that the various pieces of tubing telescope together. All makes sense now.

 

Nice job Phil,love seeing that kind of ingenuity.......One question:

How the HELL do you keep your garage so clean?

 

(1), it's my room, so I keep the women out of it - not hard to do, (2) The built in cabinets work wonders for hiding all the mess!!!!

 

I try....Lord knows that I try but I'm drowning in a sea of bikes,scooters,lacrosse and hockey sticks,skipping ropes and tiny pieces of driveway chalk.

 

Oh I hear you Squad.....we are empty nesters now so it's a bit easier.....I got rid of most of the junk they accumulated but never touched. The floor was painted (not well) by the prior owner. I plan to have it sanded and redone with epoxy....the prior owner coudn't screw in a light bulb if you gave him instructions. All he did was suck off his wife's family inheritance and golf. I've been fixing and cleaning up after him for 3 years. Almost done. Having a clean garage can be had with only two things: cabinets to hide the crap, and a painted floor.

 

Pretty cool
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgIVi5ELJgg&feature=youtu.be