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Thule t2 (formerly sportworks) questions

MtnBikerChk

MtnBikerChk

Squeaky Wheel
Aug 3, 2001
5,478
38
Southern New England (where there ain't no TITUS d
I installed my birthday present today :)

1. The pin doesn't go all the way through the hitch (by design) - bizarre? cause for concern?
2. I have the optional lock for the pin at the hitch - is it supossed to swing free? I mean it can't spin 180 because it's right up against the hitch but it just seems bizarre that it swings at al?!

THANKS!
 
buildyourown

buildyourown

Turbo Monkey
Feb 9, 2004
4,832
0
South Seattle
On a regular hitch/ball, the pin goes all the way through and secures with a cotter pin.
On the sportworks/thule, the pin is replaced with a bolt. This is good because it pulls the rack to one side and helps eliminate wobble.
The lock should spin on the end of the pin but the pin should be solid.

Make sure your lock is the same brand as your rack. ie, sportworks or thule. Thule changed the bolt/lock size to match the rest of thier racks. If you have an actual Sportworks T2, you will need to find an old stock Sportworks lock.
 
MtnBikerChk

MtnBikerChk

Squeaky Wheel
Aug 3, 2001
5,478
38
Southern New England (where there ain't no TITUS d
buildyourown said:
On a regular hitch/ball, the pin goes all the way through and secures with a cotter pin.
On the sportworks/thule, the pin is replaced with a bolt. This is good because it pulls the rack to one side and helps eliminate wobble.
The lock should spin on the end of the pin but the pin should be solid.

Make sure your lock is the same brand as your rack. ie, sportworks or thule. Thule changed the bolt/lock size to match the rest of thier racks. If you have an actual Sportworks T2, you will need to find an old stock Sportworks lock.
Click to expand...
THANKS!

Your explanation on the bolt makes perfect sense! The lock on the pin is indeed a Thule lock (and ordered at the same time as the rack itself) and yes, it spins but the bolt is solid.

Now, I just have to remember not to back into anything ;)
 
-dustin

-dustin

boring
Jun 10, 2002
7,155
1
austin
i installed one of these yesterday. the buyer and myself were both confused as to why Thule would use a bolt instead of a pin that went all the way through. i wasn't comfortable with it, and neither was he, so he ordered the locking kit.

i also managed to smash the **** out of my thumb. never seen blood squirt from underneath a nail before.
 
MtnBikerChk

MtnBikerChk

Squeaky Wheel
Aug 3, 2001
5,478
38
Southern New England (where there ain't no TITUS d
the Inbred said:
i installed one of these yesterday. the buyer and myself were both confused as to why Thule would use a bolt instead of a pin that went all the way through. i wasn't comfortable with it, and neither was he, so he ordered the locking kit.

i also managed to smash the **** out of my thumb. never seen blood squirt from underneath a nail before.
Click to expand...
The locking kit also comes with a bolt that does not go all the way through.

re: blood - NEWBIE :rofl:
 
-dustin

-dustin

boring
Jun 10, 2002
7,155
1
austin
is the rack actually locked to the hitch with the locking kit? i was worried about the bolt jostling its way loose. i just looked on Thule's site but didn't see anything (didn't search hard, either).

re: blood - no ****. the guy was like, "ever installed one before?" and i said "nope." "good!" first thing out of the box, when the arm has to be swung 180 degrees and the bolt pushed through...bolt wouldn't go through all the way so i go grab a plastic mallet. 2nd hit, BAMMO! right on the side of my thumb. wasn't hurting too bad, so i looked at it and rubbed it.....squirt squirt. that made installing the rest of the rack interesting. the guy was real cool, though. i asked a bunch of people if they had installed one and they were all "yeah, it's eas....oh wait, that one...no, never installed one of those."
 
MtnBikerChk

MtnBikerChk

Squeaky Wheel
Aug 3, 2001
5,478
38
Southern New England (where there ain't no TITUS d
the Inbred said:
is the rack actually locked to the hitch with the locking kit? i was worried about the bolt jostling its way loose. i just looked on Thule's site but didn't see anything (didn't search hard, either).
Click to expand...
Hard to describe - the bolt looks the same only the part that sticks out of the hitch is longer so the lock housing slides over the top and hides the part you'd need to unscrew to get the pin out.

It's definitely locked on.
 
jacksonpt

jacksonpt

Turbo Monkey
Jul 22, 2002
6,791
59
Vestal, NY
Assuming Thule hasn't changed anything...

The bolt is more than secure. That blue stuff that comes on the bolt is locktight - as long as there is some of that on the threads, it won't back out. If you take the rack on/off a lot (thus threading the bolt in and out frequently) you may wear the locktight off. Just reapply a little every now and again and you are good to go. You can find it at most hobby shops and some hardware stores. Just stay with the blue locktight, NOT the red.
 
teamkranzelbike

teamkranzelbike

Monkey
Apr 9, 2004
516
8
Mount Carmel,PA
I have 3 of these racks on all my vehicles. from the older to the dh version to the t2. I love them. one is on with the bolt only and has never come loose. the other 2 are on with the lock bolts. My lock will not rotate 360 degrees. if yours wont as well be carefull not to put the lock on where you cant get the keys in. rule of thumb. when taking the lock off keep the keys in till you replace it. only problem with these racks is they rub the paint off the fork. but for me crashing damage is a lot worse.
 
J

JRB

Guest
My Yak pin goes through and has a little pain in the ass built in wrench. It uses a lock like the cable end lock to keep it on.
 
-dustin

-dustin

boring
Jun 10, 2002
7,155
1
austin
jacksonpt said:
Assuming Thule hasn't changed anything...

The bolt is more than secure. That blue stuff that comes on the bolt is locktight - as long as there is some of that on the threads, it won't back out. If you take the rack on/off a lot (thus threading the bolt in and out frequently) you may wear the locktight off. Just reapply a little every now and again and you are good to go. You can find it at most hobby shops and some hardware stores. Just stay with the blue locktight, NOT the red.
Click to expand...
no LocTite on the bolt I installed. there was a lockwasher, though.
 
Acadian

Acadian

Born Again Newbie
Sep 5, 2001
714
2
Blah Blah and Blah
My Sportworks T2 (pre Thule Rack) has a different anti-wobble pin than the new ones. looks like Thule redesigned them. I also notice that they added locks to the ratchet arms!

this is what mine looks like
 
narlus

narlus

Eastcoast Softcore
Staff member
Nov 7, 2001
24,658
65
behind the viewfinder
acadian, i didn't see the antisway device on the new one. where is it?

MBC, enjoy the rack, it's a great design and very easy to use.
 
Acadian

Acadian

Born Again Newbie
Sep 5, 2001
714
2
Blah Blah and Blah
narlus said:
acadian, i didn't see the antisway device on the new one. where is it?

MBC, enjoy the rack, it's a great design and very easy to use.
Click to expand...
I haven't had the chance to inspect the new rack yet - don't even know if it has an anti-sway bolt. I have a friend that just got one last week...I'll have to check it out and see.
 
CrabJoe StretchPants

CrabJoe StretchPants

Reincarnated Crab Walking Head Spinning Bruce Dick
Nov 30, 2003
14,163
2,485
Groton, MA
narlus said:
i have one of the NYC fuggedaboutit chains. didn't get any of the locks for the rack itself.
Click to expand...

thats a nice bike lock, but the best thing about the T2 pin lock is that it not only locks up to 4 bikes to the rack (11' cable), but it also locks the rack to the car itself.

and to MBC, the antiwobble feature is a bolt head on the post part of the rack that inserts into the hitch, about 2" from where the hitch ends. when you tighten down the bolt head, it pushes a little metal block up against the inside of the hitch, thus closing the gap between the rack and hitch, which is the cause of wobble in all other hitch-mount racks. i can snag a picture in 2 minutes.
 
narlus

narlus

Eastcoast Softcore
Staff member
Nov 7, 2001
24,658
65
behind the viewfinder
norco-freerider said:
thats a nice bike lock, but the best thing about the T2 pin lock is that it not only locks up to 4 bikes to the rack (11' cable), but it also locks the rack to the car itself.
Click to expand...
true; i never really leave my bikes out of eyesight when on the rack. plus, my chain isn't long enough to loop through two bike frames and the trailer hitch, so if someone really wanted to they could undo the single bolt and take the rack and two bikes off as one (heavy) item.

norco-freerider said:
and to MBC, the antiwobble feature is a bolt head on the post part of the rack that inserts into the hitch, about 2" from where the hitch ends. when you tighten down the bolt head, it pushes a little metal block up against the inside of the hitch, thus closing the gap between the rack and hitch, which is the cause of wobble in all other hitch-mount racks. i can snag a picture in 2 minutes.
Click to expand...
one thing to note; depending on yr hitch, this may or may not actually come in contact w/ the receiver. you'll see what i mean when you install the rack. on my wife's van, i don't think there is enough length on the receiver tube, but for mine it does. i recall someone having a long post on this very issue.
 
CrabJoe StretchPants

CrabJoe StretchPants

Reincarnated Crab Walking Head Spinning Bruce Dick
Nov 30, 2003
14,163
2,485
Groton, MA
i know what you mean now narlus, and i didnt have an issue with that, luckily. thats a bummer if MtnBkrChk's hitch has the same issue as your wife's hitch.

heres a couple pics of my T2 on my hitch, as you can see that bolt head is about 2" away from the hitch. thats about how far it needs to be in order for the antiwobble block to make contact with the inside of the hitch, as narlus stated.




hope this helped in anyway
 
CrabJoe StretchPants

CrabJoe StretchPants

Reincarnated Crab Walking Head Spinning Bruce Dick
Nov 30, 2003
14,163
2,485
Groton, MA
narlus said:
yep, good pics. describes it much better than my prose. :thumb:
Click to expand...

yea, i was going to apply my paint skills and draw a cross section of how the anti-wobble feature works, but i think the pictures show what it at least looks like.:clue:
 
-dustin

-dustin

boring
Jun 10, 2002
7,155
1
austin
the bolt on top is the anti-wobble?

Thule got rid of this, and added the bolt on the side that pulls the rack towards the side, and thus, preventing wobble?
 
CrabJoe StretchPants

CrabJoe StretchPants

Reincarnated Crab Walking Head Spinning Bruce Dick
Nov 30, 2003
14,163
2,485
Groton, MA
the Inbred said:
the bolt on top is the anti-wobble?

Thule got rid of this, and added the bolt on the side that pulls the rack towards the side, and thus, preventing wobble?
Click to expand...
yes, that bolt on top is the antiwobble. it works kinda like a seesaw. when you tighten the bolt down, it pushes a metal block upward through the rack and up against the inside of the hitch, via an internal fulcrum. it works INCREDIBLY well, there is not even the tiniest bit of play in the rack, if you move the rack, the car moves before the rack will move.
 
justsomeguy

justsomeguy

Monkey
Oct 3, 2005
723
0
the Inbred said:
the bolt on top is the anti-wobble?

Thule got rid of this, and added the bolt on the side that pulls the rack towards the side, and thus, preventing wobble?
Click to expand...
Actually, Sportworks got rid of it as well. The anti-wobble bolt on my Sportworks T2 is the bolt that secures the rack into the receiver.
 
narlus

narlus

Eastcoast Softcore
Staff member
Nov 7, 2001
24,658
65
behind the viewfinder
when did they ditch that? i got my T2 last spring (may?) and it had it...i was under the impression that Thule had already bought Sportworks by that time (or at least it was close).
 
justsomeguy

justsomeguy

Monkey
Oct 3, 2005
723
0
narlus said:
when did they ditch that? i got my T2 last spring (may?) and it had it...i was under the impression that Thule had already bought Sportworks by that time (or at least it was close).
Click to expand...
Maybe yours came from older inventory?? I bought my Sportworks around 1/2005 and there is a nut welded into the side of the rack so that the hitch bolt grabs the internal nut and locks the rack into place inside the hitch.
 
Dartman

Dartman

Old Bastard Mike
Feb 26, 2003
3,911
0
Richmond, VA
Acadian said:
I also notice that they added locks to the ratchet arms!
Click to expand...
Which are completely useless if the front wheel is quick release. Pop the skewer, pull the bike off the wheel and roll the wheel out from under the arm.

Mike
 
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