Any Tuf Rack Users?
- Thread starter ianjenn
- Start date
My friend has one.
Thoughts? Well, its burly. I know I wouldn't put it on a car... Its a big rack. Other than that, the times we've used it, it has worked as expected and held the bikes securely. It might not be as quick to secure the bikes to it with the straps, but they are secure once strapped down and won't be going anywhere.
On the plus side, if some doucheknob rear ends you, the rack will probably puncture the front of their car.
Thoughts? Well, its burly. I know I wouldn't put it on a car... Its a big rack. Other than that, the times we've used it, it has worked as expected and held the bikes securely. It might not be as quick to secure the bikes to it with the straps, but they are secure once strapped down and won't be going anywhere.
On the plus side, if some doucheknob rear ends you, the rack will probably puncture the front of their car.
I had one on my FJ. Had for 3 seasons, looked the same as day one, when I finally sold truck and rack.
Pros:
Tough
Stores easy
Cons: ( Add ( $ ) to the cost of purchase )
Ships from CA. = duty fees, which amount to more than what free shipping covers.
Hitch pins w/clips ( Swap for locking hitch pins = $ )
Bike security - No locking device ( nothing a cable lock can't fix = $ )
A little play in receiver, if not weighed down from bikes can rattle and be annoying on the less smooth roads.
Overall good, tough, simple. looks and performs the way a DOWNHILL rack should.
I also suggest cutting a frame pad in half and putting on top tube where strap will secure. This will avoid wear in paint when ratcheting down straps.
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Okay thanks guys. Yeah the pad sounds like a good idea. I am only gonna get the 2 bike variety. My problem is my 7.3 uses a 2" receiver and the commute car I can only find 11/4" so I will need the adapter to go from 2" down. I am still waiting to hear what this will cost. Have the ability to get a MOTO tray is a bonus once our son starts riding and if we don't want to take truck....
I also forgot to mention the rack sits low. Didn't affect the FJ ( SUV ) which sat high. However my reason for selling was I now have a Mazda cx9 ( Crossover ) and bottomed out the rack entering / exiting my driveway. So if you're using it on a commuter car, you would need to consider the clearance issue.
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If it were myself, I'd go with a lighter rack if it will be used on a 1 1/4 inch hitch receiver. A hitch adapter will only set the rack out further from your car, allowing more leverage to be put on the hitch. Don't know if I'd fully trust the strength of a small receiver with that big ass rack hanging off of it. I know I wouldn't be following behind your car on a bumpy road...haha
Yeah rack would be 40LBS with 2 trays and each bike would be 40 so 120LBS total. The receiver for the Toyota car is a Class 2 so in theory it has a 350LBS tongue weight. The low Class 1 is rated at 200LBS....
Does it have alot of play? The road here is rough a car wont make it the Powerstroke would be used for that.....
How about a NSR2 or maybe a yakima jacknife?
The tuff rack is ot of rack to be on a small comuter!
The tuff rack is ot of rack to be on a small comuter!
this. I've had mine a season and a half now and it's great. It gets used for road trips instead of other people's racks beause it's so awesome. Quick to use, versatile (1 tray or 2 tray - 24" to 29" wheels easily), tilts away so you can get in the hatch, light-ish, solid. I love mine.
Just to add another option.. I have a Kuat NV on my Golf and I love it(since last summer). I've had a Thule T2 in the past on other cars(got rear-ended which killed it), the Kuat seemes like much better quality and more solid. You can also swap between a 2" and 1 1/4" reciever pretty easily if you need to(they sell a nice adapter that doesn't move the rack away from the car or anything). It also has a nice little mechanism in the hitch mount that can get rid of any play between the hitch and the rack.
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don't fvck around with an adapter. find a hitch and trailer shop, have them cut out the 1-1/4" receiver and weld in a 2" to whatever hitch you get. that's what i had done for my impreza.
Never heard of those racks. Looks like someone made it in there garage using left over meccano bits. I don't know why anyone chooses to use anything but Sportworks (now Thule) racks.
no mention of a warranty whatsoever.
Like others have said, get a 1UP. Best hitch rack out there IMO. Light, easy to use, allows you to stagger bikes to avoid contact, etc. And if it matters to you, made in the U.S.
what kind of warranty do they offer?
Sidenote on the Kuat Adapter: Kuat adapter is actually meant for the Kuat rack, not some universal junk, still allows you to adjust how tight the interface is between the rack and reciever... I was looking into a 2" but found out the Kuat has a nice adapter so I can use it on the wife's jeep if I needed to. Wasn't trying to mess with universal pieces and pushing the rack even further past the bumper..
Probably because Thule is the only piece of **** rack made of steel and rusts out? I took mine off for the winters around here and the pos rusted out in 3 years. Long story short, it took 9 or 10 months for Thule to warranty it for me. All I wanted was 4 proprietary bolt/screws that no hardware stores or fastenal had. F Thule.
The Kuat NV has been on my truck for the last 4 years straight. No major issues. The one I had, I called up and talked to Bill. Though I only needed 1 part they sent 2 at no charge.
Besides that, I didn't have to talk to a guy named Michele Cote' from Quebec!
bueller? bueller?
don't know. don't need it. seriously.
they're a fairly small operation. In Wisconsin I think. When doing research, I read they take care of their customers at a reasonable rate. they don't build warranty work into the cost of their product.
One of my buddies is an engineer and a tinkerer. the kind that builds dumb sh!t like bike trailers for his motorcycle (his latest project). When he saw my rack he whistled. Was very impressed with build quality and material quality. I don't have the same eye for these sorts of details but I was pleased to have received his blessing!
everything fails eventually. while i don't doubt they stand behind their product (i have seen their racks in person before, and they are very well build), from a consumer standpoint the whole "no warranty thing" for a rack design to carry multiple $5k+ bikes can be a deal breaker for some.
edit: to be clear - i'm not just referring to damage to the rack, i'm talking subsequent damage to a bike in the event of a rack failure.
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So you think Thule's warranty covers the cost of your bike and any other damage that might be caused by a rack failure?
Funny, because I found this and it says something very different:
DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY
REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT OF A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT OR THE ISSUANCE OF A REFUND OR CREDIT (AS DETERMINED BY THULE) IS A PURCHASER’S EXCLUSIVE REMEDY UNDER THIS WARRANTY. DAMAGE TO A PURCHASER’S VEHICLE, CARGO AND/OR TO ANY OTHER PERSON OR PROPERTY IS EXCLUDED.
THIS WARRANTY IS EXPRESSLY MADE IN LIEU OF ANY AND ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
THULE’S SOLE LIABILITY TO ANY PURCHASER IS LIMITED TO THE REMEDY SET FORTH ABOVE. IN NO EVENT WILL THULE BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOST PROFITS, LOST SALES, OR FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OR FOR ANY OTHER DAMAGES OF ANY KIND OR NATURE.
You (or your insurance company) would need to sue them to get anything beyond a new rack or a refund. You might be able to settle for a little extra cash, but it's pretty unlikely given the clear language of the warranty. That's especially true if there is any question about improper use, etc.
Funny, because I found this and it says something very different:
DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY
REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT OF A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT OR THE ISSUANCE OF A REFUND OR CREDIT (AS DETERMINED BY THULE) IS A PURCHASER’S EXCLUSIVE REMEDY UNDER THIS WARRANTY. DAMAGE TO A PURCHASER’S VEHICLE, CARGO AND/OR TO ANY OTHER PERSON OR PROPERTY IS EXCLUDED.
THIS WARRANTY IS EXPRESSLY MADE IN LIEU OF ANY AND ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
THULE’S SOLE LIABILITY TO ANY PURCHASER IS LIMITED TO THE REMEDY SET FORTH ABOVE. IN NO EVENT WILL THULE BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOST PROFITS, LOST SALES, OR FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OR FOR ANY OTHER DAMAGES OF ANY KIND OR NATURE.
You (or your insurance company) would need to sue them to get anything beyond a new rack or a refund. You might be able to settle for a little extra cash, but it's pretty unlikely given the clear language of the warranty. That's especially true if there is any question about improper use, etc.
see, you had an easier time finding the thule warranty than the 1up warranty 
The 1Up gets more raved reviews than any other rack. Check out the 54 pages on MTBR.
http://forums.mtbr.com/car-biker/1up-quick-rack-quick-review-602461.html
http://forums.mtbr.com/car-biker/1up-quick-rack-quick-review-602461.html
eMpTy BeeR 
Jon, what do you have against 1UP? A bunch of people are recommending them and although you haven't mentioned any personal experience, you're weirdly fixated on warranty. Seriously, what gives?
just poking fun of everyone's massive boner for them
My buddy has a T2 and a 1up and he prefers the 1up. I have Thule Sidearm roof trays that I used to make my own T2 style rack as well. After using both, the 1up is definitely better in my engineering opinion. It is generally more solid, easier to load bikes, and handles all tire sizes without issue. No plastic components to break, few steel components to rust (I think the steel parts are SS), no ratchet straps, and an included anti-wobble receiver feature. On my Sidearm/T2 trays, you have to be sure the arm ratchet button is pulled out all the way, or it can come loose. The arms don't fit large volume 29er tires very well, and probably not fatbike tires either, although I think the newer version addresses this.
The Tuf Rack looks solidly built and secure, but very wobbly and I'm not a huge fan of the ratchet strap over the frame. IIRC it's also very expensive.
The Tuf Rack looks solidly built and secure, but very wobbly and I'm not a huge fan of the ratchet strap over the frame. IIRC it's also very expensive.
but the only people who have said swollen appendage tend to be people who own the product... I think that's sayin' somethin'...just poking fun of everyone's massive boner for them
Well my other option is to use my Yakima King Cobra roof set-up. I already own it just need to see what feet it requires. That will hammer my MPG. Our old TDI got 45 on highway at 75MPH and with that it was low 30's I assume the same will happen with a Yaris especially since it makes 1/2 the torque at the TDI did....
I think sandwich hacked to OPs account.Hell yes I was! If I do I will....You were thinking of putting a Tuf Rak on a Toyota Yaris?
Please do this. Take pictures.
how can we be sure that's not just post-purchase rationalization?
Because it's a bike rack. not a bike. the rack won't make me clean technical climbs better. it won't help me clear that gap better, or bag strava KOMs (if I were into that sort of thing - which I'm not). It just gets my bike to the trail, no muss, no fuss, year in, year out. And most people have used a wide enough variety of racks to actually have experience with ease of use.
I feel like I'm being trolled....
then why is everyone so excited?Because it's a bike rack. not a bike. the rack won't make me clean technical climbs better. it won't help me clear that gap better, or bag strava KOMs (if I were into that sort of thing - which I'm not). It just gets my bike to the trail, no muss, no fuss, year in, year out. And most people have used a wide enough variety of racks to actually have experience with ease of use.
I feel like I'm being trolled....
and yes. yes you are.