Receiver Hitch / Spare Tire
Printed From: R-pod Owners Forum
Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=11212
Printed Date: 03 May 2024 at 7:16am
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Topic: Receiver Hitch / Spare Tire
Posted By: Jamie027
Subject: Receiver Hitch / Spare Tire
Date Posted: 07 Mar 2018 at 7:43pm
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Wondering if anyone knows the size of the receiver hitch on the 2018 R Pods. We just bought our camper, but it is sitting at the dealer, waiting for us and it's driving me nuts to think about. I have a class III bicycle rack and am wondering if it'll fit. ------------- Jamie and Janet R-Pod 190, Sterra's Gift 
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Replies:
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 07 Mar 2018 at 8:13pm
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If I am tracking with you correctly the receiver hitch needs a 2" ball (FRONT). All pods as far as I know of take the same size. As far as the hitch that holds the spare tire, that is 1" square . As lot has been discussed on this forum about using bicycle hitches on the back of the pod. Using thus may void your warranty so look into this matter carefully before hitching up the bikes. ------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: Jamie027
Date Posted: 07 Mar 2018 at 9:25pm
Thanks Gus - that's a good warning. ------------- Jamie and Janet R-Pod 190, Sterra's Gift
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Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 07 Mar 2018 at 10:00pm
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The rear receiver on RPODs is 1-1/4". I'm not familiar with a class III bike rack since that rating usually refers to the receiver itself, but it sounds like your rack is for a 2" receiver. The POD rear receiver is not mounted well and will really only accommodate a very light rack with two bikes. FR recommends and sells a lightweight rack but it is commercially available elsewhere. The back end of a camper is a hostile environment for bicycles so you might consider carrying them on the tongue or between the TT and TV. Swagman makes an interesting rack for that. Search this forum for solutions others have used.
------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: Jamie027
Date Posted: 07 Mar 2018 at 10:09pm
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Hi Charlie - yeah, wasn't really sure how to classify it. but you're right, 2". I think I've done enough reading to be talked out of trying to keep our bikes back there. Thanks! ------------- Jamie and Janet R-Pod 190, Sterra's Gift
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Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2018 at 2:12am
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Sorry about the mistake Jamie and thank you CharlieM for correcting me. I meant to type 1-1/4 inch but didn't proofread before sending out.
------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: IronStinky
Date Posted: 09 Mar 2018 at 12:20pm
| Interestingly, my wife and I have the exact same question, we bought a 1.25-2.00 adapter and plan to put our bike rack back there while stashing the spare tire in the bed of the truck. I'll definitely look at the little 1.25 mount back there but I imagine it's strong enough, spare tires are heavier than any bike I own :D |
Posted By: Jamie027
Date Posted: 09 Mar 2018 at 1:34pm
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Love to hear how that goes for you. I have a pickup with no topper or toolbox currently. I think we'll start there and then get fancier as we figure all this out. ------------- Jamie and Janet R-Pod 190, Sterra's Gift
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Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 09 Mar 2018 at 3:34pm
Maybe, but bike and carrier together may be close to the tire weight. And the converter puts the weight out further giving more leverage per bump on the relatively weak reciever. ------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 09 Mar 2018 at 6:07pm
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While we're here. Has anyone ever swapped the 1-1/4" receiver for a full 2" receiver? You'd have to add a cross brace, but you wouldn't have to worry about the weight or the bouncing.
------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 09 Mar 2018 at 7:38pm
There may be a way to mount a 2" hitch so that it will carry more weight than the stock 1.25" hitch, but I'm sure a lot of the load capacity on the back end is based on the strength of the frame, not the size of the receiver. The frame would need bracing not just in the immediate vicinity of the hitch. Think of it this way: if you're pretty strong, you might be able to hold a 1.25" receiver in your hands with the spare tire attached to it. Holding a 2" receiver in your hands with the spare tire attached isn't going to make it easier on you. You'd need stronger hands, forearms, biceps, shoulders, back, etc. A 2" receiver isn't going to help. You can brace the frame but unless you brace the whole frame you're still going to have a problem. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 09 Mar 2018 at 10:07pm
Correct. The 2" to 1-1/4 adapter is really asking for a failure due to the moment arm. Two bikes on a lightweight rack seem to work OK but anything more would require a significant upgrade involving welding onto the frame rails. It has been done but I don't recall by whom. Perhaps a search of forum postings would find it. ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: john in idaho
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2018 at 9:14am
| Can you get your bikes thru the door? If so you could just put them in the "hall way" just prior to departure. |
Posted By: Jamie027
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2018 at 9:50am
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I'll report back on this, John. I had the same idea. We don't get our bikes muddy very often, so I don't see the harm in this. I'm just not sure how much room the slider leaves in the hallway. ------------- Jamie and Janet R-Pod 190, Sterra's Gift
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Posted By: john in idaho
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2018 at 11:53am
| And there is the outdoor shower to hose them off. |
Posted By: Pod People
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2018 at 5:38pm
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We added a 2”receiver as well as a lot of additional bracing. Check our mods. Vann ------------- Vann & Laura 2015 RPod 179 https://postimg.cc/0zwKrfB9"> 
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Posted By: Pod People
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2018 at 6:39pm
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I should have added more info about the 2”receiver installation, I had triangular metal gusset plates added to the existing 1 1/4” receiver and then added the 2”receiver underneath with more gussets below the new receiver. We added a 2x2 beam at the back of the receiver that went across the pod from frame member to frame member. The receiver was connected to this new beam by a piece of 2x2 angle iron also. All of the welding was done by a professional welder , not me. He also beefed up the existing welds between the frame members and the original receiver. Another important part of the installation is the use of 2 eyebolts that are installed through the trailer and connected on the inside to wooden framing of the bed. We use webbed cam straps connected on each side of the bike rack to stop the back to front and side to side sway. Once it is connected, it is incredibly stable. At the receiver, we use a hitch quiter to stop any slop in the receiver to bike rack connection. Overall, we have added less weight with the mods, the rack and 2 adult bikes than the spare tire and tire carrier’s original weight. I have followed the pod with the bikes in place and have seen the results as my wife drives down the road. I am pretty confident that this system works and does not impact the frame or handling in a negative way. I am not recommending that all bike rack installations are safe and non-damaging. I think you can work within the limitation carefully and come up with a system that will work Travel safe Vann ------------- Vann & Laura 2015 RPod 179 https://postimg.cc/0zwKrfB9">
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Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2018 at 9:44pm
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John, you bring up an excellent idea. This is the way we normally carry our road bikes, by putting them inside our 177 just before transport. We have 3 options doing it this way, either putting both standing up in the hallway, one laying on its side in front and in back or put both together on their sides on the bed in the back or on the table in the front (in transport position).
------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: Andy
Date Posted: 19 Mar 2018 at 10:25pm
| I have done exactly that and it works well for 1 bike, two at the most. It's really out of site so be wary of that. The converter also adds some distance from the trailer |
Posted By: MikeVagg
Date Posted: 19 May 2018 at 11:16pm