We recommend against fitting bike racks to the rear of caravans & camper trailers.
But it IS possible… in SOME cases GripSport Van-Racks (1 & 2-bike ONLY) should only be fitted to the rear of a van…using the GripSport “Bolt-On Mount” to a rear bumper made of 50mm x 75mm rectangular steel box section after determining the rear of your van is strong enough – consult your caravan dealer or manufacturer for advice.
Added weight
The weight of the rack plus bikes will effect pretty much everything with your vehicle and van. For example, a 2 bike rack weighs 16kg and the bolt on mount 13kg. Add two bikes and all of a sudden you have an extra 50-60kg up front. Check all of your van and vehicle weights including TBM (Tow Ball Mass), GTM (Gross Trailer Mass), GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass) and GCM (Gross Combined Mass).
carrier weights
- 1 bike – 14kg
- 2 bike – 16kg
bolt on mount weight
- 13kg
legal?
All vans/trailers have a rear overhang limit, just like motor vehicles. Check with your state authority what the legal overhang limits are in your state.
Also if any portion of your rear lights and number plate are obscured, this is deemed illegal.
Check your weights, overweight on the rear of a van can result in uncontrollable trailer sway. This can lead to a catastrophic accident that may leave you liable and void your insurance.
2 bikes take up close to 500mm of space not including the width of the handlebars and the extension of the rack arm to give the first bike clearance from the back of the van
the bolt on mount
We recommend using the short post when mounting on the rear bumper, this will make access easier. Always check if this setup will not obscure your rear lights or number plate.
gripsport van rack assembly
The rack consists of the following components:
- Either the non-tilting or tilting mechanism (the tilting function is generally not required for rear bumper mount)
- Van rack arm
- Wheel holding options such as standard setup (front hoop rear taco), all hoop setup or fat bike setup
- 2 x outriggers, 1 x post
- 2 x hooks, 1 short, 1 long
- All bolts and related hardware included
- Tie down gear including quick release pull down carrier strap and rear wheel cinch strap (supplied with rear wheel taco only)
- Van racks for rear bumper mounting are available in either 1 or 2 bike configuration
- Weight capacity – 30kg each bike
Even if it LOOKS like your van has a nice, solid chassis and rear bumper-bar across the back and even though it may SEEM perfectly logical to carry your bikes there… be aware that the amount of “bounce” at the rear of a van is surprisingly severe… even if you don’t notice it. This can result in damage to bikes, bike rack, and even the van itself. In fact, some van manufacturers will void their warranty, and you may find insurance claims are denied, if a bike rack is fitted to the rear against the advice of the van or rack manufacturer. So our advice is as follows…
1/ The correct, proper and safest place to carry bikes is on the “A” frame.
2/ We recommend against fitting bike racks to the rear of caravans & camper trailers.
But it IS possible… in SOME cases GripSport Van-Racks (1 & 2-bike ONLY) should only be fitted to the rear of a van…using the GripSport “Bolt-On Mount” to a rear bumper made of 50mm x 75mm rectangular steel box section after determining the rear of your van is strong enough – consult your caravan dealer or manufacturer for advice.
When purchasing a Gripsport van rack ensure that you select the items (if required) like the bolt on mount or tow bar adapter in the drop down menu at checkout. This is also where the preference of the wheel assembly types (hoops, taco channels) and post size (if also purchasing the bolt on mount) are to be selected.
For a comprehensive guide on how to fit the bolt on mount please select the Gripsport fitting guide:
