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This spare tire trailer mount (Thule) has crisscrossed U-bolts:

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I would have thought regular U-bolts, arranged vertically, would have been adequate for holding a spare wheel bracket to a trailer frame.

Using specialized/crossing U-bolts would have added extra cost and complexity when building that mount. So I would like to think the designers had a good reason for doing it.

Is there a benefit of using crisscrossed U-bolts when attaching things to square tube, such as a trailer frame?

User1974
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1 Answers1

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The criss-cross helps prevent the bracket from turning when installed. If they were just straight up and down, the bracket would tend to walk, causing it to turn. With them criss-crossed, it has a better grasp on the trailer frame. The reason why it would turn is because the wheel's center of gravity is above the frame rail.

Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2
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