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12-08-2019, 11:06 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Colorado Springs
Posts: 1,270
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The totally outrageous bike rack at the rear thread
I know you cannot put bikes on the back. . . .
I have and Eagle HT with rear hitch. I have read lots of things about how bad it is to have bikes on the back, but most seem to be bumper mount issues. And yet, I still see lots of people doing it. I want a hitch mounted bike rack for my Eagle HT. It will need to support 3 bikes, and one is an E-bike. They total a little over 100lbs. I am still a little jealous of the Cougar fold down trays.
So, what are other Jayco Eagle owners using?
tray type or rack type?
Brand?
Model?
How many bikes?
weight ratings?
My favorite so far was a grill tray I saw at Buc'ees, but I failed to pull the trigger on that one. It would have required some mods for bikes, but it appeared really sturdy compared to most I see.
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12-08-2019, 01:58 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Nashville
Posts: 636
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Following
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12-08-2019, 03:56 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: City
Posts: 110
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There are a few options available for a hitch mounted bike carrier on the back of a fifth wheel. Make sure you do your research. Most RV rear hitch mounted bike carriers are not rated for the hitch mount on the rear of a travel trailer or fifth wheel. These carriers work fine on RVs such as class a and class c (motorhomes), but not on travel trailers or fifth wheels. This is due to the better suspension found on motorhomes. Most fifth wheels and travel trailers do not have shocks in the suspension design like motorhomes do. There is a significant amount of bounce at the rear of travel trailers and fifth wheels which use standard trailer suspension. A bike rack needs to be rated for using it on the rear of a trailer. I use a Swagman E-Spec 2-Electric Bike Platform Rack for 2" Hitches. I have two electric bikes that weigh about 60lbs each. I remove the batteries to reduce the weight. I also use a Formosa bike cover which works really good. It covers both bikes and the rack. It does block the taillights of the fifth wheel somewhat, so I use magnetic trailer lights on the tube bumper from HF. Etrailer.com is a really good source of information. I purchased my bike carrier from them. They are very helpful and quick to reply if you send them questions via email. The bike carrier i mentioned carries 2 bikes. The hitch on my 5er is rated for 300lbs. The bike carrier weighs 60lbs and is rated to carry 2 bikes at 70lbs each. Your post stated you have 3 bikes. Not sure how to add a 3rd bike. The carrier I use is only for 2 bikes.
You may have better luck using a cargo carrier type of rear rack and adding the bike carrying adapters to it. I would place the heaviest bike closest to the 5er to reduce cantilever induced bending as much as possible.
Hope this helps!
__________________
2022 Eagle 321RSTS
2019 Ford F350 6.7L Diesel CC SB 4x4 w/Timbrens
Pullrite Superglide and Morryde pinbox
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12-08-2019, 05:11 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Southeast USA
Posts: 190
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I use the Swagman Trailhead 4 on my Eagle. Works great and folds when not in use.
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12-08-2019, 05:42 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: lima
Posts: 163
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We started with a rack style from Yakima that was RV rated. It didn't survive the 2nd trip and 1 of the arms was bent down. I thought the rack style was hard to load. I returned that rack and got a refund from Yakima. I convinced myself that a platform style would be easier to load. The only 4 position platform style I could find was this.... https://www.strombergcarlson.com/pro...-model-bc-204/ Purchased it about 1 year ago, have used it for several local trips, nothing more than about 500 miles, so far so good. I use the factory hitch on the back of our 2017 Eagle 355MBQS.
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12-08-2019, 07:46 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Bowling Green
Posts: 305
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Back when we towed a trailer, I installed a front mount 2" receiver on my truck and installed the bike rack up front. Never had any problems
__________________
Roy(Opa) and Hilda(Oma)
Bowling Green, OH
2017 Seneca 37TS
2010 Toyota Tundra toad
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12-08-2019, 08:15 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Port Huron, Mi
Posts: 1,737
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12-08-2019, 08:17 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Port Huron, Mi
Posts: 1,737
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Sorry the last is upside down. I've never had that happen before.
__________________
2017 North Point 375BHFS
2015 Silverado 3500HD Crew Dually Dmax 4x4
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12-08-2019, 08:39 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Port Huron, Mi
Posts: 1,737
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12-08-2019, 08:40 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Port Huron, Mi
Posts: 1,737
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Ugh, now the first one is upside down.
I cant win.
__________________
2017 North Point 375BHFS
2015 Silverado 3500HD Crew Dually Dmax 4x4
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12-08-2019, 09:28 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: arp
Posts: 193
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Put those bike up front. Worked for me.
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12-08-2019, 09:46 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Cheyenne
Posts: 807
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The eagle ht with the factory reciever is rated at 300 pound pin 3000 pound trailer. It should have no problem carrying bikes and a rack. I use mine with a thule rack. I can see the bikes with my rear camera.
__________________
2018 eagle ht 29.5 bhds
2016 f350 Lariat 6.7 powerstroke
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12-08-2019, 10:16 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: DFW
Posts: 2,229
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Fantastic thread title......
Love the electric bike idea, but curious to hear how others carry them as they are becoming more popular.
__________________
2017 Eagle HT 26.5BHS Sold
2019 Eagle 321RSTS Sold
2024 Grand Design 310GK
2024 Chevy 3500HD DRW
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12-08-2019, 10:20 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: Cheyenne
Posts: 321
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I wanted a bike rack that could go from my TV to the trailer. I wanted something that would fold up when not in use. I didn’t want to have to store it in my garage when not being used, I needed it to go to storage with the trailer when not needed. It only needed to handle 2 beach cruisers.
Everything for TT or FW was a suspension mount where they hung them in the air, not a folding design that would work on my TV. So I bought a Hollywood hitch that had the capabilities of 2 bikes or 4 if you bought the extension. It was not rated for TT or FW, it even has a sticker on it saying not to use it for my application. I have no intent of ever going to 4 bikes and the hitch is built to handle them. It’s a beast. The only thing I could see that would fail is the spring loaded latches that move it up and down. So I run the cable that came with the hitch through the bikes and hitch taught to the lock point on the trailer hitch. I have put about 3500 miles on this hitch (even over the Rockies) with no problems. Now I will never add the expansion rack to carry more, because I’m comfortable with the way it is now. I also think because of the expansion to 4 bikes capability is the reason they derated it.
Your trailer hitch will handle a 4 bike rack easily, it just will be an L shaped fixed rack that will hang the bikes. Go to eTrailer, best site for this stuff.
__________________
2020 Eagle HT 30.5 CKTS, MORryde Pin Box, Zamp Solar, Xantrex Inverter (16” wheel upgrade, springs on lower shackle hole)
F-250 4X4 Supercab w/SB, 6.2L,Camper Package, Factory 5th Wheel Hitch, Demco 18K Autoslider
Gone Fishing!
SIGPIC
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12-09-2019, 07:45 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Somerset
Posts: 400
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I have a Swagman E-Spec on the Jayco HT 28.5 RSTS. I have over 10,000 miles on it while hauling 2 Ebikes that are 55# each. To date no issues and works great.
https://www.amazon.com/Swagman-64689...63303784&psc=1
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12-09-2019, 09:29 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Litchfield, CT
Posts: 476
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I have an HT 30.5 CKTS and use a standard 2 bike rack with the 2" insert mount, it works very well for us. However, we have two hybrid mountain/touring bikes that are very light-weight. I carefully strap them at angles to the bumper to reduce the amount of sway and bounce when on the road. I worry about them hitting the back wall or window glass.
I transport them with the front wheels dismounted. That lets me turn the handlebars so they are parallel to the bumper. I have had not evidence of it ever coming close to hitting the back of the camper and the bike rack itself seems to have very little movement. I also added a "hitch tightener" or anti-rattle clamp bought on
Amazon That was a huge benefit in reducing the bounce.
For your application with the e-bike and a total of three, you may need to follow the advice of others for a heavier duty rack than I am using. My theory is: the closer you can keep it to the rear of the camper the better you will reduce bounce and shock to the hitch components.
__________________
2020 Eagle HT 30.5 CKTS Modern Farmhouse (16" wheels, spring shackles set on lower hole of frame, SumoSprings TSS-107-40, standard kingpin, B&W Companion slider, TST-507 TPMS, Progressive Industries hardwired 50A EMS HW-50C)
2019 F250 SRW SuperCab 4X4 SB 6.2 (10,000# GVW) 3.73 Axle 18" wheels
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12-09-2019, 10:15 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Natalbany Creek Campground, Amite City, LA
Posts: 3,244
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This is a must for any hitch receiver type of bike rack. Absolutely takes all slop out of the connection and really stabilizes the connection:
https://www.amazon.com/Mission-Autom...xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==
__________________
AL & JANET KRUEBBE
2019 PINNACLE 37RLWS
2018 NORTH POINT 315RLTS (TRADED)
2017 RAM 3500 DRW DIESEL/AISIN 4.10 AIR BAGS
B&W COMPANION TURN OVER BALL HITCH
Formerly from Sequim, WA
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12-09-2019, 10:45 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Clute
Posts: 192
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TxLoser
Fantastic thread title......
Love the electric bike idea, but curious to hear how others carry them as they are becoming more popular.
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Here's a link to what we are doing to carry our E bikes.
https://youtu.be/TooJTDJ_8Oo
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12-09-2019, 10:55 AM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 9,780
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There are two issues with rear mounted bike racks for trailers.
1) bumpers; for bumper mount units are just not strong enough. Easy solution, add a welded 2" reciever hitch.
#2) bouncing; the back of trailers bounce alot more than a vehicle. Most bike racks are not built with that type of load. Solution, heavier built rack.
There are a few racks out there made for RVs. I'm using a Swagman XT4, I found my cleaves pin to lock it in the up or down position is bending. Friend has a similar but SOB trailer, uses the same rack with no issues. The smaller XT2, might just be fine.
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