Options for hitch mount carrier
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1st Gear Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 59
From: Ontario, Canada
On my truck with the bike on the carrier, I'm still able to open my tailgate about 12" which is very close to the distance, or width of that spare.
Last edited by Rosed; Jun 12, 2013 at 11:48 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,406
From: N. Illinois
1st Gear Member
Actually it's my rig, and the rack is set up for my bike AND I'm a gracious host, so they got the cushy spots.
Besides if one of those high strung bikes fell off the back, it would end up in pieces. The KLX on the other hand would likely just put some gouges in the road.
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Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 174
From: South Jersey
1st Gear Member
Extending a bumper hitch device usually challenges the mounting bolts and hardware where it attaches to the vehicle frame or other points. I see this sometimes on some of those huge, heavy, four-bike bicycle carriers with 4 heavy bikes attached...the kind that allow you to leave the front wheel attached and have a tray for the bike to sit in. Sometimes these hitch carriers exert a lot more force on the mounting hardware than towing a trailer ever would. I don't think your problem would the extension material unless you went way to wimpy. I think your problem would start at the hitch or bumper's mounting points and hardware.
Edit: I'd also ask how your receiver bumper is attached to your truck. Some of them I've seen are actually attached like a heavy duty receiver hitch instead of at the bumper mounts. Most, however, are just attached to the factory bumper mounts. These vary a lot in their rated strength. Did I miss the number that yours is rated at?
Edit: I'd also ask how your receiver bumper is attached to your truck. Some of them I've seen are actually attached like a heavy duty receiver hitch instead of at the bumper mounts. Most, however, are just attached to the factory bumper mounts. These vary a lot in their rated strength. Did I miss the number that yours is rated at?
The hitch is integrated into the bumper and tied directly to the frame rails using 5 mounting points on each side. I think the bumper should be plenty strong, I guess only time will tell. I'm going to purchase one of the hitch type mounts later this month and see if it will clear as is. Thanks for all your input, but sounds like I shouldn't extend the hitch
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 7
Front receiver
If your bike won't fit (and it might as the handlebars require a pretty good offset), you can mount a receiver up front. It will change your approach angle when fitted with the carrier so you have to be careful of that. I had a winch that mounted on either the front or rear receiver, and it was plenty stable pulling a 5000+ truck.
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Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 174
From: South Jersey
1st Gear Member
If your bike won't fit (and it might as the handlebars require a pretty good offset), you can mount a receiver up front. It will change your approach angle when fitted with the carrier so you have to be careful of that. I had a winch that mounted on either the front or rear receiver, and it was plenty stable pulling a 5000+ truck.
I'm just going to go with the standard carrier and get something like this, they say the capacity is only reduced by 1/3. I will weld in some extra gussets to the bumper hitch
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