Bike racks in the rear

laknox wrote:

TXiceman wrote:


(snipped)

I have yet to see any trailer with a 4" square tube bumper of sufficient strength to carry bikes. The manufacturers use the thinnest possible tubes.

And in our travels around the US, I have seen plenty of the square tube bumpers ripped off.

There is an aftermarket bolt on bracket to support the square tube bumpers.

Ken

Dunno, Ken. My KZ came from the factory with a 200 lb capacity rear cargo rack. :B

Lyle

On our 2017 Rockwood I was satisfied with the 14 gauge 4" bumper and how it was connected. I have used a bolt on Curt 2" receiver bracket and a steel cargo platform to haul two full RTIC 65 quart coolers for 3 years, and the bumper has not fallen off. That is not a couple of 20 lb bikes, but at least 240 lbs if not more.

On the previous 2013 Keystone Passport I used the same setup but Keystone did one better, The trailer had no factory bumper. I purchased a stick of 14 gauge 4" tube from RV surplus and made my own. Hauled the same setup with that for 3 years.

Previous to that had a 2011 Aerolite. The bumper on that was also 14 gauge tube but simply butt welded to the end of the frame rail. I added 4 pieces of 2" angle as gussets at the connections and hauled the same setup with coolers or firewood for close to 3 years.











I would argue that if someone puts a bike rack or something on an RV bumper and the bumper falls off, its ultimately because they were an idiot and did not know what they were dealing with, or were incapable of assessing the situation and connection. Your IQ has to be higher than the material you're dealing with.