Mounting a bike on a shuttle bus?

[profquad]

Hi I searched the forum, but didn't find a satisfactory answer for my vehicle/abilites.
I have a Ford e450 shuttle bus, eldorado chassis. It's a fiberglass shell.
I want to strap my bike on the back somehow, but I don't have a trailer hitch, and etrailer said they don't make one that wide (42.5" outside to outisde frame width).
I'd be happy attaching a rack directly to the bus, but worried about anchoring to the shell. Maybe I shouldn't be?
Sorry, new to this, appreciate any help! Thanks!

[magnakansas]

The rear frame support structure on shuttle bus, seem to vary and it is likely to mean you have to have a "one off" or custom built just for your shuttle.



william

[Rucker]

Originally Posted by profquad

Hi I searched the forum, but didn't find a satisfactory answer for my vehicle/abilites.
I have a Ford e450 shuttle bus, eldorado chassis. It's a fiberglass shell.
I want to strap my bike on the back somehow, but I don't have a trailer hitch, and etrailer said they don't make one that wide (42.5" outside to outisde frame width).
I'd be happy attaching a rack directly to the bus, but worried about anchoring to the shell. Maybe I shouldn't be?
Sorry, new to this, appreciate any help! Thanks!

I have the exact same bus. The shell can hold a lot, but I wouldn't trust it to hold bikes because of the vibration. Eventually the cardboard between the fiberglass layers will degrade.

I extended the bumper and built a custom hitch, then I fabricated a custom four-banger bike rack that fits in the receiver. I used LoLo hardware for the bike mounts. I use the bike rack on all my vehicles.

[john61ct]

Any decent welder / fab shop with trailer hitch experience

will be able to give you a standard 2" receiver tube back there.

Tell them you want to tow a trailer weighing (vehicle's max legal rating) pounds. This will only add a couple hundred bucks to the overall cost, at most.

And then you can do whatever you like with it, lots of flexibility for cargo tray, toad vehicle in future, whatever.

[nixon186]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Any decent welder / fab shop with trailer hitch experience

will be able to give you a standard 2" receiver tube back there.

Tell them you want to tow a trailer weighing (vehicle's max legal rating) pounds. This will only add a couple hundred bucks to the overall cost, at most.

And then you can do whatever you like with it, lots of flexibility for cargo tray, toad vehicle in future, whatever.

I agree with him. I welded up a 2"receiver on my short bus just for a bike rack. where do you live? I could help you out.