eBike Storage on an RV Motorhome

[Art Deco]

My thought is this thing looks like an expensive pain in the rear. I carry a bike or two on the rear of my class A and I use a good rack (1Up USA), a custom made to fit bike cover, and good locks. Never had a problem.

Do you drive with the cover on? Or just at the campground?

 

[gtpharr]

I drive with the cover on when on the back of the RV. I usually leave cover off when bikes are on the back of car as the cover partially obstructs my tail & brake lights. Light obstruction is not a problem when the bikes are on the back of the RV.

 

[Art Deco]

Thanks a lot. I'm presently carrying my bikes inside the van. Real pita since they block the aisle, but concerned about just hauling the bikes around exposed to the elements and theft when I'm away from the van for hours.

 

[AHicks]

Reviving this ancient thread since I've never seen anything like this, and the OP last visited a year ago.
I have an older (2010) class b sprinter conversion (25 foot long) a Winnebago ERA 170,View attachment 80845View attachment 80846 .
Pics of hitch and undercarriage with mount and spare tire.

I am concerned about hanging something heavy on the hitch. My 2 comos are only about 40lbs each w/o batteries, but this box is apparently 150 lbs. I won't be towing a car, that's what the bikes are for, but don't know how to tell if this is even safe at highway speed. Thoughts?

Art, the area of concern is not the rear bumper, or the hitch as shown in your first pic. The area of concern is what's holding the bumper to the coach. There's usually some sort of frame extension, maybe 6' long or so, that goes forward from the hitch, up into the area where Ford, or whoever, would have the rear bumper if the chassis were in use as a van.

I can't tell a thing from that second pic. Too blury, and nothing to reference to allow me to figure out what you are looking at. -Al

 

[Art Deco]

Art, the area of concern is not the rear bumper, or the hitch as shown in your first pic. The area of concern is what's holding the bumper to the coach. There's usually some sort of frame extension, maybe 6' long or so, that goes forward from the hitch, up into the area where Ford, or whoever, would have the rear bumper if the chassis were in use as a van.

I can't tell a thing from that second pic. Too blury, and nothing to reference to allow me to figure out what you are looking at. -Al

It appears that the hitch mount is part of the chassis... labeled as Dodge Ram but actually Mercedes Benz. Winnebago just did the interior AFAIK. The GAWR REAR is 5360, FRONT is 3970. There is a section of the manual that indicates that weight on the hitch shouldn't exceed 10 percent of the rear limit.

 

[Art Deco]

Thanks for trying but I doubt these pics are any better. Not much space to get a camera under there.

 

[AHicks]

Nope, you've captured the area I'm talking about fine. The 2 beams leading forward from the bumper/hitch, SHOULD carry the weight placed on the hitch (that 350 lb spec.). My bet is, the rails actually support very little, leaving the lion's share of that task to the structure (floor, walls & roof). These rails, are way more about starting and stopping forces for a trailer for instance.

Point being, though the design will likely carry the weight of your bikes, it's something I would keep a close eye on. It's a really crappy design, but it's been in use for years. Every so often though, you'll hear about a failure that leaves the hitch/rear bumper dragging on the ground. That's because this design failed - again.

 

[Art Deco]

Nope, you've captured the area I'm talking about fine. The 2 beams leading forward from the bumper/hitch, SHOULD carry the weight placed on the hitch (that 350 lb spec.). My bet is, the rails actually support very little, leaving the lion's share of that task to the structure (floor, walls & roof). These rails, are way more about starting and stopping forces for a trailer for instance.

Point being, though the design will likely carry the weight of your bikes, it's something I would keep a close eye on. It's a really crappy design, but it's been in use for years. Every so often though, you'll hear about a failure that leaves the hitch/rear bumper dragging on the ground. That's because this design failed - again.

Thanks so much @AHicks . The rear bumper is 7 foot from the rear axle on my van. Seems that it is a Mercedes design, since my van has the "Barn Doors" in the rear, and no fiberglass box like the class c rigs I've seen.
I still suspect the big box on the back may be "an expensive pita" as @gtpharr mentioned above, and at 150 lbs to carry 85 lbs of bikes, I'm leary of it too.

 

[AHicks]

Thanks so much @AHicks . The rear bumper is 7 foot from the rear axle on my van. Seems that it is a Mercedes design, since my van has the "Barn Doors" in the rear, and no fiberglass box like the class c rigs I've seen.
I still suspect the big box on the back may be "an expensive pita" as @gtpharr mentioned above, and at 150 lbs to carry 85 lbs of bikes, I'm leary of it too.

So you understand, the issue is not on Mercedes. The issue is on the part of the MH manf as they're the ones that extend the frame from where the Mercedes frame stops. The MH manf. extends that frame back to wherever the rear bumper and hitch need to be.

The issue is, that section of frame the MH manf installs, is VERY poorly designed. They're all that way, with the exception of the diesel pushers. Those are built like tanks back in this area as they are generally carrying the weight of the engine and radiator - not something you want to see dragging on the ground! -Al

 

[Art Deco]

This actually appears to be the way the big MB cargo vans used by plumbers, carpenters, and other trades in Europe are built. They seem to have the same body length and wheelbase, anyway.
And anyone who goes on about the German engineering is probably talking about the new cars, not the old vans or trucks. Plenty of old tech in my van. I love it anyway, and may have actually bought the right rv for me, first try. Hopefully, now that Barb and I are vaccined, we'll be able to use it.
Thanks again.

 

[Art Deco]

Has anyone found a RV forum they like? EBR has me totally spoiled as a forum where people are trying to be helpful instead of trying to be a$$holes, and although I have found many rv forums, the majority appear to be either dead or thinly disguised ads .

 

[MikeDD]

irv2.com/forums

 

[Art Deco]

irv2.com/forums

Thanks @MikeDD . It looks interesting, I'll have to try it on my pc, can't seem to register on my tablet. Sigh.

 

[AHicks]

irv2.com/forums

2nd vote for Irv2

Great bunch of folks.....