Bike Rack Installation (1 Viewer)

Greysand

Free Member
Feb 4, 2010
8
0
Mablethorpe, Lincs
Funster No
10,172
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
6 months
Hello All,

Just joined as I have been looking round for tips on installing a bike rack on my 2009 Autocruise Startrail.

I have a fiamma pro C and have just received the rear panel diagram from Swift. There is a 28mm plywood block for the bottom brackets, but no block to support the upper brackets for this model bike rack.

The upper and lower brackets are spaced from 400 to 500 mm.

What amount of force/weight are the upper brackets subjected to? (Max 40kg load on bike rack)

As the upper brackets are behind the fixed bed headboard, can I strengthen from inside?

Any help greatly appreciated.
 

SpongeBobsDad

Free Member
Sep 23, 2008
107
6
north east uk
Funster No
4,146
MH
coachbuilt
Exp
25 + yrs
Hi Greysand

Be careful when drilling holes in your motor home make sure that you use some good sealant when fixing the fittings.

I had some trouble with dampness getting into the rear wall of one of my motor homes after drilling through and fitting a bike rack the sealant i used wasn't the right stuff,it caused a big and expensive problem to put right.

Have not bothered to put any thing that involves putting holes in or through the body in my new motor home.:thumb:
 

Peter JohnsCross MH

Funster
Deceased RIP
Jan 5, 2008
9,617
6,194
East Sussex
Funster No
1,134
MH
Autotrail
Exp
1995
Hi,

If you give Ian or Glenn a call on 01-580-881288, they should be able to advise you.

Regards

Peter

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Greysand

Free Member
Feb 4, 2010
8
0
Mablethorpe, Lincs
Funster No
10,172
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
6 months
Hi Greysand

Be careful when drilling holes in your motor home make sure that you use some good sealant when fixing the fittings.

I had some trouble with dampness getting into the rear wall of one of my motor homes after drilling through and fitting a bike rack the sealant i used wasn't the right stuff,it caused a big and expensive problem to put right.

Have not bothered to put any thing that involves putting holes in or through the body in my new motor home.:thumb:
Thanks Ronny,

I have got the correct sealant and the installation instructions do show where sealant should be used, and I usually 'overkill' anyway.:thumb:
 

zaskar

Free Member
Sep 25, 2007
1,159
371
UK
Funster No
399
MH
5th Wheel
Exp
30+
I did this on the back of an Abbey Spectrum 535 (Swift Group) after the dealer point blank refused. Spoke to Swift on the phone (who were extremely helpfull). They sent me the diagram in the post and assured me that the rear panel of any of thier vans which are specifically stated as being designed to take a rack, are all capable of taking the load of the fiamma racks loaded.
You wond need to reinforce the rear panel PROVIDING you dont intend to overload the rack.

Coincidentally, my caravan also had the fixed rear headboard, which is why the dealer refused, stating that they'd tried one not long ago and ended up wrecking the headboard when they took it off to fix the rack.

Both Swift and I were gobbsmacked at this considering the flipping thing is only held on with self adhesive velcro!:ROFLMAO:

Trust a dealer? Yeah right!!!!!!!:Doh:

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pappajohn

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 26, 2007
43,207
48,802
Dark side of the moon
Funster No
172
Exp
Since 2005
if there is no support timbers for the upper mountings and you do go ahead and fit the rack the use large spreader plates on the inside and DO NOT overtighten the fixing bolts...the rear panel WILL be crushed on the outside by the fixing bracket itself.
 
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OP
G

Greysand

Free Member
Feb 4, 2010
8
0
Mablethorpe, Lincs
Funster No
10,172
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
6 months
I did this on the back of an Abbey Spectrum 535 (Swift Group) after the dealer point blank refused. Spoke to Swift on the phone (who were extremely helpfull). They sent me the diagram in the post and assured me that the rear panel of any of thier vans which are specifically stated as being designed to take a rack, are all capable of taking the load of the fiamma racks loaded.
You wond need to reinforce the rear panel PROVIDING you dont intend to overload the rack.

Coincidentally, my caravan also had the fixed rear headboard, which is why the dealer refused, stating that they'd tried one not long ago and ended up wrecking the headboard when they took it off to fix the rack.

Both Swift and I were gobbsmacked at this considering the flipping thing is only held on with self adhesive velcro!:ROFLMAO:

Trust a dealer? Yeah right!!!!!!!:Doh:

Thanks Zaskar, I have just spoken to Glenn at John Cross motorhomes and been given excellent imformation. So there does appear to be a trustworthy dealer out there in this instance!:thumb:
 
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OP
G

Greysand

Free Member
Feb 4, 2010
8
0
Mablethorpe, Lincs
Funster No
10,172
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
6 months
if there is no support timbers for the upper mountings and you do go ahead and fit the rack the use large spreader plates on the inside and DO NOT overtighten the fixing bolts...the rear panel WILL be crushed on the outside by the fixing bracket itself.

Thanks Pappajohn,

Just been advised to drill 10mm holes and use 10mm copper pipe as a 'sleeve' for the bolts, and everything should be fine. Anybody out there disagree?:winky:

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American Dream

Free Member
Aug 20, 2007
0
156
Lincoln
Funster No
125
MH
?
Exp
?
I opted for a towbar mounted one as I didn't want to drill the panelling of the van.

Fits in place of the towball, not on it.

Certainly Spreading the load is a must if going for a rear-mounted one.

Sounds like you've been given some pretty good advise already.
 
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Greysand

Free Member
Feb 4, 2010
8
0
Mablethorpe, Lincs
Funster No
10,172
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
6 months
I opted for a towbar mounted one as I didn't want to drill the panelling of the van.

Fits in place of the towball, not on it.

Certainly Spreading the load is a must if going for a rear-mounted one.

Sounds like you've been given some pretty good advise already.
Hi There,
I too have misgivings about drilling the rear panel, and I have a Thule tow ball mounted bike rack which I used on my tow car when the van wasn't attached. However, it was a pain to mount and having been quoted between £500-600 for a tow bar, decided on the fiamma solution. Friends have used the fiamma for some time with no problems.

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hilldweller

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 5, 2008
605
36,108
Macclesfield
Funster No
5,089
MH
Zilch Mk1
Exp
From Aug 2007
Thanks Pappajohn,
Just been advised to drill 10mm holes and use 10mm copper pipe as a 'sleeve' for the bolts, and everything should be fine. Anybody out there disagree?:winky:

Not if that 10mm pipe is supposed to stop you crushing the frame. You could crush soft copper with your fingers ( almost ).

If it's an alloy skin and you put copper against it - any moisture and the alloy will corrode.

ISTM that if you drill oversize to take a sleeve than you are weakening the structure a bit more.

I would say that you want the bolt *very* tight in the hole so you get no slop to allow vibration to make it bigger. Then push bolt through sit stiff-nut next to it and measure protruding thread. Now you have a guide as to when to stop turning that spanner.
 

ruffingitsmoothly

Deceased RIP
Jan 2, 2008
553
70
West of Southampton edge
Funster No
1,103
MH
A Class RV
Exp
12
I opted for a towbar mounted one as I didn't want to drill the panelling of the van.

Fits in place of the towball, not on it.

Certainly Spreading the load is a must if going for a rear-mounted one.

Sounds like you've been given some pretty good advise already.

As Steve has said I too opted for a towbar mounted bike rack for the rear of my Monaco, but I also fitted another tow ball higher up so we could still tow the car

100_1528.jpg


100_0516.jpg


100_0514.jpg


Regards Pat
 
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Greysand

Free Member
Feb 4, 2010
8
0
Mablethorpe, Lincs
Funster No
10,172
MH
Coachbuilt
Exp
6 months
Not if that 10mm pipe is supposed to stop you crushing the frame. You could crush soft copper with your fingers ( almost ).

If it's an alloy skin and you put copper against it - any moisture and the alloy will corrode.

ISTM that if you drill oversize to take a sleeve than you are weakening the structure a bit more.

I would say that you want the bolt *very* tight in the hole so you get no slop to allow vibration to make it bigger. Then push bolt through sit stiff-nut next to it and measure protruding thread. Now you have a guide as to when to stop turning that spanner.
Thanks Brian,
All valid points, and the Jury is still out on this one. I was an Electrical/Electronics engineer so am mindful of the pitfalls....Looking at getting a towbar fitted, and using my Thule rack.

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hilldweller

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 5, 2008
605
36,108
Macclesfield
Funster No
5,089
MH
Zilch Mk1
Exp
From Aug 2007
Thanks Brian,
All valid points, and the Jury is still out on this one. I was an Electrical/Electronics engineer so am mindful of the pitfalls....Looking at getting a towbar fitted, and using my Thule rack.

Not so sure about that. If you need to tow fine, but if you don't the last thing a MH needs is unnecessary weight. Just think how many bottle of wine a towbar represents.

Hanging a bike rack isn't rocket science.
 

kaspian

Free Member
Aug 16, 2009
24
0
bonnie Scotland
Funster No
7,996
MH
c class
Exp
9 months and counting!
Not so sure about that. If you need to tow fine, but if you don't the last thing a MH needs is unnecessary weight. Just think how many bottle of wine a towbar represents.

:ROFLMAO:Hanging a bike rack isn't rocket science.
:ROFLMAO:


Ha Ha Brian, it is according to ELDDIS ! I am currently trying to find out where the reinforcement (if any ) is placed in the rear panel of my Avantgarde 130 to then determine which model of bike rack is most suitable to fit and the reply I got was THEY (Elddis) do NOT supply this information to customers ,as, if you drill into the panel the water ingress warranty is then void . Information will only be supplied to dealers for them to fit - No doubt in their space lab at NASA.!!:winky:
 

hilldweller

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 5, 2008
605
36,108
Macclesfield
Funster No
5,089
MH
Zilch Mk1
Exp
From Aug 2007
:ROFLMAO:
Information will only be supplied to dealers for them to fit

What planet do they come from ?

OK I can see their point, some people will botch it but then so will some dealers.

All they have to do is supply a drawing with huge red disclaimer.

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Roberto21

Free Member
Jan 3, 2017
17
1
Northants
Funster No
46,725
MH
Swift bolero 680 fb
Exp
Since 2013
Looking to fit fiamma pro to my bolero 680 and nobody giving info on where fixing points are , called swift and not want to help
 

laneside

Funster
Deceased RIP
Aug 14, 2009
2,668
6,276
Oradour sur Vayres
Funster No
7,981
MH
Rapido V66
Exp
nowhere near long enough
Not always possible but somtimes if you can get the light right you can just make out where the blocks are situated in the rear of van, never just when you want to do the job of course

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musson

Free Member
Dec 25, 2013
487
165
grantham
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29,456
MH
low profile
Exp
since Jan 2014
I had my fitted by dealer after being told if i get it wrong could cost for a new back panel
cost 200 to fit
 
Oct 11, 2016
1,310
2,180
Bognor Regis
Funster No
45,542
MH
Bailey Adamo 69-4
Exp
6 years
Not so sure about that. If you need to tow fine, but if you don't the last thing a MH needs is unnecessary weight. Just think how many bottle of wine a towbar represents.

Hanging a bike rack isn't rocket science.
This the point where I am at. Currently I have a towbar fitted, massive amount of metalwork under the van. I have checked with towbar manufacturer and have ascertained that it weighs 52kg in total and that's without attaching the cycle rack. We don't always take bikes so that's an awful lot of weight to be carrying around.

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Jan 28, 2008
10,104
18,259
Dovercourt, Harwich, UK
Funster No
1,353
MH
Renalt burstner
Exp
7 years campers before that
i wouldnt worry about fitting spacers just bolt through loads of sealant which will also stop corrosion between the mixed metals you can get long bars which the bike rack attaches to and spreads the load again plenty of sika on them
 

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