Bike Rack Wobble

[Oregon_Camper]

If you really want to solve the problem, have a custom hitch made with two inserts. All shifting is eliminated. Then purchase a bike carriers that hold the bikes on a flat bases...now the bouncing is gone. I do this with a WR450 motorcycle, so 2 bikes would be a cake walk.

Yes, you'll have to modify the bike rack to have 2 inserts, but it will be well worth it.

 

[BigGuy82]

Lot's of elaborate solutions. This is mine - not road tested yet, but considering that the rack has zero movement, I'm hard pressed to see anything negative happening when two bikes that have a combined weight of less than 40 lbs are installed. It's as solid as a rock.

If I'm wrong, no problem. I'll just forget about the bikes altogether ... not worth the cost or the hassle.

 

[sengli]

Our rig came with the lippert 1.25" receiver on it from the factory. We lost our bikes in the first 50 miles the first time. I have seen other fifth wheel rigs going down the road, and the rear racks dont even move. Our bike rack, on the other hand bounces very badly. I think it must be the length of the frame behind the coaches tires or something that either cause a rig to have the bounce or not. I do know that if you read the fine print on bike racks, with lifetime warranties...the warranties are void if you use on the back of an RV.

So being somewhat handy, I removed that 1.25" receiver.. welded extra tubing and gussets, and additional mounting plates...and it still shook our second bike rack to death in less than 3 miles. I have given up on the rear bike rack. I bought a curt 2" receiver and bolted that to the front of the pickup, and that is where my bike rack now resides....and it doesnt ever even hardly wiggle. Traveled a whole season now, and no more issue's.

 

[BigGuy82]

Our rig came with the lippert 1.25" receiver on it from the factory. We lost our bikes in the first 50 miles the first time. I have seen other fifth wheel rigs going down the road, and the rear racks dont even move. Our bike rack, on the other hand bounces very badly. I think it must be the length of the frame behind the coaches tires or something that either cause a rig to have the bounce or not. I do know that if you read the fine print on bike racks, with lifetime warranties...the warranties are void if you use on the back of an RV.

So being somewhat handy, I removed that 1.25" receiver.. welded extra tubing and gussets, and additional mounting plates...and it still shook our second bike rack to death in less than 3 miles. I have given up on the rear bike rack. I bought a curt 2" receiver and bolted that to the front of the pickup, and that is where my bike rack now resides....and it doesnt ever even hardly wiggle. Traveled a whole season now, and no more issue's.

This one won't bounce at all. I've got a reinforcing lockdown clamp on the receiver and the straps are drum tight. Bikes are light. I don't see this coming off

 

[oldelmer1]

sengli,

Is you hitch bolted to the frame? or bolted to the tow hooks?

 

[sengli]

Mine is bolted to four places. Two spots thru the frame, and the OE flanges that were where it originally bolted on. The rack might be solid, the coach bounces causing the receiver to flex. That flex is magnified thru the moment of the rack thats mounted on the back of the coach. Again, from what I have seen going down the interstate, not all fifth wheels have this bounce. My issue was that the rack was shook so hard it failed once. The other two times I drug my bikes they were just bounced to the point they came off the rack. I put straps and tie downs to the hilt, and they still got bounced to death.

 

[dbbls59]

I had a bike rack on my previous trailer. I drilled and tapped a hole in the bottom of the receiver and inserted a bolt to tighten on the bottom of the rack insert. The rack was rock solid.

 

[justafordguy]

Our bike rack is loose in the hitch but i strap the bikes down good and they dont move/bounce a bit while traveling. I can see them in my rear camera and are rock solid. Used this setup for several years with no issue so as long as you can stop the movement I think you will be fine.

 

[oldelmer1]

sengli,

Is you hitch bolted to the frame? or bolted to the tow hooks?

The reason I asked was because your picture shows the bike rack on the front of your RAM truck.

 

[BigGuy82]

Update:

So after all of the concern and very elaborate engineering solutions, I used an off the shelf Lippert receiver, bike rack and tie-down straps. I posted a picture a few days back. Now, after 1,200 miles (some of which that were on very lousy roads - I-65 through Birmingham, AL springs to mind), here is the result:


No problems and all intact. The key is to take out all movement using a hitch "strengthener" and cargo tie downs to prevent carrier movement. While all of the custom engineering solutions are certainly effective and elegant, this one works fine for a lower cost, even though it isn't as good looking.

 

[stesmi52]

Tried bikes on the bed, which works well, unless you're stopping overnight frequently. Then used a ladder rack, which ended up breaking all the ladder supports. Now I am using a receiver mounted to the frame on the front of my F350. Zero problems with this installation, and quick and easy loading!

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