I want to install a motor cycle rack on a TT

[Auzzi]

I am explorin the possibility of buiding a useable carrier for a 500lb Motor Cycle on the rear of a Travel trailer
The TT is a HR Savoy LX 34 skd.
Anyone done it to this TT or similar?
I am aware of the balance issues.

[Ray,IN]

Since you have received no positive replies, one may assume the answer is Not successfully.

[TXiceman]

I would not try that. You will be causing the the tongue weight to go lighter and this could lead to handling and ride issues.

Next is the issue of the 500# scooter plus a mount hanging on the back of the trailer structure. handling a 500# plus mount as a static load is one issue. Now you run down the road with the scooter bouncing up and down as the trailer bounces. This is now a dynamic load which is accelerating and decelerating. The dynamic load stresses can easily be several times the static load stresses. Can the trailer frame be stiffened sufficiently to handle this kind of load.

Since you have a TT, the best bet would be to use a pick up and haul it in the bed, provided the truck has sufficient GVWR to handle the load from the sscooter as well as the tongue weight of the trailer.

Ken

[RVhauler]

The amount of steel welded onto the TT frame to create a carrier would probably add half of the cycle's weight if not more to compound the problem even more

[Auzzi]

Thanks for your input.
As I stated I am aware of the reducton in hitch weight. That can be remedied by putting 4 golf cart batteries in the battery carrier, they will fit. plus load some extra gear in the front storage area , I think that will overcome the imbalance. I am not 100% sure in my maths but a 500lb motorcycle will lighten the hitch weight by 128lbs allowing for mechaical advantage by the spacing of the wheels of the TT. The wheels are not in the centre of the vehicle they are located further to the rear than the centre line of the trailer.
The carrier I am looking at weighs 68lbs it is designed to be fitted to the tow hitch of a pickup, the mount needed would have to be fitted into the TT frame by 3ft down the chassis rails to spread the load over a large area . The cross peice that the towhitch would be fitted to would have 2 1" tubes to allow 2 bars to slide into, to lock in place, 1 of which would be used as the pivot point. You could use the centre hitch point to suport the centre of the carrier.
To raise and lower the whole thing I would use a screw from a corner lift jack . Obviously you would remove the cetre hitch to raise and lower.
Has anyone actually done it.??

[AZgl1500]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Auzzi I am explorin the possibility of buiding a useable carrier for a 500lb Motor Cycle on the rear of a Travel trailer The TT is a HR Savoy LX 34 skd. Anyone done it to this TT or similar? I am aware of the balance issues.

There is one possible way for you to do that. You have to install a receiver hitch on the rear of the TT, and then use a tandem swivel wheel trailer to support the load of the m/c.

I am going to refer you to a prior post, so I don't have to retype it all again.

This post shows a 5th wheel in the first picture, but with careful calculations of your loaded weight at the toad's trailer hitch, you might get away with it.

I highly suggest you call this manufacturer and visit with them about what you wish to do. They have been in business for 30 years and they "have been there, and done that."

I forget the owner's name, I know him personally though.


motorcycle carrier for Country Coach MH

[pa0gri]

Here in Europe we have sometimes a 2 to 3 bike rack back on the travel trailer (Caravan)
That is about the maximum one can add to the rear of a TT otherwise it will be a wiggling tail.
It is not the vertical static load but the horizontal movement were 500 pounds want to keep on going the way they are going. You risk a breakout and overturn of th TT.
What I did see (and recomend) is extend the tow bar and make a platform there.
I have a bar over my front (triangle) tow bar with a hitch ball where the bike carrier
fits on.

[pa0gri]

Oops, forgot the second half of the story.
When the back of yout TT (with the extra 500 pounds) wants to go on, it transmits,
via the lever with the wheels as pivot, a same force to the towbar into the opposite direction. This means that the tow vehicle gets an extra push on its "end" that also wanted to go the way it was going (Hello Lorenz force). That will (try to) push the whole into an extra curve and with some luck (and "stupid driver") makes a nice scissor movement and an unwanted stop.
Way to many accidents happen due to wrong loading of TT's and heavy rear ends.
Happy Camping, Gerard.

[TXiceman]

A 68# carrier will not safely carry a 500# MC. Yes you can correct the imbalance by adding more weight to the tongue, but remember you need a minimum of 10% of the gross trailer weight on the tongue. You are adding 500# plus the carrier and mount to the total trailer weight so that ups the tongue weight by an extra 10% of that total weight. With that much MC, your carrier and bracing will easily weigh 200# once installed properly.

Your estimated 128# reduction is tongue weight is way light. It is a simple ratio of weights and distances. Think of a see-saw. For ease of calculation assume, that you have a pivot point exactly half way between the two axle sets.

As I had noted earlier, the static load is the easy and small part of the design. The dynamic loading on the trailer is much higher and harder to calculate.

I am a mechanical engineer and looking at it from an engineers view point, there is no way I would hang that on the back of a trailer.

Ken

[Ray,IN]

Your initial question should be: Does my travel trailer have the carrying capacity for this motorcycle and carrier + those aforementioned batteries + my personal stuff? As for weight transfer, the axles are placed 60/40, front to rear, on most bumper pull trailers. Thus the 10% minimum/15% maximum tongue weight.

[KTM Guy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Auzzi The carrier I am looking at weighs 68lbs it is designed to be fitted to the tow hitch of a pickup, the mount needed would have to be fitted into the TT frame by 3ft down the chassis rails to spread the load over a large area . The cross peice that the towhitch would be fitted to would have 2 1" tubes to allow 2 bars to slide into, to lock in place, 1 of which would be used as the pivot point. You could use the centre hitch point to suport the centre of the carrier. To raise and lower the whole thing I would use a screw from a corner lift jack . Obviously you would remove the cetre hitch to raise and lower. Has anyone actually done it.??

As someone else already said, your trailer frame strength will be the deciding factor. Yes, you can add weight up front to counterbalance the MC and carrier, but can the frame take it? Most can't. The dynamic loads as you bounce along a bumpy road are substantial. You risk bending the frame just behind the rear axle.

In addition, the receiver-hitch carrier you describe is not adequate for a 500-pound motorcycle. Sorry to be the wet blanket, but many people have come to grief by hanging these carriers on the rear of their trailers. Don't take my word for it. Go to some competent hitch shops and ask their opinions.

My Hydralift MC carrier was factory installed on a frame designed to take it. I did a lot of research before choosing this trailer-carrier combination. When I had a travel trailer, I carried my motorcycles in the pickup bed.

Good luck!

[Auzzi]

Have decided the Bike will go into the PU bed , just need to get a long bed pickup!
It was a thought!!!

[TXiceman]

Now you need to get a truck with enough payload capacity to carry the 500# bike and the tongue weight of your trailer.....

ken

[sknight]

What kind of bike? The Hayabusa I had would just fit straight in my 6.5 ft. bed although the tailgate had to stay home. The bottom of the tire was sitting right at the edge of the bed floor. Lots of guys even with choppers can go in at an angle to make it work.



Although any excuse to get a new truck!