To minimize the rig rocking I added another square tube inside the main tube and drilled a hole for the hitch pin. The dimensions for the inside added custom square tube that slides into the hitch are 1.5" x 25.75" x .1875" and I also added eye bolts towards the ends of the channel that the bike sits on and have that attached to the safety chain holes by the hitch with turnbuckles and snap hooks to minimize rocking.
I was thinking a nice upgrade to one of these hitch carriers would be to run support arms made of box tubing from under the carrier to the cross bar of the hitch. The arms could be bolted to the carrier and if your hitch is made of square tubing you can attach the support arms with square U bolts. Such an arrangement would make the carrier way stronger and more stable.....Any road, I have a question. How has carrying the bike affected your fuel economy? As in do you what your MPG is with and without the bike?
The issue with mine is the hitch stabilizer plate doesn’t fit flat under the hitch because I have these support bars going out either side of the hitch that get in the way
I've heard some folks who can't use traditional stabilizer clamps have used steel shims inside the receiver tube to make for a tighter fit -- might be something to explore. I also cannot overstate the importance of using stabilizing straps and not relying on just the hitch receiver to keep things stable.
I've only used it a few times and only on paved roads. It's very easy to use, but it squiks me out every time. Hasn't shown any sign of failing, but I stare at it / the bike in the mirrors compulsively waiting for it to fail the entire time I'm driving with it.
To minimize the rig rocking I added another square tube inside the main tube and drilled a hole for the hitch pin. The dimensions for the inside added custom square tube that slides into the hitch are 1.5" x 25.75" x .1875" and I also added eye bolts towards the ends of the channel that the bike sits on and have that attached to the safety chain holes by the hitch with turnbuckles and snap hooks to minimize rocking.
I was thinking a nice upgrade to one of these hitch carriers would be to run support arms made of box tubing from under the carrier to the cross bar of the hitch. The arms could be bolted to the carrier and if your hitch is made of square tubing you can attach the support arms with square U bolts. Such an arrangement would make the carrier way stronger and more stable.....Any road, I have a question. How has carrying the bike affected your fuel economy? As in do you what your MPG is with and without the bike?
Thank you!
The issue with mine is the hitch stabilizer plate doesn’t fit flat under the hitch because I have these support bars going out either side of the hitch that get in the way
I've heard some folks who can't use traditional stabilizer clamps have used steel shims inside the receiver tube to make for a tighter fit -- might be something to explore. I also cannot overstate the importance of using stabilizing straps and not relying on just the hitch receiver to keep things stable.
Any updates on how this things been holding up? How many times have you used it? And have you used it off-road or in bumpy roads?
I've only used it a few times and only on paved roads. It's very easy to use, but it squiks me out every time. Hasn't shown any sign of failing, but I stare at it / the bike in the mirrors compulsively waiting for it to fail the entire time I'm driving with it.