Bike rack on 365saq

gaucoin1 · 08-20-2013, 09:34 PM

I am struggling for ideas on a bike rack or basket for the back of the fifth wheel to carry bikes and a weber charcoal grill. Any comments or pics would be great.

I am getting mixed feedback about the back bumper or having a reciever mounted to the back.

TURBS · 08-20-2013, 09:37 PM

Is it in warranty?

gaucoin1 · 08-20-2013, 09:57 PM

I think it only had a one year factory so i guess not....

golfmedik · 08-21-2013, 03:44 AM

Put a rack up on the pin box. The bikes can easily be seen while traveling and they are easy to load. Do a search and you will find several ideas. That is where I put mine. Can even be done with short beds.

5erDriver · 08-21-2013, 07:15 AM

Seen the warranty question come up on this one a lot too. Just a word of warning. At a campground on Lake Ontario a couple of weeks ago the guy next to us had a receiver on the bumper with bikes and some other bits and pieces. It was a brand new TT. The weld at the frame had almost completely peeled away. This might be isolated but it can happen. Also, a friend put a receiver on the bumper and snugging it up it squeezed the bumper just enough that it went out of shape enough to prevent the sewer hose end coming out. I'd love to put a rack on my 365 too to free up the truck bed some. I have seen and like the pin box rack too. There are also some nice ladder mount racks to look into

TURBS · 08-21-2013, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gaucoin1

I think it only had a one year factory so i guess not....

Pm ttrost65 as he built his own bike rack above the bin box.
Also he was considering buying an air hitch so his may or may not be for sale.
He can maybe send you pics .

Turbs

camper1999 · 08-21-2013, 07:29 AM

If your trailer did not come with a factory bike hitch don't put anything back there especially on the bumper.

AquaMan · 08-21-2013, 07:57 AM

Here's what I did. The pinbox mount design came courtesy of golfmedic, the bike rack itself is of my own design.

golfmedik · 08-21-2013, 09:49 AM

Here is the one I built.

Of course mine is a long bed, but like above, you can build one for a short bed or buy hanging bike racks and strap them against the upright. The rack I'm using I bought at discountramps.com
Hope these racks the Ttrost65 and I have shown you gives you an idea.

gaucoin1 · 08-21-2013, 06:33 PM

Great ideas. Just need to figure out how to get it on there.

I really appreciate the comments. Golf...do you have any drawings or anything?

golfmedik · 08-22-2013, 07:55 AM

No drawings. If you do a search on here and on RV.net you will find the step by step instructions I used when I did it. If I can get to a computer, I will try to share the link. Only on phone for a while today.

Rtazz17 · 08-22-2013, 04:56 PM

Just another idea that we do.We carrry three bikes where dinnete is.We took cushions off and put three kleets for the forks of the bike on the wood under cushions.We carry three there and the fourth one is on the bottom bunk ,again held tight with a fork kleet.I like this set up because it keeps the bikes dry and it seems to rain every weekend we camp!Anyways works great and takes ten minutes to load bikes.When we unload bikes we just flip the dinnete wood seat over and put cushions back on.No need to remove fork kleets.

golfmedik · 08-22-2013, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by golfmedik

No drawings. If you do a search on here and on RV.net you will find the step by step instructions I used when I did it. If I can get to a computer, I will try to share the link. Only on phone for a while today.

Here is a link to this site's write up: http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ics-25204.html

And here it is on the other site: RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Fifth-Wheels: Pin Box Bike Rack Source

AquaMan · 08-22-2013, 07:34 PM

If it looks like rain, or I'm traveling a great distance, I will usually pull the seats off before I load the bikes, and store them in the basement.

Rtazz17 · 08-22-2013, 08:02 PM

Dont get me wrong,its not just a rain thing.I just like to have them secured inside when traveling.I like the bike rack on the nose but its just not for me.I think I would lose my mind if I had a billion bug guts all over my bikes.Lol.With my luck the rack would end up going through the nose of my camper or my cab rear window.I have a shortbed and I am at 90 degrees pulling into my driveway at times.I just thought I would give another option.I should post a picture of setup.Cost 50 bucks for the kleets.

AquaMan · 08-22-2013, 08:06 PM

I see your point, but I look at it like, I would rather have bug guts on my $400 bike than on my $40k 5ver.

Rtazz17 · 08-22-2013, 08:10 PM

Yeah but I guess you could call me a clean freak with ocd...I would end up spending two hours cleaning the bikes when getting to CG... Nose of camper is simple to clean..

kerrlakelover · 08-24-2013, 09:49 PM

Been doing some serious research and hope this helps everyone.
1. Lippert manufactures the frames for the Sandpipers (and many others). I discovered that Lippert has an online store and they have bike racks and receiver hitches designed for our FWs and TTs. (Lippert Component's RV Parts & Accessories / Storage, Towing, and Convenience / Bike Racks & Receivers) The rated weight is still very limited (for the most part 250lb max). I talked with the Customer Service folks at Lippert and their products were their only recommendation. The racks and reciever are pretty pricey and I would advise you to call Lippert and ask them to tell you exactly which rack or receiver you need for your particular FW/TT.
2. Curt mfg also makes an "adjustable width trailer hitch reciever" specifically for RV FWs and/or TTs. It expands out to 72" wide (my Sandpiper measures 60+" at the frame extensions that connect to the bumper). This hitch is pricey to and is $322 on etrailer.com (Adjustable Width Trailer Hitch Receiver for RVs, 22" to 72" Wide Curt Specialty Trailer Hitches 13703) I found it for $250 at my local Leonard store (Leonard Buildings and Truck Accessories).
3. If you look at your FW or TT frame, the frame rails are not really heavy gauge steel. So, even if you get the Lippert products or Curt products, I would caution you to put anything much over 200lbs on either of them. And don't forget (as many of our fellow FRF friends have said on many posts on this subject) if you have a bike rack that sticks out of the receiver hitch 3-4 feet with 4 bikes hanging on it, the law of physics takes over and the leverage of the rack sticking our 3-4 feet will definitely really increase the "weight and torque" that is applied to the frame rails. So, just because you mount a big honking receiver hitch back there, you still better be very conservative on what you hang on it. And NEVER underestimate the forces that effect anything on the back of your FW or TT. It's like riding in the very back seat of a school bus.

So, after all that, here's where I'm at with hanging stuff off the back of my 2010 Sandpiper 345RET.

1. I feel very comfortable that either of these hitches will carry the load of our 2 very light frame mountain bikes.
2. My plan to mount 2 eu2000i Honda gens on the back of my Sandpiper is tentatively looking like this. I will probably pick up the Curt hitch for $250. Next, I will have a local fabricator build an aluminum carrier 65-70" wide and deep enough for the gens to just sit in the carrier. Next, I'll have a 2x2" tube fabricated that comes out of the receiver and turns up and sits right on top of the back bumper (no weight on the bumper). I will also fabricate something (let's call them spacers...maybe 2" pieces of rubber) to put between the carrier and frame extensions (bumper is welded to this) to just keep the carrier from rocking from side to side. Very minimal weight will be on these "spacers".
3. I will never carry both the gens or bikes. I will carry one or the other.
4. And no, while it's great for some of you, I just don't like hanging bikes off the pin box. My kids call me "Mr Anal"....for me, I don't like the way it looks.

What do you guys think about my tentative plans?

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