# Bumper Strength On 312Bh



## heron (May 13, 2010)

I realize this has been covered extensively as far as bike racks go but...

On a 312 we have the spare tire carrier and the grill mount carrier. I'm hooking up a cut down hand truck(without wheels, top handle) to the bumper. I'll have to extend it out a bit (8") with some bars to keep it away from the back of the camper. My plan is to cover it with pipe insulation and maybe put some "L" brackets off the bottom. I'll be putting my Barker 42 gallon tote along on it standing up. I'll ratchet strap it to the handtruck.

The handtruck and extra channeling to extend it out weigh about as much as those 2" add a receivers from Swagman. The only additional weight will be the tote along which cannot weigh more than 30lbs. Not to mention there will not be a considerable amount of leverage since I'm mounting it practically on top of the bumper.

What do you think? Too much additional weight? My gut says no, I've thought of welding up some additional supports to the bumper but I'm thinking it would be over kill. I really don't want to move the spare tire but if I had to I'd rather put that in the back of my truck rather than the tank tote.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Why not put this in the trailer or your truck?


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## clarkely (Sep 15, 2008)

will see how they do ....... my buddy just put a swagman 4 place bike rack on the Factory hitch reciever that comes on the 2011 anniversary 312BH - he did tap the reciever to put fixing bolts in it to put pressure on it and lock it in and take side to side play out of it........... we will see how it does bouncing up and down..........


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## jcat67 (Aug 8, 2008)

clarkely said:


> will see how they do ....... my buddy just put a swagman 4 place bike rack on the Factory hitch reciever that comes on the 2011 anniversary 312BH - he did tap the reciever to put fixing bolts in it to put pressure on it and lock it in and take side to side play out of it........... we will see how it does bouncing up and down..........


Please post results. This is the same rack I have and I will be picking up my new Q in a week or so. I'd rather someone else test the strength.


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## BoaterDan (Jul 1, 2005)

If I remember correctly from those that have had their bumper messed up by too much weight, it's not that the bumper can't support it, but that the twisting action of the hitch with bike rack attached kind of rips the bumper or at least distorts it in the rotation. I would think you're _probably_ fine giving your weight will be right on the bumper. Personally, I'd go for it but keep a close eye on it.


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## Up State NY Camper (Apr 7, 2010)

I think you'll be fine putting it on the bumper as it is light, but I agree with O.C., why not just put it in the truck or the OB? That's what I do. It's the last thing to go in when we pack, and the first thing to come out at camp. I keep it under the tt while camping.	I must say welding a hand truck to the bumper to hold something is a creative idea though.







Good luck.

I would also like to know how the swagman bike rack holds up on those new factory mounted hitches. I stopped at the dealer and they told me they could put one on my tt. I'm considering it.


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## heron (May 13, 2010)

Up State NY Camper said:


> I think you'll be fine putting it on the bumper as it is light, but I agree with O.C., why not just put it in the truck or the OB? That's what I do. It's the last thing to go in when we pack, and the first thing to come out at camp. I keep it under the tt while camping.	I must say welding a hand truck to the bumper to hold something is a creative idea though.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I'll post pic's when it's done. Including the hand truck I got on sale and cut down from Norther tool I think I have $60 into it. 
All in all the rack probably weighs in at maybe 30 lbs, the barker probably weighs 30 also so about 60 lbs on the rack but not a whole lot of leveraging going on. I did have to extend the bars out where the hand truck will stand up about even with the back of the bumper to keep it from
hitting the rear of the camper. I didn't think the back was bowed out but it is...

Yes, and my truck has a topper and ends up being totally filled up usually. This is the largest Tote they make (42gallon) and putting in the truck and 
the camper takes up a lot of room not to mention I don't want it in the camper once it's used...nasty and one more thing to have to do. 
If this rack works well it will stay on the rack in storage and locked to the rack. The only time it will come off is when I need it. I'll have to keep the handle in the rear bumper. If the tote rack works well I'll be doing the pneumatic tire mode next. I hate those plastic wheels.


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## heron (May 13, 2010)

heron said:


> I think you'll be fine putting it on the bumper as it is light, but I agree with O.C., why not just put it in the truck or the OB? That's what I do. It's the last thing to go in when we pack, and the first thing to come out at camp. I keep it under the tt while camping.	I must say welding a hand truck to the bumper to hold something is a creative idea though.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I'll post pic's when it's done. Including the hand truck I got on sale and cut down from Norther tool I think I have $60 into it. 
All in all the rack probably weighs in at maybe 30 lbs, the barker probably weighs 30 also so about 60 lbs on the rack but not a whole lot of leveraging going on. I did have to extend the bars out where the hand truck will stand up about even with the back of the bumper to keep it from
hitting the rear of the camper. I didn't think the back was bowed out but it is...

Yes, and my truck has a topper and ends up being totally filled up usually. This is the largest Tote they make (42gallon) and putting in the truck and 
the camper takes up a lot of room not to mention I don't want it in the camper once it's used...nasty and one more thing to have to do. 
If this rack works well it will stay on the rack in storage and locked to the rack. The only time it will come off is when I need it. I'll have to keep the handle in the rear bumper. If the tote rack works well I'll be doing the pneumatic tire mode next. I hate those plastic wheels.
[/quote]

Okay, I think I've got it done, total of 58 lbs including tank. I may have to face the top wheels outward if they end up hitting the back of the camper. I have not attached it yet but that should be no issue. I've got 6" bolts, fender washers, lock washers and I made up to straps with 5/16 holes for the bottom of the bumper. Squared u-bolts were hard to come by that length and width. I'll try to attach pics.,
The pic with the black pipe insulation on the back didn't show up but basically I used pipe insulation and some plastic packing stuff that should hold up to the weather for the bottom. I'll run a small cable thru where the handle goes and lock it to the top of the hand truck on the back. I'll torque the nuts down so if someone wants it they'll have to work at it...


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