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Bike Rack Problem- Before & After Photos |
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HuronSailor 
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Joined: 10 Jun 2009 Location: Owosso MI Status: Offline Points: 860 |
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 Posted: 31 May 2010 at 8:36am |
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This issue sounds like a no-brainer to me, I can't imagine that it won't be resolved to your satisfaction. FR and/or Couch's should step up to the plate and fix the problem without passing the buck (and blame) onto their supplier. If you have a problem with your car while under the warranty period, the dealer/manufacturer fixes the issue, period. They don't give you the phone number of whichever one of their hundreds of suppliers furnished the particular problem component. That's ridiculous. By the way, I was interested to learn that FR had a bike rack, so I went to look at it online. I see it listed as an option under the rPod section, but no picture of it. Did they happen to furnish a link to a photo, or any more info on their bike rack during your many calls/emails?
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.: Mark & Beth :: Silverado 5.3L :: "arrrr"Pod 172 :: My Albums :: OurPod Blog ::
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George
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Joined: 20 Feb 2010 Location: SE Michigan Status: Offline Points: 133 |
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Posted: 31 May 2010 at 2:19pm |
No, the first we ever heard that they had their own bike rack was when they asked us if we were using it when the adapter broke. |
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I can't stop dreaming about June 15, 2013 when we get to permanently escape in our "Escape Pod" which is a 176T towed by a Chevy van with a 5.7L engine.
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gmandual
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Joined: 19 Jul 2009 Status: Offline Points: 470 |
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Posted: 31 May 2010 at 2:59pm |
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Where Forest River might have grounds to stand on is if the after market bike rack extends farther back from the hitch receiver then the one they sell. Trailer hitches are rated as a LB rating, but from an engineering standpoint they are actually rated at a moment of force at the hitch base. This is based on a LB load at a specific distance from the hitch receiver. If you think of your ball mount as a lever, the weight of the trailer is applied to the ball and the length of the ball mount causes a certain amount of torque to the hitch. The longer the ball mount the more torque applied to the hitch receiver for a given weight.
If you double the length of the lever, you cut your tow capacity and hitch capacity by half. So if you get a hitch extender to double the length of your ball mount to clear your spare tire you cut a 3500lb/300lb class 2 hitch down to being only able to tow 1750/150lb.
Same thing goes for bike rack. The longer the distance away from the trailer the more the bike weight it applified as torque on the hitch receiver. Which means a improperly designed (large) bike rack that extends back quite a ways, and carries 3-4 bikes can easily break a 250lb hitch when you hit a bump even if the bikes only way 100lb or so. The hitch on the rpod is in between a class1 and class2 hitch in weight capacity. Which in theory would put at carrying 4 bikes max. So your 2 bikes shouldn't have been a problem "unless" they weight alot or the bike rack sticks out farther then normal.
On a side note, the hitch "stack doubler" that allow you to use a hitch mount bike rack behind your vehicle and a ball mount to tow your trailer usually cut your tow/hitch capacity by 1/3->1/2 as well.
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George
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Joined: 20 Feb 2010 Location: SE Michigan Status: Offline Points: 133 |
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Posted: 01 Jun 2010 at 4:03am |
 This is what the break looks like. Actually, the welding held, it was the frame that the adapter was welded to that broke. And no one ever said that we had to use their bike rack. |
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I can't stop dreaming about June 15, 2013 when we get to permanently escape in our "Escape Pod" which is a 176T towed by a Chevy van with a 5.7L engine.
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gmandual
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Joined: 19 Jul 2009 Status: Offline Points: 470 |
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Posted: 01 Jun 2010 at 11:53am |
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Wow. Interesting point of failure. Where the metal "tore" does it look like more of a clean cut or does the metal appear crystalized?
There shouldn't be any reason why you can't you a different brand car carrier, as long as its properly sized and designed. By stating that they want people to use "their" bike carrier make/model is them just trying to avoid failures by people putting improperly sized bike racks on the back.
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slvrst8steve
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Joined: 30 May 2010 Status: Offline Points: 4 |
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Posted: 01 Jun 2010 at 2:43pm |
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Thanks, good info. A welder friend is going to help me fab up a bolt-on 2" class IV receiver. Nice and beefy and will certainly hold 4 bikes. I'll post some pics when finished.
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George
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Joined: 20 Feb 2010 Location: SE Michigan Status: Offline Points: 133 |
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Posted: 02 Jun 2010 at 3:27am |
It looks like a clean cut. I don't see crystallized metal. We are taking our wounded Escape Pod to the welder today to have him look at it and figure out how to beef up the bike rack. It is looking like the FR supplier of the adapter is going to cover all the costs involved. |
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I can't stop dreaming about June 15, 2013 when we get to permanently escape in our "Escape Pod" which is a 176T towed by a Chevy van with a 5.7L engine.
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rpoders2
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Joined: 13 Sep 2009 Location: Delafield, WI Status: Offline Points: 330 |
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Posted: 02 Jun 2010 at 3:31pm |
 After reading this thread, and sharing the posts with Taller Half, I am posting pictures of our setup with his bike on the back of Podcaster173. I am NOT thrilled with the way she tows when the bike rack is on. I have done all the driving on the three trips we've taken and the sway is still bothering me. I even called the company of the friction sway control I'm using to make sure I'm doing it correctly and if the expectations I have regarding how it is supposed to work are realistic. I put the pod spare tire in the back of the pod under the couch but I'm thinking I'll try it up front next time inside. I believe we have just too much weight, extended too far away from the pod, to make towing the enjoyable experience it could be. I will share some ideas with Taller Half regarding mounting the bike on the hitch or on top of the Pilot...or he can carry it himself next time :)
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Ellen, Dick (2 legs)
Mo Chara (the camping cat) Dudley (the world's best camping dog) RPod 173 '07 Honda Pilot |
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George
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Joined: 20 Feb 2010 Location: SE Michigan Status: Offline Points: 133 |
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Posted: 06 Jun 2010 at 12:20pm |
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The bike rack adapter has been re-welded by a local welder and paid for by Lippertt, the Forest River supplier that originally welded the adapter on to our R-pod. I will try and post a before and after picture so that you can see how the welder beefed up the mount.
Before:  After As you can see the welder added in a crossbar and added a couple heavy pieces of iron to beef it up. Total cost from the welder was 288 dollars. |
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I can't stop dreaming about June 15, 2013 when we get to permanently escape in our "Escape Pod" which is a 176T towed by a Chevy van with a 5.7L engine.
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HuronSailor
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Joined: 10 Jun 2009 Location: Owosso MI Status: Offline Points: 860 |
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Posted: 06 Jun 2010 at 1:12pm |
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Nicely done. That should make a big difference.
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.: Mark & Beth :: Silverado 5.3L :: "arrrr"Pod 172 :: My Albums :: OurPod Blog ::
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HuronSailor wrote: