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1/3 of a Bike Rack

Discussion in 'Jeep Trailer Tech' started by Boyink, May 24, 2006.

  1. May 24, 2006
    Boyink

    Boyink Super Moderator Staff Member

    Tulsa, OK
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    Some progress today:


    I had the rear structure all tacked together, but it was obvious that the 3/4" tubing was way undersized for the design. Gonna go pick up some 2" for the base and 1 1/2" for the uprights and stringers in the AM.
     
  2. May 25, 2006
    panzer

    panzer Super Mod Staff Member

    Columbus, OH
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    Interesting Mike. Really good idea!!! Looking forward to your redesign.
     
  3. May 25, 2006
    Boyink

    Boyink Super Moderator Staff Member

    Tulsa, OK
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    Well....just back from getting the metal...kinda through a friend in the metal working business....and as I'm loading it up I'm starting to calculate just how heavy this thing is going to be when I'm done...and I don't know whether to build it now or not.

    All that weight up so high...I'm worried about making the trailer top-heavy.

    I'm wondering if I should give up on the "bikes up top" idea, and look for a way to mount all of them on the tongue, or two up front and two in the rear.

    Frustrated...and $100 poorer.
     
  4. May 25, 2006
    Jeepman252

    Jeepman252 Sponsor

    Menomonie, WI
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    Mike,

    All depends on what you'll be carrying under the bikes in the trailer. If your talking heavy stuff, no problem top-heavyness. If sleeping bags, you may have a concern here. Gotta remember that a fair amount of the frame your building is trailer height or less too.

    Lookin good - I think, unless your takin it down some serious trails, that it'll work all right.:beer:
     
  5. May 25, 2006
    Boyink

    Boyink Super Moderator Staff Member

    Tulsa, OK
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    - No trail use expected.
    - In the trailer will be tent, chairs, cooler, chuckbox etc. Not super heavy stuff on average.
    - Keep in mind the part of the rack in the picture is 3/4" metal, the stuff I just picked up is 1 1/2" 1/8" wall (Alot heavier)! I'm not even sure the front part of the rack will hold up to being attached to the rest of the rack with the heavier stuff.
     
  6. May 25, 2006
    mb82

    mb82 I feel great!

    Charlottesville Va
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    Mike I think it would be fine. But you would be a better judge of that since I can't feel how heavy this rack really is going to be.
     
  7. May 25, 2006
    Boyink

    Boyink Super Moderator Staff Member

    Tulsa, OK
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    Not including the front part of the rack shown, I calcuate 55lbs of steel needed to complete. If I redo the front part of the rack with heavier stuff that adds another ~15 lbs.

    Edit - it would actually add another 10 lbs or so net - forgot to subtract the weight of the current approach.
     
  8. May 25, 2006
    John A. Shows

    John A. Shows Comic Relief

    Mendenhall...
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    Couldn't you throw some weight in the back of the trailer to see how it's going to affect it? 55 lbs doesn't sound like that much to me. Besides, you can counter weight it in the front if you like.

    Edit: Re-read your post...you're concerned about "top heavy" with the thing being high up in the air. Still though....55 lbs....no biggie. Course when you put a couple bikes on it....well....maybe.

    I guess you'd mess up your Bantam to try to put a bike on each side instead of at the rear.
     
  9. May 25, 2006
    Boyink

    Boyink Super Moderator Staff Member

    Tulsa, OK
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    The trailer can handle the wieght, it's more the placement of it being higher than the top of the trailer, plus the leverage of the bikes on top of the rack.

    Just afraid a quick lane change might lead to a trailer tip-over.
     
  10. May 25, 2006
    Boyink

    Boyink Super Moderator Staff Member

    Tulsa, OK
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    My other options are:
    • A receiver mounted rack off the back in either a two bike or four bike versions. I didn't like this approach because it blocks the tailgate and the bikes bounce alot in that spot, although there are fancy bike racks that swivel out.
    • A front mounted rack, one that is designed to slip over a drawbar on a 2" hitch. Since my tongue is 2" I could mount it on the trailer instead. These come in 2, 3, or 4 bike versions.
    • Or I could do both and go two bikes in the front or two in the rear.
    • I'm also kicking around figuring out a way to mount the 4-bike rack I have on the a-frame/tongue.
    The goal with all of this is to mount things such that I can still tarp the top of the trailer with a simple flat-tarp (so nothing using the stake rack pockets to mount bikes) and to keep the tailgate as accessible as possible.
     
  11. Jun 3, 2006
    Boyink

    Boyink Super Moderator Staff Member

    Tulsa, OK
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    OK - here's an idea that struck me last night -- working off the sides of the trailer as a base rather than the ends.

    I'm thinking I can begin with 6" chunks of angle iron that can be bolted to the trailer frame from two directions, and use those as a base to weld the upright tubes to.

    This design keeps the trailgate accessible, and overall uses much less metal, with most of the pieces being shorter than my original approach.

    This would also keep my trailer reciever open for other things - like maybe a plug in rack for firewood, etc.

    Thoughts?
     
  12. Jun 3, 2006
    panzer

    panzer Super Mod Staff Member

    Columbus, OH
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    Mike, where are the bikes going to hang??? On the sides or on the top??
     
  13. Jun 3, 2006
    Boyink

    Boyink Super Moderator Staff Member

    Tulsa, OK
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    This rack would sit on top of what I'm building:

    [​IMG]
     
  14. Jun 3, 2006
    48cj2a

    48cj2a http://bantamt3c.com

    Central Illinois
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    Mike can you use those stake pockets and pin them in? Makes the frame totally portable.
     
  15. Jun 3, 2006
    Boyink

    Boyink Super Moderator Staff Member

    Tulsa, OK
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    The biggest design goal I have is to be able to put a tarp over the trailer while the bike rack is on, both for security while not around the trailer and to keep all that stuff as dry as possible.

    That's why I'm looking for an "all-external to the trailer body" approach.

    I'm also more comfortable with putting all the wieght of the bikes on the trailer frame - not sure how much those stake pockets can support.
     
  16. Jun 3, 2006
    mb82

    mb82 I feel great!

    Charlottesville Va
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    I like the new idea.
     
  17. Jun 6, 2006
    iamgeer

    iamgeer Member

    Calgary,...
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    Not sure about how you mounted your spare, but what about using one those spare mounted bike carriers? Or you could weld a cross brace and associated supports and use a spare mounted bike rack (the upside down L shaped ones). Alternatively you could weld some square tube on and use a reciever type bike rack:

    from top (ignore the dots)

    .........Tire
    ......\.......... /
    .....|.\_____/ |
    .....O.\____/ O <----- Backward facing bike racks
    .........\ .../
    ...........O

    Karl
     
  18. Jun 6, 2006
    Boyink

    Boyink Super Moderator Staff Member

    Tulsa, OK
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    Hmm.. a couple of thoughts...

    I don't think I've seen the spare mounted racks with a 4-bike capacity.

    I could place the bikes up front more simply by using one of these racks made to slip over a drawbar (my tongue is 2" square tubing so it would work):
    [​IMG]

    When I started this project I thought I could spend less on steel than I would on a new rack, so decided to use the rack I had. Now I've got more into steel than a new rack would have cost, so don't want to spend yet another $150 on a new rack (Dutchman's dillema).

    Another problem I have with all the racks that bikes are designed to hang from is my sons bike has a suspension so it's frame setup doesn't work well on those racks (and if I buy a new bike it'll likely be similar).
     
  19. Jun 6, 2006
    iamgeer

    iamgeer Member

    Calgary,...
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    Yeah, I have never seen a 4 bike setup on this style of bike carrier either. I use this particular style bike rack and I have a fully suspended bike and its a pain to mount the bike. I wound up using a Yakima spreader bar. It has a loop on each and of a bar - one for the handle bars and one for the seat post:

    clasp for locking loop--> \_________/<------clasp for locking loop
    handle bar loop------->U__________U<------seat post loop


    The idea is that this bar would be a pseudo upper tube. It works, but lacks the elegance that you have demonstrated in your other projects.

    Its too bad a you cant find or build a tonneau cover for it and mount the bikes on top using a Thule style bike rack. I am imagining a clam shell style set up and gas charged supports to hold it up.

    Anyway, I am sure you will mcgiver a way to do it that will fill us all with admiration.

    Karl
     
  20. Jun 6, 2006
    Boyink

    Boyink Super Moderator Staff Member

    Tulsa, OK
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    Thanks Karl...I'm actually having one of those rare afternoons where all 4 active projects are waiting for client input, so I'm out in the garage working on this.

    I've started building the side-to-side rack I mocked up earlier. I have the angle attach points and diagonal uptubes cut from square tubing, and am just about to start tacking it together. I think it's going to work well...
     
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