Bike rack

[DevMT]

Hi! I am a new owner of a trillium jubilee. We are wanting to bring our bikes with us on our journeys. I have seen threads discussing pros/cons of where bikes can be stored but haven't seen storage solutions. Ideally we would store between trailer and vehicle so as to reduce sway. Anyone have success with this?

[Civilguy]

Originally Posted by DevMT

Hi! I am a new owner of a trillium jubilee. We are wanting to bring our bikes with us on our journeys. I have seen threads discussing pros/cons of where bikes can be stored but haven't seen storage solutions. Ideally we would store between trailer and vehicle so as to reduce sway. Anyone have success with this?

Devan, welcome to the forum.

Funny you should ask, I just re-posted a link to Floyd's setup in post #4 here:

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...amp-73658.html

[DevMT]

Is that a custom solution you crafted or did you find that somewhere? I understand the concern of clearance for hard turns. In the past we have used a hitch mount rack and it does have a ball mount on it but I don't trust that to tow a camper.

[Civilguy]

Devan,

I think that rack is custom, and nicely done at that. Floyd is a regular here on the forum.

If you click on a member's name to the left of the post, you'll see an option to send a private message.

There's also a search option on this site to look for other threads on a subject. The "Search Site / Google" option seems to work better.

I also search for things from "outside" the site on Google's search page. For some reason, adding FGRV to a Google search brings up results from this site, though I don't know why that is.

[Baja Bob]

Devan
This is what we did

[DevMT]

Originally Posted by Baja Bob

Devan
This is what we did

That looks pretty slick! A custom job I assume?

[Civilguy]

If you click on the picture twice it will go full screen. (Then you'll have to use the browser's back button to return here.)

It has a Swagman logo. I googled it yesterday and they sell bike racks, but I didn't look any further and I don't know a thing about them. I'm currently working on what bikes to haul; accessories and racks will follow in time.

[Baja Bob]

It's not a custom job it's a bike bunk 225 I got on Amazon

[kdhanso]

Originally Posted by Baja Bob

It's not a custom job it's a bike bunk 225 I got on Amazon

Hi Bob,

Looks like a nice setup. I assume the bottom part is the bike bunk which provides an elevated receiver above the tongue and tanks. I have been looking at the same thing on eTrailer. https://www.etrailer.com/p-CC-275.html

What did you use for the top part, the rack above the receiver? I like how it appears to keep the bikes closer to the trailer and away from the tow vehicle.

Ken

[Baja Bob]

Hope this helps

[Baja Bob]

With Bikes

[TheWanderers]

Wow, what'd that do to your tongue weight?

We're pulling with a Jeep and would worry about an additional 100#s of tongue weight. The recommended tongue weight for a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited is based on a combination of the engine/transmission/differential gearings. Pulling our Scamp has never been a challenge for the Jeep but I watch what we load and how it's loaded. I split the load between the tow vehicle and the trailer to balance the load and am aware of where I place things on the floor of the Scamp with regard to the axle with the goal of keep the hitch firmly on the ball of the tow vehicle.

We do have a rear bumper hitch receiver on the trailer and I have considered putting our bikes on the rear where the spare tire rides. That would mean moving the tire to front and that'd be ok because it would offset the addition of the weight of bikes off the back. I just think it best to consider balance and overall load distribution. I believe when we decide to take our bikes, they may just go inside the cabin of the camper near the center point on the floor; easy and quick.

[Baja Bob]

Thanks for your concern. You are absolutely right about weight distribution, I think we will be OK. We have a 500/5000 Tow vehicle and it has handled it nicely so far.
Bob

[ChrisDunbar]

Bear with me here...these are expensive and scary looking but I have one and out of many bike racks it is, by far, my favorite. https://www.seasucker.com/collection...hst=collection

The great thing about them is they can be mounted anywhere with a surface that can form a vacuum. I usually use mine as a roof rack on my Ford Escape but can mount it to the rear hatch. I've also tried mounting it on my trailer with success. If you have no front window or a flat rock guard then it will attach fine. I have neither so the fit isn't ideal on the trailer. Keeping it on the hatch of the Escape between the trailer is perfect. No extra tongue weight and keeps it out of the wind.

It's not as scary as it looks. There is a big difference between vacuums and suctions. The first real test was the second day of owning the rack. Crossing the Tantramar Marsh in New Brunswick with 100km/h crosswinds. The wind blew a semi off the road but wouldn't even budge the rack.

[Baja Bob]

Very Cool
Bob

[kdhanso]

Originally Posted by Baja Bob

Hope this helps

Thanks Bob. Your additional photos were very helpful.


Ken

[TheWanderers]

Bob, I meant no disrespect. We've chosen to tow with our Jeep and it has very low towing capacity. Many people decided to pull a fiberglass camper because they think they can pull it with any smallish car. My point was simply to know your vehicle. You do and you're blessed. We choose to use a Jeep and know that we are almost at the limit of the Jeep's ability.

Originally Posted by Baja Bob

Thanks for your concern. You are absolutely right about weight distribution, I think we will be OK. We have a 500/5000 Tow vehicle and it has handled it nicely so far.
Bob

[Baja Bob]

Originally Posted by TheWanderers

Bob, I meant no disrespect. We've chosen to tow with our Jeep and it has very low towing capacity. Many people decided to pull a fiberglass camper because they think they can pull it with any smallish car. My point was simply to know your vehicle. You do and you're blessed. We choose to use a Jeep and know that we are almost at the limit of the Jeep's ability.

No problem I apologize if I sounded like I was offended 🙂
Bob

[nancyrnfit]

Originally Posted by Baja Bob

With Bikes

Bob, thanks for the photo. I am looking at this rack on Amazon, and it mentions a bumper adaptor. A reviewer mentions the extension arms that it looks like you have,
but not details. May I ask where you got the extensions, to have the rack up so high? Thank you very much.

[Baja Bob]

Hope this helps
Bob