Adding a hitch receiver

[shanks]

I have a 2006 Fleetwood E2 and am looking for an option to carry four bikes. I have ruled out the roof mounted racks since the PU sits so high off the ground. I have been looking at the hitch mounted racks and was thinking of having a 2" receiver welded to the frame on the PU. At the most I think it would add 200 pounds maximum.

Has anyone done this or do you have opinions on this?

Thanks,

Shanks

[wavery]

I have a 2006 Fleetwood E2 and am looking for an option to carry four bikes. I have ruled out the roof mounted racks since the PU sits so high off the ground. I have been looking at the hitch mounted racks and was thinking of having a 2" receiver welded to the frame on the PU. At the most I think it would add 200 pounds maximum.

Has anyone done this or do you have opinions on this?

Thanks,

Shanks

Any weight that you add to the back of your trailer will take weight away from the front of the trailer.

I realize that the E2 has a carrier on the front of the trailer and that the axle is farther back. You would just have to do the math and be sure of a couple of things.

1. Don't exceed any of the weight limits on the trailer, GVWR, axle rating, tires etc.

2. Be sure to maintain at least 10% of your total, loaded trailer in tongue weight.

If your tongue weight gets too light, you may experience swaying. That means if you add weight to the back, you will need to add more weight to the front as well but you have to do it without exceeding your weight limits....I think they cal that "Juggling"..

[waygard33]

... I have been looking at the hitch mounted racks and was thinking of having a 2" receiver welded to the frame on the PU. At the most I think it would add 200 pounds maximum.

Has anyone done this or do you have opinions on this?

Thanks,

Shanks

There is a member that added a rear hitch receiver to the back bumper of an E3. I think it was last year. He hasn't posted here in quite awhile. I tried to do a search for the Thread but nothing came up. I suspect it has something to do with the switch to the new server.

I do remember that he found a hitch/mount that spanned the distance from one side of the frame to the other (I think?) and it was successful. He even has a website with photos along with many other mods. He lives or lived in Oregon. Maybe someone else remembers. Sorry I can't be of more help.

***EDIT: I was able to find a link to his website with Google. Here's the bike stuff...
http://www.buyastrostuff.com/ftp/Rays/camper/camper-stuff/Bike-rack.htm

Wayne in Oregon

[skybetta]

Here's another possible option for you: http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_492929_492929

I have one of these and it works well, however I did have to re-drill a hole on my bike rack so I could slide it into the reciever further to keep the bikes from hitting the camper at full turns but that was pretty simple.

[lonewolf452]

Skybetta, are we talking 2 or 4 bikes? I usually carry just the one, but this looks like my answer.

[skybetta]

Skybetta, are we talking 2 or 4 bikes? I usually carry just the one, but this looks like my answer.

I have a 4 bike rack but was using it to carry 2 bikes, I guess it also depends on the length of the tongue on your camper. Mine seems relatively short which is why at full turn the wheels of the rear most bike would make a little contact with the camper, after I slide the rack into the receiver as far as I could I drilled a new hole in the rack and it solved the problem.  With it setup like this I could probably mount 3 bikes on the rack without interference but I'm guessing the 4th bike would still make some contact at full turn. HTH

[shanks]

Thanks guys. I talked with a couple of hitch installers and they are prohibited from adding a hitch to a trailer by their insurance companies. However, one of them sold a kit for about $200 to install a hitch on a trailer. I also looked at the double receiver but that would require a swing away bike rack to access the back of the TV. These options would run $400-$600 dolars to carry 4 bikes. So I opted to install the bike holders on the front deck of my E2 for less than $100. I'll lose some storage on the deck but I have enogh for now.