Weight limit on bike rack

For those of you driving pickups without a shell, here might be a solution for carrying bikes: I had a couple of gutter mount Yak racks left over from a previous use, and fabricated a mount to fit on top of the bed rail of my Trac Racs. I have full use of the pickup bed (although I have to step over the crossbars when getting to the front of the bed), can still carry a canoe on the Trac Racs between the bikes, can keep an eye on the bikes during travel, and can still cover the bed with a Trac Rac tonneau cover. It also keeps the height relatively low and easier to get the bikes on and off vs. a roof mount system. Seems to work fine.

If you can make it out, a picture of the setup is in my signature.

Chap

For those with Jeeps or a similar rear mounted spare tire, we've been able to use a spare tire mount rack on our Liberty. It's an Allen 3 bike rack, and we mount my mountain bike and DW's big cruiser bike on it. With a little bungee cord work to keep the front tires angled correctly, there's enough clearance to turn without interfering with the LP tanks and hoses.

Pictures:

http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...attach/jpg.gif
http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...attach/jpg.gif

[rotor_wash]

Using a weight and balance formula, my 2002 3126KS (old style bumper) looses about 66lb tongue weight with the addition of 100lb at the bumper station. Not bad if you keep your weights forward, but an aft loaded TM will probably loose some of it's inherent towing stability.

I found an interesting read on the RV.net forum concerning bike racks on the back of trailers.

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fu...d/21839141.cfm

Chap

[Bill]

Allen -

Your second photo shows that you have a top-crank tongue jack. I thought all TMs came with a sidewinder. Did you change yours out, or is this the way it came from the factory?

I would much rather have a top crank, since it is easier to zip around when there is no load on it. But if I go to the trouble of replacing it, I'll put on an electric jack.

Bill

[mjlaupp]

Bill,
Note that you can not turn a top-crank jack with a SL model and the slide pulled out.
Mike

Bill,

We were not the original owners, but the top-crank tongue jack appears to be original.
And yes, it is convenient to be able to give it a good spin when there's no load on it.

Mike,
While it certainly isn't fast, it is possible to turn the top crank with the slide pulled out, which I do sometimes for fine adjustments. The crank handle is hinged, so just turn it half a turn until it hits the wall, flip it over, turn it half a turn, etc...

[mjlaupp]

I stand corrected. I was using the top crank jack on my utility trailer as an example. It hinges down but will not flip over.
Mike

For what it's worth... When I asked the dealer about the strength of the rear-mounted hitch on my 3124, he told me that he routinely hitches a second TM to that hitch and tows them two at a time to sales shows. It seems that hanging a couple bikes on that hitch shouldn't be a challenge so long as the bike rack itself is well-built.

I don't think your dealer is the sharpest knife in the drawer.