Cargo Rack question

[JOLIEDLI]

Hello,
I own a Hideout trailer, model 19FLBWE. I recently purchased a generator and instead of putting it in the cargo area underneath the bed, I would like to put a cargo rack on the back of the trailer. The bumper is not completely exposed or at least not enough to put a trailer hitch receiver on top of the bumper--I would have to put it on the bottom of the bumper and mount the cargo rack that way. I'm concerned about the overall height of the rack and whether the bumper would be strong enough to hold it. The cargo racks that I've been looking at can hold up to 300-500 lbs. Not that I would put that much weight on it, but I'm concerned about the strength of the bumper overall. Has anyone had an experience of adding a cargo rack to the back of their trailer? Any tips or suggestions would be appreciated.

JOLIEDLI

[Ken / Claudia]

That bumper is thin steel metal. Do not mount anything to it. Some have lost the spare tire as it was to much. That area is the worst place for bouncing. After spending awhile on freeways look at the bumper of others RVs as you pass them and see how and what is attached to it. Than notice some have a lot of bounce that ends up breaking welds or bends metal. To do what you want can be done as some on here have. They custom build a frame rail to the frame and mount or hang items on. Just afew years ago some where having they bicycles on the pull out bumper tray bend or break off.

[Larry1013]

Curtis MFG makes some trailer hitches that attach between the frame rails. The are more substantial than attaching to the trailer bumper.

http://www.curtmfg.com/Category/13/RV%20Trailer%20Hitches

[Jetfixer03]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIwtglKiBwk&t=117s

This should convince you.

[Murphsmom]

We do store some totes on the slide out rack on the back of the Cougar. HOWEVER, we always move them to the bed of the pickup when going down the road and fully retract the rack. The generator rides in the bed of the pickup and stays in the garage during the winter.

[Larry1013]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIwtglKiBwk&t=117s

This should convince you.

He went to all the trouble to beef up a section but over all he didn't solve his problem of a future breakage of the bumper.

I believe if it were me, I would have purchased some tubing with a thicker wall.

[Auggie Waterman]

Thanks for the link to the movie. I checked out my bumper on our 2017 Hideout 308BHDS pretty well. The frame stops before the end of the trailer box and there is a 2"x4" metal extension that goes out to the bumper. And the bumper has reinforced angle metal welded on both sides, not like the super cheapie in the video. Also, my bike rack has a threaded bolt that takes out the play so the rack doesn't move around in the hitch. Gonna give it a try on a 195 mile trek for Thanksgiving, let ya'll know how it goes. The two bikes I'm going to try with are $125 bikes also and I'm going to strap the frames to the bumper so if it fails it won't be in traffic. rack weighs about 27, each bike 22lbs. So about 70lbs. We can also see the setup in our rear-view wireless cam and we'll stop a couple times to check for any signs of failure.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIwtglKiBwk&t=117s

This should convince you.

[Auggie Waterman]

Added a couple pics.

[JRTJH]

If you're satisfied that you think it'll be strong enough, give it a try...

A comment I'd make is that you might consider turning the CURT hitch around (upside down) so the 2" square tube is on top of the bumper. That will gain you about 5" of height for the front tire of the bike that has the front wheel/tire sitting below the bumper. As it is, that's a "sure bet to be damaged" if you happen to hit any incline at a gas station or campground road/curb.

Oh, and don't forget that 70 pounds you calculated: You didn't add in the 70 or so for the spare tire, wheel and carrier.... Total, closer to 150-175 pounds that'll be bouncing up and down at towing speed...

[notanlines]

We'll all look for the results and video on youtube and Facebook. :D

[flybouy]

First thing that comes to mind....
"Archimedes ... Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world." or " torque is force times distance travelled, so by pushing with the same force for 10 times the distance, you generate 10 times the torque."

If you have a 3' "lever" holding X weight, at say 12" to q18" away from the top of that lever, then add impact force - the same impact that an impact gun is used to loosen a bolt (the merrily bouncing down our fine roadways)...well good luck.

The YouTube video? Well for me it seems like a huge hack job to an OEM hack job. Lots and lots of labor trying to make a "silk purse out of a sow's ear". To me it's like putting mag wheels on a garbage truck, it's still a garbage truck.

FWIW ...I love YouTube videos and the WWW. So far I've seen "real" footage of bigfoot, aliens, Nessie, Chupacabras, Elvis sightings after 1977, JFK sightings after 1963, "evidence" that the US Government blew up the twin towers, "proof" that the Nazi Holocaust wasn't real, and a bunch of "honest" politicians.

JMHO

[Snoking]

DW want to bring bikes as we travel back and forth the Arizona. We bought a Laredo 225MK as our commuter trailer, and I moved the observation camera from the Bighorn to the Laredo. Even with the camera there was no way I wanted to carry the bikes on the rear of the little trailer.

So I found an used($25) Yakima fork bar made to mount in the front of a picked bed between the bed rails. It is similar to this one for a narrower bed. https://www.ebay.com/itm/OEM-2-Bike-Bed-Mount-Rack-By-Yakima-For-01-04-Ford-Sport-Trac-1L2Z-7855100-AA/401745326384?epid=1147981170&hash=item5d89e33130:g:KsEAAOSwey5cqqxA I had to in my case make mounts to mount it above the Bakflip bed cover. The front mounts clamp the the front tie downs.

Well it worked great on the trip down to Arizona this fall. I can watch the bikes in the rear view mirror. Very happy with the

[Auggie Waterman]

We'll all look for the results and video on youtube and Facebook. :D

Thanks for the well-wishes Jim, the very same to you. Bless your heart.

[Ken / Claudia]

I have mentioned this a few times, no one has wanted to follow up. Take a test drive on the highway and have someone follow and see how much bounce you have, not sure a camera will catch it. Nearly everything I see mounted on the rear bumper looks like a yo-yo.

[flybouy]

"Gonna give it a try on a 195 mile trek for Thanksgiving, let ya'll know how it goes. The two bikes I'm going to try with are $125 bikes also and I'm going to strap the frames to the bumper so if it fails it won't be in traffic. rack weighs about 27, each bike 22lbs. So about 70lbs. We can also see the setup in our rear-view wireless cam and we'll stop a couple times to check for any signs of failure."

Strapping the frames to the bumper won't help if the number Peels off. You didn't list the weight of the spare tire and mount in your calculation. Can you imagine what damage could occur to someone following you at 65 m.p.h. if that fell of and went thru the windshield?

Personally I could not justify the risk of maiming or potentially killing someone because I didn't was reluctant to spend the money to either have a proper hitch installed. Seems like a "risky" experiment to me.

[Auggie Waterman]

Update: the bikes/rack/spare were all fine on the trip, no issues at all. Pretty robust reinforced bumper, thanks Keystone! I did use nylon rope to tie the rack & bikes to my frame just in case, but was not needed. I could see them well in my backup cam also, gave me piece of mind.

[Roscommon48]

If you want to do this work with a welder who can recommend some options.

[wiredgeorge]

Dumb question... would not ask but was thinking about buying a couple of inexpensive bikes from CL (like those intended for a geezer and his youthful wife) and just opening the door on my 5ver and chunking them in the trailer. My rear bumper is made of 1/16" think tin foil and no way I would mount anything to that.

[Ken / Claudia]

Robust bumpers on RVs, the last factory ones I seen were dropped around the 1970s. But, I do agree if you keep the load on the bumper from bouncing independently from the bumper, it will last longer. I had a 1996 park trailer on coastal property. I repainted the bumper yearly and sometimes once every 2 years. No matter, it rusted, some clear through the bumper in spots by the 10 year mark.

[flybouy]

Update: the bikes/rack/spare were all fine on the trip, no issues at all. Pretty robust reinforced bumper, thanks Keystone! I did use nylon rope to tie the rack & bikes to my frame just in case, but was not needed. I could see them well in my backup cam also, gave me piece of mind.

Sounds like you had a first successful trip. Just bear in mind if the bumper fails your first indication will be the bumper and the attachments dragging, or bouncing down the highway behind you. Without expensive testing equipment there is no way to know if the metal has been fatigued or not. Think of bending an aluminum can, or thin sheet of metal back and forth until it breaks. Typically there is no indication of "cracking" or "fatigue" until it fails.

I wish you all the luck in the world but for me if I see a bunch of stuff affixed to a trailer bumper I'm staying far away.
JMHO

[rhagfo]

Update: the bikes/rack/spare were all fine on the trip, no issues at all. Pretty robust reinforced bumper, thanks Keystone! I did use nylon rope to tie the rack & bikes to my frame just in case, but was not needed. I could see them well in my backup cam also, gave me piece of mind.

I personally don't understand the fixed mind notion that bikes need to be carried on the back of a TT or 5er.
We have a pin box mount for our bikes on our 5er, and now many offer "A" frame mounts for TT.

https://www.rvupgradestore.com/Stromberg-Carlson-A-Frame-Bike-Carrier-p/95-5100.htm?msclkid=ece2d8da807111606fad853d36393b40

[gkainz]

And I don’t get spending ANY money on bike racks when our 2 junker 2 wheelers stand up crossways in the truck bed just behind the cab and ride quietly and well behaved for thousands of miles.
YMMV