[DLo]

I need to re-design this one.. I'm not so sure I trust the sportsrack. I bent my friend's while drivin up a bumpy dirt road, but I'm sure if you hit enough potholes at freeway speeds, it'll go bad too. Since we're on the subject of hitch racks, any idears? Course it don't work with our bikes nowadays.

 

[Toshi]

Word to that brother. I carry 45-50 pounders around all the time (sometimes two at a time) and after 3 years, my welds are all cracked

... and if this doesn't happen -- admittedly at a load far greater than the rack was designed for -- then it will gradually sag to the ground.

http://tjclark.ath.cx/images/biking/bikes and parts/goodbye, sportworks - june 8, 2004/

to sportworks and rei's credit (ok, more rei as sportworks really had no part in it) i did receive a 100% refund.

 

[1000-Oaks]

1000-oaks..... any pics?

I'm curious as to what it'll look like

Not yet, lemmie finish it and make sure it works first.

 

[1000-Oaks]

... and if this doesn't happen -- admittedly at a load far greater than the rack was designed for -- then it will gradually sag to the ground.

Is it bending just at the neck or all the way across the whole length?

I'm using .180 wall tubing for the insert/neck, the insert on my Thule rack (and the Sportworks I measured) isn't even .120" wall. Yeah it's on the heavy side, but I think it's worth putting extra beef there.

 

[partsbara]

good thread... yeah, as vb mentioned i run a sportsworks and a 1 1/4 / 2" adaptor.... when i ordered my car new last year they (volvo factory) wanted 800 US to install a 2" hitch... fricken crook and that wasn t including wiring... so i opted for the cheapo option and picked up a 1 1/4" hitch from some online company for about 130 bucks... took about 25 mins to install it myself... i ordered a 2" sportsworks rack as i didn t want the weaker 1 1/4... i use an adaptor and it works OK, but i sometimes worry about seeing the bikes fall of at 100mph...

the problem with the adaptor is that it creates a wobble which can sometimes even lead to an insane shudder when the roads get rough... i occasionally do carry 2 dh bikes but i prefer to put the lighter bikes on there... last week when we hit morzine i put my tomac 204 inside the car and put the womans SC juliana and my chameleon on the rack... no worries

when we get back ot the states and depending if we keep the car i m defiantely going to get a 2" hitch fitted... just for peace of mind more than anything

good luck

partsbara

 

[Brian HCM#1]

ya...mine broke where the ratchet arm is welded to the rack. I was lucky my DHR didn’t fall off…I noticed when looking in my rear view mirror that it was tilting back a lot…when I stopped for gas, I noticed it was broken. I'm not surprised since my bike vibrates A LOT when I go to North Star..

I'm looking for someone that would actually make and weld some gussets and re-enforce it. Should be easy to fix...wish I knew how to weld.

Thats where the crack is? Thats an easy fix.

 

[Acadian]

Thats where the crack is? Thats an easy fix.

how many years of welding do you have under your belt?

wish I knew of someone in SJ that could do it on the spot. Few gusset, few welds and off I go.

Might just look someone up in the yellow pages and call..

 

[Jesus]

Oh, and there's also this now: http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=19020&subcategory_ID=4411#

Definitely ripoff of Sportworks. Haven't seen any reviews for it yet, but it looks like it should work just as well

It actually isn't a bad rack at all. I got the 2" model with a 1 1/4 adaptor for my Ford Tarus SHO. Plus I got the additional 2 extra bike carrier. There have been many occasions that I had 4 DH bikes on that rack, with no problems. I highly reccomend it.

And when you get the 2 bike add on, they also give you a tail light for the end of the rack. Super cool!

 

[Toshi]

Is it bending just at the neck or all the way across the whole length?

i think the bending was confined to the "neck". not sure tho, that rack has been out of my hands for a while now

 

[Curb Hucker]

Might just look someone up in the yellow pages and call..

just look someone up, the rack is chormoly which is way too easy to weld, and a good weld shop will have chromoly scrap or plates to make gussets fast. If you have the paint sanded off around where you want welds, the cost should be very minimal

 

[1000-Oaks]

just look someone up, the rack is chormoly which is way too easy to weld, and a good weld shop will have chromoly scrap or plates to make gussets fast.

Huh?? Mild steel is easy to weld, chrome moly is NOT easy to weld properly. Sure, anyone can weld it, but unless you anneal the whole fabrication (or anneal the welds with a rosebud) it's probably going to crack at the welds. I personally wouldn't touch carbon steel unless you're a certified welder and know how to work with it.