Has anyone installed a bumper hitch on their Scamp or other FG camper?
I would like to be able to use a bike carrier and carry 2 bikes on the rear. I'm sure I will need to re-inforce the bumper and wondered if anyone has any suggestions?

Thanks,
Adrian

Hi Adrian,

I had my mechanic do some modifications to my trailer to handle our Thule rack. Pictures are in this thread:

Trillium Modifications

Note that adding weight to the very back of your trailer can effect the handling and you will want to see how much tongue weight you have with the bikes loaded.

Scamp used to do it as an option but quit because of too many failures, plus it induces sway to put more weight as far back as possible from the axle.

Floyd, on Yahoo Scampers, made a nifty bike rack for the front of the trailer, above the battery box, that is sturdy and puts the weight in a better place.

I just put a Thule Spare Tire rack on our Jeep Liberty and it worked great on a trip.
Not sure what your TV is, but if you have a rear mounted spare it is a good option.

I added one on the back of my Burro. I've had to reinforce it about five times and it's still causing problems. It's just a lot of weight leveraged way out behind the tires on a mild steel frame. It's hard to get everything stiff enough to support the rack.

On the plus side, it hasn't caused many problems for me with sway. I've got a battery on the tongue, so that puts quite a bit of weight up front.

It's an awfully convenient spot to have the bikes, but I haven't been able to perfect the system. Last time we had it out (admittedly on some pretty rough roads) one of the bikes swung forward and busted out a back window. Not cool.

Figuring out a mounting system on the front would be better. Putting them inside works pretty well, but then you have to take them out every time you stop, which is no fun.

If I ever figure it out, I'll let you know.

It is still an option.

Have you considered Roof Racks on the tow vehicle?

Seems like sometime ago I saw where someone had added a 2" hitch receiver to the frame at the back of the trailer. That allowed them to use a hitch-mounted bike rack when they needed one. Looked like a good idea to me. Wouldn't that resolve most of the concerns that have been brought up here as regards a bumper-mounted bike rake?

We recently had a receiver put on at Scamp. In that we put a flat cargo carrier. Not only does it carry the bikes but other items as well.

Ted & Vera

Adrian,
Yes, Scamp seems to be still putting them on as an option. The bumper is plenty heavy enough to weld one onto. It would not need to be re-inforced. I would have to look again to see what the second weld is attached to, it seems to have some re-inforcement at that end of the hitch and the trailer. Here is a photo of the carrier I got at Harbor Freight out of alumin which I modified to carry two bikes or to carry other things as well. On this trip, I am using a box with gas and other things in it for the generator and odds and ends. I have also have and used a bike hitch and like the carrier better. No photo of the bike hitch. I am adding some photos of the carrier and will try to get one of the back of the Scamp with the hitch showing, not sure if it shows too well. It should not be too hard to weld one on, just be careful of not over heating the fiberglass by the weld under the trailer area. We have a Swagman 3 bike rack much like the one at this site:

http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?categor...20Hitch%20Racks

Adrian of New Mexico
Not often I address something to another Adrian.

This is how Tink did it:


http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/index.php?showtopic=26046

We have a bike rack on the rear of our Casita.. Jim has a bar that goes from the rail, that runs around the trailer, to our bike rack. This makes the bikes ride stable .. no moving back and forth.