# New 2/4-bike Rack Design For Equal-i-zer Hitch



## daslobo777 (Mar 24, 2007)

As I started to describe in Jim's earlier thread, I am currently working on a 2/4-bike rack that adapts directly to the Equal-I-Zer Hitch. I did not want to hang the bike off the rear TT frame and I did want to use the space between the TV and TT. You can find hitch bike racks that adapt to standard 2" hitches but these did not fit the EQ hitch due to the gusset weld on the bottom of the EQ hitch (you need 3" of bar length and I only had 2"). I purchased a Hollywood 4-bike rack that is very well made. I am replacing the hitch bar that came with the Hollywood rack with my own adapter that will fit on the EQ hitch.

I picked up the EQ hitch adapter from my machine shop friends today and it works better than I orginally could have thought. I have an SUV with a swing-up rear door, and the adapter allows the bike rack to pivot away from the TT so the door can swing fully open. As I do not have my TT handy, I cannot see how much room there is to swing the bikes down prior to hitting the jack - but I will soon know tomorrow. We are getting ready to head out of town this w/e - so stay tuned if you are interested and I will provide full pics and design shortly.

The Hollywood rack will work nicely without the EQ hitch/adapter and TT as it comes with a nice hitch bar that works with the rack on its own. I will suppy part numbers tomorrow.


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## daslobo777 (Mar 24, 2007)

Until I can get some actual pics here are some detail drawings of the adapter and a sketch showing adapter pivot to allow rear TV door opening.

[Edit - Didn't work too well need to figure out how to upload some jpeg pics tomorrow.]


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Can't wait for the pictures...


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## BoaterDan (Jul 1, 2005)

Won't hanging bikes there severely limit your turning radius?


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## daslobo777 (Mar 24, 2007)

BoaterDan said:


> Won't hanging bikes there severely limit your turning radius?


BoaterDan -

Bikes are far enough away from the TT that turning radius should not be a problem.

Try this for drawings and a pic of the rack with standard (not my adapter) hitch bar. Actuals pics soon hopefully as I am working 10 hour days!!

Hollywood HR2200 2/4 Bike Rack w/ Standard Hitch

EQ Hitch Adapter Detail Drawing

Hitch Adapter Pivot Function


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## daslobo777 (Mar 24, 2007)

Here are some pics ...... although I do not have the TT out of storage yet.




























Lots of great ideas on Jim's (Oregon_Camper) recent active thread also. That is what I like about this site. Pose a question or idea and there are lots of different ideas and responses. I did not find any other solution that met my criteria of a pivoting rack plus quality built (no field failures) plus adapted to the 2" bar length I have on my EQ hitch bar. Anyway, this works fine for me. This adapter cost me $48.00 to fab. If anyone is REALLY interested I "may" be talked into getting some made for materials, labor, and shipping costs.


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## having_fun (Jun 19, 2006)

I like it. If you get a chance, take a picture with you hitched and bikes on, I'd love to see it.

I have one that you slide an extra long shack through it. I used it when we had a small pop-up. I've even thought about grinding out a V in the bottom so it would work with the EQ but I never had the nerve. I would still be concerned about clearance, not just left and right, but up and down as I have a steep driveway and the TV gets quite a bit of angle to the TT right at the bottom. Your rack looks like it lifts the bikes in the rear a good bit. Can you hitch and unhitch with the bikes on?


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## Sayonara (Jul 23, 2007)

Great Idea!! I cant wait to see the pics with the TT hooked up and hear from you after your first trip! 
Good luck and nice job!


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## Jimmie (Jan 7, 2008)

Those are great pics of your mod!







Always wanted to do that to my rig. I too would like to see some pics with the TT hitched up. Looking at your hitch setup, I was wondering how many washers (to give the hitch its tilt) you have in there? Just curious to see if my setup could use one more washer.


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## daslobo777 (Mar 24, 2007)

having_fun said:


> I like it. If you get a chance, take a picture with you hitched and bikes on, I'd love to see it.
> 
> I have one that you slide an extra long shack through it. I used it when we had a small pop-up. I've even thought about grinding out a V in the bottom so it would work with the EQ but I never had the nerve. I would still be concerned about clearance, not just left and right, but up and down as I have a steep driveway and the TV gets quite a bit of angle to the TT right at the bottom. Your rack looks like it lifts the bikes in the rear a good bit. Can you hitch and unhitch with the bikes on?


I am picking up the TT tonight after work and will get all the bikes on the rack and provide more pics soon .......


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

daslobo777 said:


> I am picking up the TT tonight after work and will get all the bikes on the rack and provide more pics soon .......


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## Lady Di (Oct 28, 2005)

t looks really nice. Will be interested in seeing pics with the tt attached.


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## daslobo777 (Mar 24, 2007)

Jimmie said:


> Those are great pics of your mod!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I have five washers in my EQ hitch setup. Works like a charm for me with solid tow performance.

Got home too late from work too late tonight to post pics of the hitch adapter mod.







tomorrow! - I promise.


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## daslobo777 (Mar 24, 2007)

OK - Here is the UPDATE -

Does anyone like CROW?







I love crow - it is quite a fine meal in some parts of the world you you.









I am eating crow right now.

This bike rack project didn't exactly work out







- should have listened to the Elders on this fine website.









Not enough room between two adult bikes and the TT jack ......

No pics ---- just not worth it.

Back to the drawing board - with a fine ice cold beer in my hand. Will probably put the bike rack on the rear of the TT off the frame sometime later. For this trip it is DHs bike on the rack, two DDs bikes in the back of the TV, and DWs bike inside the TT (very carefully).

Later.


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## Dan H. (Jul 14, 2006)

Darn, I was really hoping to see a new solution to the "no bikes on the bumper" problem. I know there are other threads on this subject, but I liked this idea the best. Dare to dream!


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## luv2rv (Jun 21, 2004)

I was kinda hoping this had worked out as well. I was mounting my bike rack using one of the holes in my Sierra bumper that is intended for a trailer ball on the bumper for towing light utility trailers.

This worked well and provided plenty of clearance for the trailer jack etc. Once in place I could only access the bed of the truck through the cover ... not a big deal since it was a snap closure type.

Now the problem .. I have traded my old truck in and on my new truck I have installed a tri-fold cover with the tension handles that hold it in place. I will have no access to the bed without removing the bike rack.

I'll let you know what I come up with.

Thanks,
Wayne


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## gregjoyal (Jan 25, 2005)

I'm surprised more people don't do something like this with their trucks...










Of course, I realize this doesn't help SUV owners, but it sure works great for the truck crowd since you still get to use your truck bed to haul stuff. I don't have a picture, but a buddy of mine with an Avalanche bought some plain rails from a local store that fit very nicely around the rear bed panels and when the tailgate is locked, they are impossible to remove without cutting them. Then he got a couple nice Thule bike mounts that worked for his bikes and voila... He tows his TT with no need for a bumper bike rack.

And since your TT is much larger than this extra wind-dragging-addition, your mpg isn't really going to suffer. And it's functional when you are going somewhere without your TT and you want to bring your bikes along!!


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## NINANTH (Jul 16, 2007)

I have succesfully put two adult bikes using the Hitch Grip bike rack and towed several times. I also have a Equalizer hitch, and barely I was able to put two adults bikes on that bike rack. I had to remove the the front bike wheels becuase of the lack of space. Also, I had to cover the pedal of the inside bike with some clothing to avoid scratching on the TV bumper.

I have three bikes for my family, and used a regular bike rack bumper mounted at the rear of 25RSS for my kid's bike. So far no problem with the rear bumper bike rack probably because of lesser weight of the child bike. Here's the Amazon link for that Hitch Grip bike rack.

http://www.amazon.com/Hitch-Grip-Towable-B...r/dp/B000J34TQY

I can post some pictures if anyone would like to see the setup. But will have to wait until we go for our first trip this season...probably in next couple of weeks. I spend some time researching how to carry three bikes with TT, and this is the best combination I have come up with. It would have been nice if these TTs had the appropriately designed bumpers to carry atleast three to four bikes.


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