Bicycle rack conundrum... Continued.

[rclemins]

Originally Posted by Thegengy

We bought an EZRack from Quebec, it’s amazing came with sport rack and swings away easily and you can have doors fully open with both bikes on. It was also pretty well priced , the both units came in just under $500 cdn or $390 US.



It also came with locks for hitch pin and bike rack.



It takes about 5 second to swing away.

Looks fine... the rockymounts backstage is similar but incorporating the swing arm and bike rack in one design, so it’s less complicated and slightly more economical. Works with my promaster... absolutely no complaints thus far...

[Thevon]

Not sure if this is how to post a question or not, but if it is....I have a 2006 RT 190P. I have a Stowaway on the back, but would like to carry my bikes with me. I know some Chevy RT owners have front bike racks. My question is are they all custom made or can you by one and bolt it on. Thanks, Greg.

[michaelingp]

It looks like all the Yakima racks come with the "Do not use on an RV" disclaimer, but the Thule racks do not. Are the Thule racks just heavier duty?

[brianm142@hotmail.com]

Be safe and have peace of mind. Mount a hitch receiver on the front and get a front mounting bicycle rack. This leaves your rear doors completely unimpeded.

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

Originally Posted by michaelingp

It looks like all the Yakima racks come with the "Do not use on an RV" disclaimer, but the Thule racks do not. Are the Thule racks just heavier duty?

NO..and yeah they object....

Here is the response I was given about installing a hitch mount system on your RV:


We cannot recommend any of our carriers be installed on RV, Motor Homes, trailers or towed vehicle. The suspension is far different than on passenger automobiles by design. Mainly the rear axle is much farther forward as compared to a passenger vehicle. Thus, any road vibrations or bumps, are amplified over the longer distance which is transferred to the carrier and bikes, so that scenario poses a risk to the equipment, the carrier, as well as the receiver it is installed into.



Thank you for your patience -



Patti Bedard

Inside Sales Representative

Thule – TracRac - SportRack

[ponti33602]

Originally Posted by Roadtrek Adventuous RS1

NO..and yeah they object....

Here is the response I was given about installing a hitch mount system on your RV:


We cannot recommend any of our carriers be installed on RV, Motor Homes, trailers or towed vehicle. The suspension is far different than on passenger automobiles by design. Mainly the rear axle is much farther forward as compared to a passenger vehicle. Thus, any road vibrations or bumps, are amplified over the longer distance which is transferred to the carrier and bikes, so that scenario poses a risk to the equipment, the carrier, as well as the receiver it is installed into.



Thank you for your patience -



Patti Bedard

Inside Sales Representative

Thule – TracRac - SportRack

Yes, this is what I was told as well by Thule, Yakima and Kuat. They commented that my Short SS would be okay and all mentioned the distance of the axle to the back of the vehicle so the extended vans (24') are of even more concern to them.

[gregmchugh]

I can confirm firsthand that mounting a hitch bike rack on a Sprinter requires a rack designed for that purpose. We had a Hitchrider Truckee bike rack installed on our 08 Roadtrek RS Adventurous that failed carrying two bikes but luckily we were on a two lane road going slow with no traffic behind us. After one bounce on the pavement, the rack with the bikes still attached landed on the side of the road in the grass. Bikes were fixable and luckily it didn’t happen on the interstate with traffic behind us.

The failure was at a weld and was due to vertical bouncing motion of the rack at the long distance between the rear wheels and the rack. Hitchrider fixed the issue with a stronger joint at the failure point and the use of two support straps the connect to the rack and attach to the top of the rear doors (straps go over the doors when open and lock in place with the doors closed). The straps stabilize the bike rack and prevent the vertical and horizontal motion of the rack.

This rack is not a typical bike rack but the physics of the failure is the same for any heavy load attached to the hitch where there is a long distance from the rear wheels to the hitch. The large vertical oscillating loads require a rack designed to handle it. The straps eliminate the flexing so there is just the static load of the bikes.

Adding stabilizing straps would be something to consider for any rack on a Sprinter. Here are the ones Hitchrider sells but it wouldn’t be hard to make a set...


Hitch Rider Bike and Trike Rack Accessories and Components

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

I can confirm firsthand that mounting a hitch bike rack on a Sprinter requires a rack designed for that purpose. We had a Hitchrider Truckee bike rack installed on our 08 Roadtrek RS Adventurous that failed carrying two bikes but luckily we were on a two lane road going slow with no traffic behind us. After one bounce on the pavement, the rack with the bikes still attached landed on the side of the road in the grass. Bikes were fixable and luckily it didn’t happen on the interstate with traffic behind us.

The failure was at a weld and was due to vertical bouncing motion of the rack at the long distance between the rear wheels and the rack. Hitchrider fixed the issue with a stronger joint at the failure point and the use of two support straps the connect to the rack and attach to the top of the rear doors (straps go over the doors when open and lock in place with the doors closed). The straps stabilize the bike rack and prevent the vertical and horizontal motion of the rack.

This rack is not a typical bike rack but the physics of the failure is the same for any heavy load attached to the hitch where there is a long distance from the rear wheels to the hitch. The large vertical oscillating loads require a rack designed to handle it. The straps eliminate the flexing so there is just the static load of the bikes.

Adding stabilizing straps would be something to consider for any rack on a Sprinter. Here are the ones Hitchrider sells but it wouldn’t be hard to make a set...


Hitch Rider Bike and Trike Rack Accessories and Components

Your reply is VERY MUCH appreciated...

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by Roadtrek Adventuous RS1

Your reply is VERY MUCH appreciated...

And this was a standard length Sprinter so, as noted before, if you have an extended length Sprinter it is going to have an even higher risk of rack failure...

[Boxster1971]

I would not trust welds on any of these hitches. Welds are the weak link unless they are done on certified controlled conditions and fully inspected/tested. I learned a long time ago in my engineering career that a solidly bolted joint with truss plates is more reliable than a general weld job.


- - Mike
2012 Sprinter 3500 Extended converted B-Van by Airstream

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by rclemins

Looks fine... the rockymounts backstage is similar but incorporating the swing arm and bike rack in one design, so it’s less complicated and slightly more economical. Works with my promaster... absolutely no complaints thus far...

The promaster is 6' 9" wide. The Roadtrek 210 is 7'4" which is a 7 inch total difference in width. Can the rockymount swing out an additional 3.5" to clear the side?

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

And this was a standard length Sprinter so, as noted before, if you have an extended length Sprinter it is going to have an even higher risk of rack failure...

As a point of information...the RS Adventurous is definitely not an SS Agile or smaller rig....yes, the longer wheelbase is a problem....

[rclemins]

Originally Posted by cruising7388

The promaster is 6' 9" wide. The Roadtrek 210 is 7'4" which is a 7 inch total difference in width. Can the rockymount swing out an additional 3.5" to clear the side?

On their website there is a dimension diagram that shows clearing 45.6”. That would work for a van 91” wide, or 7’-9” outside width. So I’d say, yup it would...

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by rclemins

On their website there is a dimension diagram that shows clearing 45.6”. That would work for a van 91” wide, or 7’-9” outside width. So I’d say, yup it would...

I went to their website. Their instruction shows a maximum extension of 41 inches which would work for a 6ft 10 in width. A 7ft 4in width would require an extension of at least 44 inches. Are we both looking at the same product?

I also wonder if the particular width of the handlebars on the bike doesn't affect the extension requirement for the bike to clear the side wall of the van.

Owners manual:

https://rockymounts.com/collections/...orm-hitch-rack

[rclemins]

Originally Posted by cruising7388

I went to their website. Their instruction shows a maximum extension of 41 inches which would work for a 6ft 10 in width. A 7ft 4in width would require an extension of at least 44 inches. Are we both looking at the same product?



I also wonder if the particular width of the handlebars on the bike doesn't affect the extension requirement for the bike to clear the side wall of the van.



Owners manual:



https://rockymounts.com/collections/...orm-hitch-rack

I was looking at dimension G on the fitment drawing. If the objective is to open your rear doors without removing bikes then there should be no problem. On the bike rack side you would get a 95% opening, the other a 100% opening. I have no issues with a promaster. I test fitted at a retailer before I bought, most will have a display model for that purpose. Putting it together took about 20 minutes.

[<<B-Guy>>]

We have a 2019 PW Plateau FL on order, and I had planned to put a bike rack maybe combined with a small storage platform on a swing hitch on the back and was starting to research what was available - I do have welding equipt and ability to make or modify to suit but would rather buy.

Reading this thread though has me concerned, so now I am thinking of putting our bikes up front instead.

I had read that it is difficult to put a hitch received on the front of a Promaster but hopefully they are available for the Sprinter - we have carried our bikes this way successfully on our last three tow vehicles - all trucks.

Anyone have experience with a front hitch receiver on the 170"WB Sprinter?

We really want to keep our back doors functional at all times for emergency exit, so carrying up front would solve that issue.

Brian.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by rclemins

I was looking at dimension G on the fitment drawing. If the objective is to open your rear doors without removing bikes then there should be no problem. On the bike rack side you would get a 95% opening, the other a 100% opening. I have no issues with a promaster. I test fitted at a retailer before I bought, most will have a display model for that purpose. Putting it together took about 20 minutes.

I contacted the factory. They don't offer phone support but they responded very quickly to my Emal inquiry. They said that although the G spec would seemingly provide adequate clearance, it doesn't take into account the width of the handle bars on the inner bike. They indicated further that with our 7' 4" width, there would not only be insufficient clearance to completely swing the platform, even with a partial swing out, it wouldn't provide sufficient clearance to get the rear doors to open very wide.

FWIW, they do indicate this rack is suitable for RVs with no caveat involving wheel base or overhang limits but they also say that this swing out rack isn't suitable for towed trailers and campers.

[wpshivers]

Originally Posted by rockymtnb

Nice solution. BTW, which size RakAttach did you need to clear the Sprinter doors?

The Sprinter uses the Large RakAttach...

Large

[wpshivers]

Originally Posted by Davydd

Mercedes Benz manufactures 170” extended body (24’-1”) vans in 4 x 4.

Yep, We almost bought a 4x4 Roadtrek CS Adventurous XL back in 2015 at the Pomona Fairgrounds RIVA Show that was there on display. We elected to order a standard 2016 Roadtrek CS Adventurous (2WD) instead, We didn't see the need for 4WD and the additional $9K to have it. The Roadtrek Adventurous Series are all 170" wheelbase Sprinters...

[rclemins]

Originally Posted by cruising7388

I contacted the factory. They don't offer phone support but they responded very quickly to my Emal inquiry. They said that although the G spec would seemingly provide adequate clearance, it doesn't take into account the width of the handle bars on the inner bike. They indicated further that with our 7' 4" width, there would not only be insufficient clearance to completely swing the platform, even with a partial swing out, it wouldn't provide sufficient clearance to get the rear doors to open very wide.



FWIW, they do indicate this rack is suitable for RVs with no caveat involving wheel base or overhang limits but they also say that this swing out rack isn't suitable for towed trailers and campers.

Looking at the fitment drawings, pictures of the rear doors of the 210 (narrower than promaster when open 90 degrees), and other pictures of the backstage installed on sprinter vans with doors open 270 degrees (on website), and my own experience with the backstage on the promaster I don’t see a problem wrt to use on a 210 provided you remove the inboard pedal off the inside bike. Based on all of this it should work. Worst case Is the passenger side door only opens 90% instead of 100%. But the best to do a test fit, which I was able to do before buying. It’s close, but I don’t see a problem...