Can you put a bike rack on the rear lid?

[Wayne2410]

Just wondering if anyone has tried attaching a bike rack to the rear hard lid, and if so have you had any issues?

I saw this below photo (hope I attached properly) of a 17.56.2 with a rack attached but wouldn't think it would last too long?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts

 

[expanda]

I saw that photo recently to....

Looks like an interesting mod but I wonder how its bolted to it? Strength aside the bolts could damage the canvas / mattress if not put in properly.

I have always carried a rack on the spare tyre on the boot but now with the pathfinder need to look for alternative options!

 

[Moto Moto]

Never seen that before, can't imagine it would last long.................surely the lid isn't designed for those sort of stresses. Looks pretty funky though

From the stories i have read on the net, most people go for the bike rack that mounts to the drawbar or fabricate a new rear bar with swing out bike holder.

 

[cruza driver]

I have never seen that either. It looks like there is to many varibles on things that could fail in the long term but I could be wrong.

It would be interesting to see how it holds up over a long period of time.

 

[Russell]

I have never seen it either. I have replaced the rear bar with a new bar that swings away from van if required for quick stop over. No porblems with the bar or the bikes.

 

[Moto Moto]

I have never seen it either. I have replaced the rear bar with a new bar that swings away from van if required for quick stop over. No porblems with the bar or the bikes.

Pictures please my good man

 

[bigman0510]

Pictures please my good man

Yes Please!!

 

[cruza driver]

I have replaced the rear bar with a new bar that swings away from van if required for quick stop over. No problems with the bar or the bikes.

Actually I think I've seen this done before on a non hard lid Expanda before, you just jolted my memory :rolleyes:

Yes and as others have said look forward to seeing some pics

 

[Russell]

Will take some photos on the weekend and then post them

 

[Wayne2410]

Thanks for the feedback everyone....

I'm also really dubious about the rack lasting long term attached to the rear lid given the bouncing around etc

We use to have our bikes on the rack attached to the tow ball, but with our 16.49.1 the draw bar wasn't long enough & every time we wanted to park on a site the van would swing around and hit the bikes, a real pain in the a**.

I'm really keen to see your photos also Russell, I think that's the way to go?

 

[cruza driver]

I know this was about bike racks and being mounted to the hard lid but at Yulara the other week I saw a spare wheel mounted to the rear lid, not sure if it had any extra bracing though. I wonder how long it would last ? :noidea:

 

[richjall]

I can see this discussion is a bit old but I also had seen this mod previously and I bit the bullet and did it anyway.
Sure it was a butt clenching thing to drill through the fibre glass but it's all good. I have 3mm backing braces on the inside so any point load is spread and I also drilled through the reinforcing rib for extra security.
The missus drove behind me on one trip with all the kids bikes loaded up and said was solid as. I have done about 4000k without any worries. But not on corrigated roads - I would take them off for those stretches.

 

[straydingo]

Great job!

 

[Four of us]

I have just had a rear bumber made up to take a four bike rack. At the moment it is getting powder coated so I have no pics yet. The rear bumper was is made out of 75 x 75 RHS with extra welds to take the weight and the extra fatigue from bouncing around.

 

[richjall]

Make the welds realllly good. I saw a 4 bike rack installed to the back of an Expanda via a tow ball sort of set up and when it hit a small bump in the road the articulation made it look like a whip.
Extra bracing if you can manage it and always secure the bikes to the rack so they can't swing around.
All the best

 

[Pace]

Make the welds realllly good. I saw a 4 bike rack installed to the back of an Expanda via a tow ball sort of set up and when it hit a small bump in the road the articulation made it look like a whip.
Extra bracing if you can manage it and always secure the bikes to the rack so they can't swing around.
All the best

we tie off to the grab handles to secure the bikes with mild tension towards the van, this stops the bouncing/waving around.worked out great

 

[Downsouth]

why not on the back bumper on a folding arm

 

[Moto Moto]

I can see this discussion is a bit old but I also had seen this mod previously and I bit the bullet and did it anyway.
Sure it was a butt clenching thing to drill through the fibre glass but it's all good. I have 3mm backing braces on the inside so any point load is spread and I also drilled through the reinforcing rib for extra security.
The missus drove behind me on one trip with all the kids bikes loaded up and said was solid as. I have done about 4000k without any worries. But not on corrigated roads - I would take them off for those stretches.
View attachment 5333

Looks impressive all set up, hope it stands the test of time for you:thumb: