2013 3010RE - Add Rack to Back

The undercarriage (frame work) in the back has rails that have slots/holes that look like they could be used to attach some type of frame work to have a rack installed for bikes or other items. Is anyone aware of such an item being available or seen one fabricated.

Hi dgmojo,

There is a 1-1/2" receiver hitch designed by Lippert that bolts to those brackets. The receiver hitch is designed to support a bike rack. I have one that I bought directly from Lippert. Heartland also offers it as part of a Landmark package. You should be able to purchase it from Heartland parts and if you're a club member, you can get 10% off.

Some people have experienced excessive flex with this receiver hitch, so you should also consider having a custom 2" receiver hitch fabricated and installed.

What a nightmare subject this is for me. When we purchased our new BC3650RL I told the dealer I had to have a rear hitch receiver for my bike rack and it needed to be a 2" receiver. I was told it must be a bolt on or the warranty would be voided. They ordered it from Heartland. It finally arrived but does not have enough drop down and can not be bolted on. It was also an 1 1/4" receiver and not a 2" like I requested. I was then told that it would work if welded but that would have to be done by Lippert and the closest facility to me was in SE Georgia. What a fiasco this has turned into. I'm still sitting in a local campground trying to figure out how to transport my bikes. I'm thinking about a front hitch receiver for the truck. It's hard to believe Lippert is that concerned about their frame being compromised by the installation of a hitch and bike rack.

Hi stan.nations,

When I ordered mine from Lippert, they warned me that it would void the 1 year frame warranty. Their explanation was that they'd have no way of knowing whether I used the receiver for a bike rack, or to tow a heavy vehicle (maybe they were thinking of space shuttles). I pushed back a little and asked if the hitch they designed would actually work ok with the frame and brackets they designed, if I just used it with 2 bikes. They agreed that should be no problem using the receiver in that way.

Lots of owners have bolted on or welded on receiver hitches without causing frame damage. But the underlying issue is that if you had a problem of some kind that was traced back to the frame, their warning makes us concerned that Lippert might try to refuse the warranty claim, using the modification as an excuse.

There was another thread a few months ago discussing these warnings about voiding the warranty. The essence of that discussion was that they might have to prove that your modification caused the damage in order to actually deny a warranty claim. Here's a link to additional general info on warranties.

Btw, there are other choices; some owners have mounted bike racks to their pin boxes.