For your 2008 Jeep Wrangler Sahara, the concern is the clearance from the center of the hitch pin hole to the furthest point the spare tire sticks out. Other than the Kuat NV 2.0 # NV22G with 7 inches of clearance in the up position, one of the platform bike racks that offers the most distance is the Yakima HoldUp 2 Bike Hitch Mounted Folding Rack with Wheel Mount Cradles, # Y02443. The distance from the center of the hitch pin hole to the first bike tray is 12 inches. I have linked you... view full answer...
The Yakima SpareRide part # Y02599 is basically the next generation of spare tire bike rack from Yakima. They discontinued the SpareTime and replaced it with this. The racks are still pretty similar but the SpareRide got upgraded bike frame cradles that can be adjusted and has zip straps for securing the bikes to the cradles instead of the rubber straps. Also there is an upgraded way fro lowering the arms of the rack that make it a bit easier.
I attached a review video for this rack for... view full answer...
If I personally had to choose a rack, I would choose the Thule Spare Me, part # TH963PRO. The rack is economical, lightweight, and it includes it includes locks that both secure the rack to the vehicle and the bike to the rack, and it has great ground clearance. The rack is centered on the rear of the vehicle, so the weight of the bike won't apply as much torque to the tube that connects the bike rack to the spare tire mounting plate. The Spare Me will fit vehicle spare tires up to 10 inches... view full answer...
The arms of the Thule SpareMe spare tire bike rack, part # TH963PRO can indeed be folded down, as you can see in the provided photo.
Both the SpareMe and the Yakima Spare Ride, part # Y02599 can carry two bikes, are capable of being locked to the vehicle, provide a cable lock, and have arms that fold down. Both racks can be offset for vehicles whose spare tires aren't centered on the rear of the vehicle. Although the Thule rack is about 10 lbs lighter, I personally prefer the Yakima rack,... view full answer...
Between a hitch-mount rack and a spare tire-mount rack I will always recommend the hitch rack since this type of bike carrier does not place any weight burden on the car's rear hatch. Instead, a hitch rack uses the vehicle's strongest part - its frame - to handle the weight of the loaded bike rack.
Your 2006 Jeep Liberty can be fitted with either a 1-1/4-inch Class II hitch or a higher capacity 2-inch Class III type. All available options are shown on the linked page. Some bike racks can... view full answer...
I haven't seen a TSPRO963 but I can tell you that # TH963PRO is the newest version of the Spare Me bike carrier. The 963XTR was the previous generation.
The Thule Spare Me Bike Rack, # TH963PRO, went through 4 generations. The 963 was first. This original design excluded some vehicles because of the size of the spare tire or how it was mounted to the car. The issue was resolved with the new mounting plate, # 753-3532, in the 963XT. So from that point on, all the racks would get the new... view full answer...
Yes, the Draw-Tite Hitch # DT37GR has a longer receiver than the Curt Hitch # C76WR for your 2024 Ford Bronco. When we installed these on a 2022 Bronco we found the Curt hitch pin hole to sit 1" away from the vehicle frame while the Draw-Tite sat 7" away so you're gaining 6" of clearance with the longer receiver.
If you don't already have a bike rack then I recommend checking out the RockyMounts BackStage Bike Rack # RKY10002 because it's a platform rack with a built-in swing-away arm... view full answer...
The only difference between the Küat NV 2.0 # NV22G and the NV 2.0 Base, part # BA22B is the color and the fact that the # NV22G includes the bike repair stand which is sold separately with the 2.0 Base # BA22B.
I didn't understand the measurement you typed, but if the hitch pin hole to furthest part of the rear face of the spare tire is less than 6-5/8 inches, either rack would install just find and be able to fold up into the storage position. The Base model offers a little more clearance,... view full answer...
I am looking online at the two Rhino-Rack rooftop cargo baskets you are referencing in your question:
Rhino-Rack Roof Mounted Steel Cargo Basket - 57" Long x 42" Wide - 165 lbs, part # RMCB02
Rhino-Rack XTray Pro Cargo Basket and 2 Bike Carrier - Steel - 58-1/4" x 41" - 165 lbs, part # RRRMCB03
The only difference between the two rooftop cargo baskets is the XTray comes with the fork mounts, installed in the basket, and wheel straps.
With regards to using the Spare Tire Carrier for... view full answer...
For your 2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited EcoDiesel, the Curt Hitch - 2" # 13432 and the etrailer Hitch - 2" # e98856 the main difference between the two hitches is the clearance length from the center of the hitch pinhole to the outside surface of a standard-sized spare tire. The clearance of the etrailer hitch measures 7 inches while the clearance of the Curt hitch measures 10 inches. This measurement is important because you need to consider this length so that the shank on a trailer or... view full answer...
I would not be concerned about the Hollywood Racks Precision-clamping system failing. The hooks use a large spring to compress the hooks to the upright mast and provide a grip that is just as strong as the ratcheting hooks of the Swagman XTC-2 bike rack,# S64670.
The Hollywood Racks Sport Rider SE2 Bike Rack, # HR1450Z, that you referenced and the Swagman XTC-2 and comparable bike racks with a slight edge going to the SE2. The main difference is the folding ability of the SE2 and the... view full answer...
Looks like you really did your research! I attached two videos below of video reviews of both bike racks on the same 2018 Honda CR-V to help you compare the bike racks.
While I usually recommend the Camber # TH9056 between the two because it is lighter and easier to use, when it comes to clearance, it's the Hitching Post Pro # TH934XTR that wins. In the video, you can see how there's 9-1/2" of clearance between the bumper and the closest bar on the carrier and then another two inches to... view full answer...
The main advantages to a platform bike rack would be that the bikes are very easy to load and unload, the bikes are very secure (at the wheels and frame), the bikes will not be touching, you will be less likely to have the cables of your bike rub on the frame of your bike.
The main advantage that hanging racks have over platform racks is weight. If you plan on removing the bike rack frequently a hanging bike rack might be a good choice.
The Swagman XTC-2 would be a good choice for your... view full answer...
Other than the outward appearance of the more modern-looking Vertex, there are a few other differences between the Vertex # TH9029 and the Hitching Post Pro # TH934XTR.
To fold the arms down or to tilt the rack back away from the vehicle, the Hitching Post Pro uses snapper pins that need to be removed, while the Vertex uses quick release latches. Both mechanisms serve the same purpose, but the Vertex latch is easier to use.
Since the Wrangler has the rear mounted spare tire, clearance... view full answer...
For your 2013 Toyota Sequoia and 2007 Jeep Wrangler I recommend going with the Yakima HoldUp # Y02443-2 because it is more versatile. Both racks have the ability to be 2- or 4-bike racks. Since you will only be carrying 2 bikes on the Jeep this is an ideal set up. The HoldUp also has a little more clearance compared to the SplitRail # RKY11404-4 but neither will be able to fold up on the Jeep (they will clear the spare when in the folded down position). It will also be a little easier to... view full answer...
There are both Class III and Class IV hitches made for your 2018 Highlander but all are the 2-inch receiver size.
The one I recommend for its combination of high capacity, easier installation and value is the etrailer hitch # e98844 which offers 900-lb tongue weight and 6K towing ratings. This hitch will easily handle your towing and bike rack applications and it is compatible with your spare tire.
Please refer to the linked installation video and the photo of this hitch installed to... view full answer...
The Yakima SpareRide 2 Bike Rack part # Y02599 and Thule Spare Me 2 Bike Rack part # TH963PRO are both great options for a 2011 Toyota RAV4. They both have similar features such as an included locking cables and anti-sway cradles. I recommend the Thule Spare Me because it is made in the USA, is physically lighter at around 15 lbs, and it comes with adapters to fit a wider ranger of applications. They both however are super easy to use but the Thule Spare Me will be easier to get on and... view full answer...
What you have here are different generations of the same bike carrier, in this case the Thule Spare Me. The newest version is going to be the Pro, # TH963PRO. The previous generation was the XTR and it is no longer being made. So by all accounts the PRO is the better one since it is the newest and most up to date.
For Thule part numbers start out usually just a number. Then the next generation will get an XT added on, followed by an XTR, and then a PRO as they make minor changes and upgrades.... view full answer...
We generally always recommend the higher-capacity hitch option when the option does exist, as it does for your 2005 Subaru Legacy which can be fitted with either a 1-1/4-inch Class II or a 2-inch Class III hitch. There will be very slightly more ground-to-hitch space with the smaller hitch tube but this will be only one of many factors that affect your actual ground clearance. Passengers, cargo, tire tread depth and inflation pressure also can affect your actual clearance as much as your... view full answer...
For your Jeep Wrangler, we have the Draw-Tite # DT78MR. The Draw-Tite has a long receiver tube, which means that accessories like bike racks would be more likely to clear the rear mounted spare tire on your Jeep.
For trailer wiring, I'd recommend the Tow Ready # 118416, you can see an installation video for the hitch and the trailer wiring by clicking the provided links.
For a ball mount, I'd recommend the # C45030 and for a trailer ball, part # 19260 for a 1-7/8 inch ball or # 63845... view full answer...