Bike rack

[BobW]

For years now, I've been trying to find a way to carry two bike with us. I tried to use the ladder mount and that was the worst thing I ever used. It broke the ladder when it failed. Lot of bouncing around there. If I put them in the bed of the truck I need to take the front wheel off and they get scratched up. Bad idea. I've seen the pin mounts that looked interesting, but it looks like the bikes might hit the truck in a sharp turn. Don't really trust the hitch idea on the back of the RV. Don't know how much bouncing around goes on back there. I wonder now about adding a bike rack to the front of the truck. I don't know, but is it legal in most states? Ideas?

[JudyGail]

Bob, We bought a bike rack out of Canada that goes on the front of the trailer. Attached to the hitch, it pivots up. I'll try to get some pics today to show you. And I'll ask Thom for the website, I can't seem to find it right now.

[JudyGail]

Just in case anyone is interested, I've located the web site for the bike rack and uploaded photos I took this morning of our bike rack.

PopTop Bike Racks website: http://toppoprails.com/

Our bike rack photos: http://www.jggrafx.com/thomsstuff/bikerack

[BobW]

Just in case anyone is interested, I've located the web site for the bike rack and uploaded photos I took this morning of our bike rack.

PopTop Bike Racks website: http://toppoprails.com/

Our bike rack photos: http://www.jggrafx.com/thomsstuff/bikerack

Judy does the handle bars get in the way of the front cap? How many bikes can it hold. We have two and it looks like your system would work. Thanks

[JudyGail]

To be honest Bob, we haven't had the bikes up there yet, haven't gone anywhere since installing the rack last weekend.

Our rack is a two bike rack. You can get a 1 bike rack, and I'm not sure about 3.

Thom said clearance isn't an issue.

[dougal]

I installed a stonger ladder on the other side of the unit and the two bikes eventually snapped a rung out the new, tougher ladder as well. The Lowe's parking lot fix has done the job nicely since then. I replaced the missing rung and connected the two broken ends with a some square "tubing". I think the key is to add another support instead of a ladder rung and connect the support to the rack so it can't bounce around while in motion.

Chris

[larry_electricguy]

When we ordered our MS in 2004, Larry had the factory weld a receiver the back of our rig. I think it is a 3", that is if I know what I'm talking about, and our bikes ride along with us just great! Check it out with Doubletree!

[billr]

This link is a post from last year that has a pic of how we carry our bikes.
http://www.5thwheelforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1238&highlight=

We aren't full timers so the space was avail. The bikes are out of sight and always clean. Used quick atach fittings designed for the bed of a pick up, the quick attach front wheel removed and hooks up real easy. Very secure. No straps at all. Picked up at a local bike shop.

Cheers,
Bill

[2 DA WDS]

Bob, on my last 5er I built a bracket out of angle iron and a 2" reciever and had it welded together. Cost for iron, reciever & welding was about $25. Then I bought a 4 bike carrier cost about $90. So for about $115 I had a pin box carrier for our bikes. I had a long bed truck and never had a problem with clearance and I put a cover over the bikes so it kept bugs off my cap. My last MS that burned had a Trail-Aire box and I wasn't sure about mounting a reciever on it plus we had electric scooters that we carried in the basement. Well the MS burned and the scooters got stolen so now we have anothe MS with a regular pin box and I'm getting ready to build my carrier again. I cant find any pictures of my old one but when I get my new one built I'll post some.

[Motor31]

I had the bicycle hitch mount put on the trailer when I ordered it from DT. I would not do so again. It was only spot or tack welded without a single good bead. The same "quality" of weld that was used to attach the shock mounts for the trailer. It also hung down below the frame of the trailer about 4 to 6 inches right at the end of the rig. As a result it would drag on the pavement either going up or down when moving over different levels of roadway such as entering or leaving a drive way. It sheared off exiting a driveway and stuck itself back into the end of the trailer causing a pretty fair amount of damage to the rear cap.

The rear end of the DT trailers are not tapered very much and gets pretty close to the ground as is. I wouldn't recomend putting anything under the trailer where it sticks down below the frame.

[bstark]

Jumpin Jehosophat! :shock: I thought I had resized that pic but I still have a lot to learn about editing pics I guess! :oops:

[2 DA WDS]

Geez Bruce, I thought I was looking at the back of a Motorhome with giant bicycles on it until I scrolled right. :lol:
A picture that size of the pin box would've been nice. :wink:

[5thwheeler]

Bruce - I deleted the two HUGE pics/posts. Please re-size them and re-post. I tried doing it within the forum database but believe it or not I don't have the permissions since I didn't originally upload them.

[bstark]

Yep: I knew that would happen and will have to spend more time learning the re-sizing process. Very sorry for that! :oops:

I better not try again because I don't know whether my resizing techniques have been successful until I actually make the post and then it's too late! :(

Apologies to everyone!

[Motor31]

You can try sending the picture to yourself via e-mail. That will confirm if the picture was resized.

[bstark]

Mike: Great idea! Thanks. Gotta spend more time learning and less time using.

[bstark]

I'm going to cross my fingers and try an attachment pic of my rack mounting to pin-box method. Here goes:

[2 DA WDS]

I found the link to my pictures

http://tinyurl.com/33kmk6