|
01-19-2015, 04:39 PM
|
#1
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Florida
Posts: 133
|
bike rack for 1940 rockwood pup
I know it's been beaten around, and many have suggested roof racks and the life but why not a back bumper rack for 3 bicycles? I notice the support poles for the rear bed rest on this, and the bed is rated for at least 400 lbs. I would add a couple of metal supports from the frame to the bumper and bolt those on...no need for welding. I figure the 3 bikes plus the rack is no more than a hundred pounds. No warranty issues, past that. In practical terms won't this work? My wife's TV, a toy highlander, can't really carry the three bikes. Those roof racks are expensive and I don't want to drill into the roof. Anybody successfully uses this method? In particular for this rockwood 1940 freedom pup. Thank you!
__________________
2012 Rockwood 1940ltd
2004 GMC Sierra 4x4
|
|
|
01-19-2015, 05:18 PM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Florida
Posts: 133
|
rack
I looked at the Swagman XP 3 bike rack with an extended ball mount as another possibility. Anybody successfully towed a 1940 freedom pup or similar sized pup with this bike rack?
__________________
2012 Rockwood 1940ltd
2004 GMC Sierra 4x4
|
|
|
01-19-2015, 05:43 PM
|
#3
|
Site Team
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Goodyear, Arizona
Posts: 33,848
|
I don't think you get the difference in physics.
unless you jump up and down on your popup bed, it isn't a good comparison.
your popup has no shocks and those bikes will be bouncing up and down.
their weights will pull back and down on the rack and the bumper.
those pole supports are made for a static load.
and if your frame is still under warranty, this kind of mod will void it.
but if you don't care about the warranty or it's expired, then have a receiver welded and braced to the frame.
i think only Swagman has a rack that's approved for RV use. all the others will not warranty theirs for this kind of usage.
__________________
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
|
|
|
01-19-2015, 07:10 PM
|
#4
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Florida
Posts: 133
|
rack
Thank you, I guess the swagman is the way to go...the slightly longer ball mount might even improve the trailering with the Toy highlander, and the weight is on the mount rather than on the trailer tongue!
__________________
2012 Rockwood 1940ltd
2004 GMC Sierra 4x4
|
|
|
01-20-2015, 09:15 AM
|
#5
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 432
|
I suspect you will find the weight of the rig will be higher, unless you have ultralight bikes.
I did this with a Coleman Utah, adding a receiver hitch with additional bracing welded on to mount a 4 bike rack.
2 bikes was the max before it upset the overall weight distribution to make it not reasonable to tow. It was also a big hit to the max weight limit on the trailer.
It was a good trailer to us. We replaced it recently after running it all over the lower 48.
|
|
|
02-15-2015, 01:51 PM
|
#6
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 195
|
We have a 2006 1940 ltd and I was looking at a receiver for the bumper for two bicycles.
i have a Thule bike rack. Would that setup be too much for the popup?
How about a front mount receiver for the tv?
Thanks all.
|
|
|
02-16-2015, 08:11 AM
|
#7
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Florida
Posts: 133
|
rack
Check out the Swagman XP. This fit on the hitch mount. You will probably have to get an extended (min. 10") bar. This avoids the drilling on the roof or adding weight to the trailer; the rear bumper is weak and not intended for this use.
__________________
2012 Rockwood 1940ltd
2004 GMC Sierra 4x4
|
|
|
02-16-2015, 05:17 PM
|
#8
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 195
|
Right. I just went out and measured...3" x 1.5"
And it was 14 degrees out there.
So the 4SQUARE SafetyStruts will not work..
Gonna go with a front receiver.
__________________
2017 Mini Lite 2506S front kitchen
2018 GMC Sierra 1500
|
|
|
02-16-2015, 09:12 PM
|
#9
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Florida
Posts: 133
|
bike rack
Sorry about the cold, it is 68F now and my wife considers that chilly. The other option I was informed about here, is the tailgate pad type bike rest (Dakine, Yakima, others). This will work on my GMC 2004 Sierra pickup and maybe on your truck in warm weather.
If you do go with the front receiver type bike rack, let us know how it goes. I have not looked into those but it is also a viable option for me. For my wife's Toy Highlander, looks like the Swagman is the only option.
__________________
2012 Rockwood 1940ltd
2004 GMC Sierra 4x4
|
|
|
02-16-2015, 09:29 PM
|
#10
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 10,907
|
I had a Reese hitch, similar to this Swagman:
Swagman XP - Folding 4 Bike Towing Rack for 2" Trailer Hitches Swagman Hitch Bike Racks S64975
I pulled a 1988 Coleman Sequoia with it for about 6 years, with 2 adult and 2 teen bikes on it. Worked great. VERY tight turns can be problem if your bike wheels hang below the A-frame, although I didn't have this problem if I loaded the adult bikes on first (i.e., closest to the tow vehicle).
IMHO, I think it's the best option for a pup. You can still haul your bikes somewhere away from the campground without having to do anything with the rack. Load a bit more of your stuff to the back of the pup to offset the increase in tongue weight.
__________________
1988 Coleman Sequoia - popup (1987-2009) - outlasted 3 Dodge Grand Caravans!
2012 Roo19 - hybrid (2012-2015)
2016 Mini Lite 2503S - tt (2015 - ???)
2011 Traverse LT, 3.6L, FWD
2009 Silverado 1500 Ext Cab, 5.3L, 4x4, 3.73
2016 Silverado 2500HD Dbl Cab, 6.0L 4x4, 4.10
|
|
|
02-19-2015, 02:30 PM
|
#11
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 195
|
Think I'll pass on that model...$336.00 a bit salty for me.
__________________
2017 Mini Lite 2506S front kitchen
2018 GMC Sierra 1500
|
|
|
02-19-2015, 05:33 PM
|
#12
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 10,907
|
__________________
1988 Coleman Sequoia - popup (1987-2009) - outlasted 3 Dodge Grand Caravans!
2012 Roo19 - hybrid (2012-2015)
2016 Mini Lite 2503S - tt (2015 - ???)
2011 Traverse LT, 3.6L, FWD
2009 Silverado 1500 Ext Cab, 5.3L, 4x4, 3.73
2016 Silverado 2500HD Dbl Cab, 6.0L 4x4, 4.10
|
|
|
02-20-2015, 07:32 PM
|
#13
|
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Corpus Christi, TX
Posts: 9
|
I have the bar mount Swagman. Works great but be sure you have the tongue weight to spare.
|
|
|
02-20-2015, 07:41 PM
|
#14
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 10,907
|
If you can lift the tongue by yourself, you're probably OK.
__________________
1988 Coleman Sequoia - popup (1987-2009) - outlasted 3 Dodge Grand Caravans!
2012 Roo19 - hybrid (2012-2015)
2016 Mini Lite 2503S - tt (2015 - ???)
2011 Traverse LT, 3.6L, FWD
2009 Silverado 1500 Ext Cab, 5.3L, 4x4, 3.73
2016 Silverado 2500HD Dbl Cab, 6.0L 4x4, 4.10
|
|
|
02-20-2015, 07:53 PM
|
#15
|
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Corpus Christi, TX
Posts: 9
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by rockfordroo
If you can lift the tongue by yourself, you're probably OK.
|
It's not the tongue. It's the capacity of your hitch and payload left on the TV. Those can be easily exceeded.
|
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|