Mounting a towbar bike rack and trailer at the same time

[amasendeinja]

I've been trawling the web to no avail trying to find any "standard" versions of installing a towball mounted bike rack on your vehicle (on a 2nd ball) and a trailer at the same time.

 

I would assume that an extended metal plate (with holes drilled for a 2nd ball higher up) would have to be bolted onto the "face" of the towbar where the ball gets bolted on and then the "trailer ball" bolted on after. The 2nd ball would be somewhat higher up and the rack would be installed on this one.

 

I have a Thule RideOn 9502 2-bike rack and would like to be able to use it when towing a trailer.

 

I would assume there are constraints to this, vis-à-vis:

 

- the "extention plate" could not be too long (high) otherwise the opening of the boot might be affected (with the rack off)

- if the trailer has a nose cone, the rack may stick out too far that turning the vehicl with trailer on would either be impossible or severely restricted

- the weight of the rack + bike(s) + the weight of the trailer (at the hitch) might now exceed the 70kg (I think) limit on the towbar

 

Anyone done something like this? How well or badly did it work? Anyone got any views on potential damage that the vehicle, trailer and/or bike could sustain as a result?

 

 

Thanks

[Hardtailrider]

Wouldn't you save yourself much hassle, swearing etc. by selling your existing rack and and using the cash towards one you can mount on the trailer? Unless you're really attached to the rack you have of course...

[riaanb]

Or, I have one of those Geoff racks that fits into a plate that bolts on behind the tow hitch. I could sell it to you for R400 and you can use it with a trailer no problem and just use your Thule when not using a trailer.

 

[Bianchi 1]

I have managed to dent 2 bikes trying to tow a trailer with a towbar mounted bike rack. Not worth the heartache.

I am going for the Holdfast trailer mounted roofracks and Holdfast Toprunner bike racks. Much safer option imho.

[amasendeinja]

Thanks for the responses - think I'll forego what seems to be a crap idea and put a rack on the trailer or roof of my car.

 

Cheers

[Gman1834]

Why dont you attach a second ball to the back of the trailer?

 

it should be fairly easy.

[gillo]

The best plan is to put a rack on the trailer roof,bikes are lower and in some turbulent air behind the car.Thus you get less wind resistance while driving, which means better fuel economy. Also much less likely to trash all your expensive bikes if you forget them on the roof, and drive under a carport or similar.

[Gman1834]

Camping Trailer Bike Rack

 

http://www.toplinemfg.com/images/rvs-camptrailrack1.jpg