Thanks for your video. My wife was questioning me on whether it's even legal to carry two heavy ebikes on the back of our new travel trailer. We both have the Lectric XP & Lectric ST ebikes, which each may weigh without battery near 70#. I saw a nice ramp bike rack I'd like to get but the weight of the two ebikes was a concern for me. Your video may be a solution. I don't want any accidents. I was very fortunate one time I hit a bump in the road and I forgot to strap down the wheels on my regular bikes and the outer bike bounced off the rack and onto the road. I had no back up camera. Fortunately, a nice motorist flagged me down immediately before any damage could occur. Its always a good idea to re-enforce the bumper and use your STRAPS!
We came real close to loosing our bumper, spare tire and generator on I-15 going through Salt Lake City last week. The metal on the bumper tore across the top and half way down both sides. That could have been a fatal disaster for the car behind me. I'm going to use your design plus add about 12" of plate steel on the back side of the new bumper, where it welds to the frame. Thanks for the tip.
Awesome! Just got our first trailer and I was wondering about the flimsy bumper and attaching a bike rack. Thanks. Go Michigan!! West Michigan, maybe you can do mine LOL!
Great project for my new plasma cutter. If you're going to install a bike rack I'd consider just building your own frame-mounted hitch that is welded directly to the frame (there is a commercial solution for that already). It would be easy as its just square tubing. The rear bumpers are just extremely thin sheet metal (as you point out). You could also consider finding a heavier gauge rear bumper. I wish the manufacturer did that to begin with.
Also slide a 88 inch pressure treated 4x4 inside the bumper cavity and sctew it on toght to the top and rear. Makes the 1/8 inch thick bumper tube more rigid. You do lose the poop pipe storage though.
Bill, I like what you have done to enhance the support of your stock bumper. I want to do exactly what you have done. What is the thickness of the metal plates that you tac welded to your bumper to keep it from being crashed? Also I need to make sure that the 2 inch receiver hitch is wide enough to fix over the 4 inch bumper with the plates welded to them. Can you tell me the model of the receiver hitch you put on yours. I have purchased on Amazon support brackets that will go around the 4 inch bumper (just like the ones you made) and I will bolt them to the frame rail. I have a Kuat rack that holds to two bikes. The weight of the bike rack and our two bikes totally will not even be 200 pounds. In addition the bike rack has a locking mechanism where it tightens down the rack inside the receiver hitch to keep the rack from bouncing up and down which I believe is the main issue with mounting things to these light weight bumpers.
Those anti crush plates were just made of some plate steel I had laying around. I think they were ¼ inch, but ⅛ inch would work fine too. I dont recall where I got the hitch, but it wasn't an amazon order, so it was probably a local camping store. My Swaggman bike rack is the same way...bolt threads on pin lock it in so no bouncing at all.
@@billmonroe7328 Thanks for your prompt reply. I have planned a 7,000 mile journey in a few months. So this should be a good test to see how well this holds up.
Great video sir! Are you still able to mount spare tire and bike rack on bumper? I would like to but bikes would than stick out almost 24" from bumper edge. With 2 bikes, rack and spare maybe only talking about 130ish lbs. but bikes sticking far out is potential concern??
On my trailer Coachman put the spare under the tounge so never had to deal with the spare on back. I would think 2 bikes would be ok but not 4 that far out.
@@billmonroe7328 Thanks Bill. Thought about that or one of those "hitch bike racks" but pretty pricey. Just trying to free up some room in the short box as darn firewood takes up too much room and refuse to buy firewood at the ridiculous price they are asking. Bundle up here in Canada where wood is everywhere, you pay $15 Canadian for 12-13 sticks.
There are safety struts available online that just bolt on. Other bolt on option is a hitch reciever that mounts between frame rails. Those solutions just require a few drilled holes.
Nice job brother especially the crushed proofing I will be using your ideas this weekend😊
Looks great. Very nice idea. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for your video. My wife was questioning me on whether it's even legal to carry two heavy ebikes on the back of our new travel trailer. We both have the Lectric XP & Lectric ST ebikes, which each may weigh without battery near 70#. I saw a nice ramp bike rack I'd like to get but the weight of the two ebikes was a concern for me. Your video may be a solution. I don't want any accidents. I was very fortunate one time I hit a bump in the road and I forgot to strap down the wheels on my regular bikes and the outer bike bounced off the rack and onto the road. I had no back up camera. Fortunately, a nice motorist flagged me down immediately before any damage could occur. Its always a good idea to re-enforce the bumper and use your STRAPS!
We came real close to loosing our bumper, spare tire and generator on I-15 going through Salt Lake City last week. The metal on the bumper tore across the top and half way down both sides. That could have been a fatal disaster for the car behind me. I'm going to use your design plus add about 12" of plate steel on the back side of the new bumper, where it welds to the frame. Thanks for the tip.
Awesome! Just got our first trailer and I was wondering about the flimsy bumper and attaching a bike rack. Thanks. Go Michigan!! West Michigan, maybe you can do mine LOL!
Best one I’ve seen yet. Nice job.
Great project for my new plasma cutter. If you're going to install a bike rack I'd consider just building your own frame-mounted hitch that is welded directly to the frame (there is a commercial solution for that already). It would be easy as its just square tubing. The rear bumpers are just extremely thin sheet metal (as you point out). You could also consider finding a heavier gauge rear bumper. I wish the manufacturer did that to begin with.
i like that. ty for sharing!💛🌟💛
Broke my pop up bumper today after loading it with a bike rack and 4 bicycles. No other damages, but need to fix it now.
That's stout and will def support some weight with no worries, something RV'ers don't need more of. Good job.
Also slide a 88 inch pressure treated 4x4 inside the bumper cavity and sctew it on toght to the top and rear. Makes the 1/8 inch thick bumper tube more rigid. You do lose the poop pipe storage though.
Bill, I like what you have done to enhance the support of your stock bumper. I want to do exactly what you have done. What is the thickness of the metal plates that you tac welded to your bumper to keep it from being crashed? Also I need to make sure that the 2 inch receiver hitch is wide enough to fix over the 4 inch bumper with the plates welded to them. Can you tell me the model of the receiver hitch you put on yours. I have purchased on Amazon support brackets that will go around the 4 inch bumper (just like the ones you made) and I will bolt them to the frame rail. I have a Kuat rack that holds to two bikes. The weight of the bike rack and our two bikes totally will not even be 200 pounds. In addition the bike rack has a locking mechanism where it tightens down the rack inside the receiver hitch to keep the rack from bouncing up and down which I believe is the main issue with mounting things to these light weight bumpers.
Those anti crush plates were just made of some plate steel I had laying around. I think they were ¼ inch, but ⅛ inch would work fine too. I dont recall where I got the hitch, but it wasn't an amazon order, so it was probably a local camping store. My Swaggman bike rack is the same way...bolt threads on pin lock it in so no bouncing at all.
@@billmonroe7328 Thanks for your prompt reply. I have planned a 7,000 mile journey in a few months. So this should be a good test to see how well this holds up.
*Fits my car perfectly with my new **Latest.Bike** raker , very easy to set up and take down. Great quality and price, very happy with this purchase!*
👍
Great video sir! Are you still able to mount spare tire and bike rack on bumper? I would like to but bikes would than stick out almost 24" from bumper edge. With 2 bikes, rack and spare maybe only talking about 130ish lbs. but bikes sticking far out is potential concern??
On my trailer Coachman put the spare under the tounge so never had to deal with the spare on back. I would think 2 bikes would be ok but not 4 that far out.
@@billmonroe7328 Thanks Bill. Thought about that or one of those "hitch bike racks" but pretty pricey. Just trying to free up some room in the short box as darn firewood takes up too much room and refuse to buy firewood at the ridiculous price they are asking. Bundle up here in Canada where wood is everywhere, you pay $15 Canadian for 12-13 sticks.
Good job !
came out good, but not for the average Joe. i can't cut the steel or do the welding.
There are safety struts available online that just bolt on. Other bolt on option is a hitch reciever that mounts between frame rails. Those solutions just require a few drilled holes.
Is it still holding? I am still sceptical on the safetystruck
Still holding, no cracks or tears in factory or my welds. Tube has not twisted or bent.