Bike Rack for Use on 1-1/4-Inch Rear Hitch on Montana 5th Wheel Trailer

Question:

We have a Montana 5th wheel with a rear 1 1/4 receiver hitch. Your recommendation for a 2inch bike rack looks like a great application for carrying our mountain bikes and my Wifes bikes with uneven center bars. I am however concerned about ground clearance since the bike rack will be mounted on the rear of our trailer. In addition, I have tried the Swagman platform style 2inch bike rack with the wire loops in which the wheels set for carry. They are not very strong and bent easily. Your assistance regarding a good recommendation is greatly appreciated.

asked by: Dean C

Expert Reply:

Any bike rack that is to be used on the rear of a trailer must be built specifically for that application. Standard hitch-mount racks for automobiles cannot be used on the back of a trailer. The Swagman # S63400 is rated for motorhomes but not other types of RVs.

The reason for this limitation is that the vertical and horizontal forces present at the back of a trailer are much greater than those found at the back of a car. A standard automobile hitch rack would be destroyed if installed on the back of a 5th wheel. The Swagman XTC Platform Rack # S64670 that you purchased is NOT rated for use on an RV. The two linked articles will explain further.

Swagman does offer an RV-rated platform carrier, part # S64663, that bolts to a 4-inch continuously welded RV bumper. If this is the type and size of bumper on your 5th wheel this this rack is a good choice.

The RV-approved rack that I prefer is the Yakima LongHaul # Y02476. Take a look at the attached video to help make a choice.

No type of adapter/extender can be used with an RV-type bike rack. Any adapter/extender will have the unavoidable side-effect of cutting hitch capacity in HALF. This is a result of the altered physics of the system. In the same way that slipping a pipe over a tire iron gives you better leverage to loosen a stubborn lug nut, a hitch adapter/extender will increase the forces on the hitch and potentially damage it.