How Much Weight Can A Travel Trailer Bumper Hold?

 If you are considering attaching a bike or cargo rack to the bumper of your travel trailer, you may be wondering how much weight your travel trailer’s bumper can hold. While it may depend on your particular model or brand of trailer, it will never hold any more than 300 lbs. Trailer bumpers are made of thin mental that dents really easily. Few people suggest attaching anything to your travel trailer’s bumper for this reason, they even suggest you remove your spare tire from the bumper.

The bumper on your travel trailer is not strong and all and won’t be able to support the weight of cargo or bikes. When traveling, the rack you have attached will bounce and will either destroy the bumper, the bikes, bike rack, or all three at once.

Not to mention the increased weight on the end of your travel trailer will make your who vehicle unbalanced. Many people have witnessed trailers on the road that have an attachment on their bumper that is either falling off or bouncing dangerously. This could possibly cause harm for both you and others, not to mention hundreds of dollars in damaged equipment.

While some trailer owners have successfully added weight to their bumpers, it is still NOT recommended whatsoever. As mentioned before, most travel trailer bumpers can hold up to 300 lbs of weight. This will vary depending on the kind of travel you have, but it likely won’t be more than the maximum of 300 pounds.

If you are considering placing any kind of weight or attachment on your bumper, check your trailer’s manual or manufacturer to find it’s weight capacity. Some trailers may have a sticker near the bumper that will tell you the weight capacity of your trailer.

This way you can determine if what you are looking to attach is going to be too heavy. We don’t suggest that you get too close to the limit, though. Bumpers are made of very thin material that doesn’t handle weight very well at all.

If you are determined to attach a rack or heavy attachment to the bumper of your travel trailer, here is what trailer owners suggest you do. Find a local metal fabrication shop and build a hitch and weld it to your bumper.

You should also weld some kind of metal reinforcement to the bumper itself. This way your bumper will become a little more durable and can handle some more weight. You can take your trailer to a local fabrication shop or do it yourself if you have some experience in welding and the proper tools.

Keep in mind that if you decide to use this idea, you need to make sure you are staying completely safe. Welding can be pretty dangerous if not done right, so be sure that you have the proper help and safety equipment.

Also be sure that you are keeping your travel trailer safe from being unbalanced. If you place quite a bit of weight on the bumper of your trailer, make sure you add some weight to the front of the trailer to keep everything level.

If you have no welding experience, make sure you are getting help from a professional. Welding isn’t easy and takes years of practice to be good. If you have a friend or trusted fabrication shop you can safely get this done without risking your safety.

If you do have some experience in welding, but sure you are equipped with the correct equipment and are aware of safety procedures. Always be sure you are using your best judgment when dealing with dangerous jobs like this.

While this idea seems pretty troublesome, it will be a lot less money and time compared to what would happen if you would damage your trailer’s bumper. You can probably get this done for approximately $250, maybe more depending on where you take your trailer or if you do it yourself.

This would be great if you really need a way to attach a bike rack to the back of your travel trailer, however if it isn’t an urgent matter, it would be cheaper to find another way to carry them.

Even if you do add some reinforcement to the back of your travel trailer, still try your best not to go over the weight capacity. Never carry more than one or two bikes if you have installed a bike rack (depending on how heavy the bikes are).

Some people have wanted to install an attachment for their generator on the bumper. A generator will be really heavy, even with welded reinforcement this could become very dangerous, very quickly.

At the end of the day, unless it is absolutely necessary, DO NOT put a lot of weight on your bumper. It could be potentially dangerous to you and other people. Travel trailer bumpers were not made to hold a lot of weight and are easily dented or torn off. Please keep you and your family safe while camping and use your best judgement at all times.

Continue reading to learn about the best way to strengthen your trailer’s bumper:

How Can I Make My Trailer’s Bumper Stronger?

While it still isn’t recommended to attach anything heavy to your trailer’s bumper, there are still some good in trying to make your bumper stronger. This way you can still support a spare tire or anything that is within the weight capacity of your trailer. Several trailer owners have spoken about some of their best ways to strengthen their travel trailer’s bumper.

Many people agree one of the best ways to do this is by welding a receiver to their bumper. This has seemed to be a great way to add some reinforcement to your bumper. In addition to this you may want to weld some kind of metal tube between the frame and then weld the receiver to this.

That way you aren’t putting so much strain on your actual bumper, yet still giving it some strength. You could also use a saddle strap to keep the receiver and everything in place, this is something that can help give strength regardless of how well something is welded.

If your bumper is made of sheet metal, you definitely want to add some kind of metal tube or piece to attach the receiver to. Sheet metal is super thin and crack really easily, so you should considering adding a piece of flat iron or something similar.

Keep in mind that depending on what you are wanting to attach to your bumper, you may be able to simply remove the bumper and place your rack here. But keep in mind that depending on your area and specific company, this may be either illegal or conflict with your insurance coverage. Always make sure you are obeying authorities and doing what is best for your family.

This is the best way to add some strength to your bumper, as it prevents any twisting movements on the bumper and creates downward pull. After doing this your bumper shouldn’t bounce during travel, helping protect you as well as others.

After doing this you may be able to attach a bike rack, although you should still use great caution. While this idea has worked well for others, nothing ensures safely or that something won’t go wrong during travel.

Check out some of these great products to help you safely strengthen your travel trailer’s bumper:

Speedglas 9100 FX Welding Helmet

This welding helmet is a must have for anyone who is new to welding. Having a proper helmet is extremely important to making sure you are safe while working with hot temperatures and flames. Check out this great helmet with auto darkening filter and heat resistance.

Men’s Leather Welding Apron

This apron is great for beginner welders. If you are looking for full coverage, you should consider getting a welding jacket. Meanwhile, this apron is another great option for protecting yourself from heat and sparks. Check out this great leather welding apron.

Leather Heat Resistant Welding Gloves

The leather gloves are another piece of important apparel to keep you safe while welding. These gloves are heat resistant and are extra long to protect your entire hand. Check out these great lather gloves for welding!

Weldpro 200 Amp Welding Machine

This welding machine is super heavy duty and great for beginners who want to do some welding from their own home. This welding machine is perfect for anyone who loves to weld and needs a good power supply to do so. Check out this great welding machine.

Medium Duty 600 AM Gouging Torch

This super high performance torch is a great accessory for your welding machine. This also includes a 7 foot cable that is super heavy duty. Anyone who wants to do some welding must have this torch. Check out this great gouging torch for welders.

Stainless Steel Weld Fillet Guage

If you do welding you should make sure you have a good gauge. This way you can make precise marks and welds. This would also make a great gift idea for anyone who enjoys welding. Check out these great stainless steel fillet gauge.

We hope this article helped you determine how much weight a travel trailer bumper can hold. Sharing problems and solutions can make RV living so much easier. So if we didn’t include something that you have experienced, please leave a comment below to share with others. Until then, enjoy, be safe and have fun RVing!