Pimpin' out the Tumbleweed

[ADQ K9]

So far this year I have been adding stuff to the camper to make it more "user friendly"
Dual 6volt GC battery system
Roof vent covers (lots of rain so far this summer)
Roku installed on both TV sets (see above)
Oxygenics Body Spa RV showerhead (yet to be installed)
The BAL under mount spare tire carrier came today so I can free up more front storage and move a little more weight off the tongue. Probably get it on tomorrow if not raining.
What has made your campsite life better?

[Kirk's Keystone Outback.]

I'm interested in your comments after you install the Spare Wheel Carrier.

[ADQ K9]

Kirk,
Anchorage rain cycle this year has been very intense this due to the Jet Stream/ El Niño, haven't done it yet. I plan on attempting it tomorrow if I get the grass mowed. There are several videos on you tube I found so you can look there in the mean time. Just search "BAL undermount spare tire carrier"

[Canonman]

HI Mike,
So far we've done about the same adds. I recently bought electric bikes for the DW and I so I had to add a bike carrier. I'm looking seriously at the BAL undermount spare carrier so I'm not using up truck bed space for the trailer spare. Please keep us updated on the installation and any tips you learn along the way.
Thanks!

[Kirk's Keystone Outback.]

Originally Posted by Canonman

HI Mike,
So far we've done about the same adds. I recently bought electric bikes for the DW and I so I had to add a bike carrier. I'm looking seriously at the BAL undermount spare carrier so I'm not using up truck bed space for the trailer spare. Please keep us updated on the installation and any tips you learn along the way.
Thanks!

I've curious about the weight capacity of the rear bumper. I have the I-Beam style bumper, which had the spare wheel mounted when I bought it, which weighs about 35 lbs. Then I installed a bike rack, which weighs a little over 100 lbs, with both bikes mounted. After driving for a couple years with the spare wheel and bikes, I decided to remove the spare wheel, which I now store under my bed storage. Personally, I liked it on the bumper.
So my question, does anyone truly know the weight capacity of those bumpers?

[Canonman]

Bumper mounted bike racks are not a good idea. The weight of the rack and bikes will twist the very thin metal of the bumper. The eventual result is that the bumper metal literally tears away from the frame it's welded to. This mostly due tot he cantilever effect of the rack hanging away from the rear of the trailer in order to provide clearance for the bikes. (Experienced by our daughters family with their Passport)
We had a receiver hitch welded to the frame of our Cougar. It costs a few $ but well worth it.
Note that the spare tire carrier allows the tire to sit more directly above the bumper reducing the cantilever/bounce effect. Personally I wouldn't rate the bumper past carrying the "stinky-slinky".

[Kirk's Keystone Outback.]

Originally Posted by Canonman

Bumper mounted bike racks are not a good idea. The weight of the rack and bikes will twist the very thin metal of the bumper. The eventual result is that the bumper metal literally tears away from the frame it's welded to. This mostly due tot he cantilever effect of the rack hanging away from the rear of the trailer in order to provide clearance for the bikes. (Experienced by our daughters family with their Passport)
We had a receiver hitch welded to the frame of our Cougar. It costs a few $ but well worth it.
Note that the spare tire carrier allows the tire to sit more directly above the bumper reducing the cantilever/bounce effect. Personally I wouldn't rate the bumper past carrying the "stinky-slinky".

I do see what you did, and it's great. Appreciate your response. I'll give it great thought on my next move.

[ADQ K9]

The story of my original spare tire carrier goes like this:
CW in Burlington WA arranged shipping to Alaska gave measurements to shipper Tote (Acronym for shipping company Totem Ocean Trailer Express. I get a call from the drive away service 2B Transport saying that Tote wants an additional $250 because the trailer is 37.5 feet long by their measurements. Someone did not include the spare tire carrier when giving dimensions . Tote measures from hitch to end not just the bumper but anything hanging off for total length. I paid the extra $250 (Shipping was included in purchase price, a deal we worked out). CW reimbursed me.
Upon getting it home and backing into the driveway where all of our other family RVs have parked over the years the spare had to be removed so it did not contact the ground. 2 u bolts and 2 lug nuts later it was never to be reinstalled on the stinky slinky holder. The spare has been residing in my front storage compartment and it is time for it be put back outside.
There is blue sky visible and a funny yellow thing coming over the mountains this morning so it looks like it might be a good day for the grass and work on the Tumbleweed. will try to take some pics and keep ya all posted.

[sourdough]

Just a note on the BAL slide out spare carrier;

I have one on this trailer and unfortunately had to use it. Had a slow leak on one of the RV tires. Took it off and had them repair it - a screw right on the shoulder and in the "no repair" zone. I had them repair it anyway since the only replacement brand they carried was a "Trans" something or other and I use Sailun. The repair didn't hold and it began leaking again. This is when I started trying to manipulate the BAL slide out carrier.

I had used it once before to pull out the tire, add a TST sensor and set the pressure. I had forgotten how hard it was to get it out/in. In this case, in the space at the RV park, we were in an even less optimal position to use it. It was literally a 2 person job (thanks DW). One person would never get it out or in due to the big bend in the little sliding tubes. I had to crawl under the trailer as DW pulled (or pushed) and I pushed up on the tubes to get them straight so they would slide - not fun. Doing this twice (removal of spare putting new one back in) had me in my unhappy mode. I contacted BAL about the issue and they just pointed out the weight limit of the carrier - 100lbs. (from memory). We had pulled it out/in when I bought the trailer because I never had one before and we just checked it out. Didn't seem like a big deal. However, I then had all the Ranier LRF tires replaced with Sailun LRG tires. Didn't think anything about it but I did compare the Raniers and Sailuns by the country boy method of squashing and lifting, the Sailuns are much heavier. That is the only thing I can think of to cause the sagging tubes. Haven't done anything about it (cleaning and silicone lube do nothing) so it's an issue I may have to deal with again. Just fyi.

[Max23]

Originally Posted by Canonman

Bumper mounted bike racks are not a good idea. The weight of the rack and bikes will twist the very thin metal of the bumper. The eventual result is that the bumper metal literally tears away from the frame it's welded to. This mostly due tot he cantilever effect of the rack hanging away from the rear of the trailer in order to provide clearance for the bikes. (Experienced by our daughters family with their Passport)
We had a receiver hitch welded to the frame of our Cougar. It costs a few $ but well worth it.
Note that the spare tire carrier allows the tire to sit more directly above the bumper reducing the cantilever/bounce effect. Personally I wouldn't rate the bumper past carrying the "stinky-slinky".

So, does anyone have any experience or thoughts/opinions on the TT front hitch frame mount bike carriers?? Seems to be a good enough spot but I'm assuming getting the bike up there could be a bit of a challenge. Thoughts?

[Canonman]

I have seen these front mount racks and watched as the "Dad" hefted the bikes up onto the the rack. He was younger and likely stronger than I but still had some difficulty straddling the trailer tongue and jack. I don't think it would be any fun at all with the heavier E bikes.

[ADQ K9]

Carrier installed Pics to come later. Time to get out of town

[Folkie]

Originally Posted by Max23

So, does anyone have any experience or thoughts/opinions on the TT front hitch frame mount bike carriers?? Seems to be a good enough spot but I'm assuming getting the bike up there could be a bit of a challenge. Thoughts?

We were just parked next to a camper that had a bike carrier on the A-frame. Asked the wife how they get the bikes on there. She said that she stands on the truck tailgate to load the bikes (not e-bikes).

The advantage with that setup is you can see the bikes from the TV and there is not as much bouncing as you go down the road as you would have with a rear mount trailer hitch. Still looks like it would be too difficult for me to get the bikes on and off.

[Canonman]

Originally Posted by Folkie

We were just parked next to a camper that had a bike carrier on the A-frame. Asked the wife how they get the bikes on there. She said that she stands on the truck tailgate to load the bikes (not e-bikes).

The advantage with that setup is you can see the bikes from the TV and there is not as much bouncing as you go down the road as you would have with a rear mount trailer hitch. Still looks like it would be too difficult for me to get the bikes on and off.

Get a solid RV rated receiver type carrier (Hollywood Racks) and you won't have to worry about the bounce. Our BIL followed us around for 1,000 miles and said the bikes never moved.
https://hollywoodracks.com/products/rv-rider
Great product, great support!

[Folkie]

Originally Posted by Canonman

Get a solid RV rated receiver type carrier (Hollywood Racks) and you won't have to worry about the bounce. Our BIL followed us around for 1,000 miles and said the bikes never moved.
https://hollywoodracks.com/products/rv-rider
Great product, great support!

We have RV rated racks that we use on the back receiver of our camper. Swagman for our regular bikes which we have used for several years without issue. We had to switch to Hyperax for our e-bikes because it was the only RV rated rack that I could find which would handle the weight and clear our bumper mounted spare. We have only done two trips with the Hyperax. One on our SUV and one with the camper. Looked solid on both.

[jxnbbl]

Originally Posted by sourdough

Just a note on the BAL slide out spare carrier;

I have one on this trailer and unfortunately had to use it. Had a slow leak on one of the RV tires. Took it off and had them repair it - a screw right on the shoulder and in the "no repair" zone. I had them repair it anyway since the only replacement brand they carried was a "Trans" something or other and I use Sailun. The repair didn't hold and it began leaking again. This is when I started trying to manipulate the BAL slide out carrier.....

I installed one too last year so that I could carry two spares (similar) experience with a screw in the tire, had already swapped out the spare for one tire with crazy abnormal wear....will have to check out the "tube problem" I just remember it wasn't as easy as it looked to get the tire in and I think I would grease the bars.


BTW my pet peeve was when the carrier came to me 1/2 the hardware was missing as it was just loose in the box and not contained in plastic bag...worked its way out of the box and had to purchase stuff at the hardware store to get installed! BAL really wasn't any help with this (although they have been with slide rollers)

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by jxnbbl

I installed one too last year so that I could carry two spares (similar) experience with a screw in the tire, had already swapped out the spare for one tire with crazy abnormal wear....will have to check out the "tube problem" I just remember it wasn't as easy as it looked to get the tire in and I think I would grease the bars.


BTW my pet peeve was when the carrier came to me 1/2 the hardware was missing as it was just loose in the box and not contained in plastic bag...worked its way out of the box and had to purchase stuff at the hardware store to get installed! BAL really wasn't any help with this (although they have been with slide rollers)

I'm afraid greasing those bars will just turn them into huge grease balls as they sit under the trailer and collect all kinds of unknown road debris then make extending or compressing the bars even harder - and messier. I'm going to weigh the tire/wheel next time I pull it out. I don't think it weighs 100lbs. but no matter, it still bends those bars.

Like you, BAL has been very helpful and quick on questions about the Accuslide system...not so much with the BAL carrier.