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Old 03-24-2017, 05:47 AM   #21
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And here is my set up. When not hauling the bikes, I can remove the rack by undoing 4 bolts and then can use the trailer tray to haul something else. But nothing too heavy as it does impact the tongue weight. I am right at 15 percent when fully loaded and having weighed at a CAT scale.
This is pretty much exactly what I am planning on doing. I have 2 fork mount bike racks that I can put there for now but need two more. The thing I have been holding off on is I want to do what you mentioned and get the camper loaded and head to the CAT scale. I am a little concerned about weight. The shelf weighs about 60# from what I think I saw on the website you mentioned. Most of the time I would use it for my generator which weighs 150#. So that is 210# added to TW. I max out at 1000#TW based on the hitch on my truck. The other problem is the pass through storage and under bed storage are all in the front. We have some storage under the dinette and under the bunk so we are going to have to keep anything heavy back there to try and lighten what I have a feeling is going to be a heavy tongue.
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Old 03-24-2017, 08:24 AM   #22
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I also was looking at that bike rack but I have so little room left on my frame from the WD snap up brackets that I wondered if it would fit. I am instead buying fold up bikes ( Columbia 26 " @$215 each) & storing them in the bed of the pickup. The bikes weigh 35lbs each so its just additional weight in the TV bed which I have room for & its covered with a tonneau.
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Old 03-24-2017, 08:34 AM   #23
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I also was looking at that bike rack but I have so little room left on my frame from the WD snap up brackets that I wondered if it would fit. I am instead buying fold up bikes ( Columbia 26 " @$215 each) & storing them in the bed of the pickup. The bikes weigh 35lbs each so its just additional weight in the TV bed which I have room for & its covered with a tonneau.
Yeah, I haven't done measurements yet. Like I mentioned I want to figure out the weight thing first. My other thought is I have seen a modification to the dinette area. I have to look at it again but there are the plywood covers for the storage area. I could pull the cushion and either make a new cover that has a couple fork mounts bolted to it or if I can flip over and mount them on the bottom that might work. I know there are covers for the storage but don't remember if they are hinged or if they drop in an opening. I guess I could also make a platform where the table drops into when converting to a bed. If I store inside the camper I just want a way to secure them so they don't bounce all over the place.

If you scroll down toward the bottom of this article you will get the idea of my thought on transporting in the camper on a dinette rack.

http://learntorv.com/bikes-and-fifth-wheels/
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Old 03-24-2017, 08:49 AM   #24
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The dinette seat covers lay on top of plywood that just lifts out for storage. You can probably modify the structure of that area without to much change by removing the panels where the heels of your feet hit & reframing with a header than create a channel that you can slip in the foot panels back in when restoring it back to normal seating , not that it is really necessary for normal usage, just for looks. I was thinking of opening those areas up & putting in doors on the front side along with some wheeled plastic storage bins for access without having to lift up the seats all the time. That is a valuable storage area IMO. I usually sore bottles (wine) & other heavy objects under them.
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Old 03-24-2017, 08:57 AM   #25
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The dinette seat covers lay on top of plywood that just lifts out for storage. You can probably modify the structure of that area without to much change by removing the panels where the heels of your feet hit & reframing with a header than create a channel that you can slip in the foot panels back in when restoring it back to normal seating , not that it is really necessary for normal usage, just for looks. I was thinking of opening those areas up & putting in doors on the front side along with some wheeled plastic storage bins for access without having to lift up the seats all the time. That is a valuable storage area IMO. I usually sore bottles (wine) & other heavy objects under them.
Here is a better write up on how that guy did the install. My concern is that I need to measure the bikes to see if they are too long to fit in the dinette space. It isn't that big on the 25BH.

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...els-44515.html

I agree on using totes and adding doors. I have thought of the same thing as there isn't a lot of storage behind the axles the way mine is optioned. I seen them do this on the WhiteHawk I think. I just have the dinette and under the lower bunk. If I run with a full water tank that will be quite a bit of weight in front of the axles to be adding another 210# in a shelf and generator. I don't think the bikes don't weight that much.

My other option is to add a front hitch to the truck. They make that but this will then go against my cargo weight which I am already pushing if I have 1000# in TW and that is why I can't put the load on the A Frame. Upgrading the rear hitch to a Class IV isn't an option from what I have been finding. As in not finding anything. A front hitch is $110 and supports 500# vert load.
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Old 03-24-2017, 08:57 AM   #26
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Oh I see what you mean, Sheesh I didn't see the link until after my last reply. I was thinking folding bikes under the seat area. Yes that looks very doable with regular non folding bikes. Just remove the front wheels & lock them in place. Only thing I don't like is the fact that you have to tote them into the camper without damaging anything. It may be a little tight with our narrow door area.
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Old 03-24-2017, 09:01 AM   #27
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Yeah there is hauling them and the dirt into the camper as the draw back but it is an option. Also you have to pull the front wheel. Though on most mountain bikes it isn't a big deal.

We mainly ride mountain bikes not because they are going through the mud but just for the riding position. So they really are not all that dirty but that will differ based on how and where you ride.
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Old 03-24-2017, 09:09 AM   #28
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This is the bike I'm getting
https://www.amazon.com/Columba-Foldi...=columbia+bike
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Old 03-25-2017, 03:23 PM   #29
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This is pretty much exactly what I am planning on doing. I have 2 fork mount bike racks that I can put there for now but need two more. The thing I have been holding off on is I want to do what you mentioned and get the camper loaded and head to the CAT scale. I am a little concerned about weight. The shelf weighs about 60# from what I think I saw on the website you mentioned. Most of the time I would use it for my generator which weighs 150#. So that is 210# added to TW. I max out at 1000#TW based on the hitch on my truck. The other problem is the pass through storage and under bed storage are all in the front. We have some storage under the dinette and under the bunk so we are going to have to keep anything heavy back there to try and lighten what I have a feeling is going to be a heavy tongue.
The dry hitch weight on your trailer (25bh) is 640 lbs, which Jayco defines as NOT including your propane (not sure if it includes the empty tanks or not). I don't believe it includes a battery either, but I could be wrong.

One empty 30 lb tank weighs about 25 lbs and full weighs 55 lbs. So add two full tanks and you've got 110 lbs. A Group 27 battery will add about 60 or so lbs.

Not sure what your bikes will weigh, but say 30 lbs each x 5 is another 120 lbs.

Then there will be the weight of your bike racks. I have no idea what those will be, but say 25 lbs for all of them.

And then the 60 lbs for the trailer tray itself.

So we've got 640 + 110 + 60 + 120 + 25 = 955 lbs. This doesn't factor in the amount of weight you've got in the pass through, in the front wardrobes, bedding, foam mattress topper, etc.

Of course the bikes and batteries and propane sit a bit back from where the tongue connects to the hitch ball, so you can discount the weight a bit. But you will likely be pretty close be to 1000 lbs hitch weight with either the bikes or the generator up there.

Your trailer is listed as 6750 gross trailer weight, so 12 to 15% of that is the recommended hitch weight, which would be 810 to 1012 lbs.
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Old 03-25-2017, 04:24 PM   #30
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The dry hitch weight on your trailer (25bh) is 640 lbs, which Jayco defines as NOT including your propane (not sure if it includes the empty tanks or not). I don't believe it includes a battery either, but I could be wrong.

One empty 30 lb tank weighs about 25 lbs and full weighs 55 lbs. So add two full tanks and you've got 110 lbs. A Group 27 battery will add about 60 or so lbs.
My camper camper came with 20# tanks not 30#. They run 37# each full so 74# for two. I am running a single Group 27 battery. Interstate's website calls it 50#. It is in a plastic case so lets go 55# but your number was close.

Quote:

Not sure what your bikes will weigh, but say 30 lbs each x 4 is another 120 lbs.

Then there will be the weight of your bike racks. I have no idea what those will be, but say 25 lbs for all of them.

And then the 60 lbs for the trailer tray itself.

So we've got 640 + 110 + 60 + 120 + 25 = 955 lbs. This doesn't factor in the amount of weight you've got in the pass through, in the front wardrobes, bedding, foam mattress topper, etc.
640 + 74 + 55 + 120 + 25 = 914
Quote:

Of course the bikes and batteries and propane sit a bit back from where the tongue connects to the hitch ball, so you can discount the weight a bit. But you will likely be pretty close be to 1000 lbs hitch weight with either the bikes or the generator up there.

Your trailer is listed as 6750 gross trailer weight, so 12 to 15% of that is the recommended hitch weight, which would be 810 to 1012 lbs.
Now another thing to factor in. When they quote specs on a camper this is without options. This is why people need to look at the yellow sticker which shows what the camper weighs with options as it left the factory and not the "dry weight" in the sales material. The one on the sticker is the real "dry weight" and it shows what is available in cargo weight.

So for options that come into play are the optional outside kitchen which is in the back of the camper. The bumper mount BBQ bracket as well as the exterior ladder. Ladder doesn't add much but the kitchen and outside fridge will and that is all in back of the axles. It won't make up for all the weight that is on the A Frame but it can account for some of it. I am also will load anything possible that is heavy in back. Bags and bins all go on the bunks. Anything we don't need access to that is heavy will be under the rear bunk or under the dinette. Also after going through stuff today I want to beef up the dinette with thicker plywood on the seat which is also the access cover to under dinette storage and as I was talking about in other posts in this thread is most likely where I will end up putting the bikes. This is all in back of the axles. Front pass through will largely be used for chairs, leveling blocks and other stuff used to set up the camper. Most of which isn't really heavy but more bulky.

The big reason I haven't ordered the shelf is my first plan of attack is to get the camper loaded. Then I am going to use the bathroom scale to see what the tongue weight is at and head to the CAT Scale. From there I can see where I am at and what my options are.
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Old 03-25-2017, 07:17 PM   #31
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The big reason I haven't ordered the shelf is my first plan of attack is to get the camper loaded. Then I am going to use the bathroom scale to see what the tongue weight is at and head to the CAT Scale. From there I can see where I am at and what my options are.
This is the best plan. All the rest was just speculation on my part.
Good luck and tell us what you find.

P.S. I think I forgot to add in the weight of the trailer tray itself (another 60 lbs) in my formula/addition. And then as a result, you didn't add it in either.

My total should have been 1015. Yours 974.
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Old 03-25-2017, 09:31 PM   #32
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This is the best plan. All the rest was just speculation on my part.
Good luck and tell us what you find.

P.S. I think I forgot to add in the weight of the trailer tray itself (another 60 lbs) in my formula/addition. And then as a result, you didn't add it in either.

My total should have been 1015. Yours 974.
Yeah I don't see it in there either. One interesting thing is that I was expecting the bikes to be lighter than the generator up on the front. Your guesses are probably pretty close. I don't remember what the bikes weigh. While I have a carbon fiber mountain bike, I don't like taking that one with and normally take my Canondale Super-V which is a lot heavier. The wife has a lower end Specialized but it is pretty heavy. Then the kids bike are small they are probably steel frame so about as heavy as our adult bikes.

It is good to help people think of the numbers when doing this because they may not have run the numbers of loading up the A Frame but I have been running the numbers. I do like the option better than trying to carry the bikes on a bolt on 2" receiver on the square tube bumper at the back of the camper. I have read of way too many bumpers getting ripped off. One thing that sucks on the Yukon is that the hitch can't be upgrade. Though it probably doesn't matter much because of the cargo limits. The way it is built into the frame it isn't an option but I did discover that I can add a front hitch to it which can support up to 700# of downward force. Way more than the bikes but that hitch, bike carrier and bikes all go against cargo so probably won't work either with a trailer as big as we have. The best option is putting the bikes in the dinette area. That doesn't help for the generator but that could probably go there as well. I just don't like having the generator in there because of the fuel and that there isn't a good way to secure it.
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Old 03-28-2017, 11:10 AM   #33
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CAT scale is the best approach. With my Arvika and Thule setup and 2 bikes, my TW comes in bang on 15% of GTW and well within spec. Includes 2 propane tanks, about 3/4 full at the time of weighing. My battery and spare tire are also located on the A-frame.
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Old 04-25-2017, 10:14 AM   #34
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Why is it a bad idea?

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I have been looking at bike racks like this as well. Not sure on your model but I know that with a lot of the 2017 Jaycos have these racks are a factory option. It was for my 25BH. I would think it is a better option than the clamp around the square tube bumper which we all know is a bad idea. It will add to your tongue weight which normally isn't an issue as long as you are not pushing it for your vehicle.

I just looked at the Jay Feather X26B and it is listed as an option like on my trailer.

2 Bike Carrier Rack A Frame $262.

The only potential issue you may face is that you may have to take it apart partly to lower your front bunk if that cross bar with the receiver is too high. Normally the install of these involves setting the brackets on the A Frame then the upright bars are round so they swivel around to get the position right for that top cross bar. Once in place you drill some holes in the round tubes and bolt on the top cross bar. Some people have changed these nuts out for butterfly nuts so they can easily remove it. This is because they had to pull the mount if they needed to change a LP tank. This might be another factor you would run into. Some people reported they didn't have to take it apart if they went from the hard LP tank covers to the soft ones. Though I should point out what I was reading about was a modified version of this bike rack where it is a shelf rather than a rack. The shelf holds up to 300# which would be perfect for a generator.
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Old 04-25-2017, 11:14 AM   #35
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I would like to get the front fork mount but my turning radius doesn't allow it.
I'm already touching my camper with my 8' bed when I make sharp turns.
I don't think the inside dinette will work either
May have to go back to service to reinstall a bigger bumper...when I first bought they gave me a price of $350 for a different re-inforced bumper, hope that hasn't changed too much?
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Old 04-25-2017, 12:10 PM   #36
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Why is it a bad idea?
Booradly,

Because of the leverage the bike rack has hanging out the rear of the tt (due to the weight of it and the bikes), it causes the bumper to twist and actually rip from where it is welded to the frame rails over time. How much time is the unknown, by chances are it will happen eventually.

That's why a frame mounted receiver hitch is the best way to go if putting a bike/cargo rack on the rear of the tt.

The bumper can be reinforced to help prevent the issue.
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Old 04-25-2017, 09:00 PM   #37
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You have to think dynamic load, not static. Static may be 150-200 sitting still, but dynamic (bouncing) going down the road may be a LOT higher.
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Old 04-26-2017, 12:13 PM   #38
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I would like to get the front fork mount but my turning radius doesn't allow it.
I'm already touching my camper with my 8' bed when I make sharp turns.
I don't think the inside dinette will work either
May have to go back to service to reinstall a bigger bumper...when I first bought they gave me a price of $350 for a different re-inforced bumper, hope that hasn't changed too much?
Hard to say from your sig picture how far back your bed rack goes, but keep in mind that the bikes sit quite high. They would likely swing over the bed missing the tailgate. The bottom of my rack is about midway up the back window of my Traverse, so I get to see the ends swinging nice and close to the back window, but don't touch even on the tightest turns.
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Old 06-04-2017, 05:44 PM   #39
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Booradly,

Because of the leverage the bike rack has hanging out the rear of the tt (due to the weight of it and the bikes), it causes the bumper to twist and actually rip from where it is welded to the frame rails over time. How much time is the unknown, by chances are it will happen eventually.

That's why a frame mounted receiver hitch is the best way to go if putting a bike/cargo rack on the rear of the tt.

The bumper can be reinforced to help prevent the issue.
Has this actually happened to anyone? Just curious, couldn't find a thread other than theories.
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Old 06-04-2017, 05:54 PM   #40
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Has this actually happened to anyone? Just curious, couldn't find a thread other than theories.
You mean bikes twisting the bumper off? I've never personally seen it, nor have I personally seen bikes on the side of the road attached to bumpers, but I have seen pictures of it on the internet (so it must be true!).

In all seriousness, I'm fairly certain our manuals state that we are NOT to add anything to the rear bumper, because of the risk of damaging the bumper. That is sufficient for me.
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