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Old 03-23-2007, 02:30 PM   #1
John and Carol
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Montana ladder/bike rack

It was an accident waiting to happen, I guess. We have a bike rack from Camping World designed to hold bikes on the rear ladder. We were about 1,000+ miles down the road from Colorado, bouncing on the awful concrete interstate highways in Louisiana when a trucker passed and honked. John looked in his rear view mirror and the bikes didn't seem to be right. About 4-5 miles later we were able to pull over and found that 5 of the places the ladder attached to the unit had broken and the bikes and ladder were hanging on at only one spot. Thank God they hadn't fallen off on the road and caused an obstacle to other drivers--and perhaps a serious accident. We also thank God the ladder didn't give way when John climbed onto the roof.

We have a short-bed truck and are now looking for a bike rack that fits on the front of the truck. Wish Montana's had rear hitches or bumper to hold our bikes.
 
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Old 03-23-2007, 02:57 PM   #2
SlickWillie
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I see lots of folks with a step ladder attached to the roof access ladder on their fivers. I have been a little hesitant to tie my ladder there, and after your post, there ain't no way I will. It'll go in the basement storage, or it'll stay at the home base.
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Old 03-23-2007, 03:06 PM   #3
richfaa
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I have one..it is coming off the 3400, It spite of the rack being securely attached to the camper ladder and the bikes being securely attached to the ladder after @5K towing miles we have several loose screws that attach the ladder to the camper..It is my fault I should have known better.. This Montana will have a rear hitch for the bikes. Oh it was those horrible roads in Louisiana that did the ladder in..Worst roads I have ever driven on anywhere.We will go out of our way to avoid Louisiana in the future.
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Old 03-23-2007, 03:09 PM   #4
bsmeaton
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Thank you so much for the post John and Carol!

I've wondered about how much those ladders could take. I see all kinds of stuff attached to them.

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Old 03-23-2007, 03:50 PM   #5
Delaine and Lindy
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Sorry to hear about the ladder issue. I have seen many ladders tied to the rear ladder. I always thought it wasn't a good idea. Thats whats great about our Cambridge our basement is very large. We have a Cosco ladder and our two bikes with the front wheels removed, our bikes are stored in the upright position. I agree there should be a rear hitch for the Montana's to carry the bikes. Good Luck. GBY......
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Old 03-23-2007, 04:09 PM   #6
haslcs
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Rich how will you put a hitch on your montana since it all inclosed? i would also like to put one on mine to carry a couple of bikes. i have seen other ladders that have come off from carrying bikes. let us know how to do it when you get it done
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Old 03-23-2007, 04:18 PM   #7
richfaa
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There are plenty of MOC'ers that have had hitches installed .I know Ozz did and posted pictures.It takes a bit of modification but is not difficult. I have no idea how to do it myself.I will take it to a hitch shop, point at the rear of the Montana and say..make a hitch appear there////
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Old 03-23-2007, 04:28 PM   #8
haslcs
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Thanks for the info Rich. i will just have to find a hitch shop. and i will loook up ozz's pic.
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Old 03-23-2007, 05:48 PM   #9
Carl n Susan
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san)
Quote:
quote:Originally posted by haslcs

... i will just have to find a hitch shop. and i will loook up ozz's pic.
Here in CA, every hitch shop I found refused to install a hitch unless the hitch manufacturer listed the Montana as an approved vehicle (can you say "liability" folks.) The number of hitch manufacturers (apparently there is really only one who now owns the big three) who approve their hitch on a Montana is (drumroll please) zero.

So, hypothetically of course as the frame police are always around, if you wanted to install a hitch suitable for carrying bicycles, you would obtain a Hidden Hitch Model 82201 (advertised as an adjustable width hitch up to 72" for motor homes). This is a Class II (300lbs) tongue weight hitch (the same hitch at 40" wide is rated as a Class III (500 lbs.) hitch. They are available at various web sites for about $250. I would try your local hitch supplier and see if they will match the price. You will also need an extension (about 12") as, once installed, the receiver will be a fair distance from the end of the trailer.

Installation, again we are talking hypothetically, is fairly trivial. No welding is required (and believe me when you look under there, you will see why it isn't a good idea). You will have to drill four 1/2" holes (use a step drill, it goes quick). The hardest part is figuring out where to drill the four holes. A little bit of exploratory surgery at the inside edge of the black plastic under panel about 12" forward of the rear cap edge will expose the end of the frame. (if this is confusing maybe you could send a PM to someone who has done it - whoever that might be).

The hitch comes with four steel blocks (the four bolts will go through them)which provide frame re-enforcement. They need to be ground down a touch (1/8th of an inch if I were guessing) as the frame is slightly narrower than the blocks.

Oz's 3400 had just enough room to install the hitch without moving the rear supports. On a 2955, you would have to move the jacks forward about 4" (in a hypothetical installation of course). Moving the jacks is no big deal, a little trim on the sheet metal and the four 1/4 bolt holes are a non-issue after making the 1/2" ones.

If you are interested in more information on this hypothetical project, let me know. I might be able to find some creative Photo Shop pictures of what the install would look like (if one had actually occurred)

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Old 03-23-2007, 08:15 PM   #10
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For those of you interested, I posted an earlier thread about a discussion I had with Keystone Warranty dept in regards to the bicycle rack. I spoke with the supervisor (whose name eludes me now), about attaching a receiver hitch to carry a bicycle mount. He stated that a receiver hitch welded to the rear with two welded supports at an angle from the side rails would be sufficient. He also stated no more that 200 lbs be attached to this hitch, No motorcycle, no towing, or anything heavier that 200 lbs. I will try and look up his name tomorrow.........
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Old 03-23-2007, 08:35 PM   #11
bsmeaton
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Carl,

My hypothetical hitch shop didn't hesitate to install my Class III receiver on my 2955. Rather than move the jacks forward, they get welded underneath the hitch. Dare say it carried a trifal more than 200 lbs.

Brad

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Old 03-23-2007, 10:38 PM   #12
patodonn
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We have a hitch, had it done by a good shop in the FL panhandle back in '04. No problems. We had previously carried our bikes on a ladder rack...I just didn't feel safe re that set-up.

We do carry our portable ladder attached in 4 places to our RV rear ladder. WAY lighter than the bikes, and four attachment places vs really only one for the earlier bike carier set-up. I feel very safe with that.
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Old 03-24-2007, 03:43 AM   #13
richfaa
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There is a 3400 a couple of rows over from us (from Canada) who had a hitch installation that sounds a lot like the one Carl describes by looking at it I will go up later and take a picture or two. Also had a chat with a Keystone folk some time ago who who admitted that the only reason there was not a hitch on the Montana was because of the rear cap and the added expense of OEM installing one. (Is the mountaineer frame stronger???)Why is the frame warranty not voided on the mountaineer because it had a OEM hitch installed.
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Old 03-26-2007, 09:53 AM   #14
Jetson
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A place called Smitty's RV & Welding in Houston made my hitch. They said it was easier on the frame to tow a small utility trailer if you were going to carry more than 300 lbs. The weight stresses the frame by bouncing up and down, but the trailer pulls and pushes on the RV frame, which is less stress on the frame rails.

They built my hitch by welding 2 beams between the frame rails, one center beam running parallel to the frame rails where the receiver is attached.
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Old 03-26-2007, 10:26 AM   #15
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I'll put in my 2 cents worth, if I were to install a bike carrier on any part of my TV or trailer, it would be on the front of the truck, they have some realy nice bolt-on units with a 2"x2" receiver, the reason? I can watch and see what my bikes are doing as far as road bounce goes, in the rear of the trailer they will bounce all over the place and eventually do damage to the ladder which was not desined to be a carrier of bikes, it is hardly able to hold the weight of a person climbing up it to get on the roof.
I also had the same thing happen to me as you did, but mine were in 2" x 2" a receiver attached to the rear of the trailer, and a factory bike carrier made for that receiver. I was wondering why when everybody passed me I received that "LOOK" so after stopping I decided th check, one bike was holding the other from falling good thing for tie wraps and bungie cords.
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Old 03-26-2007, 05:19 PM   #16
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Trailer Trash 2


if I were to install a bike carrier on any part of my TV or trailer, it would be on the front of the truck, they have some realy nice bolt-on units with a 2"x2" receiver
This reminded me that I went down the front receiver hitch road myself before trying other solutions. What they don't tell you until much later is if you have a Ford truck (that be me), you loose the license plate mount (the CA Highway Patrol frowns on this) and your fog lights. And that "bolt-on" installation is *AFTER* you remove the bumper.

The front mount was my first choice but I walked away based on the above challenges along with the potential the bikes would obscure the headlights at night.

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Old 03-27-2007, 05:49 AM   #17
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I may be wrong or right but have found the easiest way to transport our two bikes is to put them inside the trailer. Out of site out of mind. They are not that heavy that two people can't maneuver them inside. Use and old quilt to wrap them up so as not to scratch or dirty the furniture. Been doing it for six years now and no problems.
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Old 03-27-2007, 06:27 AM   #18
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I have to agree about carrying them inside. We have a tandem bicycle (built for two) that we carry inside while traveling. It did take some figuring, but we are able to nestle it next to the couch and when the slides are pulled in, the bike is secured very nicely. We put a throw rug over the pedals so there is no chance of scratching anything. This solution has worked perfectly for us.
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Old 03-27-2007, 11:17 AM   #19
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Well I found this on the internet and nothing was said about removing the bumper.
I hope it will assist you in your search.

http://www.hitches-forless.com/front...mount_main.htm
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Old 03-27-2007, 04:47 PM   #20
sailer
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The name at keystone is Craig and he says no to the ladder hitch but put on a dif hitch, they offered 1 once but it was a hassel he said so they droped it ,, they need it bad
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