Bike racks in the rear

email. davem@swagman.net.
Dave Michael is a product engineer at Swagman I granted Swagman my front 5er pinbox nitrogen strut lift/ pull down design to perfect. It may be available now.
Tell him Max sent you.

One of the things is the rocking and the damage it can do when the bike carrier is mounted in a RECEIVER .
You need a good anti rattle device so you don't get so much play in the receiver,thus magnifying the movement and doing more damage to the bike carrier.

I have tried almost every Anti Rattle device on the market, most have been no good or so complicated and cumbersome that they are useless. Including the Roadmaster type,totally useless.
Until I found the one at Hitch Rider.

Their Hitch Vice is the best and easiest one I have come across and it really works.

I have destroy 2 bike carriers on the back of TT's. I also ripped the bumper nearly off our last TT.
We have had a "Swagman" brand carrier for about ten years now and it shows no sign of problems. Swagman is specifically design to go on the back of RV's.

There is no need to watch bicycles mounted to a TV’s front bumper since no quality bicycle would be transported in that way. Or you could just high pressure all the grease out of the wheels, crank and headset bearings at a car wash.

Another option is to get a front receiver hitch for your truck. Then add any of the brand name bike racks. This set up works nice for keeping a watchful eye on your bikes without the worry of your bikes getting beat to death on the rear end of your trailer..

Our trailer came with a tow hitch embedded in the frame. We purchased a Yakima "Long Haul" bike rack which is specially "designed, built, and thoroughly tested to stand up to the long miles and rigorous demands of RV and travel-trailer use" (quote from their website). Been very satisfied with it so far.

And totally agree with the above advice to not mount a bike rack on the bumper.

LOL, with every new trailer we've gotten, we've had to redesign our bike carrying strategy (and spend more money...).

I will post pictures later, but think about carrying your bikes on a pin box reciver. Bikes ride smother, and always in your view.

If you have a "Good" 2" Receiver hitch you can mount a good bike rack there. We have a Swagman 2 Bike rack that has made several trips from Western New York to Central Florida and back. Once mounted properly the bikes are rock solid.

What ever you do, DO NOT mount any bike rack or carrier on a 4" square tube bumper. The thin material rips out at the weld to the frame.

Ken

Good quality bicycles are never carried on the back of an RV. Trailer tongue mounts and hitch mounts are better but still not ideal. Truck bed with shell or inside the SUV are best.