Bicycle Carrying Options

I had the opposite problem. The add on front hitch on the truck carried the bikes too low, especially when crossing ditches or creeks. I got a Swagman Traveler XC2 two bike platform RV rack for two bikes with 2 inch receiver hitch. I had a welding shop cut and extend the hitch tube and raise the bikes about four inches. He used two inch tubing to do that by stacking it.

Bikes
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............ Hitch Hole end/Bumper

Don't know if this diagram will post right but here goes.

You might be able to do the same thing by dropping it.

We used to use a 4 inch drop when our front receiver was too high.
With our current SUV the bikes ride above the hood but we can see thru them just fine. We don't drive at night because the headlights glare off the bikes.
I can send you photos if you send me your email address since I don't know how to attach photos to this message.

While it is hard to find a fixed Hitch Bike Carrier (Yakima), as most have switched to a swing away carrier, it still can be modified. I had an old Yakima 4 Bike Carrier that was used with an extension due to a spare tire. I took the 2 1/2" hitch tube, cut it shorter, drilled a new hitch bolt hole and painted it. It fits right into my Ranch Hand Front Bumper mount, closer to the Ranch Hand bumper now.

The next issue was the bikes were much too high while I was seated in the Driver's seat. I have a Ford truck with 4X4 and it already sets high. I took the Yakima 4 Bike rack, again, and cut off (shortened from the top) the vertical tube, predrilled the holes necessary for the cross bar that holds the bikes, painted it and it was good to go, with full sized adult mountain bikes and now out of the sight line for the driver.

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