Trailer Lights For The Accessory Hitch?

Andrew Cushingham

Andrew Cushingham

Novice
I'm looking at a bike rack that has brake lights integrated on it, so that when the bikes cover the tail lights of the vehicle/trailer, there are still lights for safety. Is there a way to rig up a 4pin connector near the accessory bike hitch on a 560?
 
I sent Cary an email asking your exact question. It is possible to do so. He stated it was a custom addition to the trailer and would charge time and materials. He could not give an exact price but indicated that it shouldn’t be too much.
 
Bruce O said:
1 Up-USA makes an excellent bike rack and you can add a tail light with a 4pin connector.
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Bruce, it looks like the rack will secure a bike regardless of any fenders. Is that correct? I'd like to find something I would be comfortable using to secure an ebike, many of which have fenders and all of which weigh a lot.

Thanks.
 
John,
Yes - 1 Up has an adapter for fenders and the rack arms can be adjusted for the size of the tires.

You should give them a call to ask which rack will accommodate an Ebike's weight (I see they carry a heavy duty rack). The racks are made here in the USA and are wonderfully engineered. Best rack I've ever owned!
Home
 
Bruce O said:
John,
Yes - 1 Up has an adapter for fenders and the rack arms can be adjusted for the size of the tires.

You should give them a call to ask which rack will accommodate an Ebike's weight (I see they carry a heavy duty rack). The racks are made here in the USA and are wonderfully engineered. Best rack I've ever owned!
Home
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Thanks. I think I will give them a call.
 
that rakattach looks like it would add weight. the bikes alone with a rack will add weight...much less adding additional steel tubing for the swing out.
 
This is the beauty of this forum. Shared wisdom from shared experience.

I own both a single and double 1up bike rack which I have used with my 560. I love these racks. The manufacturer does not recommend more than 2 bikes on the back of a camper. Keep in mind as you add more length, you increase leverage, and as you add more weight, you lighten the tongue which can lead to dangerous swaying if your tongue is too light.

The good news is that both the single and double bike racks can be unloaded and folded in the up position, maintaining access to the galley. We have the SUV height 560 and my wife, who is 5'3' complains that the rack pushes her too far from the stove to cook comfortably. I am 6'3" and can manage it, but unless we are having a quick roadside lunch, we remove the bike rack once at camp. An easy place to put it is on the tow vehicle. Which is also nice because then we can easily take the bikes with us to a trailhead. The single 1-up is out of the way at the waist level when folded up.

I have also researched the rakAttach swing arm but there were 2 concerns. One was incompatible fit with the 560 bumper, causing the bike rack to be just too far from the back of the camper and increasing leverage. The second was the added weight as they are not light. If you are going E-bikes, they are heavier than regular bikes as is. Some have removable batteries that you can store elsewhere which would be a good idea.

See pictures below of a single and double bike rack in the down and up positions.

My only cons to these racks, are the obscuring of the camper brake lights and turn signals. I was intrigued by the Kuat Pison Pro-X which has integrated lights and a similar functionality to the 1up racks. This would require an additional 4pin connection at the back of the trailer which I have heard is possible with Cary's help.

Let me know if you have more questions.

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2 bikes in tow
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A6B5FB0B-D3D5-4AD7-BD3E-5BFA2D3CE8F8

1up Single bike rack in down position
1A0A8835-6C5E-48E1-A5E2-7C0203C93897

1A0A8835-6C5E-48E1-A5E2-7C0203C93897

1up Single bike rack in up position
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1up Super Duty double bike rack in down position
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0C2EC261-DA77-4CF1-AA44-25C063509C10

1up Super Duty double bike rack in up position
 
Andrew, I'm wondering how easy it is or isn't to access the galley with the single rack and one bike still attached. Something you might do if you were driving all day and stopped for lunch. I hate the thought of having to remove the bike at a rest stop just to make a quick sandwich or the like.
 
JohnC said:
Andrew, I'm wondering how easy it is or isn't to access the galley with the single rack and one bike still attached. Something you might do if you were driving all day and stopped for lunch. I hate the thought of having to remove the bike at a rest stop just to make a quick sandwich or the like.
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Since it takes all of 10 seconds to remove a bike and the same to reinstall. We have found it quite easy to just remove the bike and set aside for lunch. You can tilt the bikes back away from the vehicle to open the galley hatch but the bike is still a bit in your way that way.
 
Andrew Cushingham said:
Since it takes all of 10 seconds to remove a bike and the same to reinstall. We have found it quite easy to just remove the bike and set aside for lunch. You can tilt the bikes back away from the vehicle to open the galley hatch but the bike is still a bit in your way that way.
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My concern would be having to keep an eye on the bike until it was locked back in the rack again.
 
JohnC said:
My concern would be having to keep an eye on the bike until it was locked back in the rack again.
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If I were stopping for a quick lunch, I don't think I would stop in an area where I had to be concerned about that. ;)
 
dustinp said:
If I were stopping for a quick lunch, I don't think I would stop in an area where I had to be concerned about that. ;)
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Traveling the highways and byways I stop where/when I can. Interstate rest stops always have quite a few visitors. As a cyclist who never leaves his bike out of sight, it's just not something I'm going to do. My bikes are quite expensive.
 
Kevin S said:
Here's the 1up light bar accessory.

LED Light Bar 2.0

There is also a light bar plus license plate holder version.

Andrew: ? For ya:
1. do you find that with bikes loaded the 1up obscures the CI license plate enough to add one in back, or is the light bar alone enough?

2. Anyone else: I understand some highway patrol officers can be picky about obscured plates. I wonder how many CI owners have been warned when carrying racks back there?

I'm less concerned about plate readability more interested in having the light bar doing its thing, mirroring tv and CI turn signal indications and as brake light repeater.

I had Cary install a 4 pin wire extension routed to the 2" hitch on back to plug into the 1up light bar.
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I’d say the plate obscuring depends on what kind of bikes you have. 2 bikes will be worse than 1. But, since we use the rack occasionally and not every time, I am not too worried about the plate enough to have a second plate on the back of the rack. I agree with you that the light bar is more important and the plate extender would be a matter of user preference.
 
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Kevin said:
I intend to order the 1sup after reviewing comments on various bike forums, and the accessory brake lights for the 1sup dont seem to be an option on Thule or Kuat racks, the other two most popular in those reviews.

Thanks Cary for the extra time and effort adding the 4wire pin to my refurb...

Safety first!

PS: anyone using a swing hitch on rear of their CI? I'm reluctant to add too much to the accessory 2" hitch but it would be nice to pop the hatch and make some coffee without having to take the bike and hitch off back of the teardrop...or step around it lowered.

RakAttach

My thinking now is that once setup in camp in an RV park or boondocking, the bike and hitch comes off and set aside, or 1sup goes back on the TV, locked at nite.

So the swing hitch is not realllyyy needed. But for overnighters and other quick stops taking on and off is a pain...if it can swing out instead for cooking.

Jeez... this shopping for CI gear gets a bit 'addicting' dont it...;)
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I have the Wilco swing away hitch and I am so happy not to have to unload the bike and lean over the rack every time I want to get in the galley. It wasn't so bad when I was parked for the night but I enjoy stopping for lunch and coffee without a lot of fuss. I think it weighs about 40 pounds though so can't carry a heavy e-bike without going over the weight limit for the camp inn hitch receiver. I think it is 100 pounds. I had the 4 pin added to the back of the trailer during build. Also if you put your fridge on the side table you would have to walk around to access the fridge. I carry my fridge in the van. It didn't function well in the galley. Not enough circulation and it would just shut down. Also too heavy for me to move from galley to table without completely unloading it.
 
Pat,

The rating on the hitch is 150lb. The hitch would handle more but the trailer's tongue would get too light if you go past that. You should be able to put a single eBike on your rack.

Cary
 
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