Mount- n Lock SafetyStruts

[tdowney]

Has anybody used these Mount-Lock SafetyStruts to beef up their back bumper. They appear to prevent the tearing off the back bumper . I have a Hideout that I would like to but two bikes on. Also etrailer has that extendable hitch you could bolt on. Any comments would be helpful. Went to a dealer and got a $1000 quote to weld up a support system for my bike rack. That's not going to happen! The Mount-n Lock SafetyStruts would simplify everything.

[JRTJH]

tdowney,

If you look carefully at the website for the Mount-Lock SafetyStruts that you identified, you'll see that they have attached the mounts to the I beam of the chassis. Unfortunately, on Keystone products, the I beam doesn't usually run past the back wall of the trailer. The bumper is mounted on two 2'x4' thin wall tube extensions. Should you attempt to mount the Mount-Lock SafetyStruts on these thin wall extensions, I believe the first bump you hit you'll be right where you are with the current bumper.

There just isn't any "beefy steel" to mount those Mount-Lock SafetyStruts that will support any significant weight on the rear bumper.

As for the $1000 quote, I had a complete 2" receiver hitch mounted on my Springdale for $350 and the dealer subcontracted a similar system for our Cougar for a bit less than that. I believe it was around $325. So, you may want to get a second quote from either another dealer or from a welding/metals fabrication shop. Talk to some of your friends and see who in your area has a good reputation and talk to that company. You can (and should) be able to get a receiver welded to your trailer frame for about 1/3 of that quote. Keep in mind that the modification will probably void your Keystone factory warranty, at least for the frame.

[tdowney]

Thanks for the info. Stopped me from having another of what I call a "Tim Downey Moment"! Has anyone ever tried the expandable trailer hitch from Etrailer that you bolt on?