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09-04-2014, 10:52 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Name: Dan
Trailer: 13' Boler '69
British Columbia
Posts: 15
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Bike rack on a boler
I've searched this topic and a thread from 2011 came up. Was wondering if anyone has come up with alternate fabrications to address this. I was contemplating having some square tubing fabricated that would accept my hitch mount bike rack welded to the rear of the frame. It would require my bumper to undergo some notching but that wouldn't be an issue. More concerned how it would unweight the tongue. Other option is having something made for the front tongue triangle. I am using an inch and a quarter hitch receiver so I have to be sensitive to weight. My '69 boler is pretty spartan on the inside. I have shed most of the weight in terms of stove, sink etc. if anyone can share their Macgyver'd solution it would be appreciated.
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09-05-2014, 05:53 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Name: bob
Trailer: 1996 Casita 17 Spirit Deluxe; 1946 Modernistic teardrop
New York
Posts: 5,416
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This has been a heated discussion more than once. If you can put some kind of rack on the front I would go with that idea. I've done both, front and rear racks, like the front better but currently use a custom built rear rack on our Uhaul. Don't know anything about Bolers myself, but thought I've read they had weak frames.
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09-05-2014, 07:49 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Trailer: 1972 Boler American and 1979 Trillium 4500
Posts: 5,141
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Quote:
Originally Posted by danielcaza
It would require my bumper to undergo some notching but that wouldn't be an issue.
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Umm, your bumper is a structural portion of your frame. It is already cut in 1/2 at the door which is a known weak spot.
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09-05-2014, 09:21 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Name: Tim
Trailer: '88 Scamp 16, layout 4
North Florida
Posts: 1,547
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I have given the issue of adding a bike rack on the back of my Scamp a lot of thought. I had all the material gathered up and was all set to fabricate a receiver hitch when I changed directions. With the hitch I would have still had to buy a bike rack, which I do not currently have. For the same amount of trouble (and far less $$$$) I could just build the whole rack from scratch. My current plan is to come up off the bumper on each side of the spare tire with an upright. I will tie the uprights together above the tire with a cross-over piece. Rods will stick back from the cross-over piece to hold the bikes. I also plan on adding a tab in the middle sticking up to mount a nice bright LED tail light on since bikes tend to obscure the trailer mounted lights. Anywho, I think for me this is a better approach and no more trouble than mounting the hitch.
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09-05-2014, 09:23 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Name: Tim
Trailer: '88 Scamp 16, layout 4
North Florida
Posts: 1,547
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Quote:
Originally Posted by danielcaza
It would require my bumper to undergo some notching but that wouldn't be an issue.
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Seems like the hitch would actually provide additional support to the bumper, I agree that a little notching should not be an issue.
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09-05-2014, 10:22 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Name: bob
Trailer: 1996 Casita 17 Spirit Deluxe; 1946 Modernistic teardrop
New York
Posts: 5,416
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Tim; with your idea don't you end up with all the stress on just the bumper. Also the type of rack where the bikes hang creates more stress due to the leverage effect. I've built a few rear receivers on campers and supported them by the bumper and at least two frame cross members, and even reinforced those cross members or added another one. In another post I stated that I know of two rear racks that broke off (not mine) and had one rack that I purchased new bend. Now using one I fabricated.
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09-05-2014, 10:57 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Name: Tim
Trailer: '88 Scamp 16, layout 4
North Florida
Posts: 1,547
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mary and bob
Tim; with your idea don't you end up with all the stress on just the bumper.
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Yes, but the stress is close to where the bumper is attached (welded) to the frame rails, as close as I get without obscuring the tail lights or tag. The angle iron bumper is certainly a less than ideal material to be attaching to from a structural standpoint, and you are right to be concerned. I will keep an eye on it and make a decision later if I either need to reinforce the bumper (I have some ideas on that) or just ditch the whole bumper and replace it with something else (like 4” square tube). That is another reason for making the rack the way I am, it will be easy to adapt it to another bumper should the need arise.
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09-05-2014, 12:54 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Trailer: 1972 Boler American and 1979 Trillium 4500
Posts: 5,141
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Just keep in mind that all frames are not the same. They differed over the years and where they were made.
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09-05-2014, 01:04 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Name: bob
Trailer: 1996 Casita 17 Spirit Deluxe; 1946 Modernistic teardrop
New York
Posts: 5,416
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I put a set of stop / tail lights on my bike rack for extra visibility
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