Adding Receiver to Frame (Bigfoot)

[Steve and Rosemary]

Does anyone have thoughts on adding a 2-inch receiver to the front of the frame on a 5th wheel? We were thinking of adding a rack under the "loft" of our Bigfoot to store 2 batteries instead of the standard one and maybe a small generator. There's plenty of room for turning since there are already compartments above the bottom of the frame (right below the bed) -- and we figure the easiest way would be to have a receiver there and get one of those racks that plugs easily into the back of a van.

I've attached a photo of a Bigfoot (not ours) with an arrow pointing to the approximate location of the 2-inch receiver. You can see the frame of the Bigfoot is not covered, so it's easy to access. Also, I attached a photo of a Scamp (also not ours) with something similar to what we're thinking of doing.

My concern is attaching something to the frame rather than a bumper and whether or not we'd need to weld something and not just bolt it on. Any advice, risks, suggestions, or general thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[Steve and Rosemary]

If no one tells me how risky it is, I'm going to be compelled to just do it! LOL

Really, though, any thoughts would be great. Maybe in a month or two I'll take it to the RV place and see what they think. Would Uhaul be worth a visit?

[Iowa Dave]

If you know a welder or welding shop, we have always believed that properly welded
Brackets or other steel tubing and plates is superior to bolting on and certainly to drilling through structural Components to affect attachment. I’ve seen many instances where the weld held and tubing split or failed well ahead or behind a repair. Welding is both art and science to me. That’s why I have someone else weld when I need it done. In areas where safety is important or where failure could be catastrophic we always used a certified welder with insurance that our attorney reviewed.
Iowa Dave