Concerns about carrying 2 e-bikes on back hitch and sway

[Wayne Collins]

Another NO-NO for hanging bikes at rear of trailer, is the you obscure the view of the tail/stop/turn lights.
It's also where you can get a lot dirt on the bikes.

[Guide Guy]

My wife and I have had E-bikes for more than 10 years (best bikes ever for seniors!), and we’ve carried them while towing from Oregon to Colorado, So. Calif, Seattle and many other places. To carry them while towing our 17’ Casita SD we got a tailgate rack. Basically it’s a polypropylene pad that fits over and covers our truck tailgate. We hang the bike forks on the pad over the tailgate pad and strap them down. We take off the batteries and distribute weight forward in the truck bed and aft in the trailer to balance everything. I’ve towed the empty and loaded trailer to a truck scale and weighed everything in several places to make sure all is balanced and well within the truck and trailer specs. Keeping safe on the road is paramount! Of course that wouldn’t work if you don’t have a truck or have a cover over your truck bed. Here’s a link to a Thule rack similar to ours: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BFJ6C6F..._d9qwFbG8TQNPB

[Rockytop]

What are the bike racks for if it isn’t recommended for carrying them on a trailer? Well, look at the trailer. There is a tremendous difference in adding 150 pounds to the rear of an 8,000 pound double axle camper and adding 150 pounds to a 1500 pound single axle trailer. It is a matter of proportional weight. What might be safe on one is not safe on the other. Remember how a lever works or a seesaw? That is the situation you are dealing with.
There are very few bike racks that are approved for mounting on the rear of a camper. Even very expensive premium brands say “Not for use on towed vehicles.” I am familiar with the Swagman rack for ebikes that they sell for travel trailers, and it is one heavy son of a gun.

[Mary Ann in NC]

Originally Posted by thrifty bill

Key word above: lightweight. E-bikes are the opposite of lightweight. Porky is more like it. Beware serious sway.

Most racks are NOT rated for RV trailer service due to the severe bouncing they endure. Check with the manufacturer of the rack you have chosen. Some well known high quality brands refuse to rate a single one of their racks for RV trailer service.

I just checked the owner manual for my Kuat Sherpa 2.0 hitch bike rack. There is a warning to not use the rack on a travel trailer or RV. When I called Kuat to confirm, the answer is possible unrecoverable sway due to the distance between the trailer wheels and the bike rack. I plan to call Escape to confirm this with our 19.

Edit: I called Escape and they said the 19 is fine with up to 150 pounds on the bike rack. I plan to get a hitch tightener and that, along with sway bars on the hitch, is worth an experimental drive. At least.

[Doctor Harold]

Originally Posted by Campingbliss

YIKES! $100 for that? Crazy what some people will spend.

Yah, but you can't beat the view on a winding mountain road...

[JimnStephArellanes]

Originally Posted by Campingbliss

I purchased an e-bike bike carrier that attaches to the frame welded hitch on the back of my 16ft Scamp. The carrier weighs about 40#’s and each bike weighs 55-60#’s, so all together I am looking at about 160#’s of added weight off the back end. I am worried about possible sway. Any suggestions or packing tips for proper weight distribution? I usually travel with a bit of water in the fresh water tank (not full) and a full 6 gallon water container that I store in side bathroom. I do not have a sway hitch. Do any of you also carry 2 bikes in back and what is your experience doing so? Thanks.

We also have a 16' Scamp which we pull nicely with our 2017 Subaru Outback. We also have two electric assist bicycles on the back of our Scamp. It DOES sway somewhat when we drive over 50+ miles per hour. We met a guy with a nearly identical rig (Subaru with Scamp trailer) on our last driving trip to Lake Tahoe California. He had traveled cross country (over 5,000 miles) with no problem. He had load levelers which he said totally corrected the sway problem. That's what we will add next!

[CSiko]

1up says that the heavy duty or super duty are RV approved with a 2 bike max. It is the rack I use and I push it into the hitch as far as it goes. Works for now until I get a pick up.


https://www.1up-usa.com/faq/

[Tealk]

I have a rear cargo carrier on back... never anything heavy...had bad sway last big trip. Had a sway bar installed, it helps but a bit tricky. I think you will need the bigger weight distribution hitch with that much gear.

I haven't figured how i will carry my ebike either.

Good luck but be safe... i saw one of us rolled from sway...not much left of it.
K.

[DrBill]

We also got a hitch on our 16ft Scamp. 2 bicycles swayed on the rack, the rack swayed on the Scamp, the Scamp swayed the tow vehicle. Even with everything strapped down tight to the bumper it was not safe to drive. Had to put the bikes inside the Scamp.

[ScamperGirl]

My current setup. I can feel a slight sway over 60 mph. The rack is RV rated and can take two bikes. I've never traveled with two. If.i ever do, I will use a sway bar and test everything out before I go on an actual trip.

Scamp said the rear hitch could hold about 160 lbs. My set up is less than 100 lbs and even with added weight in the front I must be extra careful.

It's a good solution for me, and I'm glad I have it. I've carried my.bike in the camper in the past and it's not easy to maneuver in and out, let alone try to use the camper on rest breaks. I like the rack if it's under 100 lbs.

[thrifty bill]

Originally Posted by Rockytop

What are the bike racks for if it isn’t recommended for carrying them on a trailer? .

What are bike racks made for? Most are made for cars, very few are made for RV service.

Since the vast majority of rack buyers are using the rack on their car, pickup or SUV, that’s what they are designed for.

The forces exerted on a rack on the back of a trailer are much more severe than on a car. The vast majority of rack manufacturers have decided to avoid the RV market. And if something happens, you won’t see it.

Two e-bikes,you are talking some serious weight there.

I carry my bikes (not e-bikes) in the back of my truck. If I had to consider other locations, I’d choose roof rack, the front of my truck, or the trailer tongue in that order. There are some nifty bolt on receiver hitches for my F150.

[Campingbliss]

OP here. I did a test run with 1 e-bike On bike rack on rear hitch, and removed the battery and seat to make it as light as possible. I forward loaded the 16ft Scamp and did not fill the rear fresh water tank while driving, instead carrying 2 6 gallon water jugs stored in front bathroom. I kept my speed to 55 mph and had no sway going up the mountain to Sedona. I am now thinking of welding 2 water carrying Brackets onto the front tongue to better distribute the weight and include 2 front Stabilizers to reduce side to side motion while camping. This will add 100#s to the tongue and counterweight 1 bike. The 2nd bike will fit in the back of my Highlander. Hopefully this will be the optimal solution for us.

[LuckyPenny]

How did you secure bikes inside scamp?

[parmm]

Originally Posted by gordon2

The "control" in sway control is not absolute. There will always be a limit to the control, just like your brakes have a limit on how fast and often they can slow you down. General consensus is that your rig should be stable and not sway in normal operation and without a sway control device. Then the sway control device is added to help dampen and control sway in expected or extreme circumstances such as high winds or sudden swerving to avoid a road obstacle.

And just go over to IRV2 and RV.net and see all the bicycle racks that have broken off the back of motorhomes and spewed their bicycles all over the highway. Nothing to do with sway, it is all about the bouncing!!

[floyd]

Originally Posted by parmm

And just go over to IRV2 and RV.net and see all the bicycle racks that have broken off the back of motorhomes and spewed their bicycles all over the highway. Nothing to do with sway, it is all about the bouncing!!

You got that right!

[Steveg.]

We have this rack as well and its great!

[Kenny Strong]

Penny
Bike block fork mount. Thru Amazon. mount on a 3/4" plywood, 6"-8"s wide, 60"s long or less. span the front seat and or bed. Front fork is locked into clamp. rear wheel on the floor. Pad where needed. The fork is sitting on the plywood and the plywood is laid out flat across the seat or bed.




Later Kenny