Judy’s van with the Hitch Haul on the Alacan. It was a life-saver and made the trip possible.
After months of nothing but travelogues and photos it’s time to get back to a more normal type of post and deal with some of the nuts and bolts of vandwelling. I’ve been promising some posts about a couple in a van so we’ll start with how we converted Judy’s van so we could both live in it.
She and I had been talking about how much the cost of the trip to Alaska would be and while I have extra money because of a Workman’s Compensation settlement, Judy is on a very tight budget and has no extra money to spend. In fact, the more we looked at it the less likely it seemed that she could afford the trip (I’ll do a post on the costs of the trip soon, be patient). I suggested we could just take one van instead of both and that would cut the price of gas in half; then she could afford the trip. We both thought that was very impractical because one person in a van is crowded, two people in a van is very difficult and two people and an 80 pound dog is just laughable—it could never happen! So we dropped it.
In this shot we were way back in Idaho on a dirt road and the boxes are both covered with dust, but none got in the Husky Job Box. Notice we bungeed Judy’s chair and my chair to the box. Also notice that the license plate is easily visible above the smaller Actionpacker.
As the time drew closer it was just about a certainty she couldn’t go because of the money. I didn’t like that so I told her we had no choice but take just one van, we simply had to find a way to make it work. I’ve been doing this so long, and I’ve talked to so many people that I knew we could figure it out and make it reasonably comfortable for two; after all, necessity is the mother of invention.
This is a friends swing-away box. It’s ideal but very expensive.
My first suggestion was we had to get a Hitch Haul for the back receiver. She didn’t want and couldn’t afford one, so I would buy it to use on the trip and it would be mine. I know several people with the swing-away cargo boxes on their van and they are wonderful! They’re large, have good locks and best of all they swing away to open the doors While they would meet our needs extremely well, they are also very expensive! About the cheapest one I found was $750 on Amazon.com. Find it here:
StowAway Max Cargo Carrier with Swing-away Frame 
That was just too much money for me, so I needed another option
This is another friends box but again, it is very expensive.
My friends box open. It’s amazing but I just can’t justify the cost.
I decided the only way I could afford it was to buy a standard Hitch Haul cargo carrier and then find a box that would work and mount it on the rack. That meant we could only open the back door about a foot, but that was the way it had to be. Before I could buy the box I had to know the exact dimensions of the carrier so I started searching for one. There was no doubt that I would buy it from Amazon.com because they had a huge selection and with my Prime account I could get it with free 2-day shipping. So I started the search for the one that would work for us. First I had to chose between aluminum and steel. I would have preferred aluminum but I couldn’t find one that met all my needs so I settled on a little extra weight. I had four priorities:
- I wanted the largest one I could find so we could put the most things on it.
- Sides so cargo could be held in and other things could easily be bungeed to it.
- As cheap as possible since I wouldn’t use it often.
- Good reviews so it would hold up and be reliable.
This is the one I settled on. At $124 it met all my needs and was a reasonable price. It’s 60 x 24 which is as big as they come; has 6 inch sides; had great reviews, and the rise from the receiver keeps it from dragging. It has worked perfectly! Notice also the ratchet strap to keep it from wobbling .
I searched through Amazon and found one that filled all my requirements. It was 60 x 24 inches which was as big as any I could find and it had 6 inch sides that were perfect to attach bungee cords to. At $124 the price was reasonable and it had outstanding reviews. You can order it from Amazon.com here:
Pro Series 60″ x 24″ Hitch Mounted Cargo Carrier
It was time to pull the trigger so I ordered it and two days later it arrived. With it in hand it was time to figure out what I was going to use for a box to mount to it. We had some requirements for whatever box we finally settled on:
- The Alcan has a lot of dirt stretches that create a lot of dust and we had to have something that would keep our stuff safe from dust.
- There was no question we would be driving through a lot of rain so the box had to be watertight.
- Theft is always an issue so I wanted a way to securely lock our stuff away.
The cheapest solution was plastic totes bungeed to the Hitch Haul which would have cost less than $30. The price was right but nothing else was. They wouldn’t be dust and rain proof and they would be extremely easy to steal. I liked the price but there was no way we would use them.
Both the boxes sitting on the rack.
I’ve owned several Rubbermaid products called Actionpackers http://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-1172-ActionPacker-Storage-Gallon/dp/B00002N6SQ/ and they would work well. They are a heavy plastic that can be locked and made secure and are also rain and dust proof. I still have two of the 24 gallon ones but didn’t want to take them. Since I bought mine they have come out with a 48 gallon model that would have worked well. I looked all over Flagstaff and couldn’t find either size!! I could order one from Amazon but that would be expensive and I didn’t want to wait. I needed another idea.
Both boxes open. The Job Box has a small lift-out tool box we found very handy.
I had gone to every store in town searching for the Actionpackers and my last stop was Home Depot. Alas, they didn’t carry them either. But when I was there I checked their tool boxes and found the perfect thing, a Stanley Mobile Tool Chest, more commonly called a Job Box because they are intended to be left at the job site. They have heavy plastic with metal hinges and locking clasps Best of all it was 50 gallons and very large! I had brought the measurements for the Hitch Haul so I checked and it would fit perfectly! However, sitting beside it was a Husky brand that was very similar to the Stanley but it cost less, $59. It looked to be every bit as good as the Stanley and it was $10 less so I bought it.
http://www.homedepot.com/s/husky%20mobile%20tool%20chest?NCNI-5
The Job Box open, it’s BIG! Notice very solid metal latches so it locks securely .
I took it home and sat it up on the Hitch Haul and it had a lot of room left over so I decided to empty one of my Rubbermaid Actionpackers and put it on the other end. It fit perfectly as well! I hadn’t even thought about the problem with the license plate but the Husky Job Box was so tall it would cover the license plate. So I slid it all the way over to the far side of the cargo carrier and put the Actionpacker under the license plate and it was low enough for the license plate to be clearly visible. That left a gap between the two boxes and then it occurred to me that my 5 gallon water jug would fit exactly in there so I grabbed it and it did. Perfect! The only thing left was to find a way to mount the boxes securely to the Hitch Haul. That was going to be easy because I had mounted the Actionpackers to two different motorcycle racks and to the tongue of my cargo trailer so I knew exactly what to do. If you can’t find one in your area, you can get them from Amazon here:
Rubbermaid ActionPacker Storage Box, 24 Gallon
Looking into the Actionpacker after it’s bolted on. The large washers are essential to keep the plastic from cracking. I’ve owned this box for probably 20 years and mounted it on two different motorcycles. They are well worth their cost!
I sat them up on the rack where I wanted them to be and took my drill and drilled holes up from underneath. Then I pushed two inch bolts through the holes. The single most important thing is to use large 1 inch fender washers on both the inside and outside of the bolts so the stress is distributed and doesn’t crack the plastic. I also used lock washers so they didn’t unscrew from the vibration of driving. Mounting the two boxes was very easy and probably only took 30 minutes.
Looking up from the bottom of the Hitch Haul at how I mounted the Job Box. You MUST have the wide fender washer to keep it secure.
In the pictures you’ll see that I put a heavy ratchet strap from the bumper around the Hitch Haul. The reason I did that was because one problem all items that mount into the receiver hitch have (except trailers of course) is they wobble around. The receiver hitch has to be large enough so the bar slides in and out easily and that extra room allows the item to shake around. The ratchet strap gives the Hitch Haul two more attachment points so it doesn’t sway. It worked very well and the cargo carrier was rock solid. I had some padlocks on hand that worked on the boxes so that was it, job done!
The boxes worked extremely well! The Husky job box was huge and swallowed up a massive amount of stuff! It also proved to be totally dust and water proof and neither ever got inside of it even though we drove through a lot of rain and dust. With the heavy plastic and steel hinges and lock hasps I never once worried about anything being stolen, and of course nothing was. The Actionpacker worked fine, but not as well. I’d had this one for a long time and it had spent a lot of time on my motorcycle and one of the ends around the hasp had slightly cracked. It leaked in a small amount of dust and water but not enough to do any harm. Just to be on the safe side we didn’t put anything in it that would have been damaged by water or dust. Don’t take that as a condemnation of Actionpackers, I’ve owned them for years and they never leaked until I cracked the hasp.
One of the things we had been concerned about is the Hitch Haul dragging on low spots. Judy’s van is a half-ton and we’d loaded it heavy enough to sag a little in back but even so I doubt it dragged more than a few times on the whole trip. If you followed the trip on my blog you know we camped many times off road and I thought it would drag often, but it almost never did. We went wherever we wanted without giving it a thought. It is well-designed and has a rise coming out of the receiver so it sits higher than the bumper.
When we got home we took it off Judy’s van and put it on mine and because it’s a 1 ton it is higher than Judy’s van and I doubt there is ever a time when it will drag on my van. One other thing I thought when we put it on my van is that I don’t believe it will hurt my stealth ability at all. On Judy’s van it was obvious that we were travelers and looked like tourists. But on my white cargo van with its ladder rack and ladder on the roof the big tool box on the back actually made it look more like a work van.
We found the boxes to be the ideal base to cook from.
One other thing we liked a lot about the box on back is it made a great cook surface. Judy’s 2-burner propane stove fit inside either box so we stored it in there and then took it out and cooked right on the box. That worked very well! It gave us a lot of work surface and it was a perfect height.
The bottom line is for a couple in a van the Hitch Haul and job box is the perfect solution with very few disadvantages. And even for single people it is still a great idea and will clear a lot of stuff out of your van and give you a lot more room. Highly recommended!
“The reason I did that was because one problem all items that mount into the receiver hitch have (except trailers of course) is they wobble around. ”
Sorry to have to inform you that trailer tow bars also wobble around. I had some welding beads put on my tow bar and filed down to a very tight fit into the hitch socket to minimize the tow bar knocking on stops, starts and turns.
Old Fat Man, thanks for that info. I’ve never owned a trailer with those so I know nothing about them. Glad to know that.
Bob
Lock washers or nyloc nuts. Even better, double up on the nyloc nuts.
I wonder, though, about the wisdom of these carriers on extended Ford and Dodge vans with their extra rear overhang.
Al, with my long wheelbase it isn’t an issue for me, but that is a good point for the Dodge and Ford.
I’m pretty sure that most vandwellers are loaded so light that it won’t be an issue, but it is definitely something to watch for carefully.
Bob
I’d think there would be a rear clearance issue.
Al, we’ve put over 10,000 miles on it and driven it for about 3 months and to the best of our recollection it has drug around 3 times and they were no big deal. On my van it will be even less, I doubt it will ever drag unless I take it some place really crazy.
Several times we were sure it would drag so I got out and watched and it didn’t. It was a non-issue.
Bob
I meant clearance issues with extended Ford or Dodge vans, which already have extra overhang behind the axle.
Al, that’s a good point; with my long wheelbase I had no problem but the Ford or Dodge could. I have a friend with an extended ford and regular wheelbase and she has a hitch haul and she has no problem with it dragging.
I think all the extended vans (no matter their wheelbase) are 1 tons and the 1 tons all stand higher than either 1/2 or 3/4 ton. They have the highest ground clearance. Also, they will not sag under the weight of a normal vandweller so they are much higher than a regular van. The hitch haul is noticeably higher on my van that it was on Judy’s.
I don’t think it will be an issue on any van unless it is very heavily loaded and not on any 1 ton. Except maybe the Class Bs that are very heavy. But I have friends with Roadtreks and cargo carriers and they don’t seem to have nay problem either.
No doubt if I try I can find a situation where it won’t work, but for most of us it won’t be a problem.
Bob
thanks for this detailed info, I’ve been curious about these for a while. How often do you try to stealth camp in your van in a city/town these days?
Ming, almost never. I avoid civilization like the plague.
Bob
good for you for staying in the lovely big outdoors, much more relaxing there. Too bad that you’re not getting to test out your ultra stealth abilities!
Ming, I just can’t stomach being in towns anymore. I like to visit and shop briefly, but after just a few hours they make me very uncomfortable and I MUST leave. My city-dwelling days are over!
Bob
While I still living in the city, I do love getting to the outdoors, even if it’s just a few miles outside the city. My wife and I will be headed up north this month sometime.
I love getting out of the heat myself.
Bob
This is a very informative post. We are thinking about this very setup for our conversion van. We also checked out the cargo carrier boxes but found they are too expensive. This is an affordable and doable alternative. Thank you Bob for a possible solution to expanding the storage space while traveling. Jan
Jan, it worked really well for us and cost less than $200. We found it to be all positives and no negatives.
Hope it works as well for you!
Bob
Bob: Regarding the “rattling of the carrier in the receiver hitch”. You can defeat that. A fellow in Colorado told me about his method of doing this. He would use a short bolt ( 5/16 diameter Hex bolt plus 1/2 inch length of fine thread) and a lock washer plus a flat washer if you need it to take up the slack. You have these bolts in both the “x” axis (drill and tap a hole in the side) and the “y” axis (drill and tap a hole in the bottom of the receiver. You use the bolt to take up the slack between the box channel hitch and the receiver so it won’t rattle.
It’s extremely important to position these drilled and tapped holes based on measurements on the hitch being inserted into the receiver.
For example if the hitch fits 7 inches into the 10 inch deep receiver, you want to position the bolt about 6.5 inches deep (or about one half inch from the end of the hitch) into the receiver so as not to provide the spacing at the proper position to stabilize the hitch inside the receiver. Try to position the holes in the “middle of the web” so as not to weaken the receiver much, that is don’t place the holes near the corner of the receiver box channel, where the forces and stresses are greatest to weaken the receiver the least amount possible.
If done properly, you can get rid of the straps, and avoid the rattle caused by sloppy fit between the hitch and receiver while at the same time not reducing the receiver strength by any significant or meaningful amount.
The guy from Colorado showed me his hitch carrier on his Jeep, and it worked very well, and didn’t weaken the receiver in any meaningful amount. His application had a hex head fine thread 5/16 inch bolt with one flat washer and one lock washer. He said he’s been doing this for about 20 years and never had a problem with it. When the bolt is inserted into the threaded hole, it replaces the steel drilled from the hole, so there is almost zero weakening to the receiver.
I could send you a sketch if my words are not clear about what specifically I mean. Let me know if you want the sketch. You have my email. Regards,Dan
Thanks Dan for a great tip. But I’ll stick to the KISS principle (actually, I’m lazy and cheap!) and the ratchet strap worked perfectly and I already had it.
But I appreciate the information!
Bob
Bob,
How do you plan to use the carrier with your cargo trailer?
David, actually I am probably going to sell it or give it away at this years RTR. I just need a way to carry it now but in the winter when I tow the trailer it is going to be nothing but a headache. Next summer I am going to take my motorcycle and I will have it on the back so I probably won’t take it at all. I could carry it on the front reciever hitch but then I will be incredibly long and I don’t really need it.
I had to have it for this trip with Judy and I, and my gas savings by taking one van were much more than I paid for it, but I’m probably going to get rid of it.
Bob
Thanks for the useful information. What I would most likely do with that type of carrier is use it to carry a two-wheeler of some sort for local transportation. What kind of weight limitations should I respect with a 1500 or 2500 type van?
Calvin, to carry a motorcycle I would recommend a motorcycle carrier and not a cargo rack. They are specifically designed to carry lots of weight out at the end while with a cargo carrier you try to load the weight as close to the center a you can. Here is a post on how I’m carrying my Honda Rebel 250:
http://www.cheaprvliving.com/blog/establishing-boundaries-hauling-honda-rebel-250/
My rack is rated to carry a 600 pound motorcycle and I think any full-size van could carry that. The problem is the rack weighs 100 pounds so that is a total of 700 pounds. Most 1/2 tons have class III hitches that are only rated for 500 pounds. So it’s a little over but i doubt it would be an issue for occasional trips. If you did it every day I would want to get a class V hitch rated at 1000 pounds.
My Rebel is 300 pounds and the rack is 100 so at a total of 400 pounds I am under the limit. Plus I only tow it a few times a year.
Bob
Bob, you answered my question exactly although I did not ask it well. The Rebel 250 in a motorcycle carrier is exactly what I was thinking about. How my life plays out remains to be seen, but I’m thinking that my medical issues may stop me from riding the bicycle reliably. If I can count on the bicycle, it and its trailer would most likely occupy a carrier similar to yours. If not, I’ll look for a Rebel or something very similar, which have better capacities than mopeds and bigger wheels than scooters.
Calvin, a hitch haul would work very well for a bicycle and a trailer, great idea!
Bob
This post is perfect timing, Bob. I don’t think that little van that I’ll be getting (Mazda 98 MPV) can haul a cargo trailer, but I wanted something for extra storage. I’ll get all the measurements and probably get these items, along with a few others. When you see a spike in your store earnings, it’ll be me. 😉
Thanks bunches,
~Naomi
“When you see a spike in your store earnings, it’ll be me.”
And me!
LaVonne, the Safari is a great rig for a cargo carrier! It’ll give you lots more room! But I’ll give you the same advice I gave Naomi and recommend an aluminum one for the weight savings.
Thanks for using a link from my site to Amazon!! I make a little money and it costs you nothing–even of you buy a different item!
Bob
I have an Amazon account with a few things on my Wish List. If I were to click on one of your links to an item I didn’t want to buy, then from there navigate to my Wish List, then put an item from that List into my Cart, would that degree of separation negate your commission? I will look the item up again if needed to ensure you get your share, but going directly to my List is easier.
Canine, I’m not sure but I think it will work. I know for sure that you don’t have to buy the thing on my site, just enter Amazon from my site.
I very much appreciate your taking the time to do it!
Bob
Naomi, that is a great idea! The mini-vans have lots of advantages but they are very limited for space and this could solve that problem with almost no negatives.
One warning though, with Judy’s or my vans weight wasn’t an issue but it is a issue with mini-vans so I would try to keep the weight down as much as possible. You might want to consider an aluminum rack for weight savings. Weight carried out at the end of a stick has the fulcrum affect and is multiplied. It’s like the old saying that a pound on your feet is like 6 pounds on your back. The same with the cargo rack so try to keep it to a minimum.
Bob
Thanks for suggesting aluminum. I’ll definitely look into that. My one concern will be keeping the license plate visible. I may have to use shorter boxes, but that’s probably better anyway due to the weight issue.
I didn’t know that you receive a percentage from Amazon once we go through your link even if we order other items. I will start doing that. I order from amazon all the time. I encourage you to remind everyone of that fact. Thanks again, Naomi.
Naomi, You can just take the license plate off of where it is is and screw it into the box. It won’t have a light which may be illegal but I doubt any cop would ever stop you. As an alternative you could get a magnetic trailer light kit and it should have a light for the license plate. You can get them for about $20 but you will need a trailer plug to plug the lights into. If you have a trailer hitch you should already have that.
Bob
Thanks for all the info Bob. I noticed on one of the photos, there seemed to be another receiver on the back of the carrier. My silly question is, could you tow a small car (specifically a Ford Escort wagon) behind one of these, without losing very much structural integrety of the carrier? Wayne
Wayne, I would say yes you could. BUT (there’s always a but) you would have to stay within the weight rating of the hitch and carrier. You would also have to take into account the fulcrum affect of the long bar moving the weight so far from the receiver. That is far outside my knowledge and probably yours so I wouldn’t do it until I spoke to an experience welder fabricator.
But, a towed car has almost no tongue weight, all of it’s weight is carried on it’s four wheels and very little of it is carried by the tongue. The pressure is away from the van and not down and it should be more than strong enough for that. BUT (again a but) I’m no expert and so for safety’s sake check with an expert.
Are you sure your Escort is towable 4 down? Check with the dealer to be sure. Also, with the extra storage space of the car would you need the storage of the cargo carrier?
Bob
Thanks for the honest reply Bob. Yes it is towable 4 down. It is a 94 standard trans. I researched mucho before I purchased it.
Si I want the extra room that the car carrier provides, as I will do some traveling without the Escort. And I want the ability to sleep over night in the wagon when I don’t want to drive the van.
By the way, I just joined your blog. Some very interesting topics and people. Wayne
Wayne, I can see your point, I can only suggest seeing a welder because I just don’t have the knowledge base to help you decide. I know some of the guys with the big cab-over campers pull trailers and cars and they have to add a 4 foot extension to the trailer hitch to extend out past the camper. They tow lots of weight safely so it can be done.
Bob
I would think the bigger concern would be lateral forces — side to side. If I were to try that I think I’d brace the rack (as diagonally as possible) from it’s outside corners to the chassis.
Of course, one could mount the rack to the towed instead. 😉
I agree, I don’t see a reason to do it at all.
Bob
I had thought about using one with my truck after I put the shell on, but It would probably get in the way of getting out via the tailgate area. Plus, while using the trailer, it would be a waste of space. My truck and trailer together are around 45 feet anyway.
If you are in the wickenburg to west phoenix/glendale/peoria area, give me a ring.
Hi Douglas, I agree that if you have a trailer it doesn’t really make sense. I’ve thought about adding a hitch to the back of the trailer and carry it there. But I don’t see a reason to do it.
It’s still too hot down there for me but maybe this fall.
Thanks for the invite, I appreciate it!
Bob
Hi Bob,
Great information as always. I’ve added those items to my Amazon wish list 🙂 Looking forward to more posts of both of you living in the van. Are the window’s blocked off in Judy’s van? If not it would be nice to have that great view outside. But did that make things a little bit cooler inside. I keep going back and forth with what kind of van I want to get.
Take care,
Tinabeane
Tina, My van is an 07 Chevy Express. I have no experience with any other vans but can say that this van works well for me. I gladly trade headroom for a lower profile in windy conditions.
The long side windows of my van are covered with reflectix plus 2″ wide styrofoam fitted & tucked behind where the seat belts anchor. Reflectix alone in those areas did not keep the van from becoming an oven.
I have removable reflectix on the rear & side door windows, passenger & driver windows and the windshield. These are for privacy at night and sun shield in the daytime.
In van dwelling you will find that how you orientate your vehicle to the sun makes a huge difference in comfort level inside.
I favor having the rear passenger corner of the van pointing toward sunrise. As the sun goes through the day there is brief morning sun on my passenger window & double side door, full sun on rear windows til noon, drivers window gets a bit of evening sun while windshield is in full sun. This way it’s the short ends of the van that get the most direct sunshine.
If you park so one side of your vehicle gets full morning sun and the other side gets afternoon sun, you will find it very difficult to stay cool inside.
I try to park in camp with Bob’s van to my south west corner which is to say the drivers corner & windshield of my van is pointed toward Bob’s van.
I can sit in my side door entryway in morning sun & afternoon shade and not see Bob’s camp space.
Because I always keep the windshield and drivers window reflectix in place against the afternoon/evening sun, Bob’s personal camp space is out of my view when I’m inside my van.
Because the rear windows get morning sun, I can peek out from my bed and watch the day break and catch the sunrise. If it’s been a cold night, I remove the reflectix from the rear windows to allow the sun to warm the van a bit then replace it to prevent over heating. I can remove them again by noon for more outside view & extra light although my van is very bright inside with reflectix removed from only the passenger door and 2 side door windows.
When I can sit in my side doors and see nothing but nature, I do not ever feel view-deprived!
My rear windows will tilt open a couple inches at the bottom. This makes a huge difference in keeping that end of the van cool. With a co-operative breeze, I can open the rear windows and the passenger window & get a nice air movement. Without a breeze from mother nature, I plug in my Road Pro fan.
I hope this is helpful info and wish you all the best in your search for a van.
Something I did while camped in the National Forest before adding styrofoam to those side window areas: It was a hot day and quite hot inside my van. There was a breeze outside but it wouldn’t pass through the van front to back. I opened the 2 rear doors and both side doors then draped a big sheet across the tops of them & clamped them in place. It looked kinda silly with sheets billowing in the wind but it sure was cooler.
If you want to go a bit more high class & can afford shade cloth, that would work as well. I worked with what I had at the time.
Hi Judy,
Thanks so much for the detailed information, this helps me a lot. 🙂
Tina
You are very welcome Tina.
Bob
Please note that the mini-vans in general are using 1 1/4 inch receivers which are rated a lot lower than 2 inch receivers. Receivers are not universal in weight ratings so check out exactly what you have or will be getting.
That’s a very good point Old Fat Man, Thanks!
Bob
I have seen several of these carriers in the phoenix area, mostly in the winter while the “snowbirds” are in town. Event the actual vandwellers I only see occasionally. The only reason I started noticing vandwellsers is when I started came across the websites.
Thanks Doug.
Bob
I don’t say anything to anybody, just walk on by. Even when hooked up to the grid, it’s a lot cheaper to cool a van than a 1200 square foot house.
Good point, thanks Douglas.
Bob
I really like how much more storage having a hitch haul cargo carrier gives you! I’ve been struggling with space in my trailer for a while now. I really want to go look at hitches now so that I can have this option for storing more cargo.
Violet, would you put a hitch on the back of the trailer and put the hitch haul back there? That should work well!
Bob
I liked how much a hitch cargo carrier helped you! I have been looking for options for extra storage for my RV. I’d love to try out multi functional RV Cargo Carriers and see how they can help me.