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Old 05-30-2011, 07:15 PM   #21
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Yup did that lots of times - actually just yesterday again on a girlfriends rack that was rocking badly. Problem is we live in the city so leaving it on due to theft and the extra parking room needed when its on is a problem so most taken them off when not using. Bit of a pain to have to wedge it ever time its put on and taking it off when wedged is not a great joy either. Thus the reason I like the roof rack - it can stay on all summer and its very solid.
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Old 05-30-2011, 08:16 PM   #22
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Wow, lots of replies and some great ideas. It's still a bit of a question mark for me but i'm going to price out a roof rack. Once I know what parts I'll need, I can look around for a used setup.

-m
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Old 05-30-2011, 08:30 PM   #23
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For us, the biggest reason not to consider carrying bikes on the trailer was that we rarely, if ever, go cycling anywhere near the campground. We pretty much always take them elsewhere where the nicer paths are, therefore the bikes need to mount somewhere in/on/behind the vehicle.
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Old 05-30-2011, 08:31 PM   #24
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An excellent point. I hadn't even thought of that!
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Old 05-30-2011, 08:42 PM   #25
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I found the perfect rack on craigslist, it is a 4 bike rack and fits on the hitch on the back of my CT-13. I think it must have been made specifically for SUVS because it is made to clear the rear tire with room for the bikes. I just used it and towed with it with 3 bikes this Memorial weekend and had no problem with the trailer control or sway.

It has a Mopar logo on it so it appears to be a factory rack from Chrysler. This link is the exact one that I have.

Sun Valley Online | Mopar hitch reciever 4-bike rack
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Old 05-30-2011, 08:43 PM   #26
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Trying to insert a picture....FAILED



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Old 05-30-2011, 08:52 PM   #27
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A few links might help with some of the issues mentioned above:

Frame adapters to make step-through or kids' frames work on hanging racks.

Sounds like you're happy with your roof rack Carol, but for anyone else with a wobbly hitch rack, a little hitch stabilizer can help steady the wobble -- maybe slightly more than wedging a random object in there It only adds a few seconds to the install/uninstall. You might also try calling your manufacturer for help with that too, as they all have pretty good warranties and really want their logo-covered products out there on cars!

Oh, and we have the Thule aero bars on our roof rack, and while they're certainly aero, they're not particularly universal. Thule square bars or Yakima round bars work with a better variety of mounts.
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Old 05-31-2011, 10:59 AM   #28
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Best option for us is a custom receiver tube added to back of trailer and then use a cargo rack. Will be custom-building brackets to hold 2 recumbent bikes. These bikes do not ride well on regular bike racks, plus I've read bike racks are not always strong enough to handle the bounce of being on the back of a trailer.

(Jeep Grand Cherokee, 16' Scamp, 2 adults, 1 kid, 1 big dog.)
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Old 05-31-2011, 11:02 AM   #29
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Originally Posted by Daniel V. View Post
For us, the biggest reason not to consider carrying bikes on the trailer was that we rarely, if ever, go cycling anywhere near the campground. We pretty much always take them elsewhere where the nicer paths are, therefore the bikes need to mount somewhere in/on/behind the vehicle.
YES same here.
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Old 05-31-2011, 12:16 PM   #30
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Originally Posted by Daniel V. View Post
For us, the biggest reason not to consider carrying bikes on the trailer was that we rarely, if ever, go cycling anywhere near the campground. We pretty much always take them elsewhere where the nicer paths are, therefore the bikes need to mount somewhere in/on/behind the vehicle.
We carry a receiver rack which is not much more than 3ft of 2" tubing, whenever we anticipate traveling by car to a jump off point.
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Old 05-31-2011, 02:50 PM   #31
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Originally Posted by Sam and Jess View Post
A few links might help with some of the issues mentioned above:

Sounds like you're happy with your roof rack Carol, but for anyone else with a wobbly hitch rack, a little hitch stabilizer can help steady the wobble -- maybe slightly more than wedging a random object in there It only adds a few seconds to the install/uninstall. You might also try calling your manufacturer for help with that too, as they all have pretty good warranties and really want their logo-covered products out there on cars!
I have the over the tow bar bike rack and noticed the amount of play. I was concerned and looked into a stabilizer. Went to a hitch store and asked about them. The guy said that as the vehicle tows, the steel heats up and expands. He said the wobbling was normal when not in use but goes away once you're towing. Hard to argue with someone who is an expert in hitches, but I'm a little skeptical. However, it does make sense.
I couldn't do a roof rack because I already have a roof rack for my kayak. Plus, I'm not very tall and lifting a bike up there would be difficult.
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Old 05-31-2011, 03:01 PM   #32
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[QUOTE=Jenny W.;253297]
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam and Jess View Post
A few links might help with some of the issues mentioned above:

Sounds like you're happy with your roof rack Carol, but for anyone else with a wobbly hitch rack, a little hitch stabilizer can help steady the wobble -- maybe slightly more than wedging a random object in there It only adds a few seconds to the install/uninstall. You might also try calling your manufacturer for help with that too, as they all have pretty good warranties and really want their logo-covered products out there on cars!
QUOTE]

I have the over the tow bar bike rack and noticed the amount of play. I was concerned and looked into a stabilizer. Went to a hitch store and asked about them. The guy said that as the vehicle tows, the steel heats up and expands. He said the wobbling was normal when not in use but goes away once you're towing. Hard to argue with someone who is an expert in hitches, but I'm a little skeptical. However, it does make sense.
I couldn't do a roof rack because I already have a roof rack for my kayak. Plus, I'm not very tall and lifting a bike up there would be difficult.
You believe that? I've got some lake front property for sale here in Terlingua.
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Old 05-31-2011, 03:13 PM   #33
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You believe that? I've got some lake front property for sale here in Terlingua.
Wow. Glad you found that so funny. I was just sharing what I was told...
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Old 05-31-2011, 03:17 PM   #34
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Originally Posted by Jenny W. View Post
Went to a hitch store and asked about them. The guy said that as the vehicle tows, the steel heats up and expands. He said the wobbling was normal when not in use but goes away once you're towing. Hard to argue with someone who is an expert in hitches, but I'm a little skeptical. .
Hi, Jenny!

I think your skepticism is well founded.
Since the heat the guy's talking about must be generated by the friction created by the movement of the bar, it won't "expand to fit" unless it fits so badly that it's in constant motion rubbing against the receiver to the point that enough friction is created to create the heat that expands the bar to fit the channel that the bar wasn't designed to fit tightly into to begin with.

And I hereby award myself the prize for the most unintelligible reply ever posted at FGRV!

Francesca
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Old 05-31-2011, 04:04 PM   #35
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"Don't believe anything you hear and only half of what you see". There's not even that much heat here where I live.
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Old 05-31-2011, 09:04 PM   #36
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Jenny another way to get it to fit a bit better is to wrap some duct tape around it to fatten it up a bit.
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Old 05-31-2011, 10:12 PM   #37
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Jenny another way to get it to fit a bit better is to wrap some duct tape around it to fatten it up a bit.
I had a loose Class III hitchball bar and found the tape to be an excellent solution. For a more permanent fix however, I simply welded a bead across the bar just at the point where it enters the receiver,then ground it off and test fitted it 'til it was a perfect fit and rattle free.
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Old 06-01-2011, 08:41 AM   #38
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Jenny another way to get it to fit a bit better is to wrap some duct tape around it to fatten it up a bit.
I do have duct tape added to it. Helped maybe a little, but it still wobbles. And let me clarify - it wobbles when not in use. I am a cyclist and keep my bike rack/tow bar installed on my Jeep. When I tow, I haven't noticed any problems whatsoever.
If the wobbling when not in use is not normal, what frustrates me is that these are standard receivers and extenders. Both Curt brand. There must be a reason why they don't fit snug.
Being that this is the first trailer I've ever owned and the first thing I've ever towed, I don't have anything to compare it to. I also forgot to mention that I had gotten a second opinion from another hitch store. They too said a little bit of play was normal (but didn't give me the whole bit on expanding steel).
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Old 06-01-2011, 09:12 AM   #39
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I do have duct tape added to it. Helped maybe a little, but it still wobbles. And let me clarify - it wobbles when not in use. I am a cyclist and keep my bike rack/tow bar installed on my Jeep. When I tow, I haven't noticed any problems whatsoever.
If the wobbling when not in use is not normal, what frustrates me is that these are standard receivers and extenders. Both Curt brand. There must be a reason why they don't fit snug.
Being that this is the first trailer I've ever owned and the first thing I've ever towed, I don't have anything to compare it to. I also forgot to mention that I had gotten a second opinion from another hitch store. They too said a little bit of play was normal (but didn't give me the whole bit on expanding steel).
If you want to know why a little play is needed in the receiver... try leaving the ballbar in place for a couple of winters. The snug ones can rust in place so profoundly that the retaining pin seems to become a redundancy. the mod that I earlier recommended involves only the first 1/4" to 3/8" of the opening for this reason.
Check this out...
Hitch Accessory Anti-Rattle Device Review Video | etrailer.com
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Old 06-01-2011, 09:27 AM   #40
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Anti-wobble brackets can be purchased from Northern Tool for $20. The wobble is "normal" since there needs to be enough play to insert the tubing into the receiver. This is not noticeable when towing since tongue weight presses down heavily onto the ball. It's also not noticed when the ball is attached to the receiver when not towing or carrying since what is sticking out is so small (grab it and shake it and you'll see the slop.) When using a rack or platform this needed space is now projected much wider due to the mechanics and design of the accessory. When using a receiver hitch in this manner I am more comfortable using the anti-wobble bracket.
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