I have a 2017 rockwood roo 233s hybrid, and I’m installing the curt 13703 adjustable hitch to carry bikes on the back. The instructions for the hitch say that stabilizing straps are required to stabilize the load of bike by strapping them to a higher spot on the back of the trailer. The 233s is a hybrid so the entire back side is a bed. Any suggestions on where I would anchor these stabilizer straps to? Here’s a link to the hitch.
I've never seen anyone find a way to use such straps on a hybrid. If you attach them to the bunk doors, you risk bending the door frames.
__________________
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
Even with a solid wall on the rear end, you'd have to find a stud or support in the wall to anchor to and even then I'm not sure what the stress of bouncing bikes would do. I agree with Dan that the straps would probably ruin the bunk end.
If it were me, I'd put an aluminum U-channel or 2x4 inside the trailer and bolt through it and the outside wall with a couple of eye bolts. Spreading the load across the width of the trailer would make it much stronger. I'd use nylon straps that will stretch a little to lessen the impact load.
If you are going to use one of those "hang my bike on this rack" type of bike racks that you see on smaller cars, then YES you are going to need a strap. THis type of bike rack is NOT very popular with trailers. The fact that the bikes are out-of-sight and bouncing wildly from a single attachment point on the bike frame, and they are NOT strapped down causes a problem. Perhaps you have seen that rack type bouncing down the hiway on the back of a trailer? or maybe not. Many threads on here that talk about running over bike frame pieces laying on the hiways from failed bike racks on the back of trailers. If it were a larger trailer with a ladder attached you would be better off.
I think I solved this problem for a single bike with a rack I designed from 2" aluminum tube that supports the bike wheels. It looks like an up-side-down T, with the bottom of the T supporting the wheels. Perpendicular to the T bottom is another tube inserted into the hitch. This rack design only sticks out from the rear bumper about 6-7 inches so it is not hanging out very far. A friend of mine welded it up for me and I have been using it since the spring of '14 without an issue. Because I support the bike from under the wheels bouncing is all but eliminated. I'm sorry I don't have a picture and it is dark outside right now. I can get one tomorrow.
I just bought a roof rack for my car so I can carry my bike on the car roof rack when I am not going camping with the trailer. I suspect this rack might be able to be attached to a receiver then inserted into the hitch you are installing. This would better support a single bike. Some people have used a hitch mounted tray to transport their bikes. Best suited for kid's bikes.Some have opted for above the propane tank racks. You have to find something that you are comfortable with to do this job.
Three pictures attached are:Yakima Freeloader rack ( for use on roof racks) and second is the hitch mounted basket from Harbor Freight. Third is front mounted two bike rack. Stromberg Carlson Bike Bunk Trailer-Mounted Bike Rack Carrier for A-Frame Trailers - 2"-100 lbs etrailer dot com
__________________ "nothing can now be believed which is seen in a newspaper. Truth itself becomes suspicious by being put into that polluted vehicle." Thomas Jefferson to John Norvell pg. 2, June 11, 1807 2014 Shamrock 183
2014 RAM 1500 Bighorn Crew Cab, HEMI, 3.21 gears, 8 Spd, 4X4 TST TPMS
If it were me, I'd put an aluminum U-channel or 2x4 inside the trailer and bolt through it and the outside wall with a couple of eye bolts. Spreading the load across the width of the trailer would make it much stronger. I'd use nylon straps that will stretch a little to lessen the impact load.
The OP has a Hybrid TT that has the fold down bunk ends. The stress on the bunk from the straps could be enough to damage the bunk frame.
Linear Mode
