Trailer bumper specs

[art1046]

Does anyone know how to find the specs on the 4"x4" steel bumper for carrying bikes or other extra items? I have a Springdale 257RLLSWE (my spec sheet has everything you would want except the bumper).

[chuckster57]

Are you looking for weight limits?

[Canonman]

The rear "bumper" is for the most part a complete misnomer. At best it is a holder for the stinky slinky and not much more. Do NOT consider adding a bolt on receiver hitch to this flimsy excuse for a bumper. The steel is too thin. The weight of bicycles or any cargo will (not might) tear the metal of the bumper from the welds that hold it ot the frame.
Go to a good welding fab shop and have a receiver hitch installed to the trailer frame. Then add your cargo with confidence using a rated receiver cargo rck rack or bike rack.

[travelin texans]

Does anyone know how to find the specs on the 4"x4" steel bumper for carrying bikes or other extra items? I have a Springdale 257RLLSWE (my spec sheet has everything you would want except the bumper).

It's rated to haul the sewer hose & not the best option for that, after it rust inside it'll rub tiny holes in the hose.
Agree, have a real hitch welded to the frame then add bike racks or whatever you need to haul.

[spicercars]

Do not attach anything to the rear bumper without some kind of reinforcement. They are very light steel. You would be better off installing a receiver hitch and using that for a bike rack or cargo carrier.

[notanlines]

Art, almost invariably there will one 'member' who will now post about their bumper holding two spares and three bikes for 10K miles and not one problem. Ignore them. Instead, listen to what was said above^^^^ and you'll be miles ahead.

[flybouy]

The rear bumbers are maxed out with a spare tire. There have been several threads on this subject, some with photos of the aftermath of failed bumbers from bike racks. If you search the forum use Google to search, example type in "bumper mounted bike rack Keystone forum" and you will find the threads.

[dutchmensport]

Art, almost invariably there will one 'member' who will now post about their bumper holding two spares and three bikes for 10K miles and not one problem. Ignore them. Instead, listen to what was said above^^^^ and you'll be miles ahead.


I'll be the one! I'll be the one! :D

Well, kind of.....

Actually, I have successfully carried bicycles on my previous sewer-hose bumper travel trailers without any problems. I guess I was just lucky.

I wasn't aware of a potential problem of loosing my bumper for quite a while, until running into these internet-RV-camping forums and then I had the ... OH NO moment. I went out, checked the bumper on my "then" current travel trailer and checked the welds. They were welded across all the joints, not just spot welded in a 2 places. The extra welding is what saved the sewer hose bumper from ripping off. What I didn't notice right off, until I did some measuring, was the actual bumper was slightly twisted from the weight of the bicycles and the carrier itself. The welds held fine, the actual bumper was not strong enough, even though it was a square tube, it was just too thin of metal to support the weight with mega G-forces bouncing the bicycles up and down.

Well, I removed the bicycle carrier, and never did that again. BUT! The bumper never ripped off either! :eek:

[JRTJH]

I don't know the statistics and it's not worth the time to look them up, but I'd guess there are hundreds (probably thousands) of people who use their rear bumper for years without ever having a problem... There are probably hundreds (or even thousands) who are "clueless" that they were "on the verge of a complete bumper failure, from broken welds or bent/broken metal bumper material...

Here are a few photos of the "other category", people who weren't quite so lucky.....

Even with "excellent insurance" is the inconvenience of having to file a claim worth the convenience of having a precarious storage space..... Not to mention the vehicles following behind you having to dodge the debris you drop on the road (hopefully they won't have an accident trying to avoid your stuff)...

[travelin texans]

There's also a product out there that reinforces the welds, but it does nothing for the flimsy thin walled material in the center section where you would most likely mount a bike rack.
If you have a TT they make a rack that goes up/over the propane tanks in the front which is a better location, at least they're visible in the mirror.
Well I guess they'd be visible in the mirror mounted on the bumper.............. once you're 1/2 mile from it laying in the road.

[notanlines]

I wanna report Dutchmansport! He's "That Guy!"

[Urbish]

I went with a Stromberg Carlson Bike Bunk (like Travelin Texans mentioned above) that mounts to the A-frame of my TT. I disassembled the cheap bike carrier I have and reversed the arms for the bikes so they sit close to the front of the TT and so my hatch will clear the bikes when everything is hooked up. They aren't secured in the photo, but sit well clear of the front of the TT when I have them strapped in. As a bonus I can see them in the rear view mirror as well as in my back up camera.

One caveat: Stromberg Carlson had their own QC issues and the first Bike Bunk I got was missing several critical welds. See my thread here:
https://www.keystoneforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46528

https://www.keystoneforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=32815&d=1617626260

https://www.keystoneforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=32817&d=1617626260

[dwdlt]

The rear "bumper" is for the most part a complete misnomer. At best it is a holder for the stinky slinky and not much more. Do NOT consider adding a bolt on receiver hitch to this flimsy excuse for a bumper. The steel is too thin. The weight of bicycles or any cargo will (not might) tear the metal of the bumper from the welds that hold it ot the frame.
Go to a good welding fab shop and have a receiver hitch installed to the trailer frame. Then add your cargo with confidence using a rated receiver cargo rck rack or bike rack.

I can tell you from experience that Canonman is right on the mark on this one. It's not a question of if it will happen, it is a question of when. Mine busted loose on a longer trip, and I dropped two expensive bikes in the middle of the highway...not to mention other damage.

[lcarver02]

Close to zero. It just holds the crapper hose. If you want to carry some bicycles, get a hitch receiver ball, and buy some kind of bicycle mount that attaches to the ball.

[flybouy]

Have you checked the manual? It can be useful

Welcome to the forum. Just curious, why tag on to a 2 yr old post and recommend that the OP "check the manual" when he said that was the first place he looked?

[Urbish]

Welcome to the forum. Just curious, why tag on to a 2 yr old post and recommend that the OP "check the manual" when he said that was the first place he looked?

That's because this individual or bot is a spammer whose only purpose here is to get people to click on the link they posted.