Rear Bumper Bike Rack

[Flicdog]

Has anyone put a bike rack on the rear bumper of a Cougar 333MKS or similar rig? I put the bolt on receiver box and a rack but it looks sketchy as far as bouncing while under way.

[Festus2]

I haven't put a bike rack on the bumper of our Cougar and wouldn't advise anyone to do so. The bumper is just not sturdy enough to support that kind of extra weight. If I were you, I'd have a receiver hitch welded to the frame and purchase any one of a number of bike racks that are designed to carry 1, 2, 3 or 4 bikes.

Do a forum search on "bike racks" and you'll find plenty of posts and threads about this topic and what others have done.

[PerryB]

Originally Posted by Festus2

I haven't put a bike rack on the bumper of our Cougar and wouldn't advise anyone to do so. The bumper is just not sturdy enough to support that kind of extra weight. If I were you, I'd have a receiver hitch welded to the frame and purchase any one of a number of bike racks that are designed to carry 1, 2, 3 or 4 bikes.

Do a forum search on "bike racks" and you'll find plenty of posts and threads about this topic and what others have done.

That is what I did. I built my own receiver/cross member assembly and welded it to the frame and included some gussets as well, and then bought a nice 3 bike rack. I was constantly being asked what I towed behind the trailer (when the rack was not installed). I would usually respond with something like "a car" or "ski boat ". As the admonishing would begin I would smile and tell the truth. I now have an 8 foot bed so the current trailer has no rack/hitch. I would not hang a rack/bikes off the rear tube, for fear of all three being gone upon arriving at camp.

[5mary6]

The issue in the original question is that of the 333MKS. It has a pull out bumper that is considered a bike rack with a weight rating of 200lbs.. Don't trust it. Add a bike rack to that bumper and it may just cause disaster. Now if the bumper is left slid in, there may be more support considering Keystone put that big heavy spare tire rack on the bumper. I doubt the bicycle will weigh as much as the tire

[SkiSmuggs]

I have a two-bike rack mounted on the bumper of my Cougar High Country and have carried two adult or kids bikes with no trouble UNTIL I got a ladder rack so I could carry just one more. It came with nylon straps with plastic buckles. I used those to fasten the Wally kids' bikes to the bumper rack and used the bungees from that on the ladder rack bike. When I got home from the campground, the DW asked what I did with the bikes. Mine was still on the ladder rack, but both Wally World bikes were gone from the bumper rack with one strap with a broken buckle hanging from it.
Now I only use bungees and a bicycle cable lock to the ladder. After reading some of the other posts, I will add a bungee from the bumper rack to the ladder just to add support.

[mamawildbear]

We had a popup camper with a super duper extra strong bumper and hitch on the back of it. The previous owner towed a super duper Texas sized smoker behind his popup (yikes). We thought how great, we can use a hitch mounted bike rack. We mounted our four bikes on it and headed off to camping. Those things bounced up and down like they were on a trampoline and our traller swayed so much that 15 min down the road, we turned around home and dropped off the bikes. For us, it shifted so much weight to the rear of the trailer that we became unstable. We've been gun shy of that ever since.

[The Outdoor Duffle Bag]

I did it and twisted my bumper ! If you do it I would put it as close to the one of the cross members as possible. You could also go to your local welding shop and they could beef up the bumper supports. Then you know it will handle it.

[gearhead]

On our previous Cougar I removed the spare tire from the bumper and put it in the storage bay. Then used a bolt on receiver to carry ONE very light all aluminum bicycle. Towed from Houston to Ohio and back. The bumper was distorted so much I couldn't get the sewer hose in it.
On the Montana, I had a new heavier bumper welded on. It has a receiver welded into the bumper. I just towed to Virginia and back with the bicycle and spare on the bumper.

[gearhead]

pics of new bumper...

[KYFamily]

I've used a bumper mount on our Avalanche for about two years now and the same setup on my old Jayco for close to 6 years with no trouble. Usually only have one kids bike on it but I have had up to three. My brother usually follows me and he always has told me that is was very stout with no bouncing. I also have China bombs and I'm over by 400 lbs. on GWVR. So what do I know.

[{tpc}]

Gearhead, what did something like that run ya? How long did it take to get it?

[MArices]

We have a Laredo 266RL. I put a bike rack over the spare. The bumper is so thin that metal fatigue caused the bumper to separate from its supports.