Tail Gate Hitch Racks

[moorejames]

Big 'ol LOL @ Bob. 

 

[muddy]

I really like these. Do you guys think it would be possible to rig up one that can hold a cargo box and a single bicycle?

 

[Almost There]

Anything is possible!!

IIWM, I'd be looking at strapping down the bike in a horizontal position on top of a box rather than trying to carry the bike upright.

The reason I say this, is because, while there is room between the box and the back doors that might fit a bike, the handlebars would be in the way of just about everything and getting in to undo the swing fastener with the bike in place would be a real hassle.

 

[Gunny]

http://www.discountramps.com/cargo-carrier-bike-rack/p/BCCB-2/

carrier and bike rack

 

[moorejames]

I really like these. Do you guys think it would be possible to rig up one that can hold a cargo box and a single bicycle?

Stowaway has a bike rack option for the swing away cargo carrier. Although, again, not cheap... https://www.stowaway2.com/hitch-bike-cargo-rack

 

[KayakGirl]

A little late to the thread but here nonetheless!!

I bought just the hitch assembly from Stowaway2.com. Current price is $269....hey, I swear I paid $299 for it...sigh!!

Here's the page of their website that has the frame only stuff on it...it's a little hard to find, they put it under accessories!
I also bought the hitch lock at the same time and I just realized that the hitch tightener came with mine so we're just about square on the pricing...

https://www.stowaway2.com/hitch-frames

I've seen the nice white boxes, they're pretty,  but at that price, not a chance.

The frame only came fully assembled and a friend and I mounted a tradesman tool chest I bought from Home Depot in the cargo carrier. The box was $70. +/- which was a whole lot cheaper than the set up from Stowaway.

Basically any box that will fit the space width and depth wise can be adapted to fit on the hitch assembly.

BTW, Bob has an identical set up - he already had the box but, like Cyndi, envied the swing away hitch.

Thanks so much for the link. I book marked it.  Would love to see your set-up (or as Bob would say, your rear end --- BOB!!! LOL) if you don't mind posting a photo.

 

[skyl4rk]

Some thoughts on hitch carriers in general:

In Arizona and California, there are a lot of steep driveway entrances, speed bumps and swales to carry away water. If you don't have enough height, the hitch carrier will scrape on them. When you see these type of bumps you will have to slow way down, which is not good in heavy traffic.

If your hitch carrier covers your license plate, you will need to move your license plate to where it can be seen to be legal. In most states, a light is required on the license plate.

Adding the hitch carrier and cargo will change the weight distribution of your vehicle and you will notice that it drives differently. It may or may not make the vehicle less stable in high winds. The steering may feel different.

You can get a hitch riser that will raise your hitch extender, although the better plan is to get a hitch extender with its own riser (a curve built in to the bar that fits in the hitch receiver), if you need one.

Hitch extenders tend to swing around quite a bit as you hit bumps. Make sure everything on the carrier is strapped down tight or in a box. There are hitch pins which clamp the bar into the receiver which might reduce swinging. Some people tie the hitch extender to the van, but I question whether this helps reduce the swinging.

If you have a rear door, think about how you are going to open the door when your hitch extender is loaded with stuff. You may want to go with a swing away version.

If your van fits perfectly into most parking spaces without a hitch extender, you will not fit into them with a hitch extender. So you will probably do things like park further away from the door and take up two spaces. This takes away the advantage of having a vehicle that fits in a parking space. Parallel parking becomes more difficult, at least until you get used to the length of your vehicle. When you back into parking spaces, sometimes you can back the hitch carrier over a curb and over grass to fit in a single parking space. I have backed into shrubs and landscaping many times (purposely) to fit into a parking space.

When we got home, I emptied the hitch carrier and 80% of the stuff in it was junk that we should have just thrown away.

You can add a bike carrier to a flat hitch carrier by U-bolting the bike carrier to the center bar of the hitch carrier.

Harbor Freight and Wal-Mart have cheap hitch carriers which may not be optimal, but you can assemble them in a parking lot and suddenly have extra storage room. My hitch carrier from last year (a $50 steel Wal-Mart type) is going up for sale at a garage sale tomorrow. My plan is to take less stuff so I don't need one, but if I do, I will get another one.

 

[Ella1]

I got my stowaway 2 several years (more than ten) ago to carry my oxygen concentrator in. I could have it there with the lid down and secured, even if not fully closed, to have both the power cord and tubing going where they needed to go. I've carried O2 tanks (but as was mentioned, the NEEDED things seemed to be at the bottom and hard to get to, so now are in the van). Now I plan to keep kitchen stuff, some hobby stuff, camping stuff, and not always needed items.

I used to carry a small bike (I'm a small person) between the box and the doors, resting on the bumper, but strapped to the box. I did take the bike down to open the doors as it sat on the bumper. Note the stowaway top is curved, not flat.

 

[KayakGirl]

Some thoughts on hitch carriers in general:

In Arizona and California, there are a lot of steep driveway entrances, speed bumps and swales to carry away water.  If you don't have enough height, the hitch carrier will scrape on them.  When you see these type of bumps you will have to slow way down, which is not good in heavy traffic.

If your hitch carrier covers your license plate, you will need to move your license plate to where it can be seen to be legal.  In most states, a light is required on the license plate.

Adding the hitch carrier and cargo will change the weight distribution of your vehicle and you will notice that it drives differently.  It may or may not make the vehicle less stable in high winds.  The steering may feel different.  

You can get a hitch riser that will raise your hitch extender, although the better plan is to get a hitch extender with its own riser (a curve built in to the bar that fits in the hitch receiver), if you need one.  

Hitch extenders tend to swing around quite a bit as you hit bumps.  Make sure everything on the carrier is strapped down tight or in a box. There are hitch pins which clamp the bar into the receiver which might reduce swinging.  Some people tie the hitch extender to the van, but I question whether this helps reduce the swinging.

If you have a rear door, think about how you are going to open the door when your hitch extender is loaded with stuff.  You may want to go with a swing away version.

If your van fits perfectly into most parking spaces without a hitch extender, you will not fit into them with a hitch extender.  So you will probably do things like park further away from the door and take up two spaces. This takes away the advantage of having a vehicle that fits in a parking space.  Parallel parking becomes more difficult, at least until you get used to the length of your vehicle.  When you back into parking spaces, sometimes you can back the hitch carrier over a curb and over grass to fit in a single parking space.  I have backed into shrubs and landscaping many times (purposely) to fit into a parking space.

When we got home, I emptied the hitch carrier and 80% of the stuff in it was junk that we should have just thrown away.

You can add a bike carrier to a flat hitch carrier by U-bolting the bike carrier to the center bar of the hitch carrier.

Harbor Freight and Wal-Mart have cheap hitch carriers which may not be optimal, but you can assemble them in a parking lot and suddenly have extra storage room.  My hitch carrier from last year (a $50 steel Wal-Mart type) is going up for sale at a garage sale tomorrow.  My plan is to take less stuff so I don't need one, but if I do, I will get another one.

Thank you for all this good information!

 

[DannyB1954]

Might have to re aim your headlights or put in air bags. The added weight behind the rear bumper will make the rear sag.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

Might have to re aim your headlights or put in air bags. The added weight behind the rear bumper will make the rear sag.

Maybe on a smaller car but most vans should be able to handle a few hundred pounds hanging off the rear with no issues.  My 1/2 ton truck is rated for 700 lb tongue weight on a trailer and when I put my 400 lb tongue weight trailer on it barely moves.  If I stand on my rear bumper nothing happens.  Vehicles weight more up front anyways.

 

[JLynne]

Thanks so much to everyone!  I found this today at "discount ramps" for 135.00 with a 3" to 7" rise (for the spare). I have a math problem. If it's just 35.00, I'd get the better of the two.  (It's a pretty serious math disability, truly.)

BTW, High-top with windows is my most glorious blessing and my biggest storage challenge. Here's the link:   http://www.discountramps.com/wheelchair-scooter-carrier-swing-away/p/SC-SWING-AWAY-V2/

So, poke holes in this for me please. Thank you!

P.S. Struggling about powering a 120 volt laptop. Have a heater (Mr. Buddy), coleman propane stove and a bucket. No room in 'de van! Solar on the hightop? I can't even reach the high top!

 

[BC Guy]

That is $135 for just the arm (the section shown in black).
Regarding the solar, you could pay to have it installed for you. That is what I did.

 

[Gunny]

Call Discount ramps. I have bought several items from them and they have been very helpful, to the point of not wanting to sell me one of their items they considered too lightweight and recommended someone else. Explain what you need and how you intend to use it, they will help. Rob