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Old 06-08-2014, 07:11 AM   #1
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bike rack on rear bumper?

I have a 8285IKWS Rockwood due to deliver the end of June.
I had asked our sales rep if it was possible to mount a bike rack to the rear bumper, since the Jay flight we are trading in specifically said in the owners manual the bumper was not designed to support additional weight.
The sales rep said it was ok to mount a rack. BUT I was on the FR Rockwood web site looking at FAQ and it says NO!
Any suggestions?
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Old 06-08-2014, 07:24 AM   #2
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Bumpers are different. Our old Jayco (1999) had a thick black steel tube bumper that easily supported the weight of a heavy 4 bike rack with no difficulty. Some bumpers are aluminum, others a thinner grade steel. You should heed the word of fellow campers on that forum and look for an alternate method of transporting your bikes. The last thing you need is your bumper twisting from the jarring and weight going down the road or losing the bikes altogether. When you get your fiver home, look at the frame as a possible solution for a bolt\weld on 2" receiver. The other dilemma is what are you going to do with your spare tire? You'll have to relocate it somewhere else for a bumper bike rack. There are also threads showing a 2" receiver bolted right to the pin box up front. A neat location if you have a long bed truck. Do a search. Good luck! and btw....welcome to the forum!
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Old 06-08-2014, 07:30 AM   #3
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IKWS!

Do you mean a 8285WS?

Signature Ultra Lite 8285WS

If so the bolded part is your problem, the frame tails will not handle the strain.
How about a front bumper mounted rack for your tow rig?
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Old 06-08-2014, 07:37 AM   #4
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IMO (and several others who have first hand experience), if it did not come from the factory with a bike rack, look elsewhere for bike storage.

Loss of bikes, bumper, and hair might be the least of your worries. What if all that (now) junk bouncing down the highway kills someone?
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Old 06-08-2014, 10:27 AM   #5
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Kind of interesting - you can mount a spare tire that weighs 60-70lbs on the bumper but not a bike rack and a bike that weighs 25lbs. Having trouble figuring that one out.

I have an 8285 with a spare tire mount on a fairly substantial square tube bumper. I can stand on this bumper and jump up and down (190lbs) and it doesn't move.
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Old 06-08-2014, 10:28 AM   #6
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My Signature Ultra Lite 8280WS clearly states that attaching anything to the bumper is dangerous and voids the warranty. We are now looking at US Rack's over-the-cab rack for our bikes and kayaks.
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Old 06-08-2014, 10:35 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cadman99 View Post
Kind of interesting - you can mount a spare tire that weighs 60-70lbs on the bumper but not a bike rack and a bike that weighs 25lbs. Having trouble figuring that one out.

I have an 8285 with a spare tire mount on a fairly substantial square tube bumper. I can stand on this bumper and jump up and down (190lbs) and it doesn't move.
That spare is located almost directly over the bumper. Even then it moves around quite a bit. The bikes are located FAR behind the bumper and the up and down is amplified through the moment arm of the hitch.

The strain of the weight is multiplied several times by the distance from the bumper and axle attachment points. Worse yet, that movement increases the flexing of the frame to a degree where the frame can actually crack from "work hardening."
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Old 06-08-2014, 10:39 AM   #8
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Many salesmen will tell you whatever it takes to close the sale.

OK, so there's a spare tire mounted on yours. I feel quite certain the designers took that weight in to consideration. That does *not* mean and ADDITIONAL 175 or so pounds will work long term.

Do a search on this forum; "bike rack on bumper"

It's been discussed practically daily here.

The overwhelming consensus is *DON'T DO IT*
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Old 06-08-2014, 10:41 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Herk7769 View Post
That spare is located almost directly over the bumper. Even then it moves around quite a bit. The bikes are located FAR behind the bumper and the up and down is amplified through the moment arm of the hitch.

The strain of the weight is multiplied several times by the distance from the bumper and axle attachment points. Worse yet, that movement increases the flexing of the frame to a degree where the frame can actually crack from "work hardening."
Thank you, Herk, for putting it in "tech terms".

Perhaps this topic should be turned into a sticky thread, somewhat like the "lukewarm water from water heater" topic.
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Old 06-08-2014, 10:43 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cadman99 View Post
Kind of interesting - you can mount a spare tire that weighs 60-70lbs on the bumper but not a bike rack and a bike that weighs 25lbs. Having trouble figuring that one out.

I have an 8285 with a spare tire mount on a fairly substantial square tube bumper. I can stand on this bumper and jump up and down (190lbs) and it doesn't move.
Not sure what kind of bike you have but mine is just under 40 pounds.



Just saying.
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Old 06-08-2014, 11:02 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Herk7769 View Post
That spare is located almost directly over the bumper. Even then it moves around quite a bit. The bikes are located FAR behind the bumper and the up and down is amplified through the moment arm of the hitch.

The strain of the weight is multiplied several times by the distance from the bumper and axle attachment points. Worse yet, that movement increases the flexing of the frame to a degree where the frame can actually crack from "work hardening."
But Herk, wasn’t your damage done by more than a bike rack? I seem to recall you loaded up your bumper with a lot more than a couple of bikes.

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Old 06-08-2014, 11:06 AM   #12
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Or was that ependydad?
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Old 06-08-2014, 11:51 AM   #13
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Well there is a whole bunch of stuff located from the axle to the back - part of the kitchen, two chairs, two stools, a couch, and upper cabinets and more than half the slide. So it is hard to believe that and additional bike makes much difference in potential frame flex from the axles back..

The pictures show frame cracks that indicate an upward stress - seems a bit odd. Looks more like stress imposed by the leveling jack. I understand the potential amplification of stress as the load moves farther from the bumper. However this is a 9000lb unit when loaded, adding another 50 or so pounds at the bumper would seem insignificant.

The spare tire on mine has been there since 2008 - and no failure. I suspect that the manufactures fear folks adding large amount so weight at the rear (say a big rack carrying a generator) so they just say "mount nothing".
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Old 06-08-2014, 11:53 AM   #14
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My bike is a Raleigh Touring - weighs 26lbs
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Old 06-08-2014, 01:51 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cadman99 View Post
My bike is a Raleigh Touring - weighs 26lbs
+ the weight of the rack

We have an ultra lite 5er. NOTHING will be added to our bumper.

If we purchase bikes they will either be stored in the bed of the truck or somewhere in side the RV.

Someone just posted here a few days ago that he ended up dragging his bumper and *his* bike down the road. He was in a hurry and put his kids' bikes in the back of the truck. So with just the weight of ONE bike and the rack he overloaded his bumper.
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Old 06-08-2014, 01:59 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pmay View Post
I have a 8285IKWS Rockwood due to deliver the end of June.
I had asked our sales rep if it was possible to mount a bike rack to the rear bumper, since the Jay flight we are trading in specifically said in the owners manual the bumper was not designed to support additional weight.
The sales rep said it was ok to mount a rack. BUT I was on the FR Rockwood web site looking at FAQ and it says NO!
Any suggestions?
We have the same model of trailer and here is what I did for hauling a bike. The rear bumper is not designed to support a bike rack so I did not do that. I looked the unit over and found an area that was begging for my bike to go there. When the slides are closed, there is just enough room for a bike behind the island. I mounted a quick connect fork mount to the back of the island about a foot off the floor. I supported the area with a piece of cabinet grade plywood on the inside and the thing is strong enough to hold an elephant.

The first picture shows the bike mounted, ready for travel. The second picture is a close up of the mounting bracket, and the third picture is of the inside of the cabinet where I put the plywood for strength. The plywood is screwed into the frame of the island and the bike bracket is screwed from the other side into the plywood, making for a very secure mount.

My wife doesn't ride a bike, so this only works for a single bike, but it does work well.
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Old 06-08-2014, 04:46 PM   #17
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as Herk said, the physics of a loaded bike rack on the bumper, is very different than the spare tire on it.

trailers don't have shocks, the OP's trailer has a ultralite frame and the factory has been putting stickers on the bumpers warning not to do it.

a spare tire is right up against the back of the trailer, not held out and away like a loaded bike rack does.
so the bouncing load is increased by this, by a flexing motion of pulling back and down on the bumper's weak welds.
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Old 06-09-2014, 02:38 PM   #18
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Went to check my 5th wheel today and looked at the mounting of the rear bumper. The main i-beam exits the back and is about 12" back from the body. The i-beam is cut to accept the 4" bumper. The bumper sits on or in the i-beam and is welded on all sides. As extra caution a reinforcement plate could be added on the top of the i-beam.

I assume not all are built like this but I still doubt, in this case, that a bike rack is going to damage or break the bumper or frame member as long as the bikes are securely tied down to prevent unnecessary bouncing.
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Old 06-09-2014, 02:51 PM   #19
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All of you folks that want to challenge the mfgr/engrs on the structural integrity of the frame/bumper please have a ball. Make sure you post pictures of the before and after if you can find the bumper and bicycles. Just hope no one gets hurt dodging the debris. It's your trailer , your bicycles, do what you want.

Kinda like my granddaddy always said, "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink".
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Old 06-09-2014, 02:59 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnF View Post
But Herk, wasn’t your damage done by more than a bike rack? I seem to recall you loaded up your bumper with a lot more than a couple of bikes.

John






Quote:
Originally Posted by cadman99 View Post
Well there is a whole bunch of stuff located from the axle to the back - part of the kitchen, two chairs, two stools, a couch, and upper cabinets and more than half the slide. So it is hard to believe that and additional bike makes much difference in potential frame flex from the axles back..

The pictures show frame cracks that indicate an upward stress - seems a bit odd. Looks more like stress imposed by the leveling jack. I understand the potential amplification of stress as the load moves farther from the bumper. However this is a 9000lb unit when loaded, adding another 50 or so pounds at the bumper would seem insignificant.

The spare tire on mine has been there since 2008 - and no failure. I suspect that the manufactures fear folks adding large amount so weight at the rear (say a big rack carrying a generator) so they just say "mount nothing".
I am one of those "in the know"
Ultra light campers have a frame I beam that is three pieces of sheet metal welded together to "make" an I beam.
My bikes were tossed so violently that they went thru the back of the camper.

Do what you what y'all want but don't cry to fr when you've done damage.

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