Bike rack results ---help!!!

Well we tried the 2 inch receiver on the back bumper bike rack option with a 4 bike rack. Was working great until we found out it was actually pulling the bumper off of the trailer. The welds of the bumper are now pulled open. Guess the bike weight was too much. Question: Has anyone ever attached an actual receiver hitch to the trailer like on a car where it is bolted to something solid? I think this is my next option since the bumper idea won't work for our heavy bikes. Also any ideas on how to fix the bumper?

Violet:
I seem to be having the same problem. After struggling to find a solution to carrying my families four bikes, we settled on the same setup you did on our 2619. After seeing your e-mail this morning I went out and checked the weld and saw that the weld seemed to be separating on the one side.

I am hoping that someone out there has a solution to our problem. I know that if there is a fix....this is the forum to find it in.

Good luck.

Ken

You might private message Rick Newcomb, who has a Swagman set up on his rear Trailmanor bumper. He may know some way of minimizing bumper damage.

Our family opted for the more expensive route of having a hitch receiver fabricated for the rear of our trailer, obviously welded straight onto the frame for over $200. A big investment, but we've now traveled to New Jersey and back and to South Dakota and back with great results.

The hitch receiver is what we might have to do because we like having our bikes. Where did you get your hitch receiver installed? Trailmanor dealer? Local shop? How did they know what size hitch receiver to give you? Thanks for your reply.

[Civil_War_Buff]

Yikes, I installed my Swagman bumper hitch receiver last night, in anticipation of taking my bikes this weekend. I am only carrying 2 bikes, but I would like to know where the weld is separating? Is the bumper weld at the frame coming apart?

Thanks,

Larry

Yes weld is coming apart at the top of the frame on both sides.

[Civil_War_Buff]

Thanks, I will keep an eye on mine. As for getting yours fixed, any hitch shop (U-Haul) should be able to re-weld your bumper and beef it up in the process as well.

Larry

Larry:
Good advice. I just returned from dropping mine at the hitch place. They are welding in reinforcement so that it can handle the load of our 4 bikes. The good news is I'll have it back for the Labor Day trip. Even better it is only costing me about $50 and I can use my existing bike rack setup.

Thanks again.

Ken

Violet,

We had the hitch fabricated at our dealer. The receiver is the same size (2&quot as we have for the trailer itself, since we also carry the bike rack directly on the car at times, too. Since you already have a set up, you may wish to try or at least investigate what Ken did with having the weld reinforced. You may still decide to do a hitch receiver, but if you can get by with only $50 versus $200....

And I agree about the bikes. Even though our son took a nasty spill this summer off of his (16 stitches in his chin), I can't imagine not having the chance to ride on the weekends or on vacation.