if you have a receiver hitch just skip all the drama and go for a tray style hitch mounted rack instead. best kind ever.
2012-08-05 22:48:16
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Need Tire-mount bike rack buying advise
Have a Toyota Rav 4 & want to get a tire mount bike rack - There are 2 styles = drop over top of tire w/cover -or- mount to tire mount. Was leaning towards Yakima Spare Joe over case model BUT...was concerned about weight on tire that is mounted VS weight on rack that is mounted. ANY help/advise/info will be greatly appreciated. Concern came up from someone trying to sell the mounted style so....Has anyone heard of problems w/putting the weight on the tire.
2012-08-05 18:38:04
I have the Yakima SpareTime on my car. It's just a plate that's sandwiched between the wheel and the car. It's mounted on and I never plan on taking it off. Really sturdy, no swaying issues, etc.
I wouldn't do the Spare Joe personally.
2012-08-05 23:53:21
I just bought the Thule Spare Me XTR 2 from REI for our new Rav4. It fits fine but you do have to remove the tire cover. It's been fine for the few times I've used it. I would prefer to have a hitch mount, but that means $270 for a hitch and at least $200 (probably $350-400) for a hitch mount rack.
http://www.rei.com/product/816720/thule-spare-me-xtr-2-bike-rack
2012-08-06 00:35:14
Get a hitch from uhaul and install it yourself. It's pretty easy to do and way cheaper.
2012-08-06 01:20:36
I have a Thule - not sure of the model - it's mounted through the spare, directly to the back of my jeep. Very sturdy. It's five years old.
Like Ryan, I can't have a tire cover on the wheel, but I prefer no cover anyhow (nice chrome wheel shows).
I really like it, it folds down flat when not in use.
2012-08-06 01:36:24
Hell, a 2 inch hitch from uhaul installed at the washington blvd place was only about $120 for parts and labor. Not super cheap, but not that bad. I opted out of the wiring package though.
2012-08-06 13:15:40
A hitch has far more utility than a spare tire mounted rack.
2012-08-06 13:36:29
One problem that pushed me into buying the wheel mount is that a hitch-mount bike rack gets in the way of opening the tailgate. A real pain
2012-08-06 14:11:47
If i would buy a hitch, I would definitely add the wiring package. There are several hitch mounts that can tip outward, allowing the gigantic door of the RAV4 trunk to swing open.
2012-08-06 15:11:37
Tray style hitch racks tip down for tailgate access. Top loading hitch racks are stupid.
2012-08-06 15:56:13