After reading all the comments about the reasons to not mount a bike rack on the rear bumper, I decided to do it anyhow.
Today my 21FBRS is at the weld shop. He is installing a heavier bumper with some reinforcement. I will haul the spare tire in the bed of the truck. The tire and tire rack weighed in at 45 lbs. The bike rack and bikes (2) weigh around 100 lbs.
God help us.
John
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Ohio
2016 Cedar Creek 36ckts
2015 Ford F-350
4WD SRW Diesel
the bikes will extend further from the bumper than the spare did and bounce where the tire is securely mounted. Either way, your rig, do it your way. Seems like a hassle to have to keep spare in truck bed. One more thing to load.
I don't see a problem as long as it's a heavier bumper and/or there's reinforcement built in. I had my fabricator add a reinforcement beam behind my bumper and weld on a 2" receiver. Carried a Hitchhiker platform with a box on the back of my Roo 23SS for a couple of years. No problems.
Here is the platforn with the Hitchhiker bag on it. I later added the box from Tractor Supply.
Larry
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"Sunny" the 2017 Sunseeker 3010DS
2006 Jeep Liberty Toad
.... and lovin' life........MOST of the time.
Just an idea, my buddy found a spare tire carrier off a pick up truck. The kind that is under the bed. He had it mounted under the back of his camper.
I've heard of doing that too. I wouldn't mind doing that just to have a cleaner look at rear of TT. I'm sure if you mount it directly behind the axles, there would never be a ground clearance issue.
It sure makes it a PITA to check the spare tire air pressure with them mounted under the trailer. Bad enough when they are on the back with a cover on them. They are REAL easy to overlook and unless you carry a 12v compressor, will always be low when you need them and are not needing another frustration at the time. Ask me how I know.
you might be right OC, but I think in most cases, people that are going to check it, will do so no matter where it is. Some will never check it no matter how accessible it is. If maintenance was easy, everyone would do it
Not to rain on your parade, but beefing up the bumper will do nothing to help your trailer frame. Stiffening the bumper and attachments will just transfer that stress to the frame causing excessive flex just aft of the rearmost axle attachment points.
Keep an eye on your frame (most are hidden so you can't without dropping the belly panels and side trim) so this does not happen to you.
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Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
How many folks check the air in the truck tires religiously? Probably 95%. How many of these same folks crawl under them and check the spare? Probably 1% of the 95%. I might just put one of my spare non-flow thru sensors on the spare. I've never checked my spare, but the shop I have do maintenance on the truck does every time it is on the lift. They check every tire and all the lights as a routine procedure and replace bulbs without even asking. Love the guys at G-Max in Concord, NC.
How many folks check the air in the truck tires religiously? Probably 95%. How many of these same folks crawl under them and check the spare? Probably 1% of the 95%. I might just put one of my spare non-flow thru sensors on the spare. I've never checked my spare, but the shop I have do maintenance on the truck does every time it is on the lift. They check every tire and all the lights as a routine procedure and replace bulbs without even asking. Love the guys at G-Max in Concord, NC.
X2 I bought two extra sensors and put one on my truck and trailers spare
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2012 Cedar Creek Silverback 29RE
2011 GMC 2500HD Diesel
I have also been told (by FR engineers at the last rally) that most (if not all) wall cracks at the corners of wall openings have been traced to aftermarket bike and cargo racks (and overloading); that frame flex has to go somewhere.
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Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
Agree with you Herk.....w x a = m and one speed bump in the campground will all but shake the back window loose where it will leak....not to mention what it will do to the frame if you have unauthorized weight on it....Light weight trailers are just that, if you are going to carry stuff off the bumper get a heavy trailer that the factory puts a 2 inch receiver on the back that will tow a small boat or carry a rack.....and even then you have weight limits.....we carry our bikes in the truck cab....fold up back seat and two bikes and a bunch of stuff fits in there nicely.....course that means you need a long truck so might as well get 8 ft bed....also we have thought about mounting rack on hitch box, but there again light weight trailers have a 2000lb limit on the pin....
good luck with whatever you do....limits are always there for a reason and the lay person probably will never know if it is liability or structural....be careful be safe
I have also been told (by FR engineers at the last rally) that most (if not all) wall cracks at the corners of wall openings have been traced to aftermarket bike and cargo racks (and overloading); that frame flex has to go somewhere.
Good to hear factual statements from FR engineers on this subject...Thanks for sharing.
Appears no matter if a camper is lightweight or not...users pack and load the same way thinking all rvs are built the same...
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2013 Sabre 32RCTS-6 (sold)
Family of 4 whose always on the GEAUX!
I have also been told (by FR engineers at the last rally) that most (if not all) wall cracks at the corners of wall openings have been traced to aftermarket bike and cargo racks (and overloading); that frame flex has to go somewhere.
You didn't talk to the (Windjammer/V-Lite engineers). They had units that were (Rear lounge/3slide) that (Cracked) at the top corners of the slides! The units were taken back to the Fac.and Side walls were (Replaced) and Axles were Moved (8in) back on the main Frame! Some only had (1) wall replaced but the Axle was still moved back (8in),I never did receive a answer how they (Centered the Wheels in the opening after the (8in) Move)! I personally know Members who had the units that were taken back for this (Repair),they Both traded the units off afterwards. They were (NOT) overloaded,it was a (Engineering Defect) per F/R! Youroo!!
You didn't talk to the (Windjammer/V-Lite engineers). They had units that were (Rear lounge/3slide) that (Cracked) at the top corners of the slides! The units were taken back to the Fac.and Side walls were (Replaced) and Axles were Moved (8in) back on the main Frame! Some only had (1) wall replaced but the Axle was still moved back (8in),I never did receive a answer how they (Centered the Wheels in the opening after the (8in) Move)! I personally know Members who had the units that were taken back for this (Repair),they Both traded the units off afterwards. They were (NOT) overloaded,it was a (Engineering Defect) per F/R! Youroo!!
Still makes the case that frame flex causes wall cracks at openings. Just in this case the excessive flex was caused by improper axle location (too much overhang aft of the axles).
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Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
I have also been told (by FR engineers at the last rally) that most (if not all) wall cracks at the corners of wall openings have been traced to aftermarket bike and cargo racks (and overloading); that frame flex has to go somewhere.
glad to hear they are finally admitting to there poor design lol
After reading all the comments about the reasons to not mount a bike rack on the rear bumper, I decided to do it anyhow.
Today my 21FBRS is at the weld shop. He is installing a heavier bumper with some reinforcement. I will haul the spare tire in the bed of the truck. The tire and tire rack weighed in at 45 lbs. The bike rack and bikes (2) weigh around 100 lbs.
God help us.
John
hope it works out for ya. my friend dana bolted a aftermarket bike rack to carry 5 bikes for his family. didn't crack the walls or frame but wasted the bike rack by the time they got to Colorado from eastern neb!! lol he had the hitch added against many's opinions to pull his boat behind the fiver and he did so with out issue for 2 years. the bike rack he bought was a real pos lol
Youroo!!
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