Rear bike rack setup.....

Here is the new Curt front hitch installed...



I'd rather it sit closer like this......



Problem is I have no idea how I am gonna put a threaded insert where that new pin hole is going to be drilled. The hitch pin torques the rack into the receiver and keeps it from rattling. Does anyone make a different anti-rattle pin that would not require threads in the rack tube? Btw, The rack puts the bikes just about even with the hood, plenty of ground clearance but not too high above the hood to block vision.

molardog wrote:
With the insight gleaned from this thread, I have decided not to risk damage to our Passport frame by transporting our bikes back there.

Instead, I think I am gonna get a Curt or Draw-tite front hitch for our tow vehicle (2500 suburban) and use our Swagman Original rack up there. The swagman rack itself grips the bikes very strongly with little to no movement, so I think it will work well and not bang the bikes up against the front of the truck.

Anyone else run a similar setup before?

lots of folks run a front hitch mounted rack, myself included. I've not had any problems with overheating or anything, but the headlights are blocked a bit. I can still see just fine at night, but there's some glare from the lights bouncing off the rims. I don't like it in the rain though, the bikes are taking the full force of water. If it looks like rain, I'll usually pile them on the beds in the trailer instead. You can sorta see my setup in my .sig picture.

molardog wrote:
With the insight gleaned from this thread, I have decided not to risk damage to our Passport frame by transporting our bikes back there.

Instead, I think I am gonna get a Curt or Draw-tite front hitch for our tow vehicle (2500 suburban) and use our Swagman Original rack up there. The swagman rack itself grips the bikes very strongly with little to no movement, so I think it will work well and not bang the bikes up against the front of the truck.

Anyone else run a similar setup before?

A very wise decision you have made.

I myself nearly lost two bikes from a bumper mounted rack, found the bumper tearing away from the weld when we got to our campsite. Had to do some head scratching to figure out how to fit three bikes under our truck cover (had to take front wheels off all the bikes but we managed to get it done :) ).

It would have been terrible to have #1 lost the bikes, #2 caused an accident by losing the bikes while driving, #3 KILLING or HARMING other motorists, #4 getting fined on top of that (most every state has some law about losing improperly secured loads).

As far as front mount, can't help you with that but it should be more secure than on the back of the trailer.

There is a Canadian Company which makes a bike rack which mounts to your trailer tongue over top the propane tanks, pricy but should work for most folks...

As a shade tree welder my input would be never put anything more then the bicycles on it.
Your set up is lacking some basic structural fortification and everything rests on the
capabilities of the person that welded it. As the OP mentioned the receiver tube should
distribute the load over a larger area. I can not tell for sure from the picture but the bead
looks a little less then ideal? If you could provide a close up picture of the weld we will
know for sure how safe you are. At minimum take a wire brush to the welds and paint them.
This will prevent rust and possible weld failure.

I am not trying to scare you as it is probably ok for the bikes. I just tend to error on the
side of caution so no one is hurt.

dodge guy wrote:
As a welder I would question the integrity of those welds! they don`t look the best and look as if there is not much penetration into the metal. the other issue is it is not gusseted as someone else mentioned. with as far back as that rack is with 4 bikes on it I would be very concerned about stressing the added on receiver and rack to the point it will tear the metal apart! I have a bolt on receiver on my bumper but it is reinforced, and I added 2 ratcheting straps to it so that it doesn`t bounce up and down which is what fatigues the metal.

I would have to say with looking at that setup that it needs to be reengineered, as in removed and redone.

Sorry!

I do think the welds look kind of ghetto myself and I am no welder. I'm thinking it may be good enough for a small storage platform and a light load like an empty cooler or portable holding tank though. It may have some use yet.

With the insight gleaned from this thread, I have decided not to risk damage to our Passport frame by transporting our bikes back there.

Instead, I think I am gonna get a Curt or Draw-tite front hitch for our tow vehicle (2500 suburban) and use our Swagman Original rack up there. The swagman rack itself grips the bikes very strongly with little to no movement, so I think it will work well and not bang the bikes up against the front of the truck.

Anyone else run a similar setup before?

My $.02... Hitch looks fine... But, buy a very good quality rack. I had 4 bikes on the back of my trailer ONCE.. Lost all 4 due to RACK FAILURE! Not hitch failure. They bounce more than you think, especially on and off bridges.

For me... I found it too stress full to worry about 4 bikes after that, 2, I think I would be ok I guess. This was one of the many reasons I purchased my current TV! We just throw them in the bed of the truck and never "look back"

As a welder I would question the integrity of those welds! they don`t look the best and look as if there is not much penetration into the metal. the other issue is it is not gusseted as someone else mentioned. with as far back as that rack is with 4 bikes on it I would be very concerned about stressing the added on receiver and rack to the point it will tear the metal apart! I have a bolt on receiver on my bumper but it is reinforced, and I added 2 ratcheting straps to it so that it doesn`t bounce up and down which is what fatigues the metal.

I would have to say with looking at that setup that it needs to be reengineered, as in removed and redone.

Sorry!

molardog wrote:

JJBIRISH wrote:

Forgive my noobishness, but what exactly can happen to a camper if the frame loses its camber from repeated exposure to a sharp rear dynamic load? What would be the signs?

Well I guess that is hard to say depending on how bad it gets… I am not nor do I profess to be an expert on RV frames, it can be one side and look like the trailer is leaning to one side or one corner, to flex caused damage to the interior parts and eventually the frame breaking…

Unfortunate I don’t have a picture but it has been reported on these forums by others and the mfg. had to replace the frame…

My own experience with frame issues… I had a frame flexing problem in my Sunnybrook (although not from added rear loading) that went back to the factory 4 times for repair to the roof plywood being ripped loose, the siding buckling on both sides, the water tanks falling out of the trailer, and the door sticking closed and being replaced 3 times… this over three years and basically only 4 trips…
I was told by a frame shop the frame lost its camber, the dealer agreed, the mfg. didn’t agree and just wanted to keep repairing the damage and in MHO a major safety issue when you couldn’t get out of the trailer… I traded it with full disclosure and it still resides on a permanent site and is being used…

This is what a trailer frame looks like that broke from constant flexing over a long time… those rust lines are all cracks from repeated stress until it could no longer take it…



One thing to keep in mind rear loading causes heavy stress all the way to the trailer tongue where under way that added weight keeps loading and unloading the tongue in like a see-saw type action…

Other frame damage…


most people don’t agree because they don’t want to believe it and want a easy way to carry their bikes, and that’s ok with me… it’s their trailer, their nickel, and their liability…

I have seen or read about firsthand accounts of the associated problems that go with it… how what I said is used makes no difference to me I have no dog in the fight…

Snip
The frame lost its camber and split the right side wall. They took the unit removed the box from the frame...rebuilt and reenforced the rails...resaaembled and repaired everything at no charge even when it was 2 years past the warranty

Snip
He has done a careful inspection of my unit and several other issues have cropped up. One being the frame, from the axles to the rear of the trailer, as it has lost its positive build camber. The left side frame rail has sagged about 3/8" and the right side 1/4". This caused stress on the aluminum wall frame around the large slide opening, causing a corner weld to break inside the wall.
Snip

Wire wheel to knock some of the rust off and some flat black paint would make it perfect.