Best way to reinforce Rear Bumper

[Im4tunate]

I recently purchased a 2014 X23b and plan on installing the Swagman Bike rack that mounts to the bumper. Before doing so, I want to reinforce the bumper to make sure there will be no support issues. The 2 aluminum bikes I will travel with weigh a combined total of 76 lbs. The 2 bike mounts weigh 22 lbs, which gives me a combined total of 98 lbs with the bikes. The bumper is made of 16 gage tube steel, and the frame its mounted to is made of 12 gage channel steel. My idea is to weld a steel triangle gusset to each frame/bumper joint (see attached for visual) This is where I need help. I have great welding skills and plenty of steel, but I'm not an engineer, so I don't know if my proposed method of support is adequate. If anyone has already reinforced their bumper or has any recommendations, I'm open to suggestions. I just want to make sure I'm properly reinforced before hitting the road.
[ATTACH][/ATTACH]

[clubhouse]

I would suggest forget reinforcing the bumper, and just fabricate a 2" receiver that is tied directly in to the frame.

I didn't make the welds personally, but on my previous trailer I had 2" Steel Tube (square not round) welded from frame to frame and then had a 2" receiver welded to that. The receiver was solidly welded to the square tube but also tack welded to the bottom of the bumper and flush welded to the frame cross member parallel to the bumper under the TT too add sheer strength. We hauled 4 bikes on a swagman bike rack for 1000+ miles before I sold the trailer.

Considering removing the factory bike/cargo tray from my current trailer and having the same hitch set up fabricated.

[Im4tunate]

Thanks for the feedback clubhouse. I'll take a look at tying a receiver into the frame.

[Threebutchers]

Originally Posted by Im4tunate

The 2 bike mounts weigh 22 lbs, which gives me a combined total of 98 lbs with the bikes.

I'm curious as to what type of bike mounts would allow the space for (2) across the back holding (4) bikes total?

[Im4tunate]

Threebutchers, I am attaching another picture showing the bike racks I have in mind, and the intent is 2 bikes total.

[jdorant]

I had a welder reinforce the bumper on my former 2011 x23J. I posted some pics of what the did here: http://www.jaycoowners.com/showthrea...hlight=jdorant

The bumper was strong and had not a problem holding the weight of the carrier and bikes. The only problem I did have was there is so much bounce in the rear that the bikes started to come undone from the straps and almost bounced off the trailer. Luckily my brother was behind me to tell me to pull over. I ended up trading in the trailer, but would have kept the bikes from bouncing so much would have been to once mounted on the carrier strap bikes and carrier to bumper. Good luck with whatever you do but just keep in mind you have to do more than just reinforce the bumper. Also, Jayco only spot welded the number onto my trailer, so the welder completed all the welds as well as adding bracing.

[Camper1]

Just a reminder that if you are adding about 100 pounds to the very rear of the trailer, you are also messing with the tongue weight so be sure you account for the extra rear weight. You should have 10% or the entire trailer weight as tongue weight or you will likely increase sway.

[Threebutchers]

Originally Posted by Im4tunate

Threebutchers, I am attaching another picture showing the bike racks I have in mind, and the intent is 2 bikes total.Attachment 11671

With that set-up and that weight I'm confident you wont have any issues as is....

[xkuzme1]

The additions that you plan on adding look to be a great start. I'd also add a flat patch to the top and bottom. The gussets that you at planning to add would seem to help the most with the lateral movment. Adding a top and bottom plate will be a better extension of the frame and will also help with the vertical stresses that you will be expecting.

Just my thoughts.

X

[tslarson]

I think the Swagman RV bike rack is a better rack, extremely solid and the bikes don't bounce around. I now have two, one on the back and one on the front of my trailer. Rear bumper wil still need some reinforcement.
http://www.etrailer.com/RV-and-Motor...an/S64663.html

[Im4tunate]

xkuzme1 - So your saying I should beef up the vertical support along the same plane as the bracket pointed to in the attached illustration?

[xkuzme1]

No, looking at the picture you posted...

Standing at the bumper looking down...

I'd weld a piece of steel from the little piece of the frame that you can see (on top) extending rearward to the edge of the bumper, overlapping the frame and the bumper with once piece of steal. One or two rosette welds in this area probably wouldn't hurt either (depending on how wide the piece of steal used was).

Do the same from the bottom. But looking at your picture, you may not be able too because the frame doesn't match the thickness of the bumper. In that case I'd put a vertical gusset from the frame rail all the way to the back edge of the bumper. That gusset would be trying to accept some of the load from the most aft moment of the bumper and transfer it to the bottom corner of the frame.

With the gussets you talked about and the welded steel plates stated above, and verticle gussets on the bottom,I believe that the only thing left that could fail would be the actual quality of the bumper. Tensile strength would have been added in both lateral and horizontal planes and weight displaced to the bumper instead of the bolts holding the bumper on.

That is what I'd do.

[xkuzme1]

Sorry for the crude drawing. iPads are not great for everything :-)

[Im4tunate]

Thanks xkuzme1, got it. I'll give it a try and see what happens.

[MrChristian]

I was searching for some information on carrying bike racks on the back of my JayFlight after seeing these guys at the Hershey RV show a couple of weeks ago. I found this thread and it looks like you are proposing a very similar solution.
http://www.mount-n-lock.com/products...e-safetystruts

I thought about buying a pair at the show, but was unsure about how it might work, so wanted to do some research first. Sorry to post on an older thread, but this one came the closest to what I was looking for and I wanted to see if anyone else had used these.

Cheers,
MrChristian

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by MrChristian

I was searching for some information on carrying bike racks on the back of my JayFlight after seeing these guys at the Hershey RV show a couple of weeks ago. I found this thread and it looks like you are proposing a very similar solution.
http://www.mount-n-lock.com/products...e-safetystruts

I thought about buying a pair at the show, but was unsure about how it might work, so wanted to do some research first. Sorry to post on an older thread, but this one came the closest to what I was looking for and I wanted to see if anyone else had used these.

Cheers,
MrChristian

That's an interesting solution! I'd like to hear from the masses on this as well!

[DocBrown]

Since this thread was resurrected, it's too bad the OP went AWOL. I'd like to know how this worked out.

[Camper_bob]

Link to fresh discussion thread in Tech forum:

http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/sh...953#post238953