Montana rear hitch.

[Emmel]

After getting word from Keystone that they will not be offering the rear hitch for a while, but in the same sentence was given an ok to install one for hauling bicycles, I went to our local hitch/welding shop and ask their thoughts. To build the hitch and install on our coach, $350/375. I think this will be the way I will go. The cost does not include the removal of the underbelly and replacement. I also chose not to have it wired so I don't get the itch to pull another trailer behind! I know others do this, I just personally choose not too!
At our dealership, I can get the entire bicycle rack for 4 at a cost of $99 before my discount. So, I figure those two two wheelers will set me back another $500. just so I can ride one with Ozz to get a beer!
This is a big business that does only hitches either pre-made or will fabricate one for you. They usually have a booth at the local camper shows.
These prices are here in the Troy Ohio area, so you may get them cheaper or more expensive in your home town.
This all came about after seeing a new model at Goshen with a rear hitch on it, only they said not to look for one from the factory very soon.

[clutch]

That is not a bad price. I paid almost $500 to have a hitch installed and the wiring done on our trailer. They did it all.

[Carl n Susan]

The Hiden Hitch Model 82201 (double check as I am doing this from memory) is a ready made hitch designed for motor homes which installs easily with bolts. It is adjustable for frames up to 72" wide. The Montana is 71" and it works well. Several of us have installed it. You can obtain one for about $250.

[nailbender]

That is a fair price, we paid $360.00 to have a hitch built and installed. We like the rear bike carrier because it can be easily transfered to the truck. One thing I would suggest you look for in a bike carrier is adjustable brackets that hold the bikes. The brackets can be rotated so the bikes are parallel to the ground. If they are not parallel the tires are closer to the ground on one side and could possibly make contact with the ground.

[Dustytuu]

We were told the Hidden Hitch would hold up to 300 pounds. Which could handle several bikes.

[richfaa]

This is the Hiden hitch that will fit as Carl indicated.....http://autoaccessconnect.stores.yahoo.net/motrhi.html

Also here for a lot less $

http://www.ontheball.com/motorhome_hitch.htm

[flyerone]

Do any of the Montana models have the slide out rack on the back like my Mountaineer 329RLS? I think it says it will hold 250lbs, I've let my generator ride on it with no problems.

[sunrisetosunset]

my wife, sybil, and i like to take our bike/trikes with us when we travel; i have one of those dahon folding bikes that goes in the back o f the truck bed when travelling and we have a full size, non folding tricycle for sybil that we use to have to take one of the rear wheels off and put in the camper for transport.......not the best situation, so we looked to getting somethig put on the back of anna. the biggest difficulty was that the trike was wider than most carriers i could come across. we thought we had solved the problem when we got a local friend do build us a rack.....great.....then we went to a local rv dealer to see if he could put us a reciever hithc on the back while they did some other work for us....yes...no problem. got the camper back.....put the rack on the hitch, put the trike in......tied it down and headed up the road to our next camping trip........watched the shadow in the side mirror the whole way as the trike and rack proceeded to bounce up and down with each and every bump for miles.........boing boing......as i pinched the seat the whole time.......(i just knew i was going to kill someone)
anyway....long story short is that we made it thru most of that trip with me checking the hitch every time we stopped.....until we were on our way back......i had not had any indication of impending failure yet, tho i really was not happy with the bounce i could see, until i looked at the hitch and saw the welds were cracking.....at that point i said..ok.that's it.....and we put both the carrier and the trike in the camper for the rest of the trip....taking them both out each time we stopped, which was only one or two times fortunately.
after returing home, we took the camper back to the dealer who installed the hitch and they just sorta shook thier collective heads and muttered somethig about hunh.should have held up.....while i was looking at them and the hitch and pointing out why it failed and wanting them to redo it ........nope..they were burnt once and now twice shy.......so.....they gave me my money back(not sure what they would have done if it had failed and someone had been injured.....) and sent me on my not so merry way .....
the end of the story is that i ended up putting a hitch rec. on the FRONT of the truck and it works just fine thank you very much except now i have to remove the old one that was put on the back and get a new underbelly liner to close back in the back end so my tail is not exposed to the elements like it is.......what i wouldn't give to be able to weld......this was all our experience and i'm quite sure most of y'all are in tune with your stuff that you're keeping watch on it all...just beaware that the way OUR montana was/is......it was going to require more beefing up than what the clowns at the place we went to ......you would think that they would have done a better job than they did.........go figure....just goes to show you......you're never able to give up responsibility even when someone is an 'expert'......happy trails.....gary

[Ozz]

Gary,
Glad you kept on top of it and all ended well. Sometimes we just have to trust the installers, some good, some bad.
I bolted my hitch to the frame back there, it works fine.

[bncinwv]

My interest has reached a peak now. What is involved in installing the hidden hitch onto a rig. Are they model specific?? Is drilling in the frame rails required. Does anybody actually have this rig installed yet and can provide detailed photos by chance??? Any experiences to date with the bouncing or is that rack specific?? This may be the alternative solution that I have been seeking,
Bingo

[Ozz]

Bolt it to the frame, the spread is wider than a truck, so a longer square tube is needed, but the brackets are universal.
Bouncing is no problem, check my Ozz's mods for install pictures.
I will make a slideshow or remix today and post it. Mine was under $200.00 I had to get the installer a beer.

[Ozz]

Rear hitch