 Adding A Bike Rack To The Bumper, Trying to figure out how much weight my bumper can take |
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| Adding A Bike Rack To The Bumper, Trying to figure out how much weight my bumper can take |
| edcornflake |
  May 11 2011, 09:14 AM
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#1
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 Advanced Member  Group: Members Posts: 97 Joined: 14-May 10 From: New Jersey Member No.: 42869  |
Currently, I have a ladder mounted rack that fits the 2 adult bikes we bring. My son's bike fits in one of the underneath storage compartments, and my daughter's goes in the bed of the truck. I don't love the ladder mount and would like to add a 4 bike rack to the bumper. I've got a 2011 Cougar High Country (by Keystone) 5er. It's an ultra light, and they don't recommend more than 150 lbs on a factory installed bike rack - and they don't' recommend installing aftermarket at all. I can understand that - they don't want to deal with someone else's bad engineering, but my question is: Can my bumper handle a 4 bike bike rack with essentially 3 adult bikes (daughter's next bike is a full size) and 1 kid bike (eventually 4 adult bikes)? Is the 150 a guideline, or a hard/fast limit?
I look forward to the wisdom of my fellow RVers on this... Thanks! |
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| Glenn Norton |
May 11 2011, 09:10 PM
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#2
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 Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 400 Joined: 19-June 06 From: Penticton BC Canada Member No.: 6876 |
QUOTE(edcornflake @ May 11 2011, 08:14 AM)  Currently, I have a ladder mounted rack that fits the 2 adult bikes we bring. My son's bike fits in one of the underneath storage compartments, and my daughter's goes in the bed of the truck. I don't love the ladder mount and would like to add a 4 bike rack to the bumper. I've got a 2011 Cougar High Country (by Keystone) 5er. It's an ultra light, and they don't recommend more than 150 lbs on a factory installed bike rack - and they don't' recommend installing aftermarket at all. I can understand that - they don't want to deal with someone else's bad engineering, but my question is: Can my bumper handle a 4 bike bike rack with essentially 3 adult bikes (daughter's next bike is a full size) and 1 kid bike (eventually 4 adult bikes)? Is the 150 a guideline, or a hard/fast limit? I look forward to the wisdom of my fellow RVers on this... Thanks! My brother has a 23 foot 5er and his bumper got a crack and bent after installing a 2 bike rack. He had to get a welder to reinforce the bumper. So Cougar may have good cause to warn about the 150 lbs limit. |
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| rollinghills |
May 13 2011, 07:01 PM
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#3
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Newbie Group: Members Posts: 9 Joined: 7-September 09 Member No.: 36886 |
You might look into a reciever hitch on the 5er. I've seen them on some rigs before.
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| dog bone |
May 14 2011, 01:51 PM
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#4
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 218 Joined: 16-December 03 From: Hewit, NJ Member No.: 250 |
Rollinghills suggestion is probably the best route. I don't know how much it would cost to install.
I have seen bike racks mounted on the pin box. I never got close enough to see how it was done. I think it is a homemade thing, cause I don't see them in any of the camping books. I don't know how many bikes they will hold either. Wow, I was a big help, huh. -------------------- Bob and Deb Allwood
Diesel, the black lab 2003 ford f 350 6.0 crew cab 2003 cedar creek 30' rlbs |
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| HappiestCamper |
May 14 2011, 07:46 PM
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#5
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 Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 312 Joined: 9-August 07 From: Mount Pleasant, SC Member No.: 15651 |
I bought this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CCBMEO and this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CQ47GU and use them on the back of my 2010 28" Dutchmen trailer. I put the kids' 3 bikes on it, and have had no problems. I got the wife and I these http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/...ding-bike/37702 which go in the back of the truck.
-------------------- Jon, Freesi, Lars, Tucker, Holland
2003 Yukon XL 2500 8.1L 4.10 axle 2010 Dutchmen 28G-GS  CG's we've been to in the last 20 years - http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&....811523&z=7 |
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