Bike racks revisited - Page 2 - Montana Owners Club

tbhd · 05-21-2005, 02:47 PM

Hope this picture might explain things a little better. The truck is at a 45 degree angle to the 5er and it is a large frame bike also. I have a couple of other pictures that I would be happy to email you if you like.

Sharon

MIMF · 05-22-2005, 06:05 AM

My approach to this solution was to go to Camping World and buy a couple of those fold-up bikes. They fit nice in the front compartment behind the pin box. They didn't cost that much more than good quality name brand bikes.

The seat post slides down, the peddles flip down, the handle bars fold and the silly thing then folds in half. In fact, the seat post slides down far enough that the bottom acts as a support to hold the bike standing upright because, now both wheels are side-by-side. Both of them fit next to each other and aren't that heavy. I set them in the compartment so that one is turned one direction and the other is turned the other way. They also have six speeds and handle really nice. I think you can also get carring bags for them.

At first I was a little skeptical about them being able to support my 250 lbs of s......... lard. But, the bikes get used every weekend.

Therefore, I have a couple of nice Huffy 15 speed mountain bikes for sale.

CountryGuy · 05-22-2005, 06:20 AM

tbhd

Thanks for posting the photo!!

please do send other photos to the yahoo email address

One more question, can you open your front storage hatch door with the bike on the truck?

OK, make that two more questions,

, what is the distance from the bottom of the bike tire to the ground when the bike is mounted on rack?

Carol

Broome101 · 05-22-2005, 08:42 AM

I just added the warn multi mount front receiver hitch to my 2001 F250. It mounts below the front bumper had to take off the air flow ram on the bottom but turned out to be nice job. The warn was little more expensive but I did not want to have to remove my bumper and do away with OEM fog lights which were required with Reese and hidden hitch receivers.I tired it out added four bikes to it makes the front end little long but no issues with looking over the handle bars. By mounting below thee bumper and fog lights it sit fairly flush with hood line so all that is above the hood is handle bars. One concern is when it gets really hot will the extra bikes out front cut down on the fresh air for the coolers, will have to wait and see.

CountryGuy · 05-22-2005, 08:46 AM

Broome101,

Thanks for your input, is that the brand name, warn??

And, same question, how far from the bottom of the bike tire to pavement??

Thanks everyone for your continued input on this subject. It is very much appreciated!

Broome101 · 05-22-2005, 08:54 AM

Warn is the name of the hitch maker. I had a Reese 4- bike rack for 2" receiver we used on our old camper that had 2" receiver on rear. As for the tire it came to about the bottom of bumper plenty of clearance. Makes the TV long though with 4 bikes on it.

CountryGuy · 05-22-2005, 09:01 AM

Thanks again Broome101

Al has been looking at bike racks all the while this discussion has been ongoing, some of the manufacturers suggest a 14 inch clearance between bottom of tire of bike and ground, that was why we were asking. We need to haul 2 bikes.

Carol

Countryfolks · 05-22-2005, 11:51 AM

There are two sets of unused holes on the pin box after installation of the TrailAir that I think I will use to mount a framework for a 2" hitch and use a bumper mount carrier there. With any luck it will look and work like a rear bumper mount setup.

Skip

CountryGuy · 05-22-2005, 12:18 PM

Skip

We have seen a hookup just like that on a rig with a TrailAir. The entire framework and bike rack was made somewhere in Quebec. It works great with a Trailair. Will not work with the Isolator, due to the difference in how the Isolator works compared to the Trailair.

Go to: http://www.velorack.com

Al gave me that URL, says it is the manufacturer of that rack.

Good luck it is a great solution (unless you have the Isolator!

)

Carol

Countryfolks · 05-22-2005, 12:51 PM

Thanks for the site. They look good, look to be pretty expensive too, over $350 a couple of years ago. Hard to find also. Think I try to build something first.

Skip

CountryGuy · 05-22-2005, 12:55 PM

Skip,

You can probably do it too! Good luck, let us know how it is coming along.

tbhd · 05-23-2005, 05:44 PM

CountryGuy

I can get the door open if the truck is straight to the trailer but that's only with one bike on it. Don't think it would open with two bikes on it. Don't know the actual dimension for the wheels to the ground but not any lower that the spare tire hangs down. Our tire hangs four inches lower because of the larger rear tank.

CountryGuy · 05-24-2005, 02:40 AM

Thanks tbhd

scrowba · 07-24-2005, 08:09 AM

Hey Broome101,
Have you put the front receiver on the new King Ranch? We are looking at that possibility to haul our 4 bikes.
Thanks
Karl

CountryGuy · 07-24-2005, 03:47 PM

Since this thread has been reactivated, here is some of the latest on our front.

We got a bike rack from CW. Looked seriously at mounting on the rear of the truck, but, would have to CUT the rack, to lower it, and Al has been procrastiating on this one, cause he is still not sure we can haul 2 bikes back there.

We did get and he installed a front hidden hitch, put the bikes on there, and we can see them, I think after a few miles it would not be so annoying, BUT, YIKESSSSSSS, it sure makes the front end of that truck longer, and we wonder in some of the tight places we seem to find ourselve in, if we would be pushing the envelope, so to speak, and end up having to take the bikes off to get round a corner or two (thinking, some gas stations and some state campgrounds too).

We found a neighbor (has a Montana a few months younger than ours) that stopped in Elkhart and got a rack welded on the back of Montana, he thought he spent $400.00 for the entire job, including the bike rack. Well, we have the rack, so, deducted some of the price in our minds and gave the guy a call. Times must be good, cause less than 2 years later he now says he wants $600.00 for the job, cause we have the enclosed underbelly. This is NOT a mount that would be strong enough to say, pull a boat, just one strong enough for a couple of bikes.

Back to plan ????? Think we are on about plan K. We need for August 8th, so looks like the hidden hitch on the front will be called into duty, even if we do have to take the bikes off to get into Gun Lake campground.

Carol

rames14 · 07-24-2005, 04:11 PM

Well, after three weeks on the road, with our bikes riding on my home made rack between the hitch and the truck cab, I do not recommend for short beds. Might work with a long bed. I am now trying to find a good way to take scratches out of the cap where the bike rubbed on some tight turns. I will try to take a picture of the rack and put it where people can see it. Wish that Lippert would come to the rally with a deal on rear racks this September.

scrowba · 07-25-2005, 01:10 AM

Thanks for the update Carol on the front mount.

gitrdun · 07-27-2005, 05:24 AM

Had a reciever hitch put on my 2980RL Monty, cost 333.00 and the the guy done one heck of a job. Bike rack, 4 bikes Costco 236.00.

CountryGuy · 07-27-2005, 05:32 PM

gitrdun

who and where??? for the hitch receiver????

Parrothead · 07-27-2005, 05:58 PM

Carol
Dennis (hamrad) has a mount on the front of his truck for his electric cart. Seems to work really well. In fact that is what Ed is thinking of doing for mine when we get the new truck. I think the electric cart is bigger than 2 bikes would be. Maybe Dennis will jump in here or you could email him. We also parked next to a guy once that had a really neat bike rack low on the back of his truck and it didn't interfere with the 5th wheel. I don't remember whether he had a long bed or short.
Happy trails..................

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