This summer I am wanting to add a receiver hitch to the back of my camper so I can install a cargo rack for my cooler and firewood. I have a 2016 BD and I already use my front rack for other items. Has anyone done this or have a recommendation for a brand or type of hitch that will work with my camper.
You will get lots of responses on this both for and against. The back Bumper(?) is not designed to carry much weight. It is not just the bumper, but the entire frame that is effected. Also check the firewood restrictions where you plan to camp. Because of emerald ash borer concerns, many states prohibit the transportation of firewood. Hanging off the back bumper, it will be pretty obvious.
You will get lots of responses on this both for and against. The back Bumper(?) is not designed to carry much weight. It is not just the bumper, but the entire frame that is effected. Also check the firewood restrictions where you plan to camp. Because of emerald ash borer concerns, many states prohibit the transportation of firewood. Hanging off the back bumper, it will be pretty obvious.
Just realize that you run the risk of voiding the chassis warranty, doing this type of mod.
Most newer Roos/Shamrocks have a warning sticker on the bumper.
If you don't care, then have a receiver welded and braced to the frame and bumper.
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Dan-Retired California Firefighter/EMT
Shawn-Musician/Entrepreneur/Wine Expert
and Zoe the Wonder Dog(R.I.P.)
2016 PrimeTime TracerAIR 255, pushing a 2014 Ford F150 SCREW XTR 4x4 3.5 Ecoboost w/Max Tow Package
4pt Equal-i-zer WDH and 1828lbs of payload capacity
I purchased the adjustable CURT for the back of my PT/C. I understand it is not the unit in question. The hitch is much bigger than it looks and it actually hangs fairly low down from my frame when I mocked it up before installing. So low that I could see it hit/drag when entering/exiting gas stations or what not. Needless to say I am having my buddy weld it on with different brackets. Even then not sure I would put FW on it. Each their own, good luck!
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2016 Prime Time Crusader 294RLT
2021 RAM 3500 Laramie Mega HO\CTD, CC, 4x4...ect
Days Camped in last 3 years - 79
Planned Days in 2021 - 50
Days Camped in 2021 - 0
I am looking for one that mounts to the frame of the camper. Justice12t, I looked at the Curt adjustable hitch on Amazon. It looks like it should hang right below the existing bumper, how much lower did it hang on your camper?
Another word of warning.......years ago, I had a bike rack welded to the frame and bumper of a pop up. The weight of the rack and 3 bikes totally unbalanced the load and made it undriveable. It swayed nearly out of control. Granted, I didn't have an anti sway hitch, and the weight added to the rear percentage wise was greater than it would be with you. However, I will never again add any weight to the back of a camper.
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Jim and Deb
Many times..asst grandkids
2015 Shamrock 23ikss
2013 Ram 1500
These are not the best but I just ran out and took them. I clamped the bracket onto the side of the frame. The hitch itself sits fine, it is the brackets that get me concerned. They hang just about 8ish inches from the ground when on level ground. Seeing that they are all the way at the back of the camper I could see them dragging when leaving a gas station of something...just concerns me...
__________________
2016 Prime Time Crusader 294RLT
2021 RAM 3500 Laramie Mega HO\CTD, CC, 4x4...ect
Days Camped in last 3 years - 79
Planned Days in 2021 - 50
Days Camped in 2021 - 0
Adding brackets and braces to a frame actually strenghthens it, that is simple engineering, you will be limiting twisting and flexing that can do damage to the systems and sections it is bolted to. I can't for the life of me figure out what anyone is talking about "voiding a frame warranty" ?? I can't recall even a conversation about a frame failure in 25 years in the automotive industry. If you sat before a Magistrate and explained to him you were denied your camper repair because you put a hitch receiver on your camper to haul your bikes he probably would be annoyed!
That said, you will be fine welding up a receiver on the back of your camper for bikes, I just did it on a 17 foot hybrid for 6 years, no trouble at all.
I made a heavier one this time around so I am expecting it to be trouble free.
People ad recievers on there tow vehicles like crazy and haul the CAMPER! What is the big deal? My hitch comes no where near my bumper, the bumper doesn't come into play.
Weld up your hitch and go camping! you will be fine!
Adding brackets and braces to a frame actually strenghthens it, that is simple engineering, you will be limiting twisting and flexing that can do damage to the systems and sections it is bolted to. I can't for the life of me figure out what anyone is talking about "voiding a frame warranty" ?? I can't recall even a conversation about a frame failure in 25 years in the automotive industry.
People ad recievers on there tow vehicles like crazy and haul the CAMPER! What is the big deal? My hitch comes no where near my bumper, the bumper doesn't come into play.
OK - here is thread where a frame was damaged and the warranty was denied. Go to post #33 to see why.
This is an extreme example - not saying that lots of people don't successfully add hitches for bikes or storage platforms - they do.
But if you search a while here, you can find some examples of damaged frames or lost bikes. Its just something to be aware of when doing a mod like this. There are a lot of forces involved when you have a load behind the trailer, and even if you stiffen the area of the frame where the hitch mounts, that load could still act as a lever and work on the frame farther forward - as in the above thread.
I know I was rather surprised at the lack of steel under our Roo when I crawled under there the first time. There are a lot of different frames out there and some of the ultra-lite frames are not going to be able to take as much weight as other frames. Short of having an engineer do a bunch of calculations, having an experienced welder/fabricator involved in planning out the project is probably a good idea. It can be done, but it needs some care to be done safely.
This is an extreme example - not saying that lots of people don't successfully add hitches for bikes or storage platforms - they do.
But if you search a while here, you can find some examples of damaged frames or lost bikes. Its just something to be aware of when doing a mod like this. There are a lot of forces involved when you have a load behind the trailer, and even if you stiffen the area of the frame where the hitch mounts, that load could still act as a lever and work on the frame farther forward - as in the above thread.
I know I was rather surprised at the lack of steel under our Roo when I crawled under there the first time. There are a lot of different frames out there and some of the ultra-lite frames are not going to be able to take as much weight as other frames. Short of having an engineer do a bunch of calculations, having an experienced welder/fabricator involved in planning out the project is probably a good idea. It can be done, but it needs some care to be done safely.
The thread you point to seems very misleading to me. Post #33 implies the guy who was denied coverage was pulling that golf cart in the pic. The OP showed pics of his damaged frame and said insurance denied him, but never said he was pulling anything or had anything attached to his frame. In fact, post #7 was his last post. In post #33, Turbs implies the pic of the 5ver pulling the golf cart belongs to the OP, but I don't know. The entire rest of the post appears to be the usual "debate."
And pulling a golf cart as shown puts a different stress on the frame than a receiver with a bike rack. So not necessarily equivalent as an "example."
No offense meant, but I see this as just another example, as I've pointed out before, of people trotting out "failures" without providing enough information for us to truly understand cause and effect.
The thread you point to seems very misleading to me. Post #33 implies the guy who was denied coverage was pulling that golf cart in the pic. The OP showed pics of his damaged frame and said insurance denied him, but never said he was pulling anything or had anything attached to his frame. In fact, post #7 was his last post. In post #33, Turbs implies the pic of the 5ver pulling the golf cart belongs to the OP, but I don't know. The entire rest of the post appears to be the usual "debate."
And pulling a golf cart as shown puts a different stress on the frame than a receiver with a bike rack. So not necessarily equivalent as an "example."
No offense meant, but I see this as just another example, as I've pointed out before, of people trotting out "failures" without providing enough information for us to truly understand cause and effect.
Post 33 was a picture the OP posted in another thread. And I picked that one more in response to Mainframe's comment above:
' I can't for the life of me figure out what anyone is talking about "voiding a frame warranty" ?? I can't recall even a conversation about a frame failure in 25 years in the automotive industry.'
I agree a golf cart and a couple bikes are very different. But that 5er probably had a heavier frame than a hybrid.
Anyhow - not disagreeing that it can't be done. I see bikes and platforms on hybrids frequently. But it just needs to be planned out and done carefully - and it may not be a project for everyone.
Post 33 was a picture the OP posted in another thread. And I picked that one more in response to Mainframe's comment above:
' I can't for the life of me figure out what anyone is talking about "voiding a frame warranty" ?? I can't recall even a conversation about a frame failure in 25 years in the automotive industry.'
I agree a golf cart and a couple bikes are very different. But that 5er probably had a heavier frame than a hybrid.
Anyhow - not disagreeing that it can't be done. I see bikes and platforms on hybrids frequently. But it just needs to be planned out and done carefully - and it may not be a project for everyone.
This is an extreme example - not saying that lots of people don't successfully add hitches for bikes or storage platforms - they do.
But if you search a while here, you can find some examples of damaged frames or lost bikes. Its just something to be aware of when doing a mod like this. There are a lot of forces involved when you have a load behind the trailer, and even if you stiffen the area of the frame where the hitch mounts, that load could still act as a lever and work on the frame farther forward - as in the above thread.
I know I was rather surprised at the lack of steel under our Roo when I crawled under there the first time. There are a lot of different frames out there and some of the ultra-lite frames are not going to be able to take as much weight as other frames. Short of having an engineer do a bunch of calculations, having an experienced welder/fabricator involved in planning out the project is probably a good idea. It can be done, but it needs some care to be done safely.
HA HA I guess if you turn it into a Circus wagon and start towing with your camper you could have trouble, although I thought we were talking about a couple of bikes on a bike rack!
I don't agree with anything from your post, most welder/fabricators would have no trouble getting a receiver on the back of your camper to haul your bikes, like I said, I did it for 6 years on a tiny little Kodiak.
If FR would deny a warranty claim for a bike rack, my guess is the competition would be all over that telling people they couldn't haul bikes on the back.
Each warranty claim would be individually assessed. I think you misrepresent FR telling people they are voiding the frame warranty.
And in my book if you bend a frame you "hit something" and that is an insurance claim, go hit something in your Ford PU and bend the frame then try to pin it on Ford, they will deny also.
My advice is
Find a buddy, relative or yourself, or hire someone that can weld/fabricate.
Have them weld you up a receiver to haul your bikes, and stick them on there and go have fun.
You did see the pic of the guy who had his done at his dealer?
Most guys with an auto darkening hood, welding gloves, big pieces of steel laying around have a good idea what it takes to get the job done.
Any welding to the frame or modifications will void your warranty for the frame and structure at the very least. Not to mention pose a risk of liability should a failure occur. There are some here that did this and broke their frame. These are small trailers not a 40 ft fifth wheel with solid structure.
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B and B
2022 Venture RV SportTrek STT 302 VRB Travel Trailer
2018 Heartland Landmark 365 Louisville 5th Wheel
2015 Heartland Bighorn 5th Wheel
2013 FR Rockwood 8289WS 5th Wheel
2012 FR Rockwood 2703 SS Travel Trailer
Adding brackets and braces to a frame actually strenghthens it, that is simple engineering, you will be limiting twisting and flexing that can do damage to the systems and sections it is bolted to. I can't for the life of me figure out what anyone is talking about "voiding a frame warranty" ?? I can't recall even a conversation about a frame failure in 25 years in the automotive industry. If you sat before a Magistrate and explained to him you were denied your camper repair because you put a hitch receiver on your camper to haul your bikes he probably would be annoyed!
That said, you will be fine welding up a receiver on the back of your camper for bikes, I just did it on a 17 foot hybrid for 6 years, no trouble at all.
I made a heavier one this time around so I am expecting it to be trouble free.
People ad recievers on there tow vehicles like crazy and haul the CAMPER! What is the big deal? My hitch comes no where near my bumper, the bumper doesn't come into play.
Weld up your hitch and go camping! you will be fine!
I disagree.
On these tin can frames it may strengthen at the point of contact of the hitch but no where else.
The stress point is just moved forward.
This is just bad advice and I bet dollars to donuts if you ask the manufacturer they will say no way.
Tin can frame failures?
Oh yeah keep posted.
Ok I have said this many many times on different forums that I was a member of when I had different brands of campers. Yes it might void a frame warranty and it might not. Do you want to use your camper or not? Take it to a welding shop or someone that is highly recommended and have a custom hitch cut and welded to the frame with heavy tubing. They will of course have to drop the back underbelly to get to the frame so they can weld heavy tubing across. If you want to use your camper then have one made and enjoy it. But I will add that my trailers were larger 5ers so that could be a deciding factor. The frames on the ones I did it on were heavy frames. And this is just my opinion. I would never want to give anyone advice that would endanger them or anyone else. It has to be your decision. Maybe have someone to inspect your frame to see how heavy it is and if it is strong enough to do the job.
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“I have tried to live my life so that my family would love me and my friends would respect me. The others can do whatever the Hell they please!” —John Wayne
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