hitch bike rack wobble

[tacomabill]

Anyone used any of the devices designed to reduce wobble in receiver hitch devices such as my Yakima bike rack? I have wobble both up-down and side ways. Some devices are clamps, such as MaxxHaule and Blue Ox, others are square, rubbery inserts.

 

[DaveInDenver]

On my stock receiver this type worked fine. The only thing I would consider it putting on top rather than bottom. With a bike rack it's probably not important but using it the way it's shown puts all the tongue weight on device which in theory could cause the u-bolt to stretch and break. Pushing down there's less stress on the hardware I'd think.

 

[Hoooogan]

On my stock receiver this type worked fine. The only thing I would consider it putting on top rather than bottom. With a bike rack it's probably not important but using it the way it's shown puts all the tongue weight on device which in theory could cause the u-bolt to stretch and break. Pushing down there's less stress on the hardware I'd think.

View attachment 593289

Your thinking is backwards. Having the plate on the top creates a gap on the bottom and ALL the stress will only rely on the ubolt. That pulls the hitch up to meet the top of the receiver. Plate on the bottom holds it against the surface it's already leaning on. No resting tension other than preload.

Think leaf springs. Over the axle vs under the axle. You don't even need ubolts to rest the truck for a spring over setup. Spring under axle relies purely on U bolts to hold the axle and leafpack together.

 

[CampStewart]

Its probably not worth the effort unless you are buying a new hitch or have taken yours off but I drilled a 1/2 inch diameter hole in the side of the receiver and welded a nut over the hole. I tighten a bolt and no movement or rattling.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Your thinking is backwards. Having the plate on the top creates a gap on the bottom and ALL the stress will only rely on the ubolt. That pulls the hitch up to meet the top of the receiver. Plate on the bottom holds it against the surface it's already leaning on. No resting tension other than preload.

Think leaf springs. Over the axle vs under the axle. You don't even need ubolts to rest the truck for a spring over setup. Spring under axle relies purely on U bolts to hold the axle and leafpack together.

Yeah, not sure what I was thinking. Been a long week.

 

[Choff]

I drilled and tapped a large head bolt on hitch to tighten down to the bike rack insert, it worked good

 

[Wheelman55]

Comments for OP.

If your bike rack uses a threaded hitch pin, make sure to thread the pin in from the passenger side NOT from driver side. Get the pin nice and tight.

If your bike rack is self tightening...get it nice and tight. This should help.

Best of luck!

 

[tacomabill]

My hitch pin is not threaded; secured with a cotter pin and that is once source of wobble, which I hope a clamp type tightener should work.

 

[tacomabill]

I went to a local trailer and hitch service and sales shop yesterday and asked about it. Owner said there is nothing that works well. the clamp types work ok for a few miles then gradually loosen up.

 

[Paddler Ed]

My receiver hitch has a couple of shims from a drinks can shoved in it... just enough to stop it moving.

 

[mmp3823]

Does your bike rack have a mechanism to fold up or down? We have some wobble from the hitch on our bike carrier but most of it comes from the mechanism that allows it to fold. We have the Swagman Semi 2.0.

 

[Weeds]

I went to a local trailer and hitch service and sales shop yesterday and asked about it. Owner said there is nothing that works well. the clamp types work ok for a few miles then gradually loosen up.

He is wrong. I have over 4000 miles using one with no wiggle or jerking.

 

[quickfarms]

The draw-tite J pin works great, I have been using them for years and you only have to tighten them about once a year

Trailer Hitch Anti Rattle Device

J-Pin™ Anti-Rattle Pin & Barrel Lockset for 2'' Sq. Receivers

www.draw-tite.com

Another thing that would work good for a bike rack is a couple of 3/8-16 set screws. Drill two 5/16” holes in the receiver tube at 90 degree angles. Tap for 3/8-16. Install bike rack and tighten the set screws. This is how I keep the cones from rattling on my work truck.

 

[Howard70]

We have several ISI racks on different vehicles. They all use the ISI threaded pin / inserted flange system which works great. Basically the "pin" is replaced with a fully threaded bolt (we use M16 x 2, 130mm although 120 mm might work -depends on your receiver), then a flange consisting of an M16 x 2 nut welded to a square of flat stock is inserted in the hollow bar of the rack. Slide the bar & rack into your receiver, slip the flange in, line up the holes, thread the "pin" (bolt) through the holes in receiver/bar/flange/bar/receiver and tighten. The bolt pulls the flange against the bar and the bar against the receiver tightening everything up nicely. Bar/receiver wobble gone.

However, there can be wobble that isn't induced by bar/receiver slop. That often comes from loose clearances in other components of the rack system - especially if the rack is a drop down or folder style. If you remove the bar/receiver slop and still have more wobble than you like you can try using a line to secure the outboard ends of the wheel trays to the bumper so the trays don't "seesaw" around the single point suspension of the bar/receiver combo.

Howard

 

[alia176]

Not sure if this particular item has been discussed but it follows the same principle as Howrd70 posted above. Using a bolt and a nut to tighten the two items together.