X17z bike rack for camper

[Jsusluvsyou]

Camping world sells one on line that hooks to a frame. My research says can't put it on bumper... Question... If it went on front frame would receiver clear the front bed when out and extended?

 

[Jsusluvsyou]

If I towed x17z with bikes on the front frame and my Toyota Tacoma would tongue weight be too much?

 

[AndyB-JAY]

We had the same need and found an A-frame mounted rack that holds all 4 of our bikes. Very secure and easy to load and unload. The only caveat is that the one of the bikes is my daughters youth bike and goes on the trailer side of the mount (it will make sense when you see it) and I pulled the pedals and turned the handlebars so it wouldn't touch the trailer when driving. This should work with a full size bike too, but I haven't tried it.
The manufacturer is Arvica and they have a pretty good website with several choices for racks. We bought the DFX-400-A
website is www.arvika.ca

 

[BluJay]

The safest place to carry bikes with an X17z is inside. Two full-size bikes fit very nicely on the floor between the couch and dinnete (one facing foreward, one facing aft with seats & handlebars leaning on the couch [covered with a 5X7 blue tarp] and the wheels braced on the storage bins). We've done several thousand miles using this configuration with no damage to either the bikes or interior. HINT: Stand the bikes on their back wheels to get them in/out of the door.

 

[Camp-Zilla]

We just bought a Jay Feather 17C. The former owner had mounted a bike rack which we have removed. We might use it at a later date.
The back bumper had been reinforces with a solid 2 x 4 or 2 x 6 wooded board. It is strong wood and is bolted onto holes he drilled in the bumper. Then he attached the bike rack which can be used or removed easily.

 

[Allamuchy_Joe]

We just bought a Jay Feather 17C. The former owner had mounted a bike rack which we have removed. We might use it at a later date.
The back bumper had been reinforces with a solid 2 x 4 or 2 x 6 wooded board. It is strong wood and is bolted onto holes he drilled in the bumper. Then he attached the bike rack which can be used or removed easily.

While the wood might help the C-Channel bumper hold it shape, it does not address the weak point where the bumper is riveted to the frame. Unless that is reinforced, nothing with that much weight should be put on the 17's bumper. If the entire assembly falls off, it could be very dangerous for drivers following your trailer.

Take a look at this picture from our 2012 X17Z. You can see only 4 rivets per side holding the entire bumper on. This is not a strong enough fastening scheme to hold bikes safely in such a dynamic environment on the rear end of a trailer.

EDIT -- actually, it is even worse than that. I remembered the actual bumper itself was only held onto the bracket by 2 rivets per side. I don't have the 17Z anymore to verify that but you can clearly see it in this picture: