Hauling Bike

[newrider]

Startman,

I must not have explained myself properly, my idea was not to put a hitch on the front of the truck...on the contrary...

My idea was to add another receiver to the bike carrier. With a light weight trailer I don't see how this would pose any load problems. If the carrier slid into the receiver on the vehicle, then another hitch could be slid into a 'new' reciever on the carrier, now you could tow the trailer with the bike carrier attached to the back of the truck.

This would also allow for standard use of the bike carrier when the trailer was not being used and would not alter the reciever on the vehicle allowing it to tow heavier loads (I believe the typical rating on a 2" receiver is 5000#?, not tongue wieght but GVW of load).

As for liability...you'd be on your own. Clearly this would void the factory rated uses for either product.

Moving the axle on the trailer and installing a new reciever to it's back end is also a great idea with a similar result...even better when you consider the tongue weight issue.

My theory on the tongue weight stems from my personal experience with 'pop-top' campers...there isn't much tongue weight. Towing a heavier trailer with this modified bike carrier would be a bad idea. Look at the spec's for a reciever, I believe it states a max. tongue weight too.

[newrider]

Startman, I like you dual receiver concept...also the bolt instead of a pin. I've seen several bike carriers and never thought I could fully trust that system, with two points of attachment I think I could. Here too you could add the additional receiver to the backside of the bike carrier and then tow the trailer.

Isn't brainstorm engineering a riot ?

[The_Blue_One]

Newrider

I think the versahaul has a class III hitch reciever in the back of it.So you can have a bike carrier inbetween the truck and trailer.My buddy has one and we will be trying it out in May.

Here is a link to the Carrier info: VERSAHAUL

[starttman]

brianstorm engineering indeed.

the versahaul is similar to my design.the only difference is the mesh grate platform for extra payload.

i would only do the bike carrier in front of the trailer, if the hitch was an extremely heavy duty hitch. I would also use a solid square bar from the hitch , across the bike carrier,to the camper hitch.

we did not factor in the use of the lighting connection for the camper...

i have this philosophy about hitches and trailers.. never take for granted that the customer will use the products within their limits...thus the liability issue...

duh ... I don't know why it broke off... i was only tryin to get my buds 4 ton deisel 4x4 out of a mud bog..... and she just broke off. I guess the weld was defective....

I try to avoid that situation... i call it the hammerhead factor.... ?

chris

[The_Blue_One]

Starttman

The versa haul is a nice design alot sturdier than others i've seen.

i was only tryin to get my buds 4 ton deisel 4x4 out of a mud bog

I could see some knuckle head doing that that. ?

[Hick]

My idea was to add another receiver to the bike carrier. With a light weight trailer I don't see how this would pose any load problems.

A good idea, but keep in mind that increasing the distance between the hitch and rear axle will increase the load borne by the rear axle and suspension of the truck. A reasonable tongue wt. for an S-10 should be around 500 lbs, if not less, so we don't have a lot of extra capacity to burn here.

Another problem I have with putting the bike between trailer and truck is damage to the bike in the event of a jacknife.

So my vote is for receiver on the trailer and mount a carrier to haul it back there.

To solve the problem of these carriers rocking left and right due to slack between the receiver and carrier mount you can drill a hole and weld a bolt to the receiver and install a set screw to retain the mount inside the receiver.

[newrider]

1st you gotta let me in on the 'In reply to' copy/paste. I see this and have yet to figure out how to do it...help ?.

The jackknife issue is a good one, though having the bike hiding at the far end of the train exposes it to poor distance judgement while backing up 'straight'. Watching people operate their vehicles with a trailer regularly proves amusing. It's too easy to buy a new toy, hook it up and drive away...all with little thought to the added skill required to manuever.

[Hick]

1st you gotta let me in on the 'In reply to' copy/paste.

I click the "reply" link, select the text I wanna copy from the bottom of the "reply" page, hit Ctrl-C, then click the "Quote" link on the same page (just below the box where you enter your reply). Then put the cursor between the:

<pre><font class="small">code:<hr>

</pre><hr>

thingies and hit Ctrl-V (paste).

Watching people operate their vehicles with a trailer regularly proves amusing.

Tell me about it. But my humor is tempered by the fact that, despite a lifetime of experience with securing loads and pulling heavy, long, trailers I myself am not immune to the occasional brain-fart. My tail gate has the damage to prove it, as I once drove out from under an as yet unhitched goose-neck trailer w/ my gate up (long story, but it happens).

[newrider]

My tail gate has the damage to prove it

thanks! I believe I've got it.

Let's see...I've got a garage door that reminds me regularly how close too close is, and there was a dent in my tail gate that helped measure the height of the tongue jack. I'm sure there's more if I really thought about it; no shame in being human; makes for fun stories.

[starttman]

if there was a cure for stupidity ... i would buy that stock... ?

[starttman]

brain-fart

did it work?

haha i got it too.

thnx hicky

your never too old to learn new tricks ?

[Hick]

there was a dent in my tail gate that helped measure the height of the tongue jack

Off topic, but I can't resist because I can easily top that:

Some years ago I was pulling a hay wagon (four wheels, no tongue weight) out of a wet field up a small incline to the road with a Chevy Blazer. I almost made it up but I got stuck. So I take the pin out of the hitch and try to get the Blazer out of the field and up on the road while unencumbered by the wagon.

I figure I'll get on dry ground and pull the wagon out with a chain. I can be so clever that way.

It almost worked, but just as I was about to get the rear wheels of the Blazer up and out of the muddy field I lost traction and slid back into the hay wagon. And the tongue of the wagon went right through the tail gate. The window was down and bits of glass were everywhere.

I have many other similar stories, but I only deliver these things on an "as-needed" basis. ?

[Thumpleupagus]

So mine is slightly off topic as well... But is some good damage to a nice car due to the bike...

Brand new Yukon Denali (work vehicle), new motorcycle, and brand new trailer. Had the bike on the trailer, and the tongue just resting on the hitch (the lock for the trailer was not tightened up). As I begin rolling the bike off the trailer (I was doing it by myself of course), the back tire rolls down the ramp, and as soon as it touches my garage floor, the tongue of the trailer shoots straight up, and forward almost hitting the vehicles rear window. I breathe a sigh of relief for not breaking the glass, but then feel the trailer rolling forward more. I had two choices, either drop the bike and save the vehicle, or finish rolling the bike off. Well I decided to save the bike (of course), rolled it off quickly and as soon as the front tire was off the trailer, watch the tongue hit the back door, bounce and slide down approx 14" scratching and denting the door the whole way. Get to work, the boss asks what happened, and to my surpise I had no idea... ?

Anyway, I would think that adding a hauler btwn the vehicle and camper would increase the tongue weight far more than just by the weight of the bike. The 2' that it extends exerts a lot of leverage on the hitch when the camper is attached. I think Startt's idea is a great one, andI bet you could get a local fab shop to do it for you for a decent price...

[Sean_McCutcheon]

I called the manufacturer of the camper and they said the frame is not strong enough to mount a hitch on the back of it to haul the bike. Yeah could probably support the frame better with some modifications, but I think it would be too much of a hassle.

So, I think I am going to look into the versahaul carrier. Does anyone know how much they cost?

Thanks everybody for your replies and advice.

[Thumpleupagus]

I wouldn't expect a manufacturer to say anything different... Is the bumper and frame strong enough for 2 small guys to stand on it? Then it's strong enough for a bike...

Let us know how the versahauler works out-it looks cool for sure...

[starttman]

its a shame your not in md... i would love to make that setup for you...just get a local welding shop to do it...

what was your plan? in regards to the camper and the bike.... what did you decide to do?

[SANMAN222]

Sean, after reading some of these post I like the adding a receiver to the camper the best. The manuf. is never going to advise you to add to a structure for fear of a law suite. Three hundred pounds added to the rear is not going to pose any problems. We will re-enforce the rear with 2" tubing to give it a little added strength.