Community Forums

bremde · 07-15-2018, 11:57 AM

We have just received our 2014 Entegra Anthem and it is a work of art as well as getting an amazing 10.7 MPG towing our jeep Cherokee through the West Coast Mountains.

We are getting it ready for our Winter travels.

We would like to carry our bikes on the back as well as our flat tow jeep Cherokee . We were going to add a 2 place hitch and then place the bike rack on the upper and then add an 18" hitch extender to the lower so the bikes clear the hood of the car. We have a Roadmaster 2 tow bar and the Jeep is all set up for flat towing.

Has anyone any experience with carrying bikes on the back?

The large engine vented area is our first concern.

The second is adding in the 18" extender and if it is a safe or should we just store them in the slide out bay.

Either is fine but having them on the back would be nice.

Thank you all in advance for your assistance.

Buzz & Robin

Anthem15 · 07-15-2018, 12:52 PM

etrailer.com has dual hitch adapter like your talking about, and specifically mentions carrying bikes: link

I can't imagine the weight of the bikes or obfuscation of the engine cover being an issue. However, I'd be more concerned about TOAD clearance when making sharp turns. We've thought about a two-bike rack for the top of our CRV, or even a hanger on the back of the CRV.

Anthem15 · 07-15-2018, 12:53 PM

BTW, Congratulations on the new Anthem!

bremde · 07-15-2018, 01:01 PM

Thanks for the message.

We tried putting the bikes on the Jeep when towing. That may be the final answer. We have bike covers and they obscure the brake lights on the toad. We left the covers off and that worked fine.

I am probably over thinking this one.

Mr_D · 07-15-2018, 01:02 PM

The extension will reduce the hitch rating quite a bit due to the add'l leverage it generates. Be sure to check that before proceeding. I put my bike rack on the back of the CR-V.

https://www.etrailer.com/question-15985.html

bremde · 07-15-2018, 01:48 PM

I think I will just put them on the Jeep as everyone has suggested. The last thing I want is to see the jeep passing me on the highway.

Thank you all for your suggestions.

MRUSA14 · 07-15-2018, 03:39 PM

I use this along with a drop hitch it works well and there is enough space to mount two bikes and still access the tow bar.

lowejug · 07-15-2018, 06:02 PM

We pull a Jeep Wrangler with a hitch bike rack with 2 bikes and do use a 18 inch tube extension with no problem... we have the wireless light package via the plug
On the coach.. we can put the turn signal lights on the bike rack.. works great..

What I really wanna know is what you are doing to get 10.7 mpg in that anthem??
I gotta a 14 anthem and scared 8 mpg only once or twice...

tom chelbana · 07-15-2018, 06:33 PM

You must be checking your fuel economy with funny math. When most are lucky to get 8 mpg on roads without a lot of mountains, 10.7 is really hard to see. Did you check it over a thousand miles or more? Sometimes it's hard to fill the tank and it sounds like that might explain how on one tank you were getting that kind of fuel millage. Let us know if you continue to be getting double digit fuel economy.

Matt D · 07-15-2018, 06:54 PM

If your measurements for MPG are from the DIC, that isn’t reality.

The best measurement is simply miles driven divided by gallons used. The more tanks the better average.

Regarding your questions on extenders, we had a bad experience with a simple drop hitch adaptor.

As previously mentioned, the added length adds leverage and reduces the towing capacity. I would agree with others who have suggested carrying the bikes on the back of the toad.

-Matt

fla tom · 07-15-2018, 07:15 PM

I had an extension made by a local machine/welding shop(our trailer tounge was to short).It has worked well for us, look around for a fabrication type shop they can custom make what you need most of the time at a very reasonable cost.

oneknight · 07-15-2018, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt D

If your measurements for MPG are from the DIC, that isn’t reality.

-Matt

Why would the DIC not be reality?
The PCM knows exactly to the drop how much fuel is being injected, it also knows exactly how much distance has been traveled.
And computers are very very good at math.

bremde · 07-15-2018, 11:18 PM

So far it is over 2 tanks with similar results. We just take the miles run between fill ups.

I believe it is an old school method.

I hope to do several more over the next 4 months.

Thank you all again for your suggestions.

brobox · 07-16-2018, 04:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oneknight

Why would the DIC not be reality?
The PCM knows exactly to the drop how much fuel is being injected, it also knows exactly how much distance has been traveled.
And computers are very very good at math.

Both of the DIC that I own would flunk 6th grade math. My truck is .5 gallon off on every fill up. and my Anthem was all over the board between .4 and 1.2 mpg. Some of that I know is generator, but how much? Pin a paper tells me how much.
My Anthem never topped 7.3 MPG with pen and paper, or DIC.