We have a 2021 Keystone Hideout 250BH and purchased 2 electric bikes. Instead of packing the bikes in the RV we decided to purchase a bike rack that mounts on the rear bumper of the RV.
From the installation instructions it says to mount the receiver with the receiver part on the top of the bumper and the plate on the bottom with the 4 bolts holding them together. See attachment bumper1.
The problem is that our RV covers the bumper by an inch or two. See attachment bumper 2.
The only way I could install it was upside down but I'm concerned it no longer will handle the weight of the bikes.
After looking at other bumper hitches I've found some that you do mount upside down and some were the plates are vertical instead of horizontal - CURT Hitch
Has anyone ran into this and what was your solution? I'd rather not cut into the back side of the RV to create room to mount it right side up. Any thoughts or advice will be appreciated! Thanks!
Honestly that bumper was designed to hold the sewer hose inside of it & not much more weight than that.
Two regular bicycles would be more than I'd put back there & 2 e bikes will be even heavier. If you value those bikes & expect them to arrive where you do DO NOT use that mount on that bumper!!!
If you're determined to carry the bikes back there head to a good welding shop to have that flimsy sewer hose holder removed & a REAL rack built that's connected to the frame stout enough to handle the flopping/bouncing that takes place back there every time the RV moves & add a rear view camera to keep an eye on them.
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Full-timed 10+ years
Sold '13 Redwood FB
Traded '13 GMC Denali DRW D/A
Replacement undetermined
If you value your investment in e-bikes, I wouldn't tie them to that rack and expect them to be in the same condition when you arrive at your destination.
The square tube bumper on your trailer is not designed to support the weight of a carrier attached in the middle of the bumper with a "long lever tied to two e-bikes" twisting with every bump in the road. You'll find, if not on the first long trip, on one of the next few trips, that the welds holding the bumper square tube to the frame extensions will start to show cracks and possibly metal damage to the bumper and/or the extensions. Within a couple more trips, you may well find one end of the bumper (and your bike rack with bikes) dragging the ground when you turn into your next checkpoint.
You'd be much better off, from a "protect your e-bikes" perspective, to not put them on any rack that's mounted to the back of your trailer, whether it's a "bumper mount rack", a "receiver mount rack "or a "home made adaption of some other type rack" There are no shock absorbers on your travel trailer and the axles, mounted in the middle, set it up to be like a "teeter totter on a playground". Think back to what happens to the "skinny kid on one end" when the "fat kid on the other end" jumps off the teeter totterl The same thing will happen to your e-bikes repeatedly as you tow over today's highways....
I'd return the rack and keep storing them inside the trailer, over the axles or forward of the axles where the ride is smoothest. They (and you) deserve better treatment for that kind of investment.
Someone on here may show you the bike racks mounted above the propane tanks on the tongue. To me that's the best option if inside the trailer or truck bed does not work.
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2013 24RKSWE (27ft TT) Cougar 1/2 ton series SOLD 10-2021
2013 Ford F350 4x4 CC 6.7 engine, 8 ft bed, 3.55 rear end, lariat package
Retired from Oregon State Police in 2011 than worked another 9.5 years as a small town traffic cop:
As of 05-2020, I am all done with 39 years total police work. No more uniforms for me.
I can only reiterate what has been said - DON'T put those bikes back there is you actually want them to arrive with you AND don't want a state trooper pulling you over because of the accident you caused behind you when they fell off.
That bumper won't hold those bikes for long, especially with that rack cantilevered off there like that - they can barely stay on by themselves (and I've seen some that have just "broke loose"). Put the e bikes in the truck would be my suggestion.
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Danny and Susan, wife of 56 years
2019 Ram 3500 Laramie CC SWB SB 6.4 4x4 4.10
2020 Montana High Country 331RL
"Someone on here may show you the bike racks mounted above the propane tanks on the tongue....."
I was looking at one of these and it seemed well built although it would add to tongue weight, it seemed like a good option. In our case we ended up getting fold-able bikes that we either carry in the trailer or in the back of the truck, but in the future with grandchildren we may bring a few more bikes....and get one of these.
Well after the responses I got and some more reading on other forums I will be removing them from the rear bumper and will also be removing the spare tire from the rear bumper.
We are full-timers (just getting started) and I would rather not chance anything.
The bikes are foldable e-bikes so I may try to reorganize my truck bed and see if I can get them to fit. My other options are one of those "above the propane tank" mounts or just keep them in the RV <-- reason why I'm trying to put them elsewhere is because it is a bit of pain to always put them in/out on moving days. Trying to make our moving days as smooth as possible - especially for the one-nighter stays.
Thanks for all the good advice! Time to dismantle the HyperRax and return it!
Maybe some of the stuff in the bed could go in the trailer easier than the e bikes then you could fit them in? With a bumper pull there's a LOT of bed space....are you carrying anything that can come out?
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Danny and Susan, wife of 56 years
2019 Ram 3500 Laramie CC SWB SB 6.4 4x4 4.10
2020 Montana High Country 331RL
I come from the marine manufacturing background and boats too have obstacles for items we want to have with us but weight plays a big factor. So when we got request the engineers and I would figure out a way if possible. On my travel trailer I wanted a rack on the back for the electric bikes and being new to RVing I just went down to Harbor Freight and picked up the aluminum rack and a 2” receiver to mount on the bumper . All went well I thought. Snapped a few pics and sent them to my cousin as he has RVed all over this country including Alaska to show him what I came up with. 5 minutes after I hit send he was on the phone. After a few minutes of his explaining what I did wasn’t going to last long and if that’s what I wanted I need to get beefier bumper mounts otherwise I would be loosing it at the worst moment. So I got some 2” angle iron and 1/2” bolts through-bolting the frame with the bumper. I was going to have it welded once done and took it to the welder and he said it’s strong enough no need to weld. However he said nothing over 100 lbs and am fine with that. So I mounted a big plastic box on it and use it to hold all the odds and ends. And as for the electric bikes there back in the Yukon Denali.
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Sammy Joe Quattry
4 Generations of Fishermen, 1 ROBALO
With no problems, for 10 years, we've used a 2” square front end mount receiver designed to fit our Silverado, with a 2” pipe rack for two standard bikes.
Friends on the same trips, used a trailer rear bumper mount for one year, ruining a standard bike and completely losing an e bike. Lost on the road somewhere at 50 mph…….
I don't know what kind of truck you have but there are vehicle specific hitch receivers that mount on the front of the truck. Here is an example.
You could then get a nice heavy duty bike rack that fits directly in the receiver.
Quote:
Originally Posted by retiredusps69
Watch you don't block your front Tag !!!! Also cuts down on air reaching the Radiator Keep a eye on motor temps.
Some states nice ticket for blocking sight of Tags.
I really dislike front mount for multiple reasons, bike I danger from being backed into, blocking air flow, lights, TURN SIGNALS, and tags. The above the tanks seems like the best for a TT. I have a 5er and mine is mounted to the pin box with a custom built receiver.
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Russ & Paula and Belle the Beagle.
2016 Ram Laramie 3500 DRW 14,000# GVWR (New TV)
2005 Copper Canyon 293 FWSLS 32’ GVWR 12,360 Visit and enjoy Oregon State Parks
We store our three ebikes in the back of our truck and one is a trike. I let the two 2 wheelers lean out over the side of the bed by three to five inches, then store the trike between them. We even have three boards we use to roll them up as we are getting older. It's a one person load if you push the trike in backwards. We only haul them around if we are going to a park that has miles of trails. We use the electric trike with a wagon for hauling water, firewood, groceries. Thinking about hooking up the turd tank to the back too. Your other option is putting a hitch on the front bumper of your truck.
I mounted a front tow hitch onto my truck, from Amazon and carry the bicycles on the front of the tow vehicle. No extra weight on the thin metal RV bumper and no extra weight on the back of the tow vehicle.
We have a Avalanche 365MB with a 2inch receiver from factory on the back, with a Tule fat bike tire rack, holding two Petago ebikes at about 30lbs each. Hitch is supposedly rated at 300lbs.
The bumper with the tire on it if you look closely you see the rust inside where the welds have been cracked a while and whoever owns the trailer did not do their walk around on a regular basis. I had the same concern with my E bikes. I brought it in and the gentleman that looked at it put hitches on the back of cougar trailers and fifth wheels all the time. He looked at mine and noticed that I had the upgrade that Keystone made because of that problem. Check your corners and see if they welded the a piece of angle iron in the corner and if so you can carry it on there but just keep an eye on the Welds. I traveled from Washington state to Idaho on a two week trip and not one crack. If you have the time and money do it before you leave and if you don’t when you have downtime during the winner have them weld he hitch receiver to the frame to be safe.
Every time I fuel and do my walk around I check those welds and bolts.
Just use common sense.
I might have to look at our bumper a bit more now. On our Outback I carry our 3400 watt generator on the rear fold down rack or in the back of the truck. Looking at seeing if our camco turd tank can go there as well. It has a 300 pound weight limit but I'll keep it at 100# or less.
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