sparkys4
Active member
I want to make my own out of square tubing, has anyone else done this?
Anyone have plans or ideas for a bumper mounted bike rack?
- Thread starter sparkys4
- Start date
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Shadowman
Well-known member
I haven't built one myself, but I am always trying to design new ideas that fit a specific need.
Before I could offer any advise, I would have to know a couple of things. First, what kind of bumper will you be attaching it to? By the pic on your post, it looks like it might be a TT, which I would assume has a 4" square tube bumper. Secondly, what kind of bike are you talking, pedal bike or motorbike, and if motorbike, is it a road bike or a dirt bike.
I'm not to good with a welder, but my father is, so I usually come up with the designs and he fabricates them for me, with my help of course. One of these days I'm going to have to improve my skills so I can do both. But if you can provide a little more detail, I'd be happy to offer any suggestions I can.
Before I could offer any advise, I would have to know a couple of things. First, what kind of bumper will you be attaching it to? By the pic on your post, it looks like it might be a TT, which I would assume has a 4" square tube bumper. Secondly, what kind of bike are you talking, pedal bike or motorbike, and if motorbike, is it a road bike or a dirt bike.
I'm not to good with a welder, but my father is, so I usually come up with the designs and he fabricates them for me, with my help of course. One of these days I'm going to have to improve my skills so I can do both. But if you can provide a little more detail, I'd be happy to offer any suggestions I can.
OP
OP
sparkys4
Active member
good observations!
I have a TT with 4" tube bumper
I have a welder and plenty of fabricating tools and materials
I'm thinking of making it clamp on for removal
I have a TT with 4" tube bumper
I have a welder and plenty of fabricating tools and materials
I'm thinking of making it clamp on for removal
Shadowman
Well-known member
Well Sparky,
Here are two suggestions, one is a little more costly but less work, the other is more work, but since you have all the materials, might be a better route.
The first option would be to purchase a bike rack that slips into a 2" receiver. You could take a 6" x 4" plate and wield a piece of 2" ID (Inside diameter) to the plate, so that you have essentially made a receiver hitch. Drill a couple holes in the plate so you can attach it to the bottom, or top for that matter, of your bumper using a couple 4" U Bolts. This gives you a couple of options. One it can be easily removed from the hitch, but the hitc can be removed as well. I've found the bike racks in the classifieds in my area, or you can get them for around $100 at Walmart/Target/etc.... The beneift to this route is that the bike rack will already have the saddles or padding for the bikes and usually comes with built in straps. Finally, the bike racks you purchase usually will have a feature that allows them to collapse so someone doesn't run around the back of your TT and clothesline themselves. Here is a link to what I'm talking about at Target. (Hopefully it doesn't go against the rules since it's commercial?)
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=1-8/qid=1178138021/ref=sr_1_8/602-9867526-9019857?ie=UTF8&asin=B000AYCJF0
The second option would be to use a 4x6" plate at the bottom, again, to be attached with U bots, so it can be removed. Weild to that a 3' peice of 3" square or round tubing. At the top you would weild a 2 - 2 1/2' cross bar to make a "T". ( you may want to measure the bikes you will be hauling so that the distance is not greater than the span) the distance above is an estimate. The from there you will want to extend more tubing (About the same distance 2-2 1/2' again depending on how many bikes you want to haul). Finally, you would want to put some padding of some sort so that the bikes don't get scratched up during transit. More simply put, you can look at the website above, and where it goes back into the trailer hitch, you would replace that with a plate you could mount to your bumper.
I hope this was at least helpful in getting you going in the right direction? Good luck.
Here are two suggestions, one is a little more costly but less work, the other is more work, but since you have all the materials, might be a better route.
The first option would be to purchase a bike rack that slips into a 2" receiver. You could take a 6" x 4" plate and wield a piece of 2" ID (Inside diameter) to the plate, so that you have essentially made a receiver hitch. Drill a couple holes in the plate so you can attach it to the bottom, or top for that matter, of your bumper using a couple 4" U Bolts. This gives you a couple of options. One it can be easily removed from the hitch, but the hitc can be removed as well. I've found the bike racks in the classifieds in my area, or you can get them for around $100 at Walmart/Target/etc.... The beneift to this route is that the bike rack will already have the saddles or padding for the bikes and usually comes with built in straps. Finally, the bike racks you purchase usually will have a feature that allows them to collapse so someone doesn't run around the back of your TT and clothesline themselves. Here is a link to what I'm talking about at Target. (Hopefully it doesn't go against the rules since it's commercial?)
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=1-8/qid=1178138021/ref=sr_1_8/602-9867526-9019857?ie=UTF8&asin=B000AYCJF0
The second option would be to use a 4x6" plate at the bottom, again, to be attached with U bots, so it can be removed. Weild to that a 3' peice of 3" square or round tubing. At the top you would weild a 2 - 2 1/2' cross bar to make a "T". ( you may want to measure the bikes you will be hauling so that the distance is not greater than the span) the distance above is an estimate. The from there you will want to extend more tubing (About the same distance 2-2 1/2' again depending on how many bikes you want to haul). Finally, you would want to put some padding of some sort so that the bikes don't get scratched up during transit. More simply put, you can look at the website above, and where it goes back into the trailer hitch, you would replace that with a plate you could mount to your bumper.
I hope this was at least helpful in getting you going in the right direction? Good luck.
OP
OP
sparkys4
Active member
I like that.
I have already welded a 2" receiver under my bumper for this 2X4 basket we may carry from time to time, but it seems more than that I end up trying to strap the two bikes to the basket and that is a pain trying to keep them strapped and upright. They try and work loose. I figure a bike rack where the bikes are clamped and suspended will be better.
I think I will just make one up using the 2" material so I can slip it in the receiver I already have there. I've had to move the spare tire to one side and I have to be careful not to block either taillight view from the cars behind.
I'll get working on it and post pics if it turns out nice
I have already welded a 2" receiver under my bumper for this 2X4 basket we may carry from time to time, but it seems more than that I end up trying to strap the two bikes to the basket and that is a pain trying to keep them strapped and upright. They try and work loose. I figure a bike rack where the bikes are clamped and suspended will be better.
I think I will just make one up using the 2" material so I can slip it in the receiver I already have there. I've had to move the spare tire to one side and I have to be careful not to block either taillight view from the cars behind.
I'll get working on it and post pics if it turns out nice
I to was looking to carry bikes on a bumper mounted bike carrier. I built my own rack to go out around the spare tire and carry four bikes, no problem. The problem was that the weight of the bikes created a torsional twist in the bumper which broke the metal where the square tube was welded to the members attached to the frame. Luckily, I caught it before the bumper totally broke off. I would recommend putting stiffeners on each side of the spare tire mount to keep the bumper from twisting if you decide to pursue this.
John From Detroit
Well-known member
I would recommend a class 2 hitch RECEIVER that attaches not to the bumper but to the frame. (After inspection to insure the frame can take it) then you can use a long hitch adapter with a Swagman bike rack (or equivalent) instead of a hitch ball (or get the bike rack that includes it's own "Adapter")
This would extend out beyond the tire and would be attached properly to the FRAME. you could add torsion bars (in this case a long flat bar) that would extend under and attach to the frame further forward for added torsion strength if you liked.
This would extend out beyond the tire and would be attached properly to the FRAME. you could add torsion bars (in this case a long flat bar) that would extend under and attach to the frame further forward for added torsion strength if you liked.
Rick.T
Member
The square bumper tubes on most RV's has very little support to them. A lot of RVers are welding 2" receivers to the tubes and the bouncing of the bikes and cargo racks rip and break the tubes after a trip or two. The bumpers are made to hold a sewer hose and not for bike racks or towing. I would recommend that any receiver or bike rack be frame mounted and reinforced if possible. Better safe than sorry. You would be surprised how much force/torque a couple bikes bouncing around on a 4" hollow tube can have.
Rick
Rick
