17' Series Frustrated any ideas!!!

[Cheznick5]

Hi,
I know I have asked this before and I have read about wonderful ideas on the forum
But I'm still in a pickle with sorting out my bike rack issues because I Was going to do a drawbar one but apparently I would be exceeding my towball weight therefore in a case of insurance I would not be covered. ( van is just under 200kg on ball and I can only put 225kg on ball) my issue 3-4 bikes plus rack approx 50-60 kg in total with metal.

It has been suggested put one on the rear and just make a bar up to replace the standard one but due to the horror stories I hear I'm scared too......
Please if anyone has proof of a rack that works and they have travelled no problem with it please let me know...

 

[Matty4]

@Cheznick5 with your Jeep being a CRD, the towing specs for that state a 350kg ball limit, so I'm not sure where you got the 225kg from.
Anyway, this is my solution, see post 6
http://www.expandasdownunder.com/threads/bike-rack-ideas-for-an-expanda-17-56-2ob.5203/#post-76597

 

[Cheznick5]

Thanks Matty4
You are correct that it is 350 kg bit then you have to deduct overall weight per person(5 of us) and luggage quoter reduces it to 225kg apparently the 350 kg is one person with 7 kg luggage

 

[Matty4]

The 350kg max ball weight is up to 3 occupants with luggage, 4 occupants with luggage is 297kg and 5 with luggage is 227kg.
An occupant is listed as 68kg and luggage is listed as 7kg.
The 5 of us come in under the 340kg mark, and we carry no luggage in the car (other than an Engel) when travelling.
The bike rack will only have 3 bikes on it now anyway, so I may even look at putting them on the roof racks in bike holders.

Having said all that, those figures are listed in the manual and are provided as a guide only so I guess you can take that whichever way you want.

 

[achjimmy]

What's the Jeeps GVM? Take its Tare add your payload (passengers, accessories, etc, including fuel) and that's what you have leftover for your towbar up to the bar or manufacturers rating. In most cases it's SFA so ignore doing this if you want "plausible deniability " lol

 

[achjimmy]

According to that list that was published you have about 600kg payload so take out fuel at about 80kg add your combined passenger weight and luggage and subtract that and there's what your max load on the towbar should be. Then look at your bikes. Keep in mind the total weight of the bikes won't all go on the ball. If you have two tanks you could also play around with the balance a little to get it right. But don't go crazy get weight of the ball, they perform better with more weight than less IMO.

 

[twscoot]

I went through all this years ago.
The answer was to put three on the roof (and a $30 step ladder which I throw in the boot).
One bike (we have a tandem) goes in the van.
The Thule ones are expensive but brilliantly made and take very little time to put on. They are lockable too.
Here's a photo on my old Pajero.
I'm still contemplating a single rack for the tandem bike on the front wall if the van.

 

[Patto]

We have a similar set up to @Matty4 and it works well. We just take the front wheels off the bike and put in the boot. The only downside is you can't get into the boot once the bikes are on, but we don't keep much in there anyway.

 

[ST&T]

I went through all this years ago.
The answer was to put three on the roof (and a $30 step ladder which I throw in the boot).
One bike (we have a tandem) goes in the van.
The Thule ones are expensive but brilliantly made and take very little time to put on. They are lockable too.
Here's a photo on my old Pajero.
I'm still contemplating a single rack for the tandem bike on the front wall if the van.

View attachment 24213

On the pajero image - had you not had a tandem - would you have been able to fit a forth bike? I am not convinced of the bike in the van especially for overnight touring stops.

Also, did you ever find having them on the roof created an additional frustration? It appears they were between 500mm and 750mm higher then the van.

Thanks

 

[James Byrne]

Hi. I have just purchased a unit from Trailmax.
I am sure that they have something to fit a bike rack at the rear of the van.
http://www.trailmax.com.au

 

[twscoot]

On the pajero image - had you not had a tandem - would you have been able to fit a forth bike? I am not convinced of the bike in the van especially for overnight touring stops.

Also, did you ever find having them on the roof created an additional frustration? It appears they were between 500mm and 750mm higher then the van.

Thanks

Yes a fourth bike would be no problem.
The way to do four is to alternate them facing front and back.
On the roof they are out of the way, about the same height as the (new full height) van, and the Thule racks have a built in lock.
I have put a Dymo label on the windscreen with all my heights - van, car, bikes. No stress or guess work.

 

[Izzya123]

Hi. I have just purchased a unit from Trailmax.
I am sure that they have something to fit a bike rack at the rear of the van.
http://www.trailmax.com.au

I have the trailmax....still not convinced with it. Still worry about the weight of the bikes/rack on the flimsy Jayco bumper bar especially with the 'bounce' factor. Make damn sure you tighten the locking nut REALLY WELL. I thought I had them tight as they could be.....heading from Morn Pen in Vic to Merrimbula in Jan....stopped for fuel 3/4 of the way on trip to find the nut had loosened and the only thing holding my bikes/rack on were the good old 'occy' straps I used to support the 'bounce' factor. Nearly lost the lot....scratched the crappers out of the back of my panda lid & bumper bar. Paranoid from that point.....had to stop every 20 - 30 kms to check on it, considered putting in rear view camera etc etc.

I think the only real solution is to spend the money (aaaahhhh) and get an engineering/metal work shop to replace the rear bumper bar and install a modified bike rack on a hinge. My mate has had his done & it's solid as a rock.

 

[kat]

Thanks for the feedback! Will be getting hubby onto it

 

[Paul Dunstan]

Yes a fourth bike would be no problem.
The way to do four is to alternate them facing front and back.
On the roof they are out of the way, about the same height as the (new full height) van, and the Thule racks have a built in lock.
I have put a Dymo label on the windscreen with all my heights - van, car, bikes. No stress or guess work.

Great idea about the vehicle heights :thumb:

Nothing worse than cringing every time passing under an overpass wondering if you're gonna lose something!