bicycles on the 5er hitch.

[klr650goldwing]

Not too long ago I saw a post from someone who mounted a clever receiver hitch set up on top of the 5er pin box. They posted a close up photo which showed the angle needed to carry the bikes level.

I just searched high and low on here and can't find that thread. Does anyone know where I can find that thread?

[ependydad]

dewey02 wrote:
Whew, that looks like a bowl of spaghetti hanging from that rack! Wheels cocked every direction, bikes at all sorts of angles.
I prefer to have a bike rack that supports the bikes from below by the tires/rims. They sit level and don't swing or bounce into each other.
But perhaps it wouldn't work for 3 or 4 bikes or a 5er mount.

Heh, that's my rig and that's my site. I absolutely hate this style of bike rack. I love the pin box mount and I love having the bikes up there- but despise hanging the bikes like they are. If nothing else, I'd ditch my wife's bike because the space between the bars is so close that I have to do ugly things to even get it on the rack.

But, it's what I have and what works for now. I do want the kind of bike rack that you described. I don't see any reason why it shouldn't work up on the king pin hitch.

[Cummins12V98]

Swagman XTC2

[rhagfo]

JeepCB wrote:

Mortimer Brewster wrote:
For those of you with bikes mounted in the front, how big a pain is it to clean off the bugs?

X2 I was thinking about doing the same thing and was wondering too!

No harder than cleaning off the road spray on rear bumper mounted units. That and mostly below the roof line.

[JeepCB]

Mortimer Brewster wrote:
For those of you with bikes mounted in the front, how big a pain is it to clean off the bugs?

X2 I was thinking about doing the same thing and was wondering too!

[rhagfo]

klr650goldwing wrote:
Thanks everyone. This is exactly the information I was looking for.

Glad we could help. 🙂

[klr650goldwing]

Thanks everyone. This is exactly the information I was looking for.

[BB_TX]

IBcarguy wrote:
Nice mod. I have a short bed truck and things get close when cranking it tight. I wonder if adding bikes would make that even worse.

You could first make a light weight mockup of small dimension lumber to approximate the outlines of the hitch, rack, and bikes and try it. The trailer is about 8' wide. But the bikes are only about 5' long. So they would not extend all the way across to the corners of the trailer. They may swing around short of the cab on a turn. But I would try some kind of test first, unless someone comes back with real world experience with a short bed.

[IBcarguy]

Nice mod. I have a short bed truck and things get close when cranking it tight. I wonder if adding bikes would make that even worse.

[BB_TX]

I have an air ride pin box and did not want to drill holes in it. So I made a mount that uses the pin box bolts. No concern about angles since the pin box bolts are already horizontal. $20 receiver from Harbor Freight and some spare angle iron makes it pretty cheap.



Mount is close to but not touching the top of pin box.



I have carried 3 adult bike. Should be able to carry a 4th. Only 2 in this pic.

[Mortimer_Brewst]

For those of you with bikes mounted in the front, how big a pain is it to clean off the bugs?

[leggy]

I carry mine on a front hitch by Curt, easy install, an swagman rack, very stable. I really don't lose any sight or much ground clearance. Just an option for you to consider

[rhagfo]

I posted about making the receiver adapter. I made mine from to 8" lengths of 4"X6"X1/4" steel angle.
To get the correct angle I simply went to our storage yard, leveled the fiver, placed the steel angle on the pin box. Then from the lower top corner, I drew a level line on the angle steel.
I found a local fabricator that did the welding and punched the (4) 1/2" holes for mounting. He asked $30 for his work, I gladly paid him $40.
I chose the Swagman rack with the 1-1/4" shaft with the lift to make sure I had clearance at my rail high tool box.

[SDcampowneroper]

express your interest to Dave Michael at davemichael@swagman.com
I have given them my design for a effortless up/ down lift hold by rims pin box mounted bike carrier. It is in development
Search for 'where to put the stinkin bikes' topic
, PM for pics and video to your device.
Max

[dewey02]

2014MegaRam4x4 wrote:

Whew, that looks like a bowl of spaghetti hanging from that rack! Wheels cocked every direction, bikes at all sorts of angles.
I prefer to have a bike rack that supports the bikes from below by the tires/rims. They sit level and don't swing or bounce into each other.
But perhaps it wouldn't work for 3 or 4 bikes or a 5er mount.

Here's the Clicky for the link that 2014MegaRam4x4 posted above. It really is a thorough "how to."