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Smitty
01-15-2011, 04:01 PM
I have a Cougar Fifth Wheel 327RES with the pull out bumper rack. It has a rod that you can secure upright with a large cotter pin. This rod looks like it would be used for securing your bicycles to it. I currently use a bolt on bike rack which has hoops that you put the tires into and also has the upright pole that you then secure the bikes to. What I cannot figure out is how you would securely hold your bikes on the pull out rack since the bottom looks like ribbed plastic and the upright rod just doesn't seem like it would hold the bikes alone. Anyone use the rack for bikes? If so can you give me some pointers or modifications that would work for two bikes. Thanks

antiqfreq
01-15-2011, 04:19 PM
Our bike rack is out permanently. The DH made up something to bolt it in place. We do carry our 2 mountain bikes on it and we have traveled the 85% of the states this past year and no problem at all.

Jo
Moderator

hankpage
01-15-2011, 06:44 PM
I used the top of my old hitch mount rack slid over the post Keystone provides. The bikes are secured this way with the rack slid out and with the rack in it can still work the way it did when hitch mounted. It's not a very good photo but I think you can get the idea.
http://inlinethumb61.webshots.com/40380/2949052810047821328S500x500Q85.jpg

Smitty
01-15-2011, 08:07 PM
Hank, are your bikes hanging? Is that one of the trailer racks where the bikes hang from the frames? Another ? Can you still fold the upright pole down and slide the rack back under the rv?

Jim W
01-16-2011, 06:21 AM
Hi,
My DW and I used the slide out bike rack once last year. I used bungee cords to secure the bikes to the up right post and the pull out frame rails. The bikes tended to slide down the post as the trailer bounces on the road. My DW bike was scratched a little, but it is a mountain bike and there are scratches on it already. Next time out, I will use one of my older bike racks that I have to support the bikes better. I have three of them so I can use what ever parts I need from them to get the job done.
I am thinking of using the old roof mounted van rack that I had from Thule. This could be secured to the frame and than the bikes could be secured to the rack using the front fork and rear tires. The front tires and seats would ride in the basement when transporting.
Jim

hankpage
01-16-2011, 10:40 AM
Hank, are your bikes hanging? Is that one of the trailer racks where the bikes hang from the frames? Another ? Can you still fold the upright pole down and slide the rack back under the rv?

?1: No, the bikes are on the plastic floor of the slide-out. The arms of the rack are between the two bikes to hold them down.

?2: Yes, I can face the arms to the front over the plastic floor or to the rear over the bumper. ( Facing front the bikes swing just enough that hit the trailer on severe bumps securing like in the photo they don't move at all )

?3: You don't need to fold the pole down (on my Cougar anyway) to close the slide-out. In this position I face the arms to the rear and can hang the bikes the way the hitch mount rack was designed to work.

I hope your not as confused as I am. :confused: If the back of the trailer wasn't buried in a snow drift I would take better pics. Hank

Smitty
01-16-2011, 02:43 PM
Thanks Hank and others too. Hank I think I follow your explanation. What you are using is hooked onto the bumper of your slide out?? and that's why you can swing the bikes around. My slideout bumper has a flimsy what I'd say is a 1x1 square steel pole that actually lays down in the plastic floor when not in use and you put it upright and secure with a large cotter key and then secure the bikes to the pole. Not a very good system. Wouldn't trust it with the bikes I have. My add on bike rack bolts to the 4x4 bumper and extends past the spare tire so pulling out the slide bumper at this point would extend a good 5 to 6 feet beyond trailer and this fiver is long enough without the extra feet. I would like to use the slideout and take my rack off then I could push the bumper back in when not using the bikes saving the excess length.

byrdr1
01-18-2011, 01:45 PM
Thanks Hank and others too. Hank I think I follow your explanation. What you are using is hooked onto the bumper of your slide out?? and that's why you can swing the bikes around. My slideout bumper has a flimsy what I'd say is a 1x1 square steel pole that actually lays down in the plastic floor when not in use and you put it upright and secure with a large cotter key and then secure the bikes to the pole. Not a very good system. Wouldn't trust it with the bikes I have. My add on bike rack bolts to the 4x4 bumper and extends past the spare tire so pulling out the slide bumper at this point would extend a good 5 to 6 feet beyond trailer and this fiver is long enough without the extra feet. I would like to use the slideout and take my rack off then I could push the bumper back in when not using the bikes saving the excess length.

Bungee cords & racket straps.. I used ours on the TT before the 5er. I haven't had to use 5ers yet. I bungee the tires down at each end then I bungee the bikes around the middle to the upright pole. I have used a racket strap also, it locks them down good. I haven't had any problems. I have used it with my generator, 10x20 tent all with the racket strap holding them in place. It will work but I don't have high dollars bikes either if that is a concern. I have used it with various combinations of stuff on the back side.

chuckretnav
01-20-2011, 03:24 PM
I havnt used the slide out on the rear. But I too am concerned about more length. The 327 is already 36ft then you add the pull out on the rear and you add another 3 - 4 ft. With the slide in I went into a Mc donalds that was made for Trucks and Bus and it had a pretty good rise in the drive. No problem getting in but coming out I almost lost my spare tires. When I stopped next time both my spares had drug the ground and had bent the spare tire rack. Last Nov I went to Texas and to FL and a couple of places I fuled at I did a walk around and due to driveways and parking lots I found that I had very little clearnce under the rear bumber. I have been carreing my spares in the bed of my truck. I have thought of getting a bike rack that hangs on the ladder. Im thinking the slide out bumber is more trouble on the 327 than its worth.:rolleyes:

chuckretnav
01-20-2011, 04:17 PM
I forgot to mention that on the 327res from the rear axle to the rear bumper it is 13 ft. One heck of tail swing and overhang to drag in low spots.:eek:

caberto
01-20-2011, 05:29 PM
We carry our two mountain bikes on the rear slide-out bumper all the time. That post with the pin works fine.

I put some foam pipe insulation on the post and secured with duct tape so as not to scratch the bikes. I use a strap to secure the bikes to the post (the eyelet faces outward), and three bungees to put pressure from different points on the platform to keep the bikes from shifting around.

No issues.

66ken
01-21-2011, 01:44 AM
We carry our two mountain bikes on the rear slide-out bumper all the time. That post with the pin works fine.

I put some foam pipe insulation on the post and secured with duct tape so as not to scratch the bikes. I use a strap to secure the bikes to the post (the eyelet faces outward), and three bungees to put pressure from different points on the platform to keep the bikes from shifting around.

No issues.


I do the same with mine and have had no problems. Had a small accident with the tail swing, learned I need a spotter in tight areas.