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6 bike racks

gemini2k

Turbo Monkey
Jul 31, 2005
3,526
117
San Francisco
I might have to fab up a bastard version on the Arbutus or NS rack that'll fit a wider range of bike sizes. Can anyone who has an NS rack try and put a 12" kids bike on it for me and take a pic?
I don't think it will work. I'll try to borrow some neighbor kids bike one of these days for ya and give it a shot.
 

Kntr

Turbo Monkey
Jan 25, 2003
7,526
21
Montana
I sold my 4 bike T2 yesterday. I need a new rack.

What ever happened to the Rat Rack and Arbutus racks?
 

syadasti

i heart mac
Apr 15, 2002
12,690
290
VT
Link doesn't work but I've seen the Swagman Jackknife.
I've used their other racks and they have been less than stellar.
1upusa makes the best rack design but its not 6 bike and its not cheap either.

What was wrong with your T2?
 
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Kntr

Turbo Monkey
Jan 25, 2003
7,526
21
Montana
1upusa makes the best rack design but its not 6 bike and its not cheap either.

What was wrong with your T2?
Nothing really wrong with the T2. A buddy needed a rack and I sold it to him to help him out. Mine was the original Sportworks with a Thule add on. I just want something new.
 

demonprec

Monkey
Nov 12, 2004
237
15
Whonnock BC Canada
a buddy of mine has a NS 4 bike set-up and he can,t use it on some of the spots we ride at as it has horrible ground clearance on rough fire roads that take you to some of the spots we ride , and he has his set-up on a 4x4 F150 . we currently use a EVOC tailgate pad but have plans to design and build our own 4 bike set-up
 

gemini2k

Turbo Monkey
Jul 31, 2005
3,526
117
San Francisco
that has tons of ground clearance when compared to the NS and some of the other designs , that looks like it would work well on rougher fireroads with big water bars and ditches
You don't need that much ground clearance. I've take my NS rack on some really really brutal roads, oil pan destroying kind of roads. It doesn't have a problem. That one with the higher ground clearance is totally unnecessary and just going to kill your mileage and act as a sail on the highway.

Your friend probably just needs stiffer leafs. I doubt my Tundra has any higher ground clearance than an F150.
 
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Tdiddy

Monkey
Apr 8, 2009
222
1
the rat rack is adjustable, you can swing it back out somewhat just like the north shore racks. Friend uses his on a dodge with a topper no problem.
 
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Tdiddy

Monkey
Apr 8, 2009
222
1
It's not his primary gig and he's got a lot of orders, so it could take some time. When I ordered mine I was sixth on the waiting list and it took a month and a half, which is fine, because we just got another 20cm of snow this weekend.

sorry, forgot to quote, in response to the no reply yet to the rat rack email.
 
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kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
You don't need that much ground clearance. I've take my NS rack on some really really brutal roads, oil pan destroying kind of roads. It doesn't have a problem. That one with the higher ground clearance is totally unnecessary and just going to kill your mileage and act as a sail on the highway.

Your friend probably just needs stiffer leafs. I doubt my Tundra has any higher ground clearance than an F150.
Sold my f350, bought another silverado. Put my over the bed rack on the silverado (Although due to a tonneau cover I had to put it up higher) couldn't believe how bad it killed the mileage compared to the super duty.

Put my tonneau on the shelf for the summer, put bikes in the bed on roof rack trays, add hitch rack, calling it good.
 

gemini2k

Turbo Monkey
Jul 31, 2005
3,526
117
San Francisco
Sold my f350, bought another silverado. Put my over the bed rack on the silverado (Although due to a tonneau cover I had to put it up higher) couldn't believe how bad it killed the mileage compared to the super duty.

Put my tonneau on the shelf for the summer, put bikes in the bed on roof rack trays, add hitch rack, calling it good.
Yeah I think i found it drops my mileage by like 2-3 mpg depending how fast I'm driving. But with a shell it basically cancels that mileage drop.
 

Tdiddy

Monkey
Apr 8, 2009
222
1
Rat Rack 4 bike is $900 and has to be picked up.
mine was only 650 and he lives down the street, so pickup not an issue. I went this route instead of another north shore rack as the price was cheaper and the family is awesome in the local biking community. Aside from that, there's not a huge difference between the racks.
 

demonprec

Monkey
Nov 12, 2004
237
15
Whonnock BC Canada
You don't need that much ground clearance. I've take my NS rack on some really really brutal roads, oil pan destroying kind of roads. It doesn't have a problem. That one with the higher ground clearance is totally unnecessary and just going to kill your mileage and act as a sail on the highway.

Your friend probably just needs stiffer leafs. I doubt my Tundra has any higher ground clearance than an F150.
there is some deep water bar ditches you have to drive thru , his wheelbase is too long and he drags the trailer hitch under the bumper as it is with that rack its dragging on the ground
 

Kntr

Turbo Monkey
Jan 25, 2003
7,526
21
Montana
mine was only 650 and he lives down the street, so pickup not an issue. I went this route instead of another north shore rack as the price was cheaper and the family is awesome in the local biking community. Aside from that, there's not a huge difference between the racks.
$650 for a 4 bike?
 

syadasti

i heart mac
Apr 15, 2002
12,690
290
VT
I ment Swagman racks in general are less than stellar, plus it doesn't look to aerodynamic being sideways.
Vertical hanging designs in either orientation are not aerodynamic compared to the lower horizontal tray systems.
 

ianjenn

Turbo Monkey
Sep 12, 2006
3,001
704
SLO
Sold my f350, bought another silverado. Put my over the bed rack on the silverado (Although due to a tonneau cover I had to put it up higher) couldn't believe how bad it killed the mileage compared to the super duty.
Thats the problem going from a Diesel to a gas motor. You throw 3 motorcycles in the back of a gas truck and all of a sudden the get 1/2 the gas mileage. You throw a 30 foot trailer with car behind the diesel and it still gets 17 MPG.... :)

These are pretty nice only seen 1 not sure of pricing.

http://www.tufrack.com/
 

Kntr

Turbo Monkey
Jan 25, 2003
7,526
21
Montana
Vertical hanging designs in either orientation are not aerodynamic compared to the lower horizontal tray systems.
True but Im sure there is more wind resistance with the Swagman over the North Shore or Rat Rack.
For $900 I can have my buddy build one.
 

Beef Supreme

Turbo Monkey
Oct 29, 2010
1,434
73
Hiding from the stupid
Vertical hanging designs in either orientation are not aerodynamic compared to the lower horizontal tray systems.
It depends on the car. My mileage doesn't go down at all with my Land Cruiser. It's also nice not to have road grime on my drive train and rotors. I sold a nearly new T2 for my North Shore and couldn't be happier.
 

syadasti

i heart mac
Apr 15, 2002
12,690
290
VT
It depends on the car. My mileage doesn't go down at all with my Land Cruiser. It's also nice not to have road grime on my drive train and rotors. I sold a nearly new T2 for my North Shore and couldn't be happier.
Ok, other than very large boxy vehicles like vans or large SUVs in which case any hitch rack will not disrupt the airflow much. If you have small bit of air in your brake lines, long trips may mean a bleeding with vertical racks.
 
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Beef Supreme

Turbo Monkey
Oct 29, 2010
1,434
73
Hiding from the stupid
If you have small bit of air in your brake lines, long trips may mean a bleeding with vertical racks.
I'll dispute this one too. Being on the car doesn't effect my Avids even when they get that inconsistent engagement because they need to be bled. It could theoretically happen but it doesn't seem to be an issue.
 

syadasti

i heart mac
Apr 15, 2002
12,690
290
VT
I'll dispute this one too. Being on the car doesn't effect my Avids even when they get that inconsistent engagement because they need to be bled. It could theoretically happen but it doesn't seem to be an issue.
Nothing to dispute, vertical rack are sails on most other vehicles.

With the brakes its only really a problem with a bad seal or if someone did a crappy job (like a poor factory bleed), so its not like you would't eventually have to fix it anyways.
 

gemini2k

Turbo Monkey
Jul 31, 2005
3,526
117
San Francisco
Ok, other than very large boxy vehicles like vans or large SUVs in which case any hitch rack will not disrupt the airflow much. If you have small bit of air in your brake lines, long trips may mean a bleeding with vertical racks.

Then your problem isn't the rack it's your brakes. I've been using the North shore for two years. Neither myself nor any one I've used it with gas had this problem. That includes taking them from sea level to 9k feet at mammoth and mt.baldy while hanging on the rack.
 

syadasti

i heart mac
Apr 15, 2002
12,690
290
VT
The other thing that gets worse with larger loads with all hitch racks, regardless of vehicle type is sway. I bugs me when I get stuck behind a semi or there are crosswinds. If you have a tray rack or vertical rack that lines them up parallel like the Jackknife crosswinds aren't as amplified.
 
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kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
Thats the problem going from a Diesel to a gas motor. You throw 3 motorcycles in the back of a gas truck and all of a sudden the get 1/2 the gas mileage. You throw a 30 foot trailer with car behind the diesel and it still gets 17 MPG.... :)

]
Not to derail this thread any further....but "Ummmm No."

My diesel lost anywhere from 3-5 mpg with a full load of bikes, people, etc. Typically the largest noticeable difference was when I had a hitch rack and bikes on it sideways.

Towing a single jeep grand cherokee (stock height) on an open car hauler dropped me down from 18ish empty to 12-13 mpg loaded going 65 mph. On primarily flat roads. All three of my 5.3 liter silverado's (2001, 2007, 2009) all typically pull down 8-11 mpg towing my previous wranglers on an open car hauler.

Towing 3 lightweight polaris razor's on a 26 ft gooseneck dropped me down to 10 mpg.

2005 duramax vs my brothers 2005 6.0 Liter silverado, both trucks towing 24 ft enclosed trailers with similar weights got exactly 9mpg each, both trucks were stock 4x4 crew cab short bed trucks. This was side by side, back to back caravanning over 800 miles on race weekends again and again.

Diesels lose mileage just like a gas truck would.

With bikes and wind resistance the gas truck is more affected, but in my example we're comparing a 5.3 liter gas engine and a 7.3 liter diesel engine, it would only seem logical that the engine with a lot more displacement and a lot more torque wouldn't be affected as badly.
 
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