bike rack

Stop the bouncing this way ...( I may have posted this before)

Francesca Knowles wrote:

welove2drive wrote:
I went with the Swagman bike rack. It is one of the few that state it is alright to use on a trailer.

This is only partly true, and then only of some Swagman models. The two listed at this Swagman page , for example, carry the following warning:

Swagman wrote:
Mounting the Jackknife on a Trailer or 5th Wheel:
1. Purchaser is advised that the load created by rack and bicycles will exceed the strength of trailer or 5th wheel bumper, mounting location or the bike rack. The rack is not under warranty if mounted in this location.

And even those listed at their RV bike rack page appear to be really designed for motorized RV's, not trailers- they all have the following disclaimers :

Swagman wrote:
Mounting the Bike Rack on a trailer or 5th wheel:
1. Purchaser is advised that the load created by rack and bicycles may exceed the strength of trailer or 5th wheel bumper or other mounting location. Failure through improper mounting will void rack warranty.

2. The recommended 14” ground clearance is not sufficient on trailers or 5th wheels. Ground clearance must exceed 15” and will vary upon application. Damage to bicycles or rack due to ground clearance problems on trailers or 5th wheels is not covered by warranty.

3. Excessive movement can cause damage to the rack or bike. This is not covered by warranty. Pull the rack back and forth and-if the rack has excessive movement a separate tether strap should be purchased.

Most of what you posted speaks more of the hitch portion rather than the bike rack and everyone pretty much agrees that mounting a hitch to the bumper alone is a bad idea. Even with a proper hitch the bike rack will still move a lot. That is why I use a strap to minimize the movement.

welove2drive wrote:
I went with the Swagman bike rack. It is one of the few that state it is alright to use on a trailer.

This is only partly true, and then only of some Swagman models. The two listed at this Swagman page , for example, carry the following warning:

Swagman wrote:
Mounting the Jackknife on a Trailer or 5th Wheel:
1. Purchaser is advised that the load created by rack and bicycles will exceed the strength of trailer or 5th wheel bumper, mounting location or the bike rack. The rack is not under warranty if mounted in this location.

And even those listed at their RV bike rack page appear to be really designed for motorized RV's, not trailers- they all have the following disclaimers :

Swagman wrote:
Mounting the Bike Rack on a trailer or 5th wheel:
1. Purchaser is advised that the load created by rack and bicycles may exceed the strength of trailer or 5th wheel bumper or other mounting location. Failure through improper mounting will void rack warranty.

2. The recommended 14” ground clearance is not sufficient on trailers or 5th wheels. Ground clearance must exceed 15” and will vary upon application. Damage to bicycles or rack due to ground clearance problems on trailers or 5th wheels is not covered by warranty.

3. Excessive movement can cause damage to the rack or bike. This is not covered by warranty. Pull the rack back and forth and-if the rack has excessive movement a separate tether strap should be purchased.

I went with the Swagman bike rack. It is one of the few that state it is alright to use on a trailer. As stated above do not just bolt a hitch to your bumper.
Here is how I went about mounting it. I also use a tie down strap to pre load the rack after the bikes are in place to help reduce the bouncing.

Halmfamily wrote:
Put them on the front of your truck with a receiver.

X2

Put them on the front of your truck with a receiver.

It depends on the bumper and the manufacturers weight limits... Example my coachman states 250 lbs max weight... Although I only carry a spare tire on the bumper. I throw the bikes in the back of the pickup...

Whats the make, model and year of TT??????

Dimac wrote:
Looking for a bike rack that will hold at least two bikes on the back of a travel trailer...any suggestions

Since you didn't mention how you wanted to mount it and the fact that most people warn against bumper mounting a bike rack, here is my method. I have a very sturdy rear ladder on the back of my TT so I ordered a Swagman 2 bike rack. Since the bikes partially obscures the right tail light I added an an auxiliary tail light that is magnetically mounted. I originally mounted the bike rack one rung higher to clear the light but that is a long lift.

Be aware that many/most bike racks come with instructions that state very clearly that they are NOT for use on trailer bumpers.

See user manuals for the following very common brands: Yakima; Thule; Blue Devil