# Bike Rack



## sircarryalot (Jun 23, 2005)

Hi Everyone !!!
I was just wondering if anyone has installed a bike rack on the bumper of an Outback. I've made an appointment for the end of this mouth to have a receiver welded to the bumper. The dealer also said that they will beef up the frame/bumper to provide the extra strenght to handle the load of 4 bikes sitting back there as we bounce along the roads. This mod makes me a little uneasy as the wieght of 4 bikes bouncing back there. Should I worry about losing the bikes?

Strikey Mikey


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## Castle Rock Outbackers (Jan 18, 2004)

Keystone specifically discourages the use of the bumper for installing a bikerack. I am surprised your dealer is willing to do this for you, even with fortification. People that have installed a receiver hitch on Outbacks mounted / welded it to the frame.

Randy


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## sircarryalot (Jun 23, 2005)

Castle Rock Outbackers said:


> Keystone specifically discourages the use of the bumper for installing a bikerack. I am surprised your dealer is willing to do this for you, even with fortification. People that have installed a receiver hitch on Outbacks mounted / welded it to the frame.
> 
> Randy
> [snapback]101571[/snapback]​


This is why i'm getting the dealer to install the receiver so they are liable. They seem to think that it is no problem. As I said i'm still a little uneasy.

Strikey Mikey


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## HootBob (Apr 26, 2004)

I would not have a reciever welded to the bumper like Castle Rock already said keystone warns against doing that. That makes me wonder about the dealer








Just mt $.02

Don


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

Strikey Mikey

I don't think it is anything to worry about, because *YOU WILL LOSE THE BIKES*... What you need to worry about is what happens to the following vehicle and its occupants, when they are suddenly facing a bike rack, bikes and a bumper hurtling toward them at highway speeds.

Please, for the rest of our sakes, don't do it!









Happy Trails,
Doug


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## huntr70 (Jul 8, 2005)

I agree with the others....

If the dealer wants to do anything, I would have them attatch a receiver hitch to the frame.

I wouldn't do anything with the bumper, personally.

Steve


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## campingnut18 (Mar 11, 2004)

like others said, dont do it...

you can do like i had. have them weld a hitch to your i -beams over top of the back bumper. most added it under the bumper, but it was too low for me to do that on my camper . so i went over top. has worked great.

this has been done by lots of outbackers here . and will work just fine.
thanks, lamar


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## TexasHunts (Jul 31, 2005)

campingnut18 said:


> like others said, dont do it...
> 
> you can do like i had. have them weld a hitch to your i -beams over top of the back bumper. most added it under the bumper, but it was too low for me to do that on my camper . so i went over top. has worked great.
> 
> ...


I'm looking at the same thing. Do you have a pic of this setup?


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## kbrazielTx (Apr 29, 2004)

I had a receiver welded to the rear for 400.00. It also has a lite kit for pulling a small trailer if I wish. I will get some pictures loaded the next time we go out.

KB


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

I'm hoping sircarryalot heard the dealer wrong and in fact the dealer is going to weld the new hitch to the frame.

FoxfamOutback has done that and it is really nice.


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## samvalaw (Feb 17, 2005)

Do a quick search for Sidewinder's post on mounting a bike rack to the frame. He provided a step by step with the materials needed. My rack holds 3 bikes and we have traveled hundreds of miles with no problems. The bumper was not intended to support the additional weight of the bikes, however, the frame will provide the support necessary to prevent a dangerous event.


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## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

I welded a receiver directly to the frame. My neighbour welded his to the bumper and now the bumper has a twist in it. He does not have an Outback but the bumper setup is the same.

I would not mount on the bumper.

Thor


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## sircarryalot (Jun 23, 2005)

TexasHunts said:


> campingnut18 said:
> 
> 
> > like others said, dont do it...
> ...


The Dealer has done a great job. If I knew how post pic I would. I feel very comfortable with the job they did. How to describe....... they welded the receiver to the frame and the bumper. They also put a piece of boxed steel between the bumper and the back of the Outback (running the same direction as the bumper) the full width of the unit and welded that to the frame of the Outback, and also welded the receiver to that. So the receiver has been welded at 3 points. The only way the bikes are coming off the Outback is when we take them off.







This mod looks like it came from the factory







and It only cost me $139 cdn.

Thx for listening,

Mike

P.S. This dealer has a great reputation. When you talk to people in rv parks about dealers that you bought your tv from, many many many people have said this dealer rocks. They don't sell Outbacks







but they are a Keystone dealer.


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## Bob2ride (Jun 24, 2005)

Hi Folks, This is my first post so bear with me... I used a clamp on reciever attached to the rear bumper to hold a 4 bike rack. It worked fine until last week. Comming home last night I found the rear bumper so twisted that the outboard bike was dragging the front wheel. The wall of the bumper is quite thin and it failed by tearing out around the screws. I think a back up plate woulr have solved it but...Ya never know. No bikes fell off and bounced into traffic. Failure mode was gentle and non catastrophic.

So if any of you have pictures of a setup that works I'll be really interested. We're a mtn bike family and need to transport 4 bikes. One with new wheels soon.


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## Bob2ride (Jun 24, 2005)

See my other post in this section but... Don't just hang a bike rack on the bumper. Lotsa folks have said it but I did it and twisted the bumper bad enough to grad a bike tire on the road. The bumper doesn't have any backing plate where it attaches to the frame memeber so it tears out. I think it'd be ok with a 1/4 inch thk 4" wide and 6" long plate at each frame mounting location but I don't know for sure. Since I need a new bumper I'm going to have a welded attachment made up. I'd sure like to see some of the things others have done but I'll figure out something that works.


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## huntr70 (Jul 8, 2005)

Bob2ride said:


> See my other post in this section but... Don't just hang a bike rack on the bumper. Lotsa folks have said it but I did it and twisted the bumper bad enough to grad a bike tire on the road. The bumper doesn't have any backing plate where it attaches to the frame memeber so it tears out. I think it'd be ok with a 1/4 inch thk 4" wide and 6" long plate at each frame mounting location but I don't know for sure. Since I need a new bumper I'm going to have a welded attachment made up. I'd sure like to see some of the things others have done but I'll figure out something that works.
> [snapback]124449[/snapback]​


Check out the mod gallery.........there are quite a few of us that have added receiver hitches to the frame.

Steve


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## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

2 ways to do this.

1st - bolt a receiver directly to the frame
2nd - have one welded.

There are lots of pics and even some drawings in the photo gallery.

Good Luck

Thor


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