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robos

michigan

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Posted: 01/19/11 01:33pm

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Since my spare tire on my Palomino Puma 25rks is mounted to the rear bumper I thought of taking it off and replacing it with a bike rack. However I hear horror stories of them falling off. Would really free up a lot of room in the bed of my truck. If the bumper is strong enough to hold a spare tire wouldn't the bumper be able to handle the weight of a bike rack and 2 bikes? Recommendations please!

mainetom

Maine, near Augusta

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Posted: 01/19/11 01:47pm

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robos wrote:

....I thought of taking (the spare tire) off and replacing it with a bike rack...

That's what I did about 12 years and four TTs ago, without incident. Threw the spare in the bed of the truck. Tire must be close to combined weight of the two bikes.

ktmrfs

Portland, Oregon

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Posted: 01/19/11 01:48pm

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depends on your bumper. IF it is welded all the way around to the crossmembers, hauling one or two bikes is probably ok. Wouldn't try it with 3 or 4. IF the bumper is only spotwelded or tack welded to the crossmembers I wouldn't haul anything. Taking the spare off makes it even better. you'll end up with about the same weight on the bumper, but further out so the moment arm increases some.

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TURBODOG1000

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Posted: 01/19/11 01:56pm

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The horror stories are true! Take your TT to a welder and have the rear bumper checked out and reinforced, then use a good bike rack that holds the bikes very tight, rear bumper bike racks take take a real shaking.

Good Luck!

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Bucky Badger

Madison, WI

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Posted: 01/19/11 01:58pm

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Just to bolt a bike rack on...Bad idea, if you have a weak bumper.

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C.B.

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Posted: 01/19/11 02:13pm

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This may help you.

First we reinforced the connection of bumper to frame top and bottom.
[image]

The reciever hitch came of a pickup going to the junk yard. Cut the ends off and welded angle iron tabs on. Had a local frame shop make up 4 u-bolts.
[image]

To keep rack from bouncing you'll see a nut welded to top of reciever tube. A bolt run down tight and jam nutted keeps the rack from bouncing inside of the reciever tube.
[image]

We've used it for two seasons now without any problems.

C.B.

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sch911

Rochester Hills, MI

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Posted: 01/19/11 03:42pm

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Bad idea. Install a rear receiver hitch to the TT frame. Then use the appropriate receiver style rack.

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skipnchar

Topeka or somewhere else

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Posted: 01/19/11 04:17pm

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Just something to consider. Your spare tire isn't sitting on the end of a lever several feet BEHIND the bumper. That leverage will easily put four or five times the actual weight of the bikes on the rear bumper, especially on a bumpy road. If you feel you MUST carry bikes on the back of the trailer at least have the rack welded to the frame and supported by the bumper. Just using the bumper is like rolling the dice. Good luck / Skip

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Dakzuki

Carnation, Wa, USA

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Posted: 01/19/11 05:16pm

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I pull a utility trailer behind my C and clamp a hitch rack to the trailer tongue with U bolts.

I have seen other ingenious ideas for mounting bikes to the front of trailers...some above the LP tanks.

If you mount on the back I agree with putting a 2 inch receiver back there. Trailers move up and down at the rear a lot. I have seen lots of bikes in danger of coming off....a few spare tires too.

With a 2 inch receiver you can also plug in other things like a hitch mounted tray to carry bulky/dirty cargo.

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john b

anywhere USA!

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Posted: 01/19/11 05:36pm

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C.B. wrote:

This may help you.

First we reinforced the connection of bumper to frame top and bottom.
[image]

The reciever hitch came of a pickup going to the junk yard. Cut the ends off and welded angle iron tabs on. Had a local frame shop make up 4 u-bolts.
[image]

To keep rack from bouncing you'll see a nut welded to top of reciever tube. A bolt run down tight and jam nutted keeps the rack from bouncing inside of the reciever tube.
[image]

We've used it for two seasons now without any problems.

C.B.

Not at all impressed with this setup,added a bunch of dead weight and leveraged it so far behind the bumper with the weight. Much better application would have been to modify the receiver to fit the frame of the trailer.IMHO jb

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