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Old 03-30-2017, 03:14 PM   #1
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Question about having a receiver welded on my camper for a bike rack

I've read a lot of posts saying not to get one of the bumper mount receivers for my camper, so I'm not going that route.

Spoke to a neighbor who put me in touch with a friend who is a welder. He came and looked at the camper.

He wants to weld a piece of C channel between the trailer frame rails a foot behind the bumper, then weld a 2" receiver tube to that and tack it to the bumper as well, just as additional support.

Is this sufficient to support a bike rack?
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Old 03-30-2017, 03:38 PM   #2
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You probably need a little more than just a C channel. See Post #2 here for what I had put on my Roo 19 and Post #12 for what I had put on my Mini Lite 2503s.

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...oo-107358.html

There are some other options in the thread, too.
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Old 03-30-2017, 03:45 PM   #3
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Are you talking bicycle? that type of rack doesn't weight much. Two of my camping buddies have put receivers on their trailers. Both used 4" square tube welded to the frame one about 2.5' in from the end of the frame and the other at the end of the frame and then welded 2" square tube for the receiver to the 4" cross members, they both pull boats and side by sides. I will use that method if I put a hitch on my rig
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Old 03-30-2017, 06:09 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lugoismad View Post
I've read a lot of posts saying not to get one of the bumper mount receivers for my camper, so I'm not going that route.

Spoke to a neighbor who put me in touch with a friend who is a welder. He came and looked at the camper.

He wants to weld a piece of C channel between the trailer frame rails a foot behind the bumper, then weld a 2" receiver tube to that and tack it to the bumper as well, just as additional support.

Is this sufficient to support a bike rack?
I did essentially what you propose on a previous trailer. My welder added a cross brace on the frame, ran the 2" receiver from that to the bumper tube, welded pieces of angle iron under the bumper front and back to improve the strength there, then welded the receiver bar to that. We carried 2 bikes on there all the way across the country and back with no problems.
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Old 03-31-2017, 07:11 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by coupevillefish View Post
I did essentially what you propose on a previous trailer. My welder added a cross brace on the frame, ran the 2" receiver from that to the bumper tube, welded pieces of angle iron under the bumper front and back to improve the strength there, then welded the receiver bar to that. We carried 2 bikes on there all the way across the country and back with no problems.
I, also, had this done. I even had a platform with a box from Tractor Supply on the platform. Carried firewood and other stuff in it. Absolutely no problems. I'll see if I can find a picture and post if.
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Old 03-31-2017, 05:26 PM   #6
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If you mount a spare tire on the bumper you won't have the space needed for the bike rack. To overcome this I used the Bal under mount spare tire carrier and it worked great. Now to the bike rack. The welds on the rear bumper are prone to brake from the up and down movement of the bikes. To solve this, I welded two 2" square cross beams under my camper (from I beam to I beam) and 2 more 2" square beams to those two beams and the bumper. This gave the bumper the support it needed and nothing moved.
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Old 04-01-2017, 08:47 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lugoismad View Post
I've read a lot of posts saying not to get one of the bumper mount receivers for my camper, so I'm not going that route.
He wants to weld a piece of C channel between the trailer frame rails a foot behind the bumper, then weld a 2" receiver tube to that and tack it to the bumper as well, just as additional support.
Is this sufficient to support a bike rack?
I think his idea will work for bicycles.. I carry a scooter (about 500 lbs) and mine has TWO cross pieces behind the bumper with the receiver tube spanning both and then also connected to the bumper. However, my bumper isn't holding up the hitch, the hitch is holding up the bumper!!
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