# Fiamma Bike Rack On AS Pollensa



## Senator (Apr 24, 2008)

Hi Guys

Need some help before I approach the back of my Motorhome, with my drill!

I have a Fiamma Pro C bike rack that needs to go on the back of my 2000 Pollensa. Having read several forums about this there appears to be some question on the final position for the mountings inside the vehicle. The off-side ones potentially ending up in the bathroom and the top near-side being hidden behind the cooker/grill/sink.

Can anyone provide some information on how theirs is perhaps fitted? Are the mounting plates visible in the bathroom (should I be worried about this?) and is there a need to remove half the kitchen to fit the other brackets?

Some forums have suggested that the supplied bolts (M6 x 50) are changed for similiar sized screws and the rack is then screwed through the bodywork into the timber support frame fitted by Autosleeper, but this worries me as I would prefer to see the weight taken by the plate so that the load is spread a bit more. These racks have the ability to take a 60Kg load! And that load will increase significiently with 'bounce'.

I have also heard that there is a 'void' between this timber and the back wall of the motorhome, so that being the case, do I need to fit a tubular spacer the depth of the void that the bolt can pass through before going through the mounting plate?

Whilst writing this AS rang me back to say that the unit should be bolted and that they get loads of motohomes in with badly fitted bike racks to sort out (Dealer fitted and DIY!). They also suggested the oven should be removed (for access), the mounts will not be in the bathroom, and there should not be a void. Now really confused.

Sorry, lots of questions but I would really appreciate any advice!

Cheers
Mark


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## JohnsCrossMotorHomes (Jul 21, 2007)

Hi Mark,

Fitting a bike rack to your Pollensa is definately not a DIY job unfortunately.

Even our workshop lads cringe at doing them as it is not on their favourite jobs list although they will do it and we specialise in F iamma.

As AS have told you even the ones fitted by dealers are not correct.

Regards

Peter


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

JohnsCrossMotorHomes said:


> Fitting a bike rack to your Pollensa is definately not a DIY job unfortunately.


Well, that depends.

I DIY'd one to the back of my Pollensa. Having spent lots of time with the oven out, drilling little pilot holes, and not being able to get to where load spreading washers and nuts should go, I decided to buy some screw-bolt things (hex-head, galvanised screws from B&Q).

Being a trained and qualified engineer, I very carefully drilled just the right sized hole, then 'feeling' how the screw went into the wood. I used Silkaflex to seal up the screw holes and the brackets. I tested it by hanging my not insubstantial weight off it (listening carefully for fibreglass cracking or wood splitting sounds 8O )

This carried two bikes for umpteen thousand miles, including Italy and back last year. I always made sure the heavier bike was next to the body of the van (less leverage effect).

So, it can be DIY'd, but if you're in any doubt about it, I would get a dealer to do it, with a warranty for the work.

Gerald


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## Senator (Apr 24, 2008)

Thanks guys for your input, I appreciate your time and advice. However, I still feel unsure which way to go!

I take on board what Paul says and if I wasn't a qualified engineer (Like Gerald) I would't attempt it, but how hard can it be to fit a cycle rack? Essentially it's just a question of drilling a few holes (in the right place!), gaining access to them inside and fitting the rack!

The bit I cannot seem to get around is that with the Fiamma fixing method (I am reluctant to move from this) the offside brackets will coinside with the wall between the bathroom and the kitchen. What I do need to check is if I can offset the frame such that all fixings are behind the kitchen units without the nearside ending up too close to the end of the wooden strengthing strut that forms part of the bodywork. The bike rails could be central to the rear of the vehicle so only the frame remains off-centre. AS assure me all fixings are normally behind the kitchen so they must offset it, surely?

I am also considering buying a wind out awning from your place Paul, so if I really feel this needs to be done by 'Proffessionals' I might get you to fit them both!

Thanks again.

Mark.


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

Mark - if it's any help, I have a few pics of a Fiamma rack mounted on my ex Pollensa - it may help you see exactly where a AS dealer put the fixings.
Unfortunately you seem to have used up all your free posts - why not spend a tenner - it's a great investment.


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

Hi again, Mark

Sorry to see you've run out of free posts.

:: Advantages to subscribing ::

:: How to subscribe ::

I'm with you on this offset thing. I offered my rack up, but whichever way I looked at it, it seems as though the offside brackets ended up behind the bathroom wall. I looked at about a dozen photos off the internet of Pollensas with bike racks, and they all looked centrally-mounted. This is why I decided to do it the way I did. :: Here :: is a picture of it in all its glory.

I'd still think about getting it installed professionally, if I were you.

Gerald


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

and some more pics from me:


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

I can't find the empty rack shots of mine just now. However, it looked exactly the same as Tony's, with the rack being central on the back panel.

My only thought about the offside fitting is that maybe you can get to the inside of that one from behind the oven, and maybe there's a gap between the wall of the bathroom and the rear wall of the van, which allows you to get a spanner onto a nut or something.

Gerald


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## Senator (Apr 24, 2008)

Thanks everyone!

You will pleased to know that I have just spent the £10 and am now a fully fledged paid up honoury member! Just can't afford to pay to have the rack fitted now!

Gerald, your idea re the cut-away on the wall for bracket is a good one. I will check that ASAP, although I would have thought this would be visable in the bathroom.

Tony, I cannot seem to get or see your pictures? This might be something to do with my PC (at work now) so I will check from home tonight. Sounds like Gerald got to see them, so they must be there!

Thanks again,

Mark


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

Hi Mark

Well done for subscribing. You now have a years-worth of unlimited postings available to you :wink: 

Do you have the oven out of its housing yet? On mine, I seem to remember there being a panel across the back of the kitchen cupboard, which made it difficult to see much. I just wonder if you need to remove the whole cabinet to get access?

Gerald


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## Senator (Apr 24, 2008)

Hi Gerald

Other than checking measurements I havn't done any real investigations yet, but I will endeavour to do so over the next few days.

Both AS and Fiamma suggest it is only around two hours work to fit this rack, so surely there can't be that much work involved? I don't think I would want to start removing kitchen cupboards, I don't mind removing the oven etc but if it proves to be too involved then it might be best to leave for the 'Proffessionals'.

Mark


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## 110171 (Feb 25, 2008)

DO NOT HAVE DOWNLOAD SUITABLE DRAWINGS OF POLENSA BIKE RACK FITTINGS. BUT IF YOU MOUNT IT IN MIDDLE OF VAN AS PHOTOS IN OTHER POST IT WILL WORK. BUT THERE IS NO NEED TO GO INSIDE VAN AT ALL TIMBER BEHIND THESE MOUNTING POINTS WAS INSTALLED TO ALLOW THE BIKE RACK TO BE SCREWED TO VAN.I RECOMEND USING No 12 2.5" STAINLESS STEEL SELFTAPPING SCREWS SCREWED IN WITH SOME SEALANT ON THE THREAD. PRE DRILL WITH A 4mm (5/32") DRILL
HAVE FITTED LITERALY DOZENS OF RACKS TO RAVENNA AND POLENSA USING THIS METHOD.
REGARDS Ramses


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## Senator (Apr 24, 2008)

Thanks for your response Ramses.

Unfortunately it came a day too late. I started the fitting process yesterday! I drilled right through the rear wall so that I could use the internal mounting plates supplied which was relatively straight forward once the oven was removed. The 6mm coachbolts Fiamma supply are of no use whatsoever as the top mountings require 100mm bolts (55mm supplied) and the bottom brackets need 120mm (65mm supplied). A quick trip to Screwfix sorted the SS top bolts but not sure if 6mm coachbolts are available at 120mm long so might end up either increasing to 8mm or using studding.

At the moment I have the rear end in pieces (the van that is) and we are going away on Wednesday evening so the next few evenings will be hectic. 

The mountings (as others suggested) came inside the bathroom and in line with the partition between the sink unit and cooker - one bolt each side!

Thanks again for the responses everyone!

Mark


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## Senator (Apr 24, 2008)

Hi All

Ok, so have now got all four fixing brackets firmly in place, after managing to locate a fixing company on-line who sold me a pack (5) of M6 x 120mm Stainless Steel coachbolts, enabling me to fit the lower brackets with the internal fixing plate (with bolts that passed through the rear wall into the motorhome). That's the hard bit done.

Now, when I offer up the vertical tubular parts of the rack that hook onto the top fitting plates and bolt to the lower plates the two don't run vertical to the back of the van (that's relative to the back wall, not each other). This is due to the top mounts being fitted at a point where the section through the rear wall is around 25mm less than the lower mountings. Apart from the fact that I like things to be straight/vertical/parallel (engineer!) it does mean that these vertical tubes are not entering the lower bracket at 90 degree and will therefore place stress on the lower bracket possibly preventing the bolt from alighning with the exit hole. 

As I see it there are two main options here:

1. Ignore it.

2. Cut around 25mm off of the lower tube and re-drill the bolt hole to enable the tube to enter the bracket at 90 degree. This option would remove all additional stress around the mounting and give me tubes that run parallel to the rear wall of the motohome.

So, anyone else found this? Am I safe to cut the tubes?

These racks are presumably designed to go onto the rear of a motorhome where the fixing surface/wall is flat. Whereas mine has a fancy fibreglass moulded wall externally. 

Your help is much appreciated as always.

Mark.


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## camper69 (Aug 30, 2007)

Senator said:


> As I see it there are two main options here:
> 
> 1. Ignore it.
> 
> ...


Mark

I have just fitted a Fiamma Pro rack to my own van (thankfully without your problems) and to me the shortening the length of the tubes going into the lower brackets would not be a problem.

Derek


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## Senator (Apr 24, 2008)

camper69 said:


> I have just fitted a Fiamma Pro rack to my own van (thankfully without your problems) and to me the shortening the length of the tubes going into the lower brackets would not be a problem.


Thanks Derek.

I can't see there being an issue either. It's easy to cut the tubes but not so easy to put them back if there is any problems hence the caution!

Mark


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