Bike Hitch Option.....with pictures!!

[lduguay]

I too, have been on the quest to find the PERFECT bike rake!! I don't want a rack on the front of truck, don't want to lift bikes to top of truck or hitch.....and DW is tired of me loading the bikes into the BC.....go figure. Here is a bike option that a new member to the forum has installed on his HL. Wes, Oregon81, gave me permission to post the pics for him after I sent him a PM......he in not currently camping in his HL........something about being on an Oil Rig off the coast of Africa!!!!

When Wes sent pics it looked like a viable solution.......I might have the bolted sections welded if I go with this option.

I am looking forward to everyones thoughts on this design.

Heartland/Lippert........all I wanna do is CARRY MY BIKES!

Here are the pics!! Thanks again Wes!!

 

[JohnDar]

Did he buy that as a kit, or have it made?

 

[lduguay]

I am assuming that Wes had it made......I fired him an email for clarification.

UPDATE: received email from Wes......designed and created by Wes (Oregon81)

 

[caissiel]

This is the best 2 in receiver Idea I have seen on line, as an engineer, this design will not put any great stresses on the rear of the frame and will support the bikes quit well. But due to the size of the square tubing will limit the load and pull capacity, and again will protect the trailer frame.
I saw one owner make the same frame for supporting a motorcycle and I told him if he values is bike, not to place it on that way. Our trailer frame are far apart compared to the 41" for motohome so we have to design accordingly. But since the cross bars are attached so as to produce downward pressure at the rear and upward at the front, there is no twisting moments on the trailer frame.

I used the stabilizer frame as a front received carrier and its working fine for me but I am using the 4" bumper as my rear support beam. The bikes hardly move back there with my truck setup anyway.

P.S. I had a similar setup on my previous trailer for 13 years and was able to tow 2000Lbs cars with it, but I would not do it with this bumper setup we have on the BC. No gussets are on the bumper to frame and I am affraid the welds would just shear off.

 

[JohnDar]

I am assuming that Wes had it made......I fired him an email for clarification.

UPDATE: received email from Wes......designed and created by Wes (Oregon81)

Dang! Now if it was made of wood, I could probably duplicate it.

 

[Gaffer]

I had the attached welded up and bolted it on ths weekend.

View attachment hitch.doc
It didn't work out so well. The angle iron bent.

 

[lduguay]

This is the best 2 in receiver Idea I have seen on line, as an engineer, this design will not put any great stresses on the rear of the frame and will support the bikes quit well. But due to the size of the square tubing will limit the load and pull capacity, and again will protect the trailer frame.

I saw one owner make the same frame for supporting a motorcycle and I told him if he values is bike, not to place it on that way. Our trailer frame are far apart compared to the 41" for motohome so we have to design accordingly. But since the cross bars are attached so as to produce downward pressure at the rear and upward at the front, there is no twisting moments on the trailer frame.



I used the stabilizer frame as a front received carrier and its working fine for me but I am using the 4" bumper as my rear support beam. The bikes hardly move back there with my truck setup anyway.



P.S. I had a similar setup on my previous trailer for 13 years and was able to tow 2000Lbs cars with it, but I would not do it with this bumper setup we have on the BC. No gussets are on the bumper to frame and I am affraid the welds would just shear off.

Thanks for the input Laurent........the max we would put into the 2" receiver would be 150lbs (that is a heavy side guess) of bikes (4) and our current Yamika rack.......would you be "comfortable" with just the welds holding the receiver section?
My limited thinking would be to add grade 8 nuts/bolts through the the receiver bar junctions with the 2 support bars.....would this be needed, overkill or possibly weaken the current design? I was thinking this would help avoid the shear factor.

Since you are an engineer your "Sage Wisdom" is very much appreciated!!

We have lots of dollars in several of the bikes (carbon frames) and would prefer not to drag them down the road!!!

Thanks!!

Lance

PS. John.....the Wood version sure "wood" be perrrrrty

Sorry, couldn't resist

 

[lduguay]

I had the attached welded up and bolted it on ths weekend.

View attachment 15298

Hey PJ (Gaffer),

PICTURES......we want REAL PICTURES

Lance

 

[sjs731]

lduguay,
That looks like exactly what I need. Luckily I work as a designer at a company that does metal fab. Looks like a winter project for this year.

 

[lduguay]

FYI.....Terry Deal (trdeal), the NC HL Chapter Leader, has a bike hitch on his Landmark that was installed in western NC for about $200!!! We are camping with Terry & Renee this weekend and I will be taking pictures and getting contact info for his fabricator/installer.

I am hopeful for a potentially cheaper solution. Details, pics and opinion to follow after the Labor Day weekend!!

Lance

 

[TandT]

As soon as my factory warranty is up, I'm going to mount a rack to carry not only bikes, but also some light cargo as well. This looks like a good foundation for that project.

 

[caissiel]

Like I said I have been using the stabilizer bar on my unit and it's been very good. This design we are comenting about is great and I feel is very well suited for our units becase it will not apply twisting moments to the frame. The bolting will hold it quit well, but make sure the fasteners do not vibrate off. I have been using 4 of 5/16" bolts at my bumper with success.

I saw one rack on the back of an SOB build with light metal and it faild to hold a 3000watt power plant due to the vibration created at the rear, its always the rear bar that fails. I have not yet done some calculations but I believe that 2" square x 1/4" tubing would be suffcient and the 3" angles would do well. I would not use less for the rear bar, and the front bar can be 1/2 as strong. thats why the stabilizer bar has done well for me.

But on the drawing I would be concerned about the angle attachement on the 2" receiver bar. The angle or the square bar seam to be cut a the highest stressed area unless the welder is highly qualified, the weld will be the area to be concened about. I would add a strap at that point to reinforce the weld area

Calculation:
The first design considering load is 12in past the receiver the max load is 410Lbs for max stress on the 2 x 2 tubing
The second design considering load is 12in past the receiver the max load 248Lbs with max stress on the 3 in angles
If there is a load of 150Lbs I would think that the vibration would add up to the loads so as the 1st design has a factor of 2.75 and the 2nd design has a factor of 1.65.

The spacing of 15" compared to 25.5" and mine at 32" makes the huge difference in hitch capacities

 

[Chainsaw]

I have a very good bike mount on the back of our landmark, I bought it from heartland, it bolted on, no drilling, I have pulled the trailer with this to 3 rallys and Oregon 2 times.

Your pictures show a great fabrication job, for me I can't do that so I paid about $150 and got one form heartland, it bolted right in.

 

[lduguay]

Hey Chainsaw,

Unfortunately HL does not offer the bolt on hitch anymore Several other threads have done the legwork and most recent feedback is that Lippert is "out" with no plans to produce more.....guess they want to avoid folks pulling boats/cars/big stuff.

Soooo, our quest is to find the perfect aftermarket 2" receiver for bike racks ONLY


I will see a version this weekend and will post pics next week of the under $200 option.....at least it will be cheaper for those who live in western Carolina!!

 

[jpdoggett]

I have a very good bike mount on the back of our landmark, I bought it from heartland, it bolted on, no drilling, I have pulled the trailer with this to 3 rallys and Oregon 2 times.

Your pictures show a great fabrication job, for me I can't do that so I paid about $150 and got one form heartland, it bolted right in.

Chainsaw it just bolts to the two flanges hanging down off the frame at the back of the frame?

 

[Chainsaw]

yes it does

 

[lduguay]

UPDATE: I found a trailer company in Rock Hill SC, about 10 miles from my storage lot, that will fabricate and install the design in my original post for $300. A few dollars more than I was wanting to spend, but that is ALWAYS the case. Will probably do the deed next week, now that my 1 year warranty is up, and will follow up with pics.

 

[lduguay]

IT IS FINISHED!!!!

David with Red Hot Welding & Metal Fabrication in Rock Hill SC did the work. He did a slight variation of the originally posted design. The cost was $300....I know, some of you folks make this stuff in your basement for penny's on the dollar!!
Well, being the "consumer" that I am I had to ask how strong it really was, (all I need to hold is the 4 bikes & rack).....he said he would not hesitate to pull a car!!! He said the "wire" he used was rated at 70,000lbs per inch......so frame would tear out first!!!!


NO HEARTLAND/LIPPERT I will NOT pull a car!!!!! Pinky Promise :angel:

Why a class III receiver? I needed the 2" receiver to be compatible with my Yakima Bike Rack that I use on 2 other vehicles.

Here are the pics....DW is SOOOOO happy bikes will not be inside anymore!

 

[Bob Vaughn]

I was sure hoping that I could find something that would bolt to the frame in the 4 places shown in the photos. I want to be able to do the install myself because I do not want to have to drag my 5th wheel some where to have them do it as all the places that I know of do not have a lot that is big enough to get turned around in. I was hoping to find one that I could just buy and install but the ones I have found just have the two flanges that bolt to the sides of the frame members and I am assuming that is what Lippert used to offer but no longer does. Lance I too have the 3250 TS so it looks like this would be a good fit.

 

[porthole]

Bob, plan on going to the national rally next year and plan a visit at the MOR/ryde facility. They specialize in RV fabrication. And, not only is their lot big enough to turn around, you can spend the night there.