Bike rack for a casita

[dykim18]

I have a Casita SD17 with a spare tire attached to the back of the camper. I attached a hitch adaptor to the bumper and tried to connect my "L" shape bike rack and realized that the spare tire gets in the way of the rack. I think the solution is a platform style rack but I'm uncertain which brand works well in this situation. Can someone recommend a platform style rack for this situation? Thank you!

[Dave Fish]

The first tning Cssita said to me when inquiring about the bike rack was don't trust the bumper. It has too much flex. We had a receiver welded to the frame and the bumper.

Our bike rack clears the tire. It is a fold down one that we had already for other veicles that needed the clearnce to open the back. If you have the rack, a welder can position the receiver to let it clear the tire.

[RRJR]

Sometime to avoid the problem of clearace and weight etc just put the bike inside, solved a big problem ??
Ron

[dykim18]

Of course I would purchase the materials

[dykim18]

Ron, I have too much stuff inside to fit 3 bikes. Already considered that. I also thought about the roof rack but for some reason i just don't feel secure with my bikes up top

[KevinScamps]

Three bikes is a lot of weight to put on the back of the trailer. It will reduce tongue weight and trailer stability at high speeds. Piling more weight onto the tongue is not a solution because having too much weight at each end will also affect stability. Best to keep the bikes on the roof of the TV.

[john warren]

having hauled bikes all over i can safely say they do not hold still. if you put them inside you will rub the paint off the bikes, the finnish off everything they touch, and holes in everything else. set up as proper bike carry rack and use it, seems a fuss but pays in the end.

[Tim Wood]

Originally Posted by KevinScamps

Three bikes is a lot of weight to put on the back of the trailer. It will reduce tongue weight and trailer stability at high speeds. Piling more weight onto the tongue is not a solution because having too much weight at each end will also affect stability. Best to keep the bikes on the roof of the TV.

Sorry but I have to agree here with Kevin, I put two on my trailer and got a little sway with it. I have since switched tugs and put the bikes on a rack in the back of my pickup. With the previous tug a mini van, I put the bikes on top. If you have a light weight bike rack and two light weight bikes you might get by with it on the back, but 3 is two much I think.

[mary and bob]

Bike rack discussion comes up frequently, and my response is that you have to realize the weight and leverage that can be put on the mounting points of a receiver or rack. I've seen a couple racks break off the rear because of poor construction. Bikes will tend to bounce on the rear of a trailer. I'm on my third rack now, my current one being a Swagman rack that is rated for RV use. I had made a tongue mount rack for a popup camper we have and that worked good. I don't like the double hitch things because they change the load on your hitch, but I have used one with our teardrop but it only weighs 650 lb. I think I saw here a while back that someone was making a rear receiver for Casita. I have used on the rear of our Uhaul a 3 bike rack that I got on ebay, the bike wheels set in loops and a clamp arm holds the bike on the top frame tube. That rack bent while on a 2000 mile trip, I had to reinforce it with steel angle to get home.

[ShirleyA]

At RV shops you can find a "double decker" receiver for your TV. It fits into your single receiver on your TV but then has two receptacle spaces for receivers. You can put the receiver for your camper in the bottom one and the one for your bike rack in the top one. Then the added weight of the bikes is where it would be if you were just hauling bikes. Maybe not the best access for getting into the back of your TV, but certainly a safe option.

[mary and bob]

[QUOTE=ShirleyA;338101]At RV shops you can find a "double decker" receiver for your TV.

These things alter the weight capacity of your hitch because of moving the ball back. It can cause handling problems too. It's not like having a longer tongue on the trailer

[Rattlesnake Joe]

I'm afraid using the "double decker" would make sharp turns impossible. Wouldn't the bikes hit the trailer?

[mary and bob]

When I did use one of those "double decker" hitches, it was with our teardrop that only weighs 650lb, and I modified the bike rack to mount closer to the tow vehicle. I just saw a hitch extender at a yard sale that had a sticker on it that said it reduced the hitch capacity by 1/3.

[Donna D.]

Not cheap, but would satisfy the use of both a bike rack and a platform rack. At different times tho...

Amazon.com: Casita Hitch Receiver: Sports & Outdoors

[mary and bob]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Not cheap, but would satisfy the use of both a bike rack and a platform rack. At different times tho...

Amazon.com: Casita Hitch Receiver: Sports & Outdoors

That's what I was talking about, the way a rear hitch should be made. I've fabricated my own but I have the equipment to do it and a source for the material.

[Donna D.]

That's why I posted it Bob. I too can't weld and I don't think most people can. By time folks pay someone to build the hitch, it may cost them more than this. Orbital Machine Works also builds one for a Scamp: Amazon.com: Scamp Hitch Receiver: Sports & Outdoors

[Dave Fish]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

That's why I posted it Bob. I too can't weld and I don't think most people can. By time folks pay someone to build the hitch, it may cost them more than this. Orbital Machine Works also builds one for a Scamp: Amazon.com: Scamp Hitch Receiver: Sports & Outdoors

We had a custom hitch installed for half that cost. We are very happy with it. Check around your area. We found ours rhrough a referral snd have passed it forward.

[mary and bob]

Thanks Donna, I get kind of cranked up when the subject of rear hitches and bike racks comes up. I've seen a couple of poorly constructed ones break off resulting in bikes being dragged down the road with the driver totally unaware of the situation. I had one of my racks bend when it was mounted on the rear of our Uhaul with two bikes on it. My current rack is a swagman that is R V approved. Time will tell. I just want everyone to understand the stress that bikes on a rear rack will put on the hitch and the rack. I prefer a tongue mounted rack but it does restrict turning.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by dykim18

Ron, I have too much stuff inside to fit 3 bikes. Already considered that. I also thought about the roof rack but for some reason i just don't feel secure with my bikes up top

If you get one of the better made roof rakes the bikes will be very secure. I have traveled thousands of miles with the bikes on the roof without any issues. I went with the roof rake on the tow as I have a pretty good hitch mounted rack that try as you might to stop it, it will bounce and I have seen way to many bikes bouncing around on the back of trailers and covering up rear lights at night. One time came across a fellow with a fiberglass trailer attempting to recover his bikes from the middle of the road with the rear hitch rack still attached to them.

[HowardB]

I have an extended hitch that the bike rack bolts to so the bikes ride between the Jeep and the Trilliim. The only problem is that it makes it difficult to get into the back of the Jeep without taking th bikes off.