carrying bikes with range rover

You will probably have had to fit the tow ball fairly low down to match the caravan, possibly even on an additional drop plate. There is likely to be space to fit a second ball above the first. I have two balls 9.5 inches apart. (Don't go down that route!!) That second ball could take your existing bike rack. Possible?

Yes, you'll lose access to the top tailgate. How do you get on for clearance between the bikes and the caravan when on full lock?

Make your eyes water though.

Steve

You need one like this:

Third one down- as they say, ' Can tow while fitted '. We've got a similar one, towing's no problem, though opening the top tailgate is. '98 RR now, used to use it with my old dear departed '83 (*snif*). I think we could get the top tailgate open on the '83 when the carrier was on & loaded, but can't be certain- it was a while ago.

Alternatively, weld the carrier's bottom plate to your drawbar. I've seen it done, looks OK.

A. Top posters. Q. What's the most irritating thing about usenet?

Or there's always this sort of thing, mounted on the rear of your caravan:

As he points out, a single pole carrier isn't strong enough for offroad work, either on your vehicle or on your van.. You'l need an A-frame carrier- because of course, you do take your LR offroad, don't you.

P.S. we had no problems with clearance on full lock...

so Natalie Drest was, like...

Looks pretty dire to me. Mounting bikes on the *rear* of a caravan is not recommended because a) the GRP rear panel that most caravans have is not designed for that kind of load, and b) it's putting a substantial weight where it can do most harm to the stability of the outfit. Heavy weights in/on the van should be carried as near to the centre of rotation (the caravan axle) as possible. There are only four places to mount cycles which don't compromise stability: on the roof of the towcar, on the rear of the towcar, above the drawbar of the van (I have seen it done, on European vans mostly), and inside the van, over the axle.

None of the mainstream caravan accessory people offer this type of mounting. This website looks a bit amateurish, and I wonder how many of these they have made and how far they would back you up if anything went wrong with the product. The fact that they won't guarantee their coatings and any components of the mounting not made by them doesn't inspire confidence. They say "we can't guarantee gear we don't make". Australian law may be different, but they could not say that in the UK.

Motorvans don't have this stability issue, which is why you see lots of bikes (and even motorbikes)mounted across the rear.

He mounts it on a fabricated subframe/bumper if you don't have one. Some caravans here have proper bumpers standard. I'd suggest you take a closer look at his site, but it seems to be off the air. His missus must have stopped pedalling.

and b) it's putting a substantial weight

So take it into account- like one does with everything else loaded into a 'van.

Heavy weights

Point taken. But we aren't talking about mounting a motorbike here, just a treadly. They weigh less than a spare tyre, & I've definitely seen tyres on the back of vans- didn't seem to do any harm.

Doesn't mean anything. Not many of the 'mainstream' companies offer a practical solution for the gentleman's problem either. Took me a while to find a site showing one like the one I own, which does solve his problem- see previous post.

Agreed!!

and I wonder how many of these they

Lots actually.

and how far they would back you up if anything went wrong with the

My experience with family businesses that actually make things is that they'll look after you much longer than a 12-month warranty from a big-name company that has its stuff made in China. No problem for them to take it out to the workshop and do a spot of welding, or even an improvement for you- even years later. They have pride in their workmanship. This fellow's site may be amateurish, but I think it communicates that pride in workmanship quite well. He's clearly a hands-on, make-things kind of guy, as opposed to a web-nerd or a marketing person. Also, these kinds of businesses that fabricate gear for use in the outback have years of experience, & take their creations out on tour themselves to test & refine them. And if it lasts out there, it'll last anywhere.

The fact that they won't guarantee their coatings and any

To what degree are coatings guaranteed by LR? If I scratch the paint on my car's steel panel & it rusts over time, will they fix it for me? I think that may be what he's getting at.

so Natalie Drest was, like...

Even more weight where it's not wanted :-)

Can't agree with that. It's not a matter of careful loading and balancing, it's the distance of a heavy weight from the axle of the caravan. If you load up the rear, you'll need to put some weight onto the front end to get the correct noseweight - and then you have a dumbell, heavy at the ends and light in the middle, the worst situation possible for stability. Add a passing artic on a windy road, and I'll see you in the ditch.

Average bike 15Kg? Times two? Add the fabricated subframe? Adds up to quite a lot. And I have never seen a spare wheel on the back of a caravan in the UK or Europe.

Yup - agreed.

Imagine - "Your new vehicle is made to the highest standards of quality, but if it rusts, don't come to us cos we didn't make the paint, and if the brakes fail, well we didn't actually make them so we can't be held responsible, now can we?" I don't think so!

Thanks everybody, I have got plenty to go on with your responses

Cheers John

Hey ...why not put them in the caravan and save yourself a lot of problems ???

Hugh