Rockwood and rear bike rack

[ronb707]

Had my 2014 Rockwood 8280 back to the dealer for some minor warranty items this week. I talked to the service rep about installing a receiver style hitch to the frame so that I could install a bike carrier on it. He said that they do a few of those a year and it would not be a problem to have one fabricated and welded to the frame. I mentioned that I did not want to jeopardize my warranty (instruction manual says to contact Rockwood prior to any bumper or frame mods). He said he would check with the factory on it.

I decided to call the factory myself. Talked to a rep in the Warranty office and he said that they do not give permission for receiver hitches added to the trailer. Furthermore, if you do have an issue (i.e., cracked wall, bent frame) they would look at the hitch as the cause and disallow any warranty claim. He stated there was no legitimate way for me to have that hitch and be covered under warranty, if and when it was needed.

So, I will be looking at other creative ways to take our bikes with us.

[ependydad]

Ours live on the dinette in a giant heap with neat sheets between them.



Along with the stroller, baby trike and broom, Swiffer and dust buster on a stick.

[DaGrinch]

The warranty is only good for 1 year.
On my '08 Roo 23SS after the warranty ran out, I had a support piece welded behind the bumper in between the lateral frame rails. Then, a receiver was welded on top of the new piece and bumper. Worked like a charm and no problems. I've got a picture around here somewhere.... I'll try to find it and post it.

Larry

[DaGrinch]

[ronb707]

I purchased the additional 1 year warranty for a total of two. Also, during the factory tour the rep said in certain instances they work with the owner when warranty has expired. I guess our trailer is still too new (also our first one) to think that I would be on my own and without warranty over a bike rack. Perhaps as it ages I will become a little braver and add the hitch for the rack.

[THESCUBADOC]

Ultra-Fab 2" Motor Home Trailer Hitch Receiver for 4" x 4" Bumpers - 3,500 lbs Ultra-Fab Products Specialty Trailer Hitches UF35-946402


there is BOLT ON receiver that is designed for just that

[dcheatwood]

Originally Posted by THESCUBADOC

Ultra-Fab 2" Motor Home Trailer Hitch Receiver for 4" x 4" Bumpers - 3,500 lbs Ultra-Fab Products Specialty Trailer Hitches UF35-946402

there is BOLT ON receiver that is designed for just that

I don't see how a different hitch will make the frame and bumper stronger. Seems the torque would still exist on the bumps. Just saying. I have a bolt on similar to this one from camping world but haven't mounted it.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by THESCUBADOC

Ultra-Fab 2" Motor Home Trailer Hitch Receiver for 4" x 4" Bumpers - 3,500 lbs Ultra-Fab Products Specialty Trailer Hitches UF35-946402 there is BOLT ON receiver that is designed for just that

I'm not saying it'll happen to everyone - but it was exactly that kind of bolt-on rack that let my friends bikes drag down the road until another driver could get their attention. The mounts for the bumper failed and the whole thing twisted.

[youroo]

Originally Posted by THESCUBADOC

Ultra-Fab 2" Motor Home Trailer Hitch Receiver for 4" x 4" Bumpers - 3,500 lbs Ultra-Fab Products Specialty Trailer Hitches UF35-946402


there is BOLT ON receiver that is designed for just that

Be sure too remove the Fac.Decal that is on the Bumper (Do NOT place Hitch on bumper) first! Youroo!!

[THESCUBADOC]

I have one, mounted it, and I put an Engle cooler loaded ( upward of 100 pounds) on it on a Stromberg-Carlson tray, and have NOT had a problem.....just sayin !

of course you could wait til the warrantee is over and then get it welded on

[Flying dutchman]

It is still my opi ion. There are no bumpers on light weight TT or 5th wheels. Those black folded thin metal objects may carry the weight of an empty slinky stinky in addition toa spare wheel but NOTHING more. And removing the spare wheel will not really help.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by ronb707

Had my 2014 Rockwood 8280 back to the dealer for some minor warranty items this week. I talked to the service rep about installing a receiver style hitch to the frame so that I could install a bike carrier on it. He said that they do a few of those a year and it would not be a problem to have one fabricated and welded to the frame. I mentioned that I did not want to jeopardize my warranty (instruction manual says to contact Rockwood prior to any bumper or frame mods). He said he would check with the factory on it.

I decided to call the factory myself. Talked to a rep in the Warranty office and he said that they do not give permission for receiver hitches added to the trailer. Furthermore, if you do have an issue (i.e., cracked wall, bent frame) they would look at the hitch as the cause and disallow any warranty claim. He stated there was no legitimate way for me to have that hitch and be covered under warranty, if and when it was needed.

So, I will be looking at other creative ways to take our bikes with us.

That is true statement kinda, I asked the same question at the Goshen Rally tour. There was 30 of us on it. He said the Manager of Rockwood Division, that if you took the rear tire off and the bikes weight the same, they would turn there head. But my spear is mounted on the bumper I do not know where yours is located. Besides as he admitted how would they know that you traded off. But welding to the frame would take you out of warranty automaticly.

[dcheatwood]

Originally Posted by THESCUBADOC

I have one, mounted it, and I put an Engle cooler loaded ( upward of 100 pounds) on it on a Stromberg-Carlson tray, and have NOT had a problem.....just sayin !

of course you could wait til the warrantee is over and then get it welded on

I been considering that but I have a 7 yr extended warranty. Lol. I think, what wasn't mentioned in op is that this is an untrlight RV with smaller frame. Seems the extended weight is more than these (like my 8282) can take. Other manufacturers include huge fold down decks on the rear bumper, but I guess it has a beefed up frame. I'd love to have one of those. But....

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by dcheatwood

I been considering that but I have a 7 yr extended warranty. Lol. I think, what wasn't mentioned in op is that this is an untrlight RV with smaller frame. Seems the extended weight is more than these (like my 8282) can take. Other manufacturers include huge fold down decks on the rear bumper, but I guess it has a beefed up frame. I'd love to have one of those. But....

x's 2 on that one. I just had JT strong arms installed last week by the dealer, they had to add 1/4" angle iron under my frame below the bumper for them to mount and work, but they drilled and bolted it on, which is acceptable by FR and Lippard. It's a lippard product even through it's called JT.

[ronb707]

Originally Posted by gljurczyk

x's 2 on that one. I just had JT strong arms installed last week by the dealer, they had to add 1/4" angle iron under my frame below the bumper for them to mount and work, but they drilled and bolted it on, which is acceptable by FR and Lippard. It's a lippard product even through it's called JT.

As I mentioned previously, Forest River will not permit a hitch (either bolted or welded, regardless of the mfg. or installer). We are talking about two different things. Strong Arms stabilize the frame/trailer when it is at rest. A hitch reciever is meant to carry or pull something while the trailer is in motion. That will load and torque the frame.

The warranty rep so much as said they would have no real way of knowing what you were pulling or carrying via the frame mounted hitch.

This isn't just theory or hypothetical thinking. The rep said they have seen the actual damage after the fact.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by ronb707

As I mentioned previously, Forest River will not permit a hitch (either bolted or welded, regardless of the mfg. or installer). We are talking about two different things. Strong Arms stabilize the frame/trailer when it is at rest. A hitch reciever is meant to carry or pull something while the trailer is in motion. That will load and torque the frame.

The warranty rep so much as said they would have no real way of knowing what you were pulling or carrying via the frame mounted hitch.

This isn't just theory or hypothetical thinking. The rep said they have seen the actual damage after the fact.

I never suggested that you bolt it on, I said what they had to get cleared by FR for my warrenty. I also told you what FR said at the plant by the Manager in charge. I never meant that you should bolt it on so we and everyone is clear on my post. All I mentioned is what they would except for PUBLIC INFORMATION. There is a ton of threads on this issue and the answer is always the same. You can not put a hitch on these light weight frames and still be in warranty. I hope I didn't confuse you. Also there was just an issue about a bent 5th wheel pin on a older WILDCAT maybe 5 years old. Lippard stepped up and had it repaired after they determined it was their problem not the owners. They will stand behind there product. But everything has to be cleared that is why my dealer had to call just to bolt on the 1/4" angle iron....

[Herk7769]

Frame and sidewall damage caused by overloading and "bike/generator" racks has nothing to do with warranty (just who PAYS for the repairs.

The frame of a given length is made to carry the structure above it at its maximum gross rated weight for its life expectancy.

Anytime you change the moment arm (weight/load distance from the center of gravity) of the frame, you decrease the life expectancy of the frame.

Like a paper clip bent too many times, the metal will fatigue and break. The more you bend and twist the frame, the sooner it will fail.

Locating a load (like a bike rack) beyond the planned distance from the wheels, will cause flex beyond the design limit of the frame. The composite walls of the Ultra-Lite and Lite campers have only enough stiffness built in to be structurally sound at the rated load and with that amount of frame flex.

Sidewall cracks at wall penetrations (like slides) is inevitable when the frame flexes beyond its planned amount.

Your call...

[dcheatwood]

Originally Posted by ronb707

As I mentioned previously, Forest River will not permit a hitch (either bolted or welded, regardless of the mfg. or installer). We are talking about two different things. Strong Arms stabilize the frame/trailer when it is at rest. A hitch reciever is meant to carry or pull something while the trailer is in motion. That will load and torque the frame.

The warranty rep so much as said they would have no real way of knowing what you were pulling or carrying via the frame mounted hitch.

This isn't just theory or hypothetical thinking. The rep said they have seen the actual damage after the fact.

I understood that you were agreeing that the frame was lighter on these models as evidenced by the fact that yours had to beefed up for another application that involved the frame.
I had it on my wildcat and they made a big difference.

[DaGrinch]

Originally Posted by Flying dutchman

It is still my opi ion. There are no bumpers on light weight TT or 5th wheels. Those black folded thin metal objects may carry the weight of an empty slinky stinky in addition toa spare wheel but NOTHING more. And removing the spare wheel will not really help.

Exactly why I had the piece welded behind the bumper between the lateral frame rails. You can see it in post #4. Granted, my Roo 23SS was out of warranty, since I did not purchase the 2 yr or any other extended warranty. However, I had no problems whatsoever with using either a bike rack or a hitchhiker type platform.

[kerrlakelover]

Scubadoc and anyone else who "bolts" anything to the back tube sewer hose holder, should even be called a bumper. In 2006, I thought I was really smart and clamped 2 of those bolt on receivers to the tube of our 2005 Flagstaff 8528GTSS 5ver to spread the weight (144lbs) of my Honda eu3000is across the tube. I bolted two 2" tubes to 55"x20" carrier and inserted them into the 2 bolt on receivers. I insured there was no loose motion between the carrier, receivers and tube bumper. I then strapped the genny down to the carrier and headed to Florida from Raleigh, NC. By the time I got back to Raleigh, the frame rail had collapsed the side of the tube and the carrier and generator were about 12" from the pavement. So lesson learned, while I might weld/bolt a receiver hitch to the frame, I will never hang anything on that tube ...not even the spare tire. And to my dismay, even though it's not a light weight/mid profile 5ver, our recently purchased 2010 Sandpiper has the same tube and restrictions, really, come on Forest River. UGH....shame on me for not thinking and checking on this issue before I bought the Sandpiper. Oh well, we lover the 'piper. The heck with worrying about the warranty...what about that tube breaking off and it and your bikes hurting someone following you. OK, I'm done.