# Great 4 Bike Rack Solution



## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

I had my hitch installed last summer on the Outback and was using a Thule bike rack, but wasn't really happy with the time it took to load and the bikes were almost impossible to get all 4 on the rack.









I began my search this fall and bought the rack below. It has been sitting in the shipping box...in the garage for about 4 months. Had a nice day on Sunday so I put it together. Took about 20 minutes from start to finish. Great thing about this rack is you can take it apart (the two arms) to simply fold it up. Great way to save space.

http://www.discountramps.com/wheel-mount-bike-carrier.htm


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## Sayonara (Jul 23, 2007)

I like it !! Let us know how it handles the bikes. I have not seen that type of "holding" system before.

Now I just need to get a hitch mounted first.


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## GoVols (Oct 7, 2005)

Are those "hook" bars padded that fit over the top tubes?

What is the smallest wheel diameter that will work in those tire trays?


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Sayonara said:


> I like it !! Let us know how it handles the bikes. I have not seen that type of "holding" system before.
> 
> Now I just need to get a hitch mounted first.


I installed it on the Suburban this weekend and it worked great. Comes with a little device that slips over the main bar and you then clamp it down to the hitch to help remove the normal wiggle from racks.

Once I had this setup to our bike sizes....it took me under 3 mins to load four bikes.


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## 3athlete (May 14, 2006)

If this is a stupid question, sorry...but can you hook up your camper to that bike rack and tow the two together?

Thanks.


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## RizFam (Feb 25, 2006)

3athlete said:


> If this is a stupid question, sorry...but can you hook up your camper to that bike rack and tow the two together?
> 
> Thanks.


I think that's a great question.

Hopefully when John Luke has the interest & learns to ride a bike we'll finally be in the bike rack market. 
I am patiently waiting.









Tami


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## wtscl (May 22, 2007)

What kind of clearance is there with a trailer attached? I am concerned about the jack/bike clearance.


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

I don't think this is a rack that will be able to be mounted in-line between the TV & TT. That draw-bar would be way to long an extension. Your options, when towing, would be to hang the rack off the back of the TT, or the front of the TV. When not towing, you could hang it off the back of the TV (as the photo shows).

Happy Trails,
Doug


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## Sayonara (Jul 23, 2007)

PDX_Doug said:


> I don't think this is a rack that will be able to be mounted in-line between the TV & TT. That draw-bar would be way to long an extension. Your options, when towing, would be to hang the rack off the back of the TT, or the front of the TV. When not towing, you could hang it off the back of the TV (as the photo shows).
> 
> Happy Trails,
> Doug


Agree !


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## California Jim (Dec 11, 2003)

Very nice rack! Since it protrudes fairly far, I wonder if it will be too "bouncy" when used at the rear of the camper.


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

Nice rack Jim!


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## LarryTheOutback (Jun 15, 2005)

wtscl said:


> What kind of clearance is there with a trailer attached? I am concerned about the jack/bike clearance.


Jim puts this in his FRONT receiver.

Ed


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## daslobo777 (Mar 24, 2007)

3athlete said:


> If this is a stupid question, sorry...but can you hook up your camper to that bike rack and tow the two together?
> 
> Thanks.


First of all - there are not ANY stupid questions (except some of mine somtimes







).

Secondly, I am currently working on a 4-bike rack that ADAPTER to the Equal-I-Zer Hitch. I did not want to hang the bike off the rear 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.

Standby for pics as I am just picking up the adapter I designed from the local friendly machine shop today.


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## Sayonara (Jul 23, 2007)

daslobo777 said:


> If this is a stupid question, sorry...but can you hook up your camper to that bike rack and tow the two together?
> 
> Thanks.


First of all - there are not ANY stupid questions (except some of mine somtimes







).

Secondly, I am currently working on a 4-bike rack that ADAPTER to the Equal-I-Zer Hitch. I did not want to hang the bike off the rear 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.

Standby for pics as I am just picking up the adapter I designed from the local friendly machine shop today.








[/quote]
Wow that sounds great! Lets see PICTURES !! Unless this is a patent in the making....


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## folsom_five (Jan 10, 2008)

Somewhere in my endless search for a bike rack for my new TT, I came across a website that made bike racks that mounted to the A-frame (above the propane tanks). I can't find that site anymore.
Has anyone seen this design? It sounds great since the bikes wouldn't be subjected to the same bouncing around as if they were on the rear of the TT. But, I also wonder if you can make a tight turn without hitting the rack with the TV.


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## ALASKA PFLOCK (Jun 24, 2007)

Great rack. If you don't mind sharing, how much was your hitch and install on the TT? Thanks.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

LarryTheOutback said:


> What kind of clearance is there with a trailer attached? I am concerned about the jack/bike clearance.


Jim puts this in his FRONT receiver.

Ed
[/quote]

Yep...I will install this on the front of the Suburban. The hitch on the back of the Outback (attached to the frame) is used for a storage rack to carry gas/generator for trips >5 day or trips we will be using the port-a-boat (electric motor only)


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

ALASKA PFLOCK said:


> Great rack. If you don't mind sharing, how much was your hitch and install on the TT? Thanks.


PDX_Doug gave me a recommendation for a shop about 20 minutes from our house. (Thanks again Doug!!)

They did a bunch of stuff, but the the hitch was $230 installed. As I have computer skills....not metal working skills, so I let my checkbook do this MOD.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

California Jim said:


> Very nice rack! Since it protrudes fairly far, I wonder if it will be too "bouncy" when used at the rear of the camper.


My previous rack had that problem, but this rack come with a metal cover that slides over the tube that slides in the hitch and then the cover clamps down on the hitch. This really tightens things up. As I put my bikes in the front, it will be known ASAP if this really works after being on the road for more then my simple test drive around the neighborhood.


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## folsom_five (Jan 10, 2008)

Oregon_Camper said:


> Very nice rack! Since it protrudes fairly far, I wonder if it will be too "bouncy" when used at the rear of the camper.


My previous rack had that problem, but this rack come with a metal cover that slides over the tube that slides in the hitch and then the cover clamps down on the hitch. This really tightens things up. As I put my bikes in the front, it will be known ASAP if this really works after being on the road for more then my simple test drive around the neighborhood.
[/quote]

With the bikes on the front, do you have any issues with overheating?


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## daslobo777 (Mar 24, 2007)

Sayonara said:


> If this is a stupid question, sorry...but can you hook up your camper to that bike rack and tow the two together?
> 
> Thanks.


First of all - there are not ANY stupid questions (except some of mine somtimes







).

Secondly, I am currently working on a 4-bike rack that ADAPTER to the Equal-I-Zer Hitch. I did not want to hang the bike off the rear 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.

Standby for pics as I am just picking up the adapter I designed from the local friendly machine shop today.








[/quote]
Wow that sounds great! Lets see PICTURES !! Unless this is a patent in the making....
[/quote]

*As I do not want to steel Jims thread here (any further) - I will switch to a NEW topic ...... please stand by for more descriptions, pictures, etc.*

And no, I have no intentions for any patents, I tinker, I play, I build things, I give my ideas away to those who want them. BTW, I have worked for automotive and aerospace companies and have six patents - that is a long tedious process that I do not care to engage again soon.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

folsom_five said:


> Very nice rack! Since it protrudes fairly far, I wonder if it will be too "bouncy" when used at the rear of the camper.


My previous rack had that problem, but this rack come with a metal cover that slides over the tube that slides in the hitch and then the cover clamps down on the hitch. This really tightens things up. As I put my bikes in the front, it will be known ASAP if this really works after being on the road for more then my simple test drive around the neighborhood.
[/quote]

With the bikes on the front, do you have any issues with overheating?
[/quote]

Nope...I could see a potential problem if I was hauling motorcycles, but bikes allow air to flow through them. Climbing over Mt. Hood...towing 8 days of food...water...basically every doodad known to mankind and the Suburban never once showed any signs of overheating.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

wtscl said:


> What kind of clearance is there with a trailer attached? I am concerned about the jack/bike clearance.


While I carry mine in the front of the Suburban, I also have a "hitch extender" that give me about 1.5-2' of additional length off the back of the hitch. Worked great the one time I carried my bikes on the back of the Outback (just wanted to see how it worked)


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## kibitzer (Feb 11, 2008)

To folsom_five's inquiry. (I can usually find ANYTNING on the internet in about 20 minutes)

Especially for pop-ups:
http://popuptimes.com/store/page4.html

Mounts over ball:
http://www.prorac.com/ballmount.php

or onto bar:
http://www.discountramps.com/towing-bike-rack.htm

AHA, I found it! But would not work with our propane fairing
Other mounts for back of trailer also available:

http://www.lets-getaway.com/bikeracks.htm
http://secure.mycart.net/catalogs/catalog....;showprevnext=1
www.fiamma.com
http://www.fiammausa.com/ <--- site for USA !! (alas, only awnings)
- See the following for their bike rack selection:

http://www.fiamma.it/prodotti/prodotti.asp...EN&linea=02

I myself, am looking into the Thule accessories:
http://www.thulerv.com/products.htm

- although this page is not showing the bike rack, I have seen it in Hershey and Long Island shows. The shelf would be a good pairing for our outside kitchens


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## folsom_five (Jan 10, 2008)

kibitzer said:


> To folsom_five's inquiry. (I can usually find ANYTNING on the internet in about 20 minutes)
> 
> Especially for pop-ups:
> http://popuptimes.com/store/page4.html
> ...


Thanks kibitzer. A lot of good ideas there.

I finally found the site I had been looking at before.
http://www.toppoprails.com/index.html

Has anybody seen these? It looks like it would work well.


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

I guess I'm surprised that this (clicky) hasn't been mentioned. Does someone know something I don't about this kind of solution?

EDIT: Never mind - I just saw the tongue weight limitation of 400#.


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## Morgueman (Dec 3, 2006)

BigBadBrain said:


> I guess I'm surprised that this (clicky) hasn't been mentioned. Does someone know something I don't about this kind of solution?
> 
> EDIT: Never mind - I just saw the tongue weight limitation of 400#.


Look what you get when you click on the Clicky and then expand the picture of the Monarch Game Hitch. Yikes!


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## Mgonzo2u (Aug 3, 2004)

This is not the best picture to share but the following photo shows two adult bikes on top of our Durango while attached to the top of a Thule Cargo Box rack with Thule bike holders attached to it.


__
https://flic.kr/p/1242541229


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Mgonzo2u said:


> This is not the best picture to share but the following photo shows two adult bikes on top of our Durango while attached to the top of a Thule Cargo Box rack with Thule bike holders attached to it.
> 
> 
> __
> https://flic.kr/p/1242541229


Does that carry more than 2 bikes? How long does it take to load them?


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## Mt.Zion (Mar 6, 2008)

Since I haven't put the 2" receiver on the tt yet, do i need to buy a long receiver so the end of the box frame lines up with the bumper (about 8"to 10"), or do I just mount a stubby, even or just past the edge of the tt frame. And is leaving the spare mounted on the aluminum bumper an option if i buy the discount ramp bike rack.It looks like it sticks out pretty far from the receiver.


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## Mgonzo2u (Aug 3, 2004)

Oregon_Camper said:


> This is not the best picture to share but the following photo shows two adult bikes on top of our Durango while attached to the top of a Thule Cargo Box rack with Thule bike holders attached to it.
> 
> 
> __
> https://flic.kr/p/1242541229


Does that carry more than 2 bikes? How long does it take to load them?
[/quote]

I have two bike holders on the rack. So it holds two bikes. I imagine I could fit a 3rd bike holder for our little girls bike when the time comes.

I can load both adult bikes and have them locked down in less than 10 minutes.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Mt.Zion said:


> Since I haven't put the 2" receiver on the tt yet, do i need to buy a long receiver so the end of the box frame lines up with the bumper (about 8"to 10"), or do I just mount a stubby, even or just past the edge of the tt frame. And is leaving the spare mounted on the aluminum bumper an option if i buy the discount ramp bike rack.It looks like it sticks out pretty far from the receiver.


I'd recommend buying/installing a hitch that will be flush with the bumper. No reason to get one that will require you to lay on your back to insert the hitch pin.


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