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04-26-2020, 11:20 AM
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#1
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Winnebago Watcher
Join Date: Mar 2020
Posts: 3
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Dual Hitch Receiver
We have a Class A with a tow bar rated at 5000 pounds and tongue weight of 500. We would like to use a dual hitch to tow a tow dolly with car on the lower receiver and to add a bicycle rack for two bikes on the top receiver. Currently we have a bike rack on the RV ladder but the bikes weigh more than the weight rating of the bike rack and when loaded on the rack the bikes partially block the view of the brake light. We tow a VW EOS convertible on a tow dolly using a two piece drop hitch from Reese.
EOS = 3569 lbs
Tow Dolly (Master Tow 80t) = 550 lbs, max GVWR of towed is 4500 lbs
Bikes and rack = @ 125 lbs
I've looked at Camping World and Harbor Freight and their max load is 4000 lbs which I believe I exceed with the weight of the tow dolly and the car combined. I've talked to Roadmaster and Reese about their dual receivers and they tell me that it will handle the bike rack and even though the weight rating is high enough for the car and dolly they state they aren't made to pull a trailer or tow dolly. Not sure I understand why, but that is their product restriction.
Has anyone manged to do both like we are trying to do with the hitch? If so can you let us know what mfg you went with. Alternatives are welcome too. I even tried to find a front mount hitch for the RV but had no luck and was advised to consider custom made $$$$. I like the dual receiver option if I could find one that can be used with a tow dolly.
thanks
Mike
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04-26-2020, 05:43 PM
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#2
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 149
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I towed a CRV for a few years with one like it behind a class A, the RoadMaster is rated at 10000LBS
Don't know for a fact, but I think they don't recommend it because of the length it sticks out, like 12+ inches puts a lot more sideload on towed items on certain RV's, when there is a large overhang it will wip that dolly around like no tomorrow in a turn.
Personally never had an issue.
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04-27-2020, 04:02 AM
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#3
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Winnebago Master
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: Branson MO area
Posts: 685
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This may not be what you are wanting to do. Years back I had a bike carrier that slipped over the 2" receiver. I know its not a popular method but for rving to me it was the best way to go. Surco OSI Receiver Slide Over Bike Rack - BRS300
Doing a quick search this is what I came upwith
__________________
07 Meridian 36G
Roadmaster tow dolly
Great Wife!! & Max the Frisbee chasing dog.
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04-28-2020, 05:01 PM
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#4
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Winnebago Camper
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Anaheim Hills, CA
Posts: 8
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I just had a 5K hitch delivered from Amazon. It took about a month but looks good. Total cost was under $38.
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2011 Sightseer 36V
2010 HHR 4 wheels down toad
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04-29-2020, 07:04 AM
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#5
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Site Team
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Spring Branch, TX
Posts: 7,817
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We used a dual receiver adapter for a bike rack and a tow bar for flat towing. We got it from etrailer. It was rated for 10,000 lbs. We only used it once because when loaded with our bikes we had trouble operating the tow bar - connecting and disconnecting the toad was just about impossible without removing both bikes. It was so much hassle that we stopped using it and instead put a bike rack on our toad and moved the bikes back behind the toad.
https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories.../RM-077-4.html
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2017 Winnebago Adventurer 37F
2016 Lincoln MKX Toad
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04-29-2020, 07:37 AM
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#6
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Winnebago Master
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 1,354
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Not sure what you're towing, but how about putting a bike rack on that?
__________________
2019 2106 DS
2019 Colorado Duramax
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04-29-2020, 09:51 AM
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#7
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Bettendorf Iowa
Posts: 203
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my set up ...My welder attached a square socket to the tow hitch and the bike rack slips down on it. Remember that any tow hitch is bolted to the main frame and that mandates the max towable weight regardless how many hitches you attach to it... https://www.winnieowners.com/forums/...1&d=1588175103
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04-29-2020, 10:35 AM
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#8
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Mar 2020
Posts: 87
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mdlessard
We have a Class A with a tow bar rated at 5000 pounds and tongue weight of 500. We would like to use a dual hitch to tow a tow dolly with car on the lower receiver and to add a bicycle rack for two bikes on the top receiver. Currently we have a bike rack on the RV ladder but the bikes weigh more than the weight rating of the bike rack and when loaded on the rack the bikes partially block the view of the brake light. We tow a VW EOS convertible on a tow dolly using a two piece drop hitch from Reese.
EOS = 3569 lbs
Tow Dolly (Master Tow 80t) = 550 lbs, max GVWR of towed is 4500 lbs
Bikes and rack = @ 125 lbs
I've looked at Camping World and Harbor Freight and their max load is 4000 lbs which I believe I exceed with the weight of the tow dolly and the car combined. I've talked to Roadmaster and Reese about their dual receivers and they tell me that it will handle the bike rack and even though the weight rating is high enough for the car and dolly they state they aren't made to pull a trailer or tow dolly. Not sure I understand why, but that is their product restriction.
Has anyone manged to do both like we are trying to do with the hitch? If so can you let us know what mfg you went with. Alternatives are welcome too. I even tried to find a front mount hitch for the RV but had no luck and was advised to consider custom made $$$$. I like the dual receiver option if I could find one that can be used with a tow dolly.
thanks
Mike
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WoW! Perfect timing for me and your question. We just purchased a 2014 Meridian 36M. I have been very hesitant to purchase the Roadmaster dual receiver. Our rig sits pretty low and installing the dual receiver would make the hitch even lower. I am liking the responses so far.
__________________
Pat & Becky
E. Wenatchee, WA
2014 Meridian 36M
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04-29-2020, 10:40 AM
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#9
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Mar 2020
Posts: 87
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Quote:
Originally Posted by be happy
This may not be what you are wanting to do. Years back I had a bike carrier that slipped over the 2" receiver. I know its not a popular method but for rving to me it was the best way to go. Surco OSI Receiver Slide Over Bike Rack - BRS300
Doing a quick search this is what I came up with
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"mdlessard's" question was spot on for me also. I really like the looks of this method you provided. So, do the bikes "hang" by their top bar? We have a ladies bike that I have converted to an Ebike. Do you think a ladies style bike will work on this rack? Thanks.
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Pat & Becky
E. Wenatchee, WA
2014 Meridian 36M
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04-29-2020, 11:22 AM
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#10
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Winnebago Camper
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Anaheim Hills, CA
Posts: 8
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This is what I was referring to. Again, I just received it and haven't tried it out as of yet but it appears nicely made and over the last year has received 5 star reviews.
https://www.amazon.com/HiTow-Receive...s%2C326&sr=8-5
__________________
2011 Sightseer 36V
2010 HHR 4 wheels down toad
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04-29-2020, 11:41 AM
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#11
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Winnebago Master
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 1,354
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This might not matter for many vehicle tow options (e.g. flat tow), but one thing to keep in mind is that the weight of the carrier and bikes does more than just reduce the remaining tongue weight. That's because it's "dead" weight being carried by the hitch receiver. Dead weight is different than tongue weight, I think, because tongue weight is basically on a fulcrum, where dead weight is actually carried. Going over bumps the difference could be significant.
It varies by vehicle, but for my Chevy Colorado the limit for a carrier is 1/2 the tongue weight or 500 pounds, whichever is less. So on my truck that means 385 pounds of carrier weight.
My manual doesn't contemplate both a carrier and trailer together, but I think it's safe to assume that a 200 pound carrier and bikes would reduce the tongue weight by 400 pounds down to 370 pounds.
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2019 2106 DS
2019 Colorado Duramax
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05-03-2020, 06:32 PM
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#12
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Winnie Driver
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Nevada
Posts: 23
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I, it seems to me the easiest, most economical way, would be to hang the bikes on a bike rack on the back of the car. Eliminates all kinds of problems and gets them out of the way.
Bill
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05-03-2020, 07:35 PM
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#13
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Winnebago Camper
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Anaheim Hills, CA
Posts: 8
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I missed it was a dolly question when posting the dual hitch receiver I purchased but in response to Bill in my case mounting a trailer hitch to my toad would be a couple of hundred dollars vs the under forty solution. Also, my car could only support the bikes or a small cargo carrier as towing isn't an option with the toad. So it came down to saving some money and labor for me.
__________________
2011 Sightseer 36V
2010 HHR 4 wheels down toad
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05-03-2020, 08:45 PM
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#14
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Winnebago Watcher
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 3
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Dual hitch
How about putting a bike rack on the towed vehicle?
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05-04-2020, 08:33 PM
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#15
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WinnieAdven38
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Riverside, CA
Posts: 178
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Have the experience you are asking about, but 1st - you list the weight of the tow dolly as 550 lbs, but keep in mind the hitch max weight of 5000 lbs they always refer to is the tongue weight. How much weight is actually being applied to the hitch? In your case it would be the actual weight of the dolly tongue + weight of bikes + weight of bike rack. You should be well, well under 5000.
I have been doing exactly what you are asking about. I bought the Roadmaster dual hitch receiver to both hold a bike rack as well as tow (4 down) our Honda CRV. Towing with our 2005 Winnebago 38' Class A, workhorse chassis. I know the actual tongue weight for this set up = Bike rack + Bikes + weight of tow bar on the hitch. In my case about <300 lbs total. Keep in mind that 1/2 the weight of the tow bar (ReadyBrake) is supported by the toad baseplate.
So I was well under the tongue weight, as well as total towed weight. But here is the problem I experienced - Turns out when braking that the toad exerted a lot of force forward before its own brakes kicked in. This bent the entire hitch assy downwards about 20 degrees - deforming the side plates on the hitch.
When I noticed this I was able to unbolt the entire hitch assy from the RV rear side rails, took it to a local welding shop which did a great job building a new hitch assy using thicker steel and adding reinforcing gussets. I then painted up with POR-15 and re-bolted back in place. New assy is super strong and have had no issues since towing back and forth cross country, up & down the East coast. Just be aware that the OE factory hitch may not always be up to the task.
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05-04-2020, 09:20 PM
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#16
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Winnebago Master
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 1,354
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HappiHenri
Have the experience you are asking about, but 1st - you list the weight of the tow dolly as 550 lbs, but keep in mind the hitch max weight of 5000 lbs they always refer to is the tongue weight. How much weight is actually being applied to the hitch? In your case it would be the actual weight of the dolly tongue + weight of bikes + weight of bike rack. You should be well, well under 5000.
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I'm not familiar with motorhome tow ratings, but I really doubt that the 5,000 is the tongue weight, as opposed to the weight of the vehicle towed. For one thing, most trailers have a tongue weight of 10-13% of the trailer weight, so if the tongue weight were 5000 pounds, that would be a 50,000+ pound trailer!
So, for example, my truck can tow a vehicle that weighs 7,600 pounds, but is limited to a tongue weight of 770.
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2019 2106 DS
2019 Colorado Duramax
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05-05-2020, 10:18 AM
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#17
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WinnieAdven38
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Riverside, CA
Posts: 178
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Thanks Goodspike for the correction. You are correct (I mis-stated figures in my original post above). The max tongue weight is 10% of the max tow weight. So for my Winnebago the max tongue weight is 500 lbs, with a max tow weight of 5,000 lbs.
Thanks for the clarification.
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05-05-2020, 04:31 PM
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#18
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Winnebago Watcher
Join Date: Mar 2020
Posts: 3
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First I want to thank everyone for their responses. We have tried a few options in the past that work but are not that great for us. Our toad is a VW EOS, which is a hard top convertible that utilizes the trunk to do its transformer thing where it stores the roof. We found we have to add and remove it too frequently. The ladder rack is situated on the driver side. When the bikes are on with or without the front tires the bikes stick out the side a bit and interferes with the visibility of the brake light.
I really like the dual receiver option but because we use a tow dolly I have been finding that the manufacturers I have contacted tell me their product is not to be used with a tow dolly. One option I didn't know about was the slide over hitch rack. I think this is what we are going to go with.
Swagman Traveler XCS2 - We like the ease of loading the bikes with this rack. We've used something similar on buses when we've camped, plus it has the capacity to handle the weight of our bikes. https://www.etrailer.com/RV-and-Camp...an/S64664.html
I have some measuring to do but I am most likely going to change out my adjustable drop hitch for a fixed angled drop something like this. https://www.etrailer.com/Drop-Hitch/Curt/C45087.html
I am so glad I turned to you folks because I would have never had figured it out. It seemed like I was at a dead end. So I can't thank you all enough.
Thanks, Mike
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05-06-2020, 08:36 AM
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#19
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Mar 2020
Posts: 87
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We have a Swagman like that now, minus the slip over goose neck piece. Ours mounted to the bumper of our class C with a bolt on receiver/straight hitch bar. I think I will look to see if I can buy the goose neck like on the rack you found.
__________________
Pat & Becky
E. Wenatchee, WA
2014 Meridian 36M
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05-08-2020, 07:33 AM
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#20
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Itasca Sunstar Owner
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 38
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I had a bike rack similar to the Swagman you are looking at. Lost two bikes off of it while travelling up north to Timmins Onatrio...the brackets that hold the wheels broke from the stress of the rough roads. Also found it difficult to put a woman's bike on because of the hook that goes over the cross bars do not work very well unless the cross bar goes straight across like on a man's bike. Would never buy one again.
I have not bought one yet but I was looking at this clamp on bike rack. I have to check some measurements first to make sure I have enough clearance...
https://www.amazon.ca/Curt-18013-Cla.../dp/B007EA6JMM
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2015 Itasca Sunstar 35F
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