Forum Discussion

Clamon4's avatar
Clamon4
Explorer
Aug 24, 2013

Tongue mounted bike rack?

I have looked around and nothing. I saw a picture awhile ago that had a tongue mounted bike rack that went over the propane tanks. Of course I cant find it now. I have my generator mounted on the rear 2" hitch so I want to had some weight back to the tongue, although 2 bikes are not that heavy. Anyone have any ideas??
  • Here's the link to a recent thread on this subject.
    The member that posted it built his own tongue-mounted bike rack, and if you follow the link in his opening post you'll see pictures of it.
  • Arvika. Canadian company, and they are the only commercially available one I know. It's a nice setup, little pricey.
  • I looked at the Arvika but couldn't justify the cost!
    I built one very similar to the one features in the second posting in this thread. I am VERY pleased with ours. Easy to use, and the bike rack can be removed and put on the truck.

    The second receiver tube on mine is because the first one put the bike wheels just a bit close to the edges of the truck box on tight turns while backing into a site. The second tube raised the bikes a couple of inches for more clearance. Easier than rebuilding the whole thing! :)
    The hardest part was finding the right tubing for the receiver tube. It's not just-run-of-the-mill tubing. Go to someplace where they build trailers and hitches for the correct material.
    The photo doesn't show the gussets at all corners.

  • Many on here have the equipment to make their own. A great option if you can. We don't, so we've been looking at one like this.

    Problem is I've yet to find anyone with experience with it, and while the description says it has a 2" receiver, the picture does not look like 2".
  • I think that's a 2" receiver and the rack they have in it is a 1 inch with an adapter spacer.
  • opnspaces wrote:
    I think that's a 2" receiver and the rack they have in it is a 1 inch with an adapter spacer.

    I think that you are right.
    It is hard to tell, but that is definitely NOT a 2" tube coming out of the receiver tube. Receiver tubing is expensive seamless tubing that is a little over 2" ID. When building trailers, I use the seamless receiver tubing on the tongue, and the rear for everything from mounting points for anything from racks to extention bumpers.