# Bike Rack For 2012 312Bh. What Type??



## Blip (Sep 26, 2010)

We have a new 2012 312BH, we the bike rack receiver under the rear bumper. We are lookin for a bike rack to handle at least 4 bikes. What would be a good brand, and where to purchase. Also could the spare tire still stay on the rear bumper with the rack being used.

Thank you, Jim


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## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

Hi,

We went through this with our 301BQ, so we have some experience. Avoid any rack that allows the bike to hang or swing. The back of the trailer bounces around quite a bit and your bikes will get beat to hell. We had a batwing type rack last year and it did not work.

We purchased a Thule Sportrackwhich supports both the wheels on the bike and the top bike rail. This worked out great, bike are held firmly in place. A bit expensive, but worth it. We have the two bike version of this rack, not the four bike version in the link. The rack is heavy and I was concerned about the weight with both the bikes and the rack. Moving the spare would certainly help, but four bikes will hang out pretty far and put alot of strain on the hitch. Not saying you can't do four bikes, just make sure to do your homework.

DAN


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## LaydBack (Aug 22, 2010)

Here's what I got. I'm in the process of relocating the spare tire, as we speak, so I can get 4 bikes on it. It holds the bikes well and is easy to adjust/offset the bikes to make pedals, handle bars, etc. work out. Since the trailer bounces so much in the back, I am going to use a stabilizer on the receiver and also ratchet strap the bike rack to cut down on it's movement, and to keep it from overworking that 1 1/4" hitch.


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## Good Times (Jan 23, 2012)

The bike hitch supplied with my 301BQ is, in my opinion, incapable of supporting a 4 bike rack, not even close to exceeding the 150lb. maximum as stated on the sticker. I have an adapter 1 1/4" to my 2" hitch rack and with 2 bikes there is roughly 4" bounce both up and down...that's 8" of movement! Nonetheless that bike hitch is now history and my redesigned hitch is in place. I use the same mounting brackets on the TT that the OEM hitch was fastened to I simply bolted on a much stiffer designed hitch. Check out the image from my design. I will try to get some pics of the real deal to post over the weekend. BTW the cost of materials was about $85 I did the labor and welding. For the naysayers...I proved the design thru analysis for the structural integrity. I imposed stresses of 2000 lbs at the very end of the hitch. Even with that load...WHICH WOULD NEVER HAPPEN...the projected deflection was 0.020" and did not fail any components including the bolted connections. With less than 125lbs of bike rack and bikes, I am extremely confident with this new bike hitch....more to come in the pics.


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## Blip (Sep 26, 2010)

Thank You Everyone For All Your Feedback. It Was Very Helpful.

Thanks Again, Jim


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## DFG (Jul 18, 2011)

TwoElkhounds said:


> Hi,
> 
> We went through this with our 301BQ, so we have some experience. Avoid any rack that allows the bike to hang or swing. The back of the trailer bounces around quite a bit and your bikes will get beat to hell. We had a batwing type rack last year and it did not work.
> 
> ...


Perfect timing for this topic...... picking up our 301BQ next Friday at Holmans and starting the search for a rear 2 bike carrier for Memorial Day weekend. To leverage off your experience did you relocate the rear tire carrier, if so where? Do I need to remove the pedals on the inside bike? Thank you for the advice.


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## TwoElkhounds (Mar 11, 2007)

DFG said:


> Perfect timing for this topic...... picking up our 301BQ next Friday at Holmans and starting the search for a rear 2 bike carrier for Memorial Day weekend. To leverage off your experience did you relocate the rear tire carrier, if so where? Do I need to remove the pedals on the inside bike? Thank you for the advice.


Hi,

I moved the spare over to the passenger side of the bumper, very easy to do. The bike rack actually works with both a 1-1/4" and 2" receivers. However, I needed to use a 1-1/4" to 2" adapter to move the rack out a few inches so the pedals cleared the spare tire. No need to remove them. We purchased the two bike version from Amazon.

I like this rack since it also has a locking feature. You can lock the rack to the trailer and the bikes to the rack. We bought the kids their "adult" bikes this spring (not the junky ones from Walmart) and they are just nice enough to be a target for theives. The locks will help prevent the bikes from riding off without us when we are stopped on the road or while we are away from the trailer.

Good luck with your trailer! We purchased our 301BQ last year from Holmans and everything went great! Very satisfied with them.

DAN


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## Good Times (Jan 23, 2012)

Wow, I promised pictures a month ago...time flies when you're having fun. Here are a few pictures of the bike hitch mod. I am now 100% confident in the ability of the hitch and bike rack to haul our four bikes behind the TT without worry or bouncy unnecessary stresses on the hitch.


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## LaydBack (Aug 22, 2010)

Just built and installed installed this one, as the factory hitch bounced far too much in the short trial run with 4 bikes, even after being ratchet strapped. Hands down, the answer is a stiffer setup. I've got more pics of it in the link in my sig, but it's setup for safety chains, hide a key hitch safe, and has loops to tie down to. Now I can have the option of bike rack, cargo carrier, or putting the golf cart on my small trailer.


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## joeymac (Aug 19, 2010)

I need some help from other 312BH owners with the factory hitch installed on the rear of the camper......I bought a hitch from another OB'er that owns a 301BQ. 
I assumed that the frame on the 301BQ is the same as the 312BH....Still not sure about that. However I received the hitch and believed all I had to do was drill eight holes in the frame and place eight bolts in the hitch and move on down the road. However, nothing is as easy as it seems.

My question is this, can someone either take some photos of the factory install hitch on the 312BH and post them or can someone attempt to describe to me how this hitch is mounted to the frame. 
Are there additional metal plates welded to the frame that the hitch would mount to ?

Thanks in advance.


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## joeymac (Aug 19, 2010)

Any help here ?


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## MJV (Apr 19, 2012)

Sorry my skills for attatching photo's are non existant. I have a 210RS with the factory hitch which is mounted with 4 smaller bolts on a piece of channel metal(I won't call that steel) welded to the frame (bottom side each side)right near where the bumper is welded to the frame. A photo is better and I believe some are in other posts of this form regarding bike racks. You will find in one of these posts where I have mounted a bike rack I bought at Costco(4 bike). I do carry 2 adult bikes on it which i tie as secure as possible to prevent bouncing. I would NOT carry 4 with out bracing the middle of the rack(welding to the frame cross brace) but i don't have a welder, as other posters have done. M.V.

P. S. It looks like the photo Good Times Has posted in this thread. He has also welded a piece of tubing from the rack to the middle frame cross member?? as is required for extra strength. M.V. Upon re readimg his post has he completely re done the hitch with heavier material??? M.V.


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## OutbackKampers (Mar 25, 2012)

joeymac said:


> I need some help from other 312BH owners with the factory hitch installed on the rear of the camper......I bought a hitch from another OB'er that owns a 301BQ.
> I assumed that the frame on the 301BQ is the same as the 312BH....Still not sure about that. However I received the hitch and believed all I had to do was drill eight holes in the frame and place eight bolts in the hitch and move on down the road. However, nothing is as easy as it seems.
> 
> My question is this, can someone either take some photos of the factory install hitch on the 312BH and post them or can someone attempt to describe to me how this hitch is mounted to the frame.
> ...


I'll take a look at mine this afternoon. I believe the hitch is mounted to a plate welded under the frame rail, and under/behind the rear bumper. I added a gusset from the top of the hitch to the bumper for some added strength. The factory set up seemed to flex a little much.


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## OutbackKampers (Mar 25, 2012)

Blip said:


> We have a new 2012 312BH, we the bike rack receiver under the rear bumper. We are lookin for a bike rack to handle at least 4 bikes. What would be a good brand, and where to purchase. Also could the spare tire still stay on the rear bumper with the rack being used.
> 
> Thank you, Jim


I have a Thule 4 bike, bike rack. I like the quality of the rack, but I don't think the hitch on the Outback is strong enough. I welded a gusset from the top of the hitch to the rear bumper to help out with some of the flex. My daughters' bikes are too small to fit on the rack right now, so it's just my wife, and my bike on the rack. I would definitely make the hitch stronger yet if I was going to haul for bikes on the rack.


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## H2oSprayer (Aug 5, 2006)

joeymac said:


> I need some help from other 312BH owners with the factory hitch installed on the rear of the camper......I bought a hitch from another OB'er that owns a 301BQ.
> I assumed that the frame on the 301BQ is the same as the 312BH....Still not sure about that. However I received the hitch and believed all I had to do was drill eight holes in the frame and place eight bolts in the hitch and move on down the road. However, nothing is as easy as it seems.
> 
> My question is this, can someone either take some photos of the factory install hitch on the 312BH and post them or can someone attempt to describe to me how this hitch is mounted to the frame.
> ...


There is a 4" x 10" C channel that is welded to the frame on my 312 that the hitch is bolted to. If you look at the photos in LayedBack's sig, you will see how he constructed a hitch that is much stronger then the factory one and should have much less flex when using a 4 bike rack. I have attached a photo of the C channel welded for you. 









Edit: sorry the photo is so big, the best I could do from my phone.


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## Ltteknishun (Nov 12, 2011)

I've got a 2011 250RS. I got rid of the factory "receiver" and built my own. I temporarily folded back the corogated material underneath and added more weld to the chassis and the c-channel. I upgraded the size of the material as well as going to a 2" receiver. After way too much research I decided on a Sprotrack 4EZ platform style bike rack. It's rated for 180 lbs. We took it on the maiden voyage last weekend and it worked perfectly. Hope this helps.


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## joeymac (Aug 19, 2010)

H2oSprayer said:


> I need some help from other 312BH owners with the factory hitch installed on the rear of the camper......I bought a hitch from another OB'er that owns a 301BQ.
> I assumed that the frame on the 301BQ is the same as the 312BH....Still not sure about that. However I received the hitch and believed all I had to do was drill eight holes in the frame and place eight bolts in the hitch and move on down the road. However, nothing is as easy as it seems.
> 
> My question is this, can someone either take some photos of the factory install hitch on the 312BH and post them or can someone attempt to describe to me how this hitch is mounted to the frame.
> ...


There is a 4" x 10" C channel that is welded to the frame on my 312 that the hitch is bolted to. If you look at the photos in LayedBack's sig, you will see how he constructed a hitch that is much stronger then the factory one and should have much less flex when using a 4 bike rack. I have attached a photo of the C channel welded for you. 









Edit: sorry the photo is so big, the best I could do from my phone.
[/quote]

Thanks Chris ! Very helpful....Going to get some steel and start welding this weekend.


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## Good Times (Jan 23, 2012)

This looks identical or at the very least simular to the 301BQ. Our 2012 301BQ has the same brackets however they are 12" long. Before installing my HD bike hitch I also finished the welds on the 4" 'C' brackets. As you can see in H2O pic the brackets are minimally welded from the factory. I will try to post a better picture which shows the weld. Pics of my HD bike hitch were posted earlier in this thread.


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## joeymac (Aug 19, 2010)

Good Times said:


> This looks identical or at the very least simular to the 301BQ. Our 2012 301BQ has the same brackets however they are 12" long. Before installing my HD bike hitch I also finished the welds on the 4" 'C' brackets. As you can see in H2O pic the brackets are minimally welded from the factory. I will try to post a better picture which shows the weld. Pics of my HD bike hitch were posted earlier in this thread.


After seeing Chris' photo on his 312 mount, I believe the frame on the 301BQ is either very close to or is the exact same in terms of specs. 
I falsely believed that I was going to be able to just bolt the hitch on to my existing setup.....I should have known, nothing is that easy....duh

OH, and thanks for the input Mike !


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