Bike hitch - 1-1/4" factory installed receiver

[MTPockets]

We ordered the 1 1/4" hitch reciver on our Big Horn and have towed so far from Florida to Texas to Indiana and now in North Carolina. We have two bikes on a very sturdy, $275 bike rack. From the beginning, I noticed that the factory receiver was a bit flimsey, as it would bounce up and down all along the tubes mounted to the Big Horn frame with a slight push of the hand with the bikes on the rack.. The bike rack frame was stiff, but the entire factory receiver would flex causing the bounce. I could only imagine the bouce when we crossed some railroad tracks or those dips in the highway and certain bumpy roads.

Today, we stopped for lunch and I do my walk around and find the bikes nearly on the ground. I had to take the wheels off the bikes and put them in my truck bed. I'm glad I always used some hefty straps to secure them to each other and the bike rack. My bike rack has a vertical support that keeps the bikes upright. That vertical support was gone and I could see where it broke, near the bottom where it attached to the bike rack frame. All that flexing finally caused it to break, like bending a paper clip back and forth until it gives way.

My plan was to re-inforce the factory hitch when we got to Florida so I would not have this problem, but the flexing was just too much...... If you have this receiver, I can only suggest to you to watch your rack so you don't have the same issue.

 

[danemayer]

Let me see if I'm following you: the receiver itself (not the part that slides into it) flexes up and down easily? And because of that motion, the vertical arm of your bike rack broke?

I have the 1 1/4" receiver and the parts that mount to the frame brackets don't move at all. The part that the bike rack bolts to, that slides into the receiver, wiggles quite a bit where it slides into the receiver.

I'm having trouble imagining mine flexing the way you've described. Have you looked to see if your receiver has a broken weld or loose mounting bolts?

 

[MTPockets]

Let me see if I'm following you: the receiver itself (not the part that slides into it) flexes up and down easily? And because of that motion, the vertical arm of your bike rack broke?

I have the 1 1/4" receiver and the parts that mount to the frame brackets don't move at all. The part that the bike rack bolts to, that slides into the receiver, wiggles quite a bit where it slides into the receiver.

I'm having trouble imagining mine flexing the way you've described. Have you looked to see if your receiver has a broken weld or loose mounting bolts?

Yes, the receiver flexes... It looks like all is secure to the frame, but the square tubular steel that is the receiver, is about 7 ft. long - from left side frame to right side frame, with the receiver in the center. That tube flexes - or twists, so that the square 1 1/4" receiver in the middle actually will move up and down (twisting motion) when you apply a small lifting pressure on one of the bikes. Imagine going over a bump - the bikes will move and the whole receiver frame will flex.

Can this site handle a video? ...... I can shoot it and try to put it here so you can see what I see.

 

[danemayer]

The button to upload video is next to the Quotes button.

 

[MTPockets]

This is the link to a short video clearly showing the flexing. Since the vertical tube that broke away is gone, the bikes are not on the rack, but this flexing I believe is too much for sustained travel... This receiver should be rigid to reduce the bouce and subsequent damage. If you havn't had a problem, you may... For me, I will re-inforce or replace for a more rigid mount.

 

[danemayer]

Looks like the movement includes the entire curved bar that is attached to the frame.

 

[donr827]

MTPOCKETS, thank you for the video. I have the same trailer and the same receiver. Will check it out before we leave on our trip.
Don

 

[Westwind]

If you search the forum you will find someone who fabricated his own and it looks like a solid hitch.

 

[danemayer]

I checked mine and it seems pretty solid.