On our Imagine its 300lbs. Its not recommended to attach a bike rack. We do and we're fully aware of the risk of failure. We only put 2 light bike on Swagman RV rack, with these https://www.amazon.ca/MaxxHaul-5002...ocphy=9000507&hvtargid=pla-693753947949&psc=1 this https://www.amazon.ca/Quick-Product...cphy=9000507&hvtargid=pla-1063449256472&psc=1 and strap the bikes diagonally back to the RV frame. You really have to prevent those bikes from bouncing and twisting at all cost or else its a complete bumper failure. Even with all this you might experience a failure. Consider yourself warned if going that route. I keep an eye on the bikes via the camera.
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There are too many photo-documented instances of bumper mounted bike racks causing metal fatigue in the bumper and welds and tearing it off the frame members. There's a lot of bouncing around back there that causes G-gorces well beyond the weight of the bikes and rack. Have a good hitch receiver welded to the frame.
Rob
Rob
Agree with Rob on this one. One friend lost his rack and bikes on the highway. There are now several good options for a bike rack that mounts over the propane tanks in the front. You may want to check out the Arvika which has models for 2-4 bikes or the Jack It that can hold 2 bikes. Our Arvika rack is still in good shape after ten years.
DrMarrs
New Member
Is there an option to have a hitch mounted to the frame under the bumper to use a bike rack?
Not from the factory if it doesn't already come that way, but any good fabricator or welding shop can either make one or weld a pre-fabricated one on for you. Lots of folks on the forum have had it done.
Rob
Keep in mind that any drilling through the frame or welding onto it will void the warranty. Just something to keep in mind.
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But only for a failure related to your welded modification, which is very unlikely in this case. If your A-frame cracked for example, it’s obviously not related to the receiver you welded on the back to carry your bike rack. I plan to add a weld-on receiver for my bike rack. I see no risk from an engineering perspective.
Seeing those photos really spoke to me as a metallurgical engineer. A bouncing bike rack imposes huge deflections on a flexible bumper structure, making fatigue inevitable. This prompted my decision to carry bikes in the TV and put what would otherwise be TV cargo in the trailer. This is kind of nice in that I can use that dense TV cargo as ballast to fine tune tongue weight. I’ll have to readjust things after welding a receiver to the frame and hanging a rack and bikes off the back. That heavy cargo could then go into the pass through up front, offsetting the leverage of the rack and bikes. It’s nice to have loading options.
I just don't want to give them an opportunity to bail out should something happen even thought the likelihood of requiring warranty work related to the frame is real low, them taking the opportunity to bail because I altered something if very likely. Once my warranty expires then a welded one goes on. Until then I'll risk manage the way we have.
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Just don't....as has been pointed out.
If you don't want them in the bed of the truck, get a mount that goes over the trailer tongue, instead.
Also note that the majority of racks explicitly warn that they are never to be used on an RV. Swagman, Yakima, and a handful of others have specific RV rated models.
If you don't want them in the bed of the truck, get a mount that goes over the trailer tongue, instead.
Also note that the majority of racks explicitly warn that they are never to be used on an RV. Swagman, Yakima, and a handful of others have specific RV rated models.
We tow our 17MKE with a Cayenne S, so bikes will be tucked away inside until getting a receiver welded surely to the trailer frame. We carry them inside the Cayenne for longer trips even without towing. A rack on the tongue adds a lot of wind resistance, exposes the bikes to flying debris, and adds tongue weight (we’re at 12% now), so we’ll stick with our trusty Thule T2 rack. It’s built like a tank and also bolts tightly into receivers with a wobble-free joint. Our bikes are all light, carbon frame models (the rack weighs as much as both bikes). I suspect the risky setup is a sloppy receiver joint combined with heavy bikes on a light duty rack.
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DrMarrs
New Member
Honestly, I have researched the options and I'm having a hitch receiver added to the front of the truck... Much cheaper and secure.
