Best value hitch platform bike rack?

[Danno]

Slight thread drift. My girlfriend's camper has no great way to carry bikes, the one that supposedly works best (we've installed it but not used it yet) is the jack-it rack: https://store.lci1.com/jack-it-doubl...-system-429756

We have an adapter to install it in the hitch (for when we get to camp but want to drive to a trailhead). Anyone used that rack by any chance? Any tips?

[Roxtar]

Slight thread drift. My girlfriend's camper has no great way to carry bikes, the one that supposedly works best (we've installed it but not used it yet) is the jack-it rack: https://store.lci1.com/jack-it-doubl...-system-429756

We have an adapter to install it in the hitch (for when we get to camp but want to drive to a trailhead). Anyone used that rack by any chance? Any tips?

That looks like a PITA to use and not very sturdy. How about just welding a 2" receiver under the rear of the camper frame? Cheap, easy, and (IMO) a far more elegant solution.

[toast2266]

That looks like a PITA to use and not very sturdy. How about just welding a 2" receiver under the rear of the camper frame? Cheap, easy, and (IMO) a far more elegant solution.

Unless the rear of the camper has really good ground clearance, I think it'll bottom out a lot. Just from the way trailers articulate over dips and rises, the bumper can get pretty close to the ground fairly often. Ours has some metal towards the back to protect the black/graywater pipes, and I scrape that metal almost every time I use the camper. I wouldn't want something lower and further back from my bumper.

But to Danno's question: I haven't seen any non-custom solution to carrying bikes on a camper that seems worth spending money on. For us, we just tow with a pickup truck and throw the bikes on a tailgate pad.

[El Chupacabra]

Slight thread drift. My girlfriend's camper has no great way to carry bikes, the one that supposedly works best (we've installed it but not used it yet) is the jack-it rack: https://store.lci1.com/jack-it-doubl...-system-429756

We have an adapter to install it in the hitch (for when we get to camp but want to drive to a trailhead). Anyone used that rack by any chance? Any tips?

I wouldn't use that rack if it were free.

Define camper. What is it?

If a trailer - why can't you put bikes on the tow vehicle? Sequoia? - then roof rack.

[Roxtar]

Define camper. What is it?

Yeah, that's probably a better way to start.
What kind of camper?
What kind of vehicle?

[Roxtar]

Unless the rear of the camper has really good ground clearance, I think it'll bottom out a lot. Just from the way trailers articulate over dips and rises, the bumper can get pretty close to the ground fairly often. Ours has some metal towards the back to protect the black/graywater pipes, and I scrape that metal almost every time I use the camper. I wouldn't want something lower and further back from my bumper.

That's why, one of my first (of many) camper mods was an axle flip. Almost 5" of extra clearance.

[singlesline]

Could you have someone weld up a frame that resembles the bottom of that Jack-It thing, but that just puts an elevated 2" receiver on the front of the trailer to which you attach a 1up?

As long as there's clearance and you can make the thing beefy enough, that seems like it would work.

You could maybe get clever and mount the 1up with the bar in the vertical storage position for , just make sure you use a real hitch pin and only use the clamping bolt for stability. Should be stable?

[climberevan]

If you're getting a welder involved, just make a tower that you can bolt the 1UP trays directly onto. That avoids the cost of the hitch part and makes the whole thing way stronger.

[singlesline]

Doesnt let you transfer to the tow vehicle though.

If you want to get a welder AND a machinist involved, I bet you could make replacement side plates for a 1up that allow the hitch bar to rotate all of the way down (180 degrees from the storage position).

Then you just need a little 2” receiver tube sticking straight up and you won’t have any clearance issues.

I can draw a picture if that doesn’t make sense. It would be a pretty slick way to solve the problem if it works.

[adrenalated]

He could just get a welder, a machinist, an engineer, a finance person, an assembly guy, and a banker involved and start a rack company.
At least he doesn't need to hire a lawyer since he can cover that side of it himself.

[climberevan]

Haha!

Good point about transferring the rack.

New plan: still build a platform to which the trays bolt, but use a complete 1Up rack. The hitch part just hangs out, ready for use on the tow vehicle.

We did a similar thing on the front of the Winningbago. It has tusks that we can sit the 1Up trays on.

[El Chupacabra]

Danno has abandoned the thread, so we can just speculate what his camper is. I'll guess it's a travel trailer with a shitty thin rear bumper, so don't attach a bolt on hitch to that.

He could have a RV hitch welded on the rear of the camper, attached to the frame. That would be strong enough to hold bikes on a rack. Ground clearance could be an issue, depends on the trailer.

Something like this:
https://www.etrailer.com/RV-and-Camp...AaAkqGEALw_wcB

[brutah]

Many bike hitch racks aren't rated for use on RVs or the back of campers FYI. Depends on the size of the trailer/camper ..... But something I'd consider if I was looking for a hitch rack for use on a camper

"The movement on the back of a travel trailer is the most significant but the 5th wheel or motorhome movement is also far more than the back of a vehicle due to the length behind the axle and the sway due to crosswinds and passing vehicles. That movement causes a lot of torque on the bike rack shank and moving parts can be damaged." Etrailer.com

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk

[grskier]

Unless the rear of the camper has really good ground clearance, I think it'll bottom out a lot. Just from the way trailers articulate over dips and rises, the bumper can get pretty close to the ground fairly often. Ours has some metal towards the back to protect the black/graywater pipes, and I scrape that metal almost every time I use the camper. I wouldn't want something lower and further back from my bumper.

But to Danno's question: I haven't seen any non-custom solution to carrying bikes on a camper that seems worth spending money on. For us, we just tow with a pickup truck and throw the bikes on a tailgate pad.

This.
We actually bought a pickup over a big SUV because of this.

[Roxtar]

Danno has abandoned the thread, so we can just speculate what his camper is. I'll guess it's a travel trailer with a shitty thin rear bumper, so don't attach a bolt on hitch to that.

I don't think trailer style campers have bumpers. I know mine doesn't.
They generally just have the rear frame crossmember, sometimes with the poop chute holder box attached. That's why I mentioned welding a 2" receiver directly to that rear crossmember. You'd only lose 2.25" of clearance.

[toast2266]

I don't think trailer style campers have bumpers. I know mine doesn't.
They generally just have the rear frame crossmember, sometimes with the poop chute holder box attached. That's why I mentioned welding a 2" receiver directly to that rear crossmember. You'd only lose 2.25" of clearance.

I'm sure it varies from camper to camper, but on the couple campers that I've owned, and most other campers that I've seen, that crossmember isn't even remotely strong enough to properly support a bike rack. It's thin walled junk. Hence why you never see anyone with bikes they care about attach a rack to their camper like that.

[El Chupacabra]

What I'm describing as a bumper on the back of a travel trailer is the thin walled 4" square tube that the blank tank drain hose can be stored inside. I wouldn't consider it a crossmember for the frame, as it's pretty thin.

I added a bolt on hitch onto the bumper on mine, with the idea I could store a bike rack on the bumper while towing (bikes in the truck bed), then move the rack to the truck while in camp - so I could use the rack for shuttling. My neighbor welded angle iron reinforcement under each frame rail, extending under the bumper to help support it. I think it'll be strong enough to hold the empty bike rack... I hope so. Haven't tried it yet.

[Danno]

He could just get a welder, a machinist, an engineer, a finance person, an assembly guy, and a banker involved and start a rack company.
At least he doesn't need to hire a lawyer since he can cover that side of it himself.

Have you seen my lawyering skills?

[Danno]

Sorry for abandoning, I forgot to check in to this forum today. This is the camper:



There is no easy way to weld on to the back. Tow vehicle is a Toyota Sequoia. Roof rack is the only option there, which kinda sucks but could be doable.

The rack I linked gets good reviews from the people who use it with this camper, so as janky as it looks, it isn't failing on people. I haven't heard anyone say why they think it's a bad idea other than it looks janky. There aren't other great options, which is why I asked about this.

[stapes]

Heh heh. Jack-it. Heh heh.

[jackstraw]

Just put the bikes IN the trailer. It's the most important piece when camping. Done. Your welcome. [emoji16]

[adrenalated]

Sorry for abandoning, I forgot to check in to this forum today. This is the camper:



There is no easy way to weld on to the back. Tow vehicle is a Toyota Sequoia. Roof rack is the only option there, which kinda sucks but could be doable.

The rack I linked gets good reviews from the people who use it with this camper, so as janky as it looks, it isn't failing on people. I haven't heard anyone say why they think it's a bad idea other than it looks janky. There aren't other great options, which is why I asked about this.

I bet the other people with the camper aren't Jacking It with mountain bikes worth thousands of dollars though.

Actual argument against it - can it handle the long wheelbases of modern mountain bikes? I don't love the way it holds the bikes but at least it holds the wheels and not the frames.

Personally I'd do roof racks. Yeah they suck to load but they work.

[Danno]

Just put the bikes IN the trailer. It's the most important piece when camping. Done. Your welcome. [emoji16]

We may try.

I bet the other people with the camper aren't Jacking It with mountain bikes worth thousands of dollars though.

Actual argument against it - can it handle the long wheelbases of modern mountain bikes? I don't love the way it holds the bikes but at least it holds the wheels and not the frames.

Personally I'd do roof racks. Yeah they suck to load but they work.

Re your first sentence, that's why I asked here.

We will test it out to see how the bikes load, I haven't done that yet. Hopefully it can accommodate them. And yeah, when I first saw it and all the straps I was like "oh no", but then saw that attached to the wheels and not the frame and was relieved.

[El Chupacabra]

If your Sequoia has a factory roof rack, I'd expect you could piece together strong aftermarket crossbars and suitable bike racks for cheap off Craigslist or FB marketplace. I'm using older Thule sidearm roof racks still, and they fit even the longest wheelbase bike I have (a very long WB at that) - these are widely available used for around $75-100 each.

[EWG]

If your Sequoia has a factory roof rack, I'd expect you could piece together strong aftermarket crossbars and suitable bike racks for cheap off Craigslist or FB marketplace. I'm using older Thule sidearm roof racks still, and they fit even the longest wheelbase bike I have (a very long WB at that) - these are widely available used for around $75-100 each.

I have some thule crossbars (they come with old feet for factory rails that probably won't work for anyone's vehicle anymore) that I can pass along for free, along with 3 rocky mounts black old style bike trays (one with a QR head ready to go, another with a QR head that works but is janky, one without a head) for free if that helps Danno or anyone. Feel free to grab just in case they work and if they don't just pass them on to the next person.