luv2skyski
Stockbridge, Georgia
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Joined: 05/30/2006
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I've used a ladder mount bike rack (the "J" hook kind) that I modified to carry 3 bikes for a while. It had plenty of strength to carry them but it was a pain in the backside to strap the bikes onto it then strap the front tires to the ladder to keep them from swinging.
So after seeing niknas reply to the Hauling Bicycles post I decided that I would try and do the same thing.
This mod is just an extension of his idea.
I used 1 1/4" x 1/2" aluminum bar, stainless steel u bolts the same ID as my ladder tubes (home depot), and Yakima "Blockhead" fork mount brackets:
I lowered and spaced out the middle bike mount so the handlebars would clear the outside bike frames. At this point her bike is smaller and fits in between our frames. I also inverted the outside Yakima brackets so those bike handles wouldn't interfer with each other.
Of course a picture is worth a 1000 words. So here they are:
Close ups of the upper mounting bars:
Close ups of the lower tire mounting angles:
Close ups of the forks mounted:
And of course with all three bikes mounted:
Now I can take down any bike without having to take the others down also (as opposed to the dreaded "J" hook!). This past summer I hauled our bikes thousands of miles (literally) and it works great.
Now...can you spot the flaw in my design?
Happy camping, Dave.
2004 Northern Lite 10-2000RR, 1999 F250
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two-rock
Cape Cod, MA
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Looks good, and I need to carry 3 mikes as well....BUT you covered your brake light?
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DarylD
Coon Rapids, Minnesota
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Looks like a very nice mod.
Looks like you covered the brake light AND the now the awning bracket is behind the bike rack.
Can you remove the bike rack to lower the awning?
HAPPY CAMPING!! 
Daryl and Sandy D.
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Herb36
Shelter Island, New York, USA
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Fancy ladder rack.How does the rig behind you know when your are making a left turn? Is it difficult steering the bikes with no front tire??
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luv2skyski
Stockbridge, Georgia
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two-rock wrote:Looks good, and I need to carry 3 mikes as well....BUT you covered your brake light? Actually that's not the flaw I was talking about. That one, I knew about going in. There is plenty of blinker and brake light that gets through so I wasn't going to worry about that.
DarylD wrote:Looks like a very nice mod.
Looks like you covered the brake light AND the now the awning bracket is behind the bike rack.
Can you remove the bike rack to lower the awning? Bingo. That's the one I missed. I'll have to drill a few more holes (I’ll call them “engineered lightening holes” if asked) and move the whole assemly to the left about 2 inches.
It's not like I use that little "Truckin' Awn" that much anyway. It hardly does any good unless the rain is coming straight down without any breeze.
Herb36 wrote:Is it difficult steering the bikes with no front tire?? Not really. You just have to have good balance.
Dave.
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You can't take the Fisherman out of this Camper
Ontario, Canada
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That looks Great!! A vey professional looking job! Can you still open the awning by unclipping the bottom from the lower bracket and pulling it to the right? (Probably a 2 person job?). I'm looking at doing something similar so I can mount a removable satellite dish at the top of my ladder. I am planning to use plastic tubing on the "U" brackets to provide some friction at the connections and so that I don't mark up the ladder tubing. Where did you get the 1-1/4" X 1/2" aluminum bar material??
1960's: Tents.. 1970's: Soft top & Hard top P/U.. 1980's: 17' RV.. 1990's: 24' RV.. 2000's: 2002 Cougar 276EFS & 2005 Laredo 29GS; 2002 GMC 2500HD Ext Cab 4x4; (Nfld/Labrador-Yukon/NWT/Alaska-Gaspe', Que./Florida!!)
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luv2skyski
Stockbridge, Georgia
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You can't take the Fisherman out of this Camper wrote:Where did you get the 1-1/4" X 1/2" aluminum bar material?? At a local metal fabrication shop. Dave.
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Scott_PDX
Portland oregon
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Joined: 10/22/2009
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Nice bike rack!
I've been contemplating how to carry the bikes on my set-up also. Looks like time for some more fabrication!
-= Scott
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whazoo
Arizona
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Joined: 10/12/2007
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luv2skyski wrote:
Herb36 wrote:Is it difficult steering the bikes with no front tire?? Not really. You just have to have good balance.
Dave.
A 16 speed unicycle with handle bars, Gallagher's probably already done that on stage. As usual Dave, your mods are second to none.
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fast.5
Ontario, Canada
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Joined: 01/29/2003
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Hi: That is the best one I have seen for a bike to ladder set up. If anyone is looking and does not want to use the ladder I have done two like that set up on different campers, as seen here, more pictures on my web site.
Mike
2004 FORD F350 Supercrew 4x4 V10 Airlift incab controls 42" titan extension camera.
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