New Over The Tanks Bike Rack on The Front of TT

[riven1950]

We just finished building a bike rack for the TT. Not many good choices except the Arvika which has a poor website for specs and a really high price. Another option was the Trailer Tray / Bike Bunk but it was pretty pricey for what you get.

Decided, based on an idea from this forum to build our own. We just finished and took it for a short trip to test potential turning problems out and are very pleased.

Purchased the metal bike rack carriers off Amazon and built the rest from 2x4s and 3/4 plywood. It is very stable and can be lifted off the trailer frame and reinstalled without much trouble. Got less than $125.00 ( including the metal racks ) in it not counting my time and effort :).

Trying to post some pics.

[crispyc21]

I may do this one of these weekends. Can you post a link to the bike rails that you got, or something close to it? Do the rails just screw into the plywood?

[DutchmenSport]

Your post encouraged me to look at my camper a little closer to see if I could possibly do the same thing. Unfortunately I can't do this on my new Outback. The curvature of the body nose doesn't leave any room and the nose actually touches the propane tank cover. The propane tank cover actually touches the electric tongue jack on the other side, and the cover overhangs the A-frame on both side, which leaves absolutely no space to go up or to even attach anything, as any attachments to the A-frame would be under something else. Yuck. BUT! I'm glad this worked for you! Thanks for sharing!

[riven1950]

Did you look at the Stromberg Carlson CC-275? Tongue bike rack It's just over $200 (depending on vendor) but you still need to buy the upper rack piece. This one is interesting in that it has a 2" receiver that might be of benefit. DW and I want to get a couple of bikes at some point and I like the idea of a tongue rack and the Stromberg Carlson one looks good. (No way I'd ever install them on the rear bumper.)

I did look at that unit but I would have had to buy a rack to go with it. Total cost 500 +.

If I had a good bike rack already it would have been a better option. I have some carpentry skills so decided to put them to use and save money.

[riven1950]

Great mod. You noted that your trailer is 4k lbs so tongue weight and diminished payload on the truck is not an issue I suppose?

Tongue weight as measured on a trip last year was 350 so that should not be an issue.

Don't see how payload could be affected as we carried the bikes before in the truck bed.

[myredracer]

dewey02 wrote:

Riven1950 addresses the bike bunk in his initial post, in the very next sentence which you edited out of his quote.

If the name "Bike Bunk" or "Trailer Tray" are registered trade names owned by Stromberg Carlson, then I missed that - I noted that he only mentioned the manufacturer, Arvika.

[dewey02]

myredracer wrote:

riven1950 wrote:
We just finished building a bike rack for the TT. Not many good choices except the Arvika which has a poor website for specs and a really high price.

Did you look at the Stromberg Carlson CC-275? Tongue bike rack It's just over $200 (depending on vendor) but you still need to buy the upper rack piece. This one is interesting in that it has a 2" receiver that might be of benefit. DW and I want to get a couple of bikes at some point and I like the idea of a tongue rack and the Stromberg Carlson one looks good. (No way I'd ever install them on the rear bumper.)

Riven1950 addresses the bike bunk in his initial post, in the very next sentence which you edited out of his quote.

riven1950 wrote:
We just finished building a bike rack for the TT. Not many good choices except the Arvika which has a poor website for specs and a really high price. Another option was the Trailer Tray / Bike Bunk but it was pretty pricey for what you get.

However, if you already have a hitch mount bike carrier, and want to be able to switch bikes from TT to TV, then it may be a good option. On the other hand, you may want to look at the Stromberg/Carlson Trailer Tray, which is more like Riven's home made set up and then put a car-top bike carrier on it like he did. It has a 300+ pound capacity, so you could put your generator, firewood, etc up there when you don't need to take your bikes. Of course all this will affect your tongue weight, so be sure you have the capacity.

[myredracer]

riven1950 wrote:
We just finished building a bike rack for the TT. Not many good choices except the Arvika which has a poor website for specs and a really high price.

Did you look at the Stromberg Carlson CC-275? Tongue bike rack It's just over $200 (depending on vendor) but you still need to buy the upper rack piece. This one is interesting in that it has a 2" receiver that might be of benefit. DW and I want to get a couple of bikes at some point and I like the idea of a tongue rack and the Stromberg Carlson one looks good. (No way I'd ever install them on the rear bumper.)

[ken56]

Great mod. You noted that your trailer is 4k lbs so tongue weight and diminished payload on the truck is not an issue I suppose?

[RollandB]

Great idea

[riven1950]

Nice, do you use something to keep the legs in the stake pockets? I'm just imagining it jumping out over a large bump.

First I used tapered pockets, then was very careful when cutting 2x4s to fit. Cut them a little big and sanded to fit snug with a palm sander, so the whole thing is more stable than I thought it would be.

I had the same thought you did. Last thing I did was to drill a hole in face of each pocket and secured the legs with a SS phillips screw. Peace of mind and only 4 screws to remove to take it off the TT.

[opnspaces]

Nice, do you use something to keep the legs in the stake pockets? I'm just imagining it jumping out over a large bump.

[Carb_Cleaner]

Nice job. I like the stake-body mounts.

[riven1950]

I don't have a WD hitch. TT is only 4000lbs +/_ . I do have a anti-sway bar. We tested it today with my GF in the back and made a couple of 90 degree turns. It comes close to the sway bar on a 90degree turn but misses it by 1/2". The good thing about custom building is you may be able to work around your hitch connections. I thought about putting the one bracket in question ( at the sway bar ) on the inside of the frame instead of outside but it does not appear necessary. A bigger TT may have even more flexibility on design. My tongue area is small and tight.

On the aerodynamics....I don't think that could get any worse 🙂

[dewey02]

Very nicely done. Do you have a WD hitch and how does that fit with your mod? (I didn't see one in your photo)

[Trlrboy]

campin_in_the_rain wrote:
I really like the design of this rack and I am very tempted to build one myself, but I am concerned about how it would impact gas mileage.

I'd be interested to know if you see any gas mileage degradation from that rack since it puts the bikes in front of the "aerodynamic" front end of your trailer.

Aerodynamic like a big brick.