using a cargo carriers on my travel trailer

[canman4800]

has anyone used a cargo carriers on the back bumper of their travel trailer? I'm curious how much stress it puts on the bumper.

[Samsonsworld]

Carried a 100lb generator and 5 gallon gas can on a cargo rack for years with no issues but wouldn't recommend it. Not worth it if something does go wrong. My $.02.

[ford_truck_guy]

My “STUFF” makes my vaca great again!!

[valhalla360]

MFL wrote:

I often wonder how many spare tires, that are only fastened to the bumper are lost? Many RV trailers including my last three, have the spare fastened to bumper only.

Bikes or anything moveable and hanging off, much different than a spare though.

Jerry

The big difference is spare tires sit almost directly over the bumper. As a result, there isn't much leverage. (the COG might be 4-6inches behind the bumper).

3 Bikes will have a COG likely a couple feet behind the bumper resulting in several times as much leverage trying to tear off the sheet metal bumper.

If you want to do this get a frame mounted hitch. Also, triple check you hitch weight. 75-100lb doesn't sound like much but particularly on small trailers, it might push the hitch weight below 10% and cause it to get squirrelly when towing.

[ktmrfs]

I cut off the rear bumper and rear attachments on our outback and designed and installed my own rear bumper. I used reciever and hitch tubing to make an adjustable length carrier section that I can slide in and out. I used real square tubing for the bumper. Then I made expanded metal carriers I can drop into and attach to the extension between the trailer and hitch. I also welded on stingers to use for bike racks etc. The reciever tubing was welded to the trailer frame on the outside of the frame for about 2ft

Yes,it adds weight to the rear of the trailer when loaded however even with it fully loaded my tongue weight is still over 15%, 9,000lb plus trailer weight, 1400 on the tongue with no water in the tanks, over 1500 with fresh filled or waste water.

Rack usually has a cooler, two bins with the things we need to start camping, chocks, ramps etc. or the last to go back as well as the spare tire.

And even with everything on the rack, including 2 e bikes, lights are still visible, license plate is visible,

Traveled 50K plus miles, various campgrounds, along the columbia river gorge many a time with high winds, never any issues.

The extra length does impact what spots I can back the trailer into, no question.

[Grit_dog]

BackOfThePack wrote:
It’s a bad idea in all ways.

200# far from the axle centerline “weighs more” given tail-whip (centrifugal force). Shortens the already too-short amount of time to correct trailer sway (a few seconds in best conditions). That, alone, mitigates against it.

Second, it tends to either cover or obstruct trailer brake/turn/warning lights. From several angles. Again, this ALONE mitigates against it.

Third, backing is more difficult as this increases the amount of “trailer swing”. AND one can’t see the edge leading as one backs (I do this for a living: the joke about truck drivers is that they don’t pay us to drive them somewhere, they pay is TO BACK THEM as the vast majority of truck-caused property damage is while backing). Lose any idea you can avoid backing.

Fourth, and potentially the most serious, is related to number one in that one has lengthened the sail area against a crosswind.

Winds are the TT problem. “Vision” by operator and others is hampered. (We can find more).

To go camping means toss some clothes, food and beer into trailer. I believe you need to clean it out (100%) and start over in packing what you actually use. We all go thru the pains of adding too much and having to remove the “what if & just-in-case” stuff.

Make going camping simpler. If you do, you’ll go more often. (Bank on it)

.

Roflmmfo!
Where to start …

1. Yes or maybe but not necessarily. Especially since you have no idea how much weight the OP was thinkin about hauling back there or the trailer weight/tongue weight.
2. Nope not even close. Google a hitch rack and then go measure the spread between your tail lights… duhhh
3. Nope again, refer to #2. Width. Maaaaybe in a perfect 90 deg ijackinife with virtually zero extra clearance. But by then if you don’t have a spotter, a camera or legs, to get out and check, you’ll probably smash the corner of the trailer first.
4. Lol. This is perhaps the funniest, biggest stretch to try to sound smart. Exactly how much “sail area” is added with a little piece of angle iron and some firewood/genny and gas can, mother in laws suitcase, you know the typical stuff that goes on a light duty hitch carrier?
5. Now you’re just trying to hard to create text.
6. No one cares how “you” camp, nor is it polite to presume a whole bunch of stuff about someone else because you conjured up an image or opinion.

If you’d have stopped after “bad idea” (generally, due to the lightweight construction of camper bumpers) you would have had a lucid response.
Cheers slowmover!

[BackOfThePack]

It’s a bad idea in all ways.

200# far from the axle centerline “weighs more” given tail-whip (centrifugal force). Shortens the already too-short amount of time to correct trailer sway (a few seconds in best conditions). That, alone, mitigates against it.

Second, it tends to either cover or obstruct trailer brake/turn/warning lights. From several angles. Again, this ALONE mitigates against it.

Third, backing is more difficult as this increases the amount of “trailer swing”. AND one can’t see the edge leading as one backs (I do this for a living: the joke about truck drivers is that they don’t pay us to drive them somewhere, they pay is TO BACK THEM as the vast majority of truck-caused property damage is while backing). Lose any idea you can avoid backing.

Fourth, and potentially the most serious, is related to number one in that one has lengthened the sail area against a crosswind.

Winds are the TT problem. “Vision” by operator and others is hampered. (We can find more).

To go camping means toss some clothes, food and beer into trailer. I believe you need to clean it out (100%) and start over in packing what you actually use. We all go thru the pains of adding too much and having to remove the “what if & just-in-case” stuff.

Make going camping simpler. If you do, you’ll go more often. (Bank on it)

.

[Boomerweps]

There are a couple different thick J hook like RV bumper reinforcements available. These take the sewer hose storage tube welds out of the equation. No one has reported probs once those are installed.
However, best is to get a universal between the frame receiver hitch and have that welded on. Then you can carry a heavy load confidently, like a mid size generator.
Note: even the factory FR rear rack does not depend on the sewer hose storage tube, it clamps to the frame rails in front of that.

[LITEPHIL]

It really can upset the handling and the added weight also pulls down on the trailer box too.

[dennis1949]

I use one for years. Just careful how much weight I put on it no problem

[MFL]

^Funny story that, probably not at the time.

I often wonder how many spare tires, that are only fastened to the bumper are lost? Many RV trailers including my last three, have the spare fastened to bumper only.

Bikes or anything moveable and hanging off, much different than a spare though.

Jerry

[ford_truck_guy]

I found out just how bad of an idea it was B4 learning about this site.. I put a 4 bike holder on a bumper mount bike rack of my 1997 Wilderness TT..

Going south on RT13 in DE, I looked in my rear view mirror to see a rack with 3 bikes skirting across the highway into the medium.

I told my wife, look some poor sap lost their bikes.. I was lucky they did not hit anything, or anyone. I stopped and had to toss everything into the bed of the truck and inside the camper... what a mess :S

PS - I had 1 adult and 2 kids bikes on there at the time

[ssthrd]

IMHO.......... If you look at the "bumper" on your TT, you will see that at best it will store your stinky slinky, and not much more. The static load on the very thin tube is one thing but the forces generated by a 200/300 pound lever bouncing up and down will be much more. I think that most here will agree that it's not a good idea.

I carried my spare tire that way for a year or so, but the load was vertical and didn't bounce around as would a relatively heavy basket extending a couple of feet behind the trailer.

You see them on the road, but given enough time, they will probably fail. Maybe at the next railway crossing or the frost heave that snuck up on you. Not to mention the transition from the street to a steep driveway where the basket scrapes the ground because of the extended overhang. Lots of scenarios.

If you go to a welding shop, they can attach a hitch directly to the frame, and you can mount the basket on that.

[Second_Chance]

If you search the forum you'll find dozens (if not hundreds) of posts on this topic. It's universally a terrible idea and a great way to leave your bumper and anything on the carrier skidding down the road with people behind you trying to avoid it. Have a hitch receiver welded or bolted to the frame.

Rob

[BarneyS]

The back bumper of most travel trailers is not meant to have anything attached to it. It is designed to hold the sewer hose and not much else. It you want to put something heavier back there, you need to reinforce it with welded supports and/or encase it with stronger metal along with stronger mounting to the frame of the trailer. You would probably be best off putting a regular 2" receiver welded to the trailer frame on the back of the trailer rather than use the bumper to mount something.

Also keep in mind the removal of tongue weight if you carry something heavy back there. Most travel trailers have a long rear overhang which makes the addition of of weight that far behind the axles troublesome for many trailers. You are risking sway problems because of that lost weight.

Hope this helps you out in your decision making.:)
Barney