Allen Sports Hitch Mount Rack Assembly and Review Model 542RR
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 ก.ย. 2024
- Just bought an Allen Sports Deluxe 4-Bike Hitch Mount Rack with 2-Inch Receiver from Amazon for a little over $80,
here's the link amzn.to/2SN3cj6
I had been putting my bike in the back of my SUV but we are headed to an adventure race, were taking more bikes, and needed more room for gear inside. I picked this rack due to its ability to fold down easily and still have access to your rear hatch, the bike mount are also folds up for a low profile, and it was also one of the cheapest receiver hitch bike racks. This rack is not as flashy as some other more expensive models but you really don't need all that rounded plastic to do the job.
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*Really great **Latest.Bike** trunk mount rack! Works well with my Honda civic & the price is affordable. Would recommend ✔*
I bought one of these this summer for 3 bikes. Same idea. Got it together in a jiffy. It's light weight but sturdy. I also had a hitch stabilizer that I put on. Used it to drive from Saint Paul to Door County and back a week later. Really held my bike well.
Since I have a "girl's" bike, I installed a bar on the bike so I could put it on the rack evenly. I had to put a small rag under the bar on one side because it didn't sit snugly into the seat.
I used several bungee cords to secure it tightly.
I'm very happy with my purchase.
(I'm a 69 year old grandma and can do all this myself!)
Awesome! So cool you are getting out there and having fun and not letting a number hold you back! I pull my bikes up tight with bungees too, it's great at keeping them from banging around. Thanks for the comment and keep hitting those trails and getting out for new adventures!
I'm late but Way to go Grandma!!
I use a 1/2 inch locking hitch pin I purchased separately for really short trips and the supplied bolt for trips on the highway. Holds it really securely.
sounds like a good plan!
You know that bold will keep it from wobbling? It's called the "no wobble bolt" because it'll secure the rack against the hitch receiver on your car.
+Brian Kennedy thanks I'll check that out
Hey Brady have you used that no wobbly bolt? Does that solve the movement of the rack? How hard is it to put on and remove? doesnt it get worn after awhile because it has to be removed everytime you are done using it?
Hammer Joe I use mine all the time. It's 3/4" on one side and 19mm on the other. I just use 2 ratchets with the socket pieces. It prevents any wobbling/movement. The nut has lock nut vinyl to prevent any backing out.
Have you notice it being worn out as in not tightening up as well anymore? Im just concern that the bolt will have to be replaced often?
Hammer Joe I haven't had any issues and I take mine off and put it back on all the time.
Thanks for the GoPro perspective!
Your welcome! Thanks for checking it out!
Thanks for the video all the tools and all the toys!! A man after my own heart great info.
Thanks brother! The tools and toys I still have on the list is long so hopefully I will have more to show you soon!
14mm works to assemble it but but actual size is 9/16 for the nut and bolts.
Thanks for the info!
Thanks for the vid brother. Looking at the these for the price point. This helped. Hope all is well
Thanks man!
That bike is giant.
🤣
Great video! Thanks for posting
No problem, thanks for checking us out!
Thanks for posting!
No problem! Thanks!
It’s wobbly because the bolt you didn’t use in replacement of your lock it’s called a no wobble screw
Thanks!
Looks like a decent rack for short, periodic trips. Don't know if I'd trust this thing for constant use. Thanks for the video. It was VERY helpful. Get what you pay for, right?
I agree with you 100% This thing is perfect for me put I only use it every now and then and keep it in the garage. Definitely go higher end for a permanent high use situation.
Very good review
Thanks man!
Hey thanks. Question, it says it's good for a 35 pound bike. I was hesitant to buy the 2 bike rack because of that. Are they really by the pounds or size of the 🚲
Not sure but i have had 3 large mountain bikes on it with no concerns.
Thanks for the video. Your video helped me make a decision to go ahead and buy it. Question, do you think it is a good idea to leave the piece that goes into the hitch on the car during the biking season, but bolt the rack on when it's needed and unbolt and remove it when it's not? How about changing the nylon lock nut to a regular nut with a locking washer so it is easier to bolt / unbolt?
I think it depends how much you use the rack and your personal preference. I usually just take mine all the way off when not in use and I have a regular pin instead of the bolt. It rattles around a little but way easier to get on and off.
@@BradyAdventures Have you tried the 5/8? Maybe drill the allen to a 5/8 hole so it would fit and be snug. I bought a locking one with anti rattle on amazon because i got tired of taking on and off with the nut and bolt.
@@rekzzz14 Thanks for the idea! It hasn't really bothered me all that much. Being able to get it on and off easily is my priority also. Thanks!
Does the rack feels like it moves too much side to side and frontwards while riding on rough streets? Do you feel at times it might break up?
It is more side to side than front and back. It is just a little slack between the rack and the receiver and it is more of an irritating rattling around than a big problem. All the construction is pretty stout, I don't think it will break up and feel like rough roads should not be a problem. I wrapped the end of the rack that goes in the receiver with duct tape to keep it stable in the receiver and it does really well.
GREATEST THING SINCE SLICED BREAD..AAAA+
😆thanks
Holding up?
yep it is still going strong :-)
How much weight have you put on this - 4 bikes? I am considering buying one to carry 4 bikes for an 800 mile (each way) trip. Obviously, the heaviest bike (34 lbs) would go on first with the lighter aluminum bikes being put on last. Has it continued to hold up well? I have a fear of it failing and me dragging thousands of dollars down the highway behind me. Thanks for the help.
The most I have had on is three bikes for a couple hundred miles. I think you would be ok with 4 bikes weight wise, the rated limit is 140lbs. The real issues is the puzzle of getting them all on. It can be a real challenge, ok a pain in the ass, to get things lined up so pedals and handlebars all nest together. On top of that I was worried about scraping up the bikes since everything was so tight. Mine has held up great and I don't think it will fail but for nice bikes and a long trip you may want a better rack..
Thanks for the quick reply. I am very aware of the puzzle issue with the pedals and handlebars as I have a 2-bike Thule rack. I'm sure a 4 bike rack will only exacerbate the fun of loading them (all 4 bikes have 600mm bars), but I doubt that would be different from one manufacturer to another. My biggest concern is the capacity - I figure it will be holding almost 120 lbs and I have seen reports of cheaper racks bending and failing with less of a load. I'm just looking to save some cash because this will get used once or twice a year at the most.
Did you get the Masterlock hitch lock to work better? What model was it?
Thanks for checking out the video! The model is 2866DATSC, I got the rack to firm up by wrapping some duct tape around the square steel on the rack that goes into the receiver. That has worked well for me but I know people drill out the rack to take the 5/8" pin and that helps a lot . I haven't felt the need to do that. I feel like the master lock is decent especially compared to ts competitors but I don't leave it out in the elements unless necessary. I think there is room in the market for a higher end lock I just haven't found one that is much better.
How’s the wobble?
It's a little wobbly. I wrapped the shaft in duct tape to take up the slack but if you use the pin that is a nut and bolt it will stop the wobble completely just takes more effort to get it on an off.
@@BradyAdventures Turn the bolt in the opposite direction. Enter from the left, nut on the right. Mine doesn't wobble!
Throw instructions away, then pick it up again. =)
That's how we roll :-)
Can you lock your bike to it?
You can sort of, with tools someone could probably remove it but you could make it hard. Probably best to look to the receiver hitch itself. That's what I like to do. Thanks!
My friend, its March 2020, how did it hold up and would you recommend?
It has held up great. There are better racks out there that hold the bikes better but for the price you can't beat this one. I have also have a yakima one I picked up at goodwill for $5 :-) It does a better job but I think it's more than twice the price new. Giving the choice and how I use it I would still go with the allen sports. Thanks!
Brady Adventures Thank you very much! I wish I could stumble upon a deal like you did @ Goodwill😁. I will go ahead with the Allen Sports one! Take care
With 4 bikes on it, the first bike(closest to the vehicle) sits WAY, WAY too close to the back of the vehicle and even rubs on the window. We tried moving bikes around and it just isn't good design to have such a short tube/Pipe that goes into the hitch. To be safe, it should be at least 7-12" longer, so as to not be close to the back of the vehicle. Its a shame they don't just default to making them with a longer pipe. Big mistake by the engineers! It wouldnt add much cost and I would gladly pay the additional cost anyway! Im disappointed with it. BTW, we have a 2015 Sienna.
Thanks for the great info! I think the most I have had on it is three bikes. I usually strap them together to keep them from moving around too much or making contact with the truck. I can see how four might make contact with the vehicle. I still love this thing at it's price point but there are better racks out there especially is your moving a lot of bikes. Thanks again!
I strap a fat tire bike on a Yukon with no problems. Probably the position of the receiver in relation to the rest of the back on yours. You can get receiver extensions.
So I had to retract my 1st comment as I read down and saw that many commented about the pin being swapped. My question is has anyone found the right size locking pin so it's not as wobbly
I haven't tried to hard, I just let it wobble, I honestly don't really notice it.
They make the rack mounting holes in a odd size to make a tight fit to the bolt provided. Those holes are sized different than the receiver holes. Drill the rack holes out to match the receiver holes and a standard receiver locking pin will work with minimal slop.
So how did the bike carrier work out for you?
It has worked out well. I can't really comment on heavy use as I have only used it 3 to 4 times a month since I got it and do not leave it on the vehicle. I have complete confidence with my bikes on there and it is pretty easy to get them on and off. I especially like the ability to tilt down the rack to get in the back. This may not be the rack for you if you have very expensive bikes, I am not really sure how well my buddies tri carbon fiber bike would ride on it. For most people I think this is the a good blend of quality and economy.
Thanks for the reply. I am glad to hear it is working for you. I just ordered one for my truck.
I ended up wrapping it in duct tape so it just barely fits and that works pretty good. If you're going to leave it on there you can use the bolt that comes with it and that's supposed to keep it from wobbling but I didn't do that because I only leave it on the vehicle when I'm transporting bikes and didn't want the bolt to be a pain every time I remove the rack