Boatbuilder79
Well-known member
The Ron Paul sticker just shows you have some class
Hitch mounted bike racks
- Thread starter Boatbuilder79
- Start date
The Ron Paul sticker just shows you have some class
Boatbuilder79
Well-known member
I like is. Does it block your plate good?
hurstjd
Adventurer
Yes. It it does. Partially. The car that is following could probably move back and forth and be able to read the plate. We have a Ford E350 with an Aluminess bumper and this rack. The bike tires do cover our tail lights partially as well. I don't like that. I'm going to hook up one of those small led light bars that have the built in turn signals and brakes and attach it to the rack to have some extra lights back there.
pappawheely
Autonomous4X4
If you need something custom, Joe Hauler can build anything. He does more than just motorcycle carriers. http://www.joehauler.com/
I have the same rack and extender and tightener. I only haul one e-bike. I use it on my JK, Grand Cherokee, and Airstream motorhome with the spare tire on the back. I have never had any problems. The way it swings out, you can load bikes from both sides.
Betarocker
Adventurer
Extremely popular here is the North Shore Bike Rack https://www.northshoreracks.com/. The only downside to the design is that the racks do not work for road bikes. Options for 2, 4 or 6 bikes.
What is your vehicle? A 4 bike rack will put a lot more leverage on your hitch than you'd think.
Boatbuilder79
Well-known member
Will share the rack between a Ford F-150 and a 4 runner both have towing package frame mounted recievers.
Boatbuilder79
Well-known member
I like those but they are not cheap.
DaveInDenver
Middle Income Semi-Redneck
That's a good point. My 1UP is 46 lbs (Super Duty Single + one Add-On) with two bikes is about 135 lbs. I have it in a 7" extender so that handlebars on the inside tray clear my camper shell, which is probably another 10 lbs hunk of steel. But this isn't quite just tongue weight since it's along an arm so you have to figure the moment. My back of napkin shows with two 30 lbs bikes this 170 lbs tongue weight (e.g. shear force) gives a bending moment of 420 ft/lb at the receiver.
dreadlocks
Well-known member
then you hit a bridge gap at 75mph that lifts it all up and slams it down and multiplies that, if only for a split second.. then repeat it for thousands of miles.
DaveInDenver
Middle Income Semi-Redneck
Yup @dreadlocks, a static freebody diagram is all this sparky knows how to do.
I do think the more worser case is the shock when driving off road, though. Even expansion joints I don't think bounce them around as much as a few good rock ledges.
I do think the more worser case is the shock when driving off road, though. Even expansion joints I don't think bounce them around as much as a few good rock ledges.
Bingo. Now go stand on the end of that rack and just bounce up and down a little. Most people will be shocked at how much their truck moves.
Remember that Colorado that broke the frame from a small offroad trailer? He was using a hitch extension...
I bent a fork mount rack with my 25# mountain bike on it on the back of my ORV camper on paved roads from expansion joints. My bikes now ride on a rack under the camper top.
The speed and repetitive nature of pavement undulations will cause a rack to fail much quicker than slow speed rough roads.
calicamper
Expedition Leader
I’ve been eyeing rack ideas. Totem pole is interesting for 4+. I like the tray style for 2 bikes. Anything more than that the tray sticks out too far 4+ ft. The vertical style racks keep them in close but many are very bike specific MT Bikes for quick shuttle drop off pick up etc.