| Author | Message | ||
     Jaredkuper  |
I made this contraption so that it would be easier to get my bike back and forth between Lubbock and Dallas. It seems pretty sturdy, but it still scares the hell outta me. Price list: $50 for hitch tray $30 for lights $20 for six ratcheting straps 2 man hours of welding supports after the thing snapped in half trying to load it the first time.    | ||
| Brad_buell  |
Whoa!!!! You've got bigger cahones than I do. May The Force Be With You!  | ||
| Gomo  |
Looks like a lotta weight for one piece of square stock into a hitch. but that's just my view. | ||
| Dsergison  |
good thing you got them sliders :P | ||
| Blake |
You might consider getting the bike as close to the tailgate/bumper as you possibly can, and even leaning it in towards the car if possible. Doing so should significantly cut down on the bending stress in your hitch and attaching structure. Then proof test it before you take off. Good luck. See you for dinner Monday.  | ||
| Phatkidwit1eye  |
Thats a good Idea.... Just a few things... All those straps attached to your ride seem like a possible problem. If the rack goes what will the straps be taking with it? Is the roof rack attached strong enough to hold that weight if something was to shift? Also did you reinforce the sides? It would seem like the up and down movement on the sides of the tray would be tuff on the hitch (twisting) let alone make for weird handling. One thing I would do is attach safety chains to the bike itself just like you would a trailer in-case something was to happen. I always look at things as "I'm not the only person on the road and if this fails I could hurt others". Just a few thought's from a random lurker...... | ||
| Ingemar |
Good luck ...  | ||
| Mutt2jeff  |
They actually make that kind of thing for bikes, i have seen a guy around town with one. Its basicly the same idea, but this one clamps the wheels in, like a bike lift. (Message edited by mutt2jeff on January 21, 2005) | ||
| Sportsman |
Realisticly the same thing, But my thought was 2 pieces of square stock off of the frame rails. Twice the capacity, without the twisting action. What you have would worry me too. At least find another piece of square stock to slip inside the neck to reinforce and whole contraption. | ||
| 12bolt  |
 That might be a good idea if you rode a Blast. | ||
| Black_sunshine  |
I was thinking of buying one like that but that pic has me rethinking that idea. Doesn't look safe. The thought of the bike falling off and being drug behind the Jeep makes me sick at my stomach. (Message edited by black_sunshine on January 21, 2005) | ||
| 12bolt |
I think your better off buying a small trailer to tow behind. They aren't all that expensive. | ||
| Gentleman_jon  |
There is an item called Moto Tote that accomplishes the same thing perhaps a bit more artfully. I was wondering exactly which SUV you have and how your vehicle handles with the bike on it. It is not hard to imagine that you are just about on the limit of the allowable tongue wt on your SUV. | ||
| Wyckedflesh  |
Without being able to see your actual hitchmount at the frame/under the rear bumper, my suggestion based on seeing one done similarly here in AZ, have a hitch shop weld on 2 class I hitch receivers at the widest points of your hitchmount, then weld 2 class I hitch square stock from the outside edge of the rack so that you have the additional support of the 2 class I's at the outsides to prevent twisting as well as the additional strength for the pressure points of the bike.  | ||
| Wardog3187  |
You could have done something like this;  | ||
| Xlcrguy |
Check out http://www.trailerinabag.com/main.html for the "trailer in a bag". It's small, good for the occaisonal use, light, easy to assemble and fairly inexpensive. My buddy towed a first year gold wing over 500 miles on one. The whole trailer fits in a bag that you could strap on to your roof rack or in the back of your SUV. | ||
| Henrik  |
Moto Tote | ||
| Reepicheep  |
LOL Wardog! That looks like a CRX-HF, which means the honda on the top is actually producing more horsepower then the one on the bottom. Shoulda just put a tow chain on the bike had it tow the CRX  That mount looks terrifying to me. If I was going to fabricate something, I would build one of those things that clamps the bikes front wheel off the ground and lets the rear wheel roll on the pavement. | ||
| Black_sunshine |
Wardog....LOL...You have got to be kidding me. Just goes to show that necessity is the mother of all invention. | ||
| Jaredkuper |
I like wyked's idea, if I had the time and money I'd just do that. The straps going from the bike to the roof rack are pretty much safety chains, but they wont' ever have to hold the full weight of the bike, just keep it from tipping back. I'll probably re-work a few things, but I don't have the time before I leave this afternoon. I'm fairly confindent in it after test driving around town last night. | ||
| Spen  |
Easier to just ride the bike.......... | ||
| Smadd  |
I bought a brand new, single rail bike trailer with ramp for $300. It's very lightweight (I think about 300 pounds)so you can tow it with the smallest cars and it has good size wheels... not the skateboard variety. It's better than for "just ocassional use". Find a small, custom trailer shop and see what's available. The guy I got mine from (in St. Pete, FL) always builds a few right before bike week and parks them along the road... knowing they'll sell. Nothing fancy... but well built and trails great. Steve | ||
| Cowtown |
Jared, is there anyway you can use some ratcheting straps to eliminate or at least reduce any twisting motion that may occur? Please be careful. | ||
| Jaredkuper |
My original idea was to have two S shaped bars welded to the ends, they would put any rocking motion by resting on the bumper. (S bars in pink for visibility)  I couldn't find a suitable bar in time though, so I decided to try supporting the far corners of the tray with ratcheting straps tied to the rear hatch frame. I tried it, and it didn't really do any good at all. I believe that S bar idea could be good, but must be made with very small tolerances.  | ||
| Lovematt  |
My thought is it only takes one time. If I were Jeredkuper I would put an equivelant weight of something like bricks or steel (something you don't care about messing up) and driving around to make sure...would also suggest going over bumps and driveways and what not to ensure bumps and impacts don't cause problems. | ||
| Wyckedflesh |
Jared your S-bar has merit, but the tray doesn't just twist at the side closest to the SUV. I understand your time constraint. Have you thought of running the ratchet strap in through the window to the rear seat mounting points. Attach them as in your diagram, BUT also add additional ones at the point closest to the SUV for your quick need. Then later add the additional support. I didn't come up with the idea of the image I drew, that was taken from someone here in Phoenix that carries his racebike to the track that way. From the looks of the rack, the final design was done from trial and error. His bike btw was a race prepped ZX6RR which weighs less then your XB. Again, think of where the weight of the XB is sitting. The tire contact patches are where the weight itself will have the most influence on the rack. | ||
| Jaredkuper |
I'm going to add the straps again, but just to the hatch frame, as I don't think that it will make a difference, hatch frame or seat mounting. I already know about the contact patch problem. When I originally loaded the tray (cap. 500lbs) it snapped like a twig at the red X. There was a weak weld seam there. A stupid place for a seam at all if you ask me. The red circles are the tire contact patches. The grey is a diamond mesh.  I then re-welded the break, and added some 1.5" square tubes on either side of the wheels, and welded them at various points to the bottom of the tray, and very heavily to that outer rim.  | ||
| Court |
Call me old fashioned....  | ||
| Jaredkuper |
Fairly inexpensive? The only price I could find on the "trailer in a bag" was from JC Whitney, and it was $1,300! I'd rather pay $300 for one from Home Depot and store it... um... in my bedroom or something. (Message edited by jaredkuper on January 21, 2005) | ||
| M1combat  |
I would go with Blake's idea of moving the tires as far in as possible. Then make sure your ratchet straps will support the top of the bike. It would probably also be a good idea to run ratchet straps from the outside corners of the platform to the vehicle. I think the main issue will be the twisting action at the hitch (where it broke last time). It may also be a good idea to weld a 2-4" drop off the hitch and then run a couple supports out to the close corners. The problem with that is it would then give a 4" lever to concentrate the torsional forces at the hitch (where it broke last time). I think the best idea to limit the twist is to run the ratchet straps from the vehicle to the far corners and then but the tires as close to the vehicle as possible. I think running the ratchet straps from the seat mounts is a good idea. In any case... Keep a VERY close eye on it. |
