Receiver Hitch Mounted Accessories Every Van Dweller Will Find Essential

Your comfy little rolling castle has it all. Bed, kitchenette, even a porta-potti for those middle of the night office calls. Closet for your gear, and assorted cubby holes for this and that, but where can you put the portable generator, propane tank and assorted outdoor gear that's required for your extended stay in the bush.

There's never enough storage space. One easy answer to this problem is to expand your living quarters. It's time to add on, its time to get a garage.

Many vans come equipped with a class III receiver hitch already mounted below the rear bumper. For those without a universal fit hitch can be purchased for under $100. The beauty of this type of hitch is you can install any number of attachments by sliding in a 2" square tube and anchoring it in place with a 5/8" pin.

Receiver mounted accessories come in a variety of uses. Beyond different types and sizes of hitches for towing any of a variety of trailers you can also mount usable brackets, stands and platform that can easily be removed by pulling the pin.

Bicycle racks are a common accessory that many Van Dwellers use. Having a secondary method of transportation that requires no fuel is always a plus. Why uproot camp just to go to the corner for a container of milk.

Some Van Dwellers are confined to wheel chairs or require electric powered transportation to reduce walking. Lifts that carry your electric wheel chair or scooter are available that mount and are easily removable due to the one pin system of attachment.

Motorcycle racks are popular. Most receiver hitches are designed to handle 500 lbs of weight, that equals a midsized motorcycle. Staying in the desert for a while, it would be nice to have a dirt bike to explore or take you to your special prospecting spot that nobody else knows about.

You can even get a portable toilet that mounts in your receiver hitch. It's a bit lacking in privacy but hey, it gets the job done.

Removable platforms to carry equipment are one of the more versatile accessories that almost all Van Dwellers could make use of. How do you carry your barbeque, where do you store your portable generator, what are you using to carry your propane bottle. Everything from lawn chairs to tool boxes can be secured to a removable platform and when your extra baggage isn't needed pull the pin and the rack can be stored.

Adding a storage box to that platform is like adding a garage to the back of your Van Dwelling. All sorts of good stuff can be stored safely under lock and key outside the limited space inside your van. Yes, Van Dwellers are suppose to be experts at minimalist living and avoiding stuff for stuff's sake. Sometimes the necessities of life just take up more space then you have. Adding a storage box mounted behind your van is like having a small storage trailer behind you but doesn't require any trailer backing skills to go in reverse.

If you build your own storage box remember your taillights must remain visible as does your license plate.