Serious Noob question- spare tires, bike racks, and rear bumpers

[rtidwell]

We have a brand new 195bh. It didn't come with a spare, so I ordered one. I now need to figure out where to put it. I also would like to mount a bicycle rack. There is a sticker on the rear bumper of the camper that says something to the effect of "don't attach anything or you'll void the warranty."

1. Will I really void my warranty if I put the spare on a carrier on the bumper?
2. Who's done it anyway...
3. Anyone carrying bikes on this model camper?

I have to buy carrier for the spare, but I already have the mount for the bike carrier...

thoughts?

Russ Tidwell
Cruise Lite 195BH
2009 Honda Pilot

[Herk7769]

So, here is the thing.

Since you did not order the spare tire carrier with the camper, "technically" you can't mount anything there. The "warranty" runs out in a year so you could wait.

Having said that, if you use the OEM spare tire carrier, I don't see it being an issue; but it certainly could. Mount it close to the welded portion of the bumper and NOT in the center to limit twisting of the boxed bumper.

This is the one that came on my bumper from the factory:
Ultra Fab Fold Down Spare Wheel Tire Carrier Mount - $19.97

As to the bike rack. Go to plan B or C or D. The rear bumper on a light trailer is a recipe for disaster. Check on any of the hundreds of threads here.

[rana]

My preferred option is to mount my spare under my rig. My last three I've just gone to the junk yard and robbed a spare tire winch out from under a pick-up and had it mounted. The last one ran me $35. It also help to keep the rear bumper free for other accessories.

[Wa11y757]

We have a 2014 195bh that we purchased new last march. The dealer gave me a spare and mounted it center rear bumper. Been there for over a year now.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by Wa11y757

We have a 2014 195bh that we purchased new last march. The dealer gave me a spare and mounted it center rear bumper. Been there for over a year now.

Better keep a close watch on the welds on top of the frame to the tube. They are VERY susceptible to breaking the THIN wall tube.

[rdenslow]

As for the bike rack. .. I bought a very nice 2 bike bumper mount bike rack that my dealer installed. Beware that black grips and tires will mark up your trailer ' s rear end. Even the aluminum peddles will find a way to make their mark on your trailer. All it takes is some potholes or a railroad crossing to shift the bikes into the camper body.

I agree with mounting the spare under whenever possible. Not only is it out of the way but it is also US protected without a cover.

[dustman_stx]

Use the BAL hide-a-spare that goes under the camper. Easy to install and easy to access the spare if needed as it slides out from under the camper. My last 2 I've installed one and they work great.

[veraken]

I also used the Bal under mount spare tire carrier and it works great. If you mount a spare tire on the bumper you won't have the space need for the bike rack. Now to the bike rack. As others have mentioned 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.

[Vince and Charlette]

Regarding bike racks, read the fine print. After buying a Swagman 4-bike rack, (approved for Class A and C only) I learned deep inside the owners manual there is a little statement, "Total load not to exceed 100 pounds"! And by the way, when I got the package, they had taped over the statement that it folds down for access to the trunk/hatch. The vertical bar is bolted in upright position with a threaded pin locked in with 45 pounds of torque.

[Golfnbike13]

I've got a 2014 195bh also and the dealer put a spare tire on the back, near the middle of the bumper. I would love to put a bike rack on there but been afraid because of that sticker. I guess my warranty is probably over but I had heard it was a bad idea, not sure why.

[Steven379]

X3 on the BAL hide a spare. Mounted it last weekend and even had room for the blue tank.

[Arefbee]

You could do a bike roof rack on the Pilot (may be a little high) or you could carry the bikes in the TT.

I personally like the dinette approach. Take a look at these threads:
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...els-44515.html
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ion-62557.html
The master bed could even take one of those stand up racks.

[Golfnbike13]

Originally Posted by Arefbee

You could do a bike roof rack on the Pilot (may be a little high) or you could carry the bikes in the TT.



I personally like the dinette approach. Take a look at these threads:

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...els-44515.html

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ion-62557.html

The master bed could even take one of those stand up racks.

These are awesome ideas I never thought of. I have high end bikes I prefer putting inside when transporting anyway. I've just been cramming them in somewhere. I'll have to see if I can fit this in my 195bh.