Extending rear bumper?

[MSN Member]

From: firebug9-1-1
Sent: 3/27/2006

I have looked through all of the pictures and can not find a picture of the back of someones winnie that had a bicycle rack welded to the bumper, the picture used to be here before the move... They were carring the bicycles verticle and it was a shorter winnie, under 27' I think. Also the people that have an extended rear bumper, do you like them, have you knocked them off or are they hard to compensate for when backing...and how wide is your extended bumper?   

Thanks, ROB

[denisondc]

Sent: 3/31/2006

I have seen some extensive and heavy shelfs, carriers, porches, attached to the rear of winnies and other RVs.
I would never weld anything to the back of the frame, but would bolt it on, so I could remove it if necessary.
I removed the original bumper and the spare, and made up a new one, with support rails of 3 inch by 1 inch channel iron, that slid into the rails that form the back part of the frame on my winnie. I drilled matching bolt holes each 6 inches, so I can attach the bumper to the frame in several positions: 3" back from the coach, 9" back, 15" back and 21" back. I had it in the 15" position for several years with a plywood board bolted up from its bottom, to support bicycles and firewood and form a work surface when parked. My bumper was made from the 4" square tubing. Its width is 2" narrower than the body of the winnie. If I really needed to see where the rear bumper was, I would put flexible rubber pieces sticking out from the ends, like truck drivers do in Mexico
The spare is held up to the frame rails just behind the rear axle. My exhaust pipe comes out just behind the curbside rear wheels.
The only time I ever backed into anything with that bumper was in my own driveway, and put a long crease in the fender of a pontiac.
It made it slightly harder to get a parking spot on side streets of Mexican towns, but not a big issue. One of the family looking out the back window could see the bumper and guide me backing up.
I added a class III receiver to it, and have used it to tow cars several thousand miles; with a towbar, with a tow dolly, and with a car trailer. The rear overhang on mine isnt too bad, and I have never had it drag that I recall.
The lowest part back there is the genset muffler, which I take off if we arent going to be using it - and 99% of the time we dont.