Mounting spare tire on rear bumper

[nugget]

I have a sundance 3300sk with 16 inch wheels.
Can the spare tire be mounted on the rear bumper?
Is the bumper strong enough?

 

[Bogger]

No. The rear bumper is there to carry your sewer hose, although it doesn't seem like anyone in the know wants to tell you that.

 

[buckeyebob]

are you sayin my bike rack is too heavy on my sundance 2900mk??

 

[dreamer]

I have a 2900 mk. From experience on a previous trailer with the same thickness bumper ABSOLUTELY nobody should mount a bike rack on a bumper that has not been reinforced. It is not the weight that gets you but the bouncing and twisting going down the road that causes metal fatigue and then failure.

 

[Bogger]

are you sayin my bike rack is too heavy on my sundance 2900mk??

It's not me saying it, just telling you what Heartland and Lippert will tell you AFTER it breaks. Not sure why nobody will tell you that now when you're asking.

 

[Dave Willis]

I just spoke to my engineer and he says that you can put the 16" tire on the bumper if you want.

Thanks,

 

[Dave Willis]

I don't know what the other guy was talking about with the sewer hose thing but you should be okay with your bike rack.

Thanks

 

[westxsrt10]

Is this not "Ask the Factory" section?
I am curious also as my Sundance came with a bumper mounted spare tire. (From Lakeshore RV) since removed.

 

[Dave Willis]

You can put the spare tire on the bumper per my engineer.

Thanks,

 

[Bogger]

Is this not "Ask the Factory" section?
I am curious also as my Sundance came with a bumper mounted spare tire. (From Lakeshore RV) since removed.

You are correct- it is the ask the factory section. The reason I chimed in is I have read in the past from Heartland people that a bike rack being mounted "should be no problem". The problem is, it IS a problem.

We have an Eagle Ridge, very similar to the Sundance, and we used a bike rack on the rear bumper. Lippert/Heartland are telling us because we had a bike rack on it, that the bumper falling off is not under warranty. Apparently, the spare tire is not an issue?

Now, in our case, the bumper was bent before we ever used the bike rack, so we are still working on getting it covered. But I am 100% sure that a bike rack being mounted to the bumper is going to void the warranty.

 

[buckeyebob]

i put a curt hitch on my bumper and a 2 bike rack plugs into 2 inch receiver,then i stand on bumper and jump up and down(280)lbs and it is solid as a rock!!!i had a keystone zeppelin 29 ft tt in 07 model,used same rack and it had a 1 1/4 "receiver that was crappy welded to plate on bottom of bumper!!!!i travelled 6500 miles from sandusky ohio to vegas and back along some horrible roads,and i will admit i checked to see if rack was still there at each stop.this 5er has much more frame and if the welds break then thats just bad karma. i agree with mister willis actually i want a 4 bike rack!!!just my 2 cents worth!!buckeyebob.

 

[Bogger]

i put a curt hitch on my bumper and a 2 bike rack plugs into 2 inch receiver,then i stand on bumper and jump up and down(280)lbs and it is solid as a rock!!!i had a keystone zeppelin 29 ft tt in 07 model,used same rack and it had a 1 1/4 "receiver that was crappy welded to plate on bottom of bumper!!!!i travelled 6500 miles from sandusky ohio to vegas and back along some horrible roads,and i will admit i checked to see if rack was still there at each stop.this 5er has much more frame and if the welds break then thats just bad karma. i agree with mister willis actually i want a 4 bike rack!!!just my 2 cents worth!!buckeyebob.

Don't miss the part about it NOT being covered under warranty. I agree, it sure seems to be strong enough, and it also seemed to be something they would cover, but so far that's not the case.

I'm not trying to be a jerk about this, but the fact is we have Heartland people on here telling us all "it's ok" until there's a problem. Then things change to "having a bike rack voids the warranty."

 

[Dave Willis]

I am still trying to get clarity from Lippert Components regarding this issue. As soon as I hear something, I will let everyone know.

Thanks,

 

[JJnLilly]

Was there ever a definitive answer to this question? I've done a search on bumper bike rack mounting and find comments all over the spectrum. I was planning on replacing the ladder mount rack I used on our old Cougar with a bumper mount to carry our two bikes on our Greystone. So what is it..a thumbs up or thumbs down??

 

[FennerJ]

Heartland does not recommend any modifications to the frame. Bogger is correct in stating that if you add a bike rack or anything to the rear bumper and the bumper falls off or welds break, there is a good chance it will not be covered under warranty.

 

[guitarpicr]

Not to hijack this thread but what is the skinny on the ladder mounted bike rack (2 carrier)? Will this void warranty on the ladder Thanks, Bill

 

[JJnLilly]

Now I am really confused! First we get it is okay to mount a spare tire on the bumper (You can put the spare tire on the bumper per my engineer. from Dave Willis) Then we get:" Heartland does not recommend any modifications to the frame. Bogger is correct in stating that if you add a bike rack or anything to the rear bumper and the bumper falls off or welds break, there is a good chance it will not be covered under warranty." from FennerJ

So which is it????

 

[westxsrt10]

Now I am really confused! First we get it is okay to mount a spare tire on the bumper (You can put the spare tire on the bumper per my engineer. from Dave Willis) Then we get:" Heartland does not recommend any modifications to the frame. Bogger is correct in stating that if you add a bike rack or anything to the rear bumper and the bumper falls off or welds break, there is a good chance it will not be covered under warranty." from FennerJ

So which is it????

As stated above a spare mounted on the bumper is ok. A bike rack is not recommended probably because their mounting brackets can vary so much putting too much stress on the bumper.
Get your bike rack installed by a true professional with common sense and don't worry about the frame warrenty. I have a large generator mounted to my bumper but I added more welds/braces. I wouldnt hold Heartland responsible for any frame warrenty issues because I modifyed the bumper.

 

[FennerJ]

I hope this helps. Our warranty is 1 year from date of purchase on the unit we build. Heartland like all companies will not warrant something that has been changed. If you add a spare tire, bike rack, generator or anything else to the unit it is considered a modification. A modification is any change to the way it was designed and built by the manufacturer. If any failure to the unit can be linked back to the modification it will not be covered under the warranty.

 

[lhetsler]

I had bracket welded across the main I beams and then a 2 inch receiver welded onto that. Cost about $500. Had it done professional.