Community Forums

drcurran · 09-25-2017, 06:04 PM

What experience have people had with mounting a bike rack to the rear bumper of your TT.

60sumtin · 09-25-2017, 07:00 PM

I've never had a bike rack on mine but apparently having it there can cause problems.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIwtglKiBwk

mtofell · 09-25-2017, 08:51 PM

The bumpers on most trailers aren't made for that much weight. A spare tire is about all they are good for. As you extend the bikes rear-ward from the bumper the weight becomes magnified and you're asking for trouble. A buddy got a pretty cool rack that mounts to the tongue of the trailer and wraps over the propane tanks up front and holds the bikes nicely above the tongue of the trailer - really, right over the propane tanks. I think he paid a few hundred dollars for it but really likes it.

infowars · 09-25-2017, 09:22 PM

Lance has one that mounts to the ladder. We used to have a bumper mount style on our last trailer. It worked fine. Just had to make sure not to go over the recommended weight for it.

We now own a bunkhouse model TT. It has a storage area that the bikes can safely ride in.

Cumminsfan · 09-25-2017, 09:59 PM

It can be done but a few things have to align. 1st your bumper needs to be solidly welded to the frame. 2nd the bike rack you use needs to be one that is solid and won't wiggle around.
If you don't have a hitch then just clamping one to the bumper probably won't cut it. You should weld another piece of steel tubing a few inches behind the bumper to the frame.
Then attach the receiver for the bike rack to the bumper and the added steel tubing.

robthefive0 · 09-26-2017, 09:51 AM

How about a rear ladder bike mount? I have the same question and found this. https://www.amazon.com/Camco-51492-L...der+bike+mount

60sumtin · 09-26-2017, 12:29 PM

I wouldn't trust a ladder mounted rack. The ladder can safely be used to climb to the top of trailer and back down again but subject it to a bouncing cantilevered weight for several hours during travel is not what it's designed for.

ModestMonk · 09-28-2017, 02:08 PM

Our ORV Back Country came with the Lock and Load swing out Generator tray. It's firmly mounted to the frame and I drove it home from Oregon to New York holding the 3000w inverter with no problem. Since then I've seen many videos with all sorts of gear lashed to the rear bumper of a TT. Many of them with severe sway issues including A/A's. So I've taken the tray off and will keep the generator in the back of the truck. I'm considering putting a bike rack in the lock and load receiver in the rear or on the front of the truck, or mounting it over the propane on the tongue. Any thoughts?

Abnmarine · 09-28-2017, 05:49 PM

As with ORV, my Arctic Fox frame is built pretty solid. I had my 4 1/2” bumper removed and had a fabricator weld me a steel frame (24”x84”). On it I bolted down my Champion 3200 watt inverter generator along with a ratchet strap and cable lock. I added some small diamond plated storage boxes to hold my water hose, shore cable and sewer hose stuff. The generator is 95 lbs but the boxes and stuff won’t exceed 50 lbs.

Now before anyone says anything, my factory tongue weight was 600 lbs before I added four golf cart batteries, solar, inverter and gear. That increased my tongue weight to 980 lbs. I’ll weight it again to see where I’m at. I’m estimating 250 lbs added to the rear. I don’t keep my spare tire there anymore so that subtracted 40 lbs plus whatever the factory steel bumper weighed. The spare is now up front, under the bed so that added to my tongue weight.

Anyways, the rack is solid, I’m around 250 lbs and me jumping on it doesn’t flex it at all. I’ve towed the trailer with my fresh water tank empty and it tows just fine. Add the water and that’s another 385 lbs in front of the axles.

I’m comfortable with this since AF makes their own frames and they are built good. I’m figuring that I’ve reduced my tongue weight by 150 lbs. still heavier than prior to when I added the solar setup.

I wouldn’t do this with most other brands though.

Abnmarine · 09-28-2017, 10:40 PM

I will prime and paint it tomorrow but here it is.

ModestMonk · 09-29-2017, 06:21 AM

That looks like a practical use of space. Are you counterbalancing the added weight with your batteries on the tongue or front pass thru?

The 24KTS has the large...70 gallon fresh water tank behind the axles and grey tank#2 behind that. So I've decided not to put weight on the rear bumper until I get more tongue weight, presumably when I add the solar set up with four batteries.

Abnmarine · 09-29-2017, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ModestMonk

That looks like a practical use of space. Are you counterbalancing the added weight with your batteries on the tongue or front pass thru?

The 24KTS has the large...70 gallon fresh water tank behind the axles and grey tank#2 behind that. So I've decided not to put weight on the rear bumper until I get more tongue weight, presumably when I add the solar set up with four batteries.

The batteries and solar were added a couple of years ago. I recently had the rack added and only did it due to AF frame construction and knowing that I previously increased my tongue weight by four hundred pounds. I guess my only compensation is putting the spare tire under the bed but I needed a spot for it anyways and didn’t really want it under the trailer due to reducing its clearance.

I used to store the generator in the bed of the truck but between a bad back and the new trucks sitting so high, I didn’t like it. I’ll be installing a 30amp cord from the generator with a outlet in the power cord bay so I’m always connected, ready to go. I mostly boondock without hookups.

ModestMonk · 09-29-2017, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abnmarine

The batteries and solar were added a couple of years ago. I recently had the rack added and only did it due to AF frame construction and knowing that I previously increased my tongue weight by four hundred pounds. I guess my only compensation is putting the spare tire under the bed but I needed a spot for it anyways and didn’t really want it under the trailer due to reducing its clearance.

I used to store the generator in the bed of the truck but between a bad back and the new trucks sitting so high, I didn’t like it. I’ll be installing a 30amp cord from the generator with a outlet in the power cord bay so I’m always connected, ready to go. I mostly boondock without hookups.

I've got the same Champion inv/gen and it sure is a load. One option was a deck slide in the back of the TV, making it available to pull it out while leaving it in place to run. I also will consider installing it in the front bumper hitch if I can find the right cover for it. I plan on adding the solar on top of the truck cap with the power center under the cap, also on a slide out.

The tire under the bed? That might be a great solution for security and the use of that space. I'll have to wait and see what the DW wants to store there. I doubt she'll want to lift that bed too many times to store much there.

We had gotten this TT to do 80% boondocking. The concern I have is the amount of weight behind the axles. The 80 gallons of fresh and 40 of grey behind the axle has me concerned about more weight on the bumper.

Abnmarine · 09-29-2017, 09:54 AM

I agree with your concern with your tanks. Only my black tank is behind my axles. My gray is over the axles and fresh is forward of it. I thought about the hitch mount for the generator but to me it seems to be a issue filling it with fuel. Kind of too high off the ground.