Reinforce bumper

[ArticFox_676]

Previous discussion about reinforcing the rear bumper someone posted pictures of a bracket to add strength to the bumper. I can't find this picture and don't remember the name. Can anyone point me in the right direction? My searches turned up nothing.

[1stgenfarmboy]

Thats what I'm thinking, when I fill the water tank with nearly 400lb of water I will have almost 1,000lb on the tongue, If that is not enough I will need to get a bigger truck than a 1 ton diesel dually for my 7,500lb 23ft trailer.

[Frankly]

I am working on putting my bike rack on the back, but my plan is to offset that with the fresh water tank which is between the wheels and tongue. So instant variable tongue weight is only a water faucet away. The black and grey tanks are on either side of the axle, so they pretty well balance.

[GrandpaKip]

SoundGuy wrote:

GrandpaKip wrote:
While on a scale, my 2 grandsons, 104 lbs., got on the frame attached cargo rack. They unloaded the tongue 20 lbs. Not a big deal. There is typically less than 100 lbs. on there when traveling.

In many cases it can be a big deal. That's 100 lbs of bouncing weight as far aft of the axles as it could be so the effect is magnified in a real situation when rolling down the highway. Secondly, while this may not have much negative affect on tongue weight for a 30'+ trailer running 1000+ lbs of gross tongue weight it sure can for a much shorter 20' running half that. :E

Umm..20 pounds less. 560 pounds TW to 540 pounds TW. To me, not a big deal. Everything is strapped tightly down to the rack. No room to bounce. The rack is bolted to the frame and doesn't move.
If you mean the trailer bounces more, that I haven't noticed. In about 10,000 miles, I haven't noticed nor felt any difference in handling.
But, I'm not planning on putting any more weight back there, either.

[1stgenfarmboy]

OK I just finished my heavy duty bumper install, the tubing I used was 90lbs + the original bumper welded under it " for the poop tube" + the hitch rack + I stacked 200lbs on it, my bikes only weigh 40lb.

with nothing on the back " no bumper at all" loaded to camp + an extra battery on the tongue except no water " my tank is in the front " my tongue weight was 820lb.

with my heavy bumper and everything on it, it unloaded the tongue from 820 to 700lb

I am super happy with it, was a little surprised at the tongue weight advertised at 575, so taking some off is a plus.

Now with a full tank of water I expect it to be very close to 800+.


Dar

[SoundGuy]

GrandpaKip wrote:
While on a scale, my 2 grandsons, 104 lbs., got on the frame attached cargo rack. They unloaded the tongue 20 lbs. Not a big deal. There is typically less than 100 lbs. on there when traveling.

In many cases it can be a big deal. That's 100 lbs of bouncing weight as far aft of the axles as it could be so the effect is magnified in a real situation when rolling down the highway. Secondly, while this may not have much negative affect on tongue weight for a 30'+ trailer running 1000+ lbs of gross tongue weight it sure can for a much shorter 20' running half that. :E

[GrandpaKip]

While on a scale, my 2 grandsons, 104 lbs., got on the frame attached cargo rack. They unloaded the tongue 20 lbs. Not a big deal. There is typically less than 100 lbs. on there when traveling.

[1stgenfarmboy]

I will hang the tongue of my TT from our scale without a bumper and then again with a very heavy bumper/hitch rack, bycycles,spare, just to see how much it takes off the tongue, "just for the record" and usefull infomation.

I will have my camper full of water and loaded to camp.


More to come.

[westend]

TheGatherer wrote:
I bought a 'spare tire winch' from a pickup truck and mounted it under the front of the TT with the rod that turns the winch up and down out the front so I can crank it up and down with my cordless drill... I'm pretty sure there is a after market model you can buy... no weight on the bumper..

Nice installation!

I'd like to do something similar. Did you get the mechanism from an auto salvage shop?

[SoundGuy]

ArticFox 676 wrote:
This is for our trailer bumper. Want to put a second spare on the bumper. Just using caution.

JMO, but you're not "using caution" by hanging so much weight so far aft of the axles. :E Personally I wouldn't hang anything off the rear bumper even if reinforced as adding any amount of weight so far behind the axles will only unduly unload the tongue. I carry my spare tire in the trailer's front pass through storage compartment where it's completely protected from the elements and use the space created by the wheel well to store cables, hoses, etc. Although I've never considered carrying 2 spares there's really no reason I couldn't as there's certainly space for them and doing so locates this weight where it belongs, well in front of the axles. :B

[DE88ROX]

rbpru wrote:
The under body spare tire mounts may be fine and certainly are popular, until you need them and find them rusted shut.

That happened to me and I ended up cutting the cable and placing the spare in the truck bed.

On my present TV I crank down the spare and grease the cable in the spring.

I lower mine in my truck about twice a year and spray it down with lubricant, just to make sure everything stays in working order, just in case.

As for my TT spare. I leave it in the covered bed of my truck for the entire camping season, as well as my leveling boards.

[1stgenfarmboy]

I need and will be putting a hitch rack on my TT, it is a 2017 new, but I have already had the rack mounted and with me ( 205 lb ) standing on it and jumping it does flex the thin bumper tubing, so tonight I will be cutting it off and welding an 8 ft 1/4 in wall tubing bumper on with some gussets, I trust my welds more than a factory job anyway, my frame is heavy tubing that extends to the bumper so no worries there.


I would have never though about giving it a good inspection without all this talk of them beeing weak.


so thanks for that.

then I will weld a plate on and on that weld on a 2 inch reciever, our bikes will be safe on that I would think.

I will weld the original bumper under the new one for the poop tube storage.


I also checked the tires and axle raiting with the max GVW of the trailer.

trailer says 7540 max, 5170 dry, I have 3500 lb axles and the tires are 1,540 each x 4 so I will upgrade tires when I replace them.

.

[ArticFox_676]

Thanks for all the choices. Hide a spare sounds interesting. Will look into these options.

[rbpru]

The under body spare tire mounts may be fine and certainly are popular, until you need them and find them rusted shut.

That happened to me and I ended up cutting the cable and placing the spare in the truck bed.

On my present TV I crank down the spare and grease the cable in the spring.

[TheGatherer]

I bought a 'spare tire winch' from a pickup truck and mounted it under the front of the TT with the rod that turns the winch up and down out the front so I can crank it up and down with my cordless drill... I'm pretty sure there is a after market model you can buy... no weight on the bumper..