Should I be concerned?

[Hawkpat]

We have a 2012 3400RL with a factory trailer hitch. I know it has a limit sticker on it (I think 250 lbs. but can no longer read it). Bought a bike rack to haul one bike. But not being able to see the back I’m wondering if I can have confidence that all will be well back there. Bike and rack can’t be over 70 lbs. total.

Ant thoughts?

[Dave W]

Originally Posted by Hawkpat

We have a 2012 3400RL with a factory trailer hitch. I know it has a limit sticker on it (I think 250 lbs. but can no longer read it). Bought a bike rack to haul one bike. But not being able to see the back I’m wondering if I can have confidence that all will be well back there. Bike and rack can’t be over 70 lbs. total.

Ant thoughts?

The hitch will most likely be just fine. BUT and with that said, the bikes may not survive the dynamic loads placed on them by the up and down motions of your 5er. The 'tail end' of that trailer are constantly going up and down and every time it accelerates and decellerats that load (weight of the biles)changes. The static load (the bikes and rack) at 70 pounds gets to be something else and way beyond the that assumed 70 pounds. Years back I did something like that with a bike rack on a TT back bumper and the bikes ened up needing every fastener tightened plus they had paint rubbed off.

[mazboy]

hitch will hold the bikes, no problem there. but get a good bike rack.

[BB_TX]

I would take it for a test drive and have someone follow behind and watch. I have seen some where the bikes appeared to be very stable. And I have seen some where the bikes were bouncing pretty violently.

[jimcol]

Have hauled two bikes that way for years and many miles. Never an issue. mazboy makes a great point about getting a good bike rack. Our bikes strap to the rack in 3 different places.

[richfaa]

Good bike rack bikes properly secured and no problem

[Hawkpat]

Bought the Aero Bikewing 2. Middle of the road I think. Seems very sturdy. Thanks for the replies.

[Creeker]

I've hauled our two bicycles on the back of our 5ers for 15 years and probably a 100k miles.
A decent rack mated to a frame mounted hitch will have no problems.
A cheap rack mounted directly to the paper thin factory bumpers and your begging for trouble.

Also hauled my 225lb dirt bike for thousands and thousands of miles on the back of our Wildcat 5er with custom rear bumper/hitch. Same for our Honda 3000 Genny and two bicycles at the same time. This exaggerated "bouncing" was never an issue.

[McIver]

I have the same model Montana (2010) you have. The receiver it came with is not safe because it is not attached to the frame. Had to have work done to safely hold my 130 lb. Honda on a Camping World rack rated for 500lbs. (No, I would never put that much weight on it). Test for capability on the Sh...ty CA roads and you will thank your welder so skill.

[jetskier]

I added some structure to the factory 2" receiver. The way they mounted it to the frame is probably strong enough for the 300# rating, but I'd question the fatigue strength with highway driving and bouncing.


I used a 2"X2"X.188" tube welded to the frame further back and at the receiver tube.

[Graham]

We have a 2010 3465SA with I suspect a similar bike rack. We've taken 2 bikes with us from Canada to the southwest US several times with no problems. I've also been nervous about the possible bounce effect the bikes may have on the frame. To soften that bounce I tie a 'loose' bungy cord to the ladder. The last thing I want is the ladders screws to be pulled out....thus the loose connection...

[BucBuckeye]

I did this once when I had a 25' 5er - once.

Had some friends follow us up I-95 out of Florida into north western North Carolina to our favorite KOA campground...we traveled with radios. Long about 300 miles into the trip I got call saying the bikes were bouncing so high off of my bike rack, I was about to lose them. After stopping I discovered that the two bikes had broken the bungy cord strapping them to the rack, and allowed the handle bars to "flop" against the back of the camper, which left several dents in the aluminum skin, and rubbed the paint off!?

For the rest of that trip, and ALL future trips, the bikes were stored inside the 5er, wrapped in plastic.

[psomers]

We have traveled south for the last twelve years. Have a Swagman two bike carrier. DW takes her car and follows me and she says the bikes never move.

Also been to west coast and trip to Canada so far so good. DW not following.