Thanks for all the input. Steel it is then! I was planning on buying a ready-made one and then having a muffler shop tack on some extra reinforcments.

But icycyrup has a great point:

Quote
....I clearanced mine to lift it up to bumper height incase I decide I need firewood so it dont sit so stinkin low like the hitch level ones....


This would be nice for the extra clearance if I ever needed it (ex. had to take a trail to get to my camp site..) It would also put the cargo up higher so less road debri and water would hit it.

Without having access to a welder Im not sure how to go about this. Any suggestions?

Thanks for the help,
Ashby