no wobble my rear end
I bought a couple bikes from wally world and needed a way to get them home so i bought this thinking it would be great for when we travel. There is a lot of movement especially over railroad tracks, although I dont think that it would really break, it was still a bit unnerving. I am going to weld the hell out of it to one solid peice and get a more secure bolt for the hitch and i think it will be ok...
Allen Deluxe Hitch Mount Rack
Does its job exactly as it should. I wish there was a way to secure the bike to the lower post to prevent swinging, but it hasn't caused any problems so far.
Inexpensive, but cheap
This is the least expensive hitch mounted rack I could find anywhere.
The item arrived whole and the instructions are very clearly written, but not well illustrated.
Assembly was fast, but in putting the two larger parts together, I found it easy to tighten the bolts too much, thereby chipping the paint. The metal gave slightly, and the paint around the bolts came right off, but the pieces are definitely securely fastened.
The two included cotter pins are good, but the fasteners on the ends are a little flimsy.
Attaching to the hitch is straightforward. There's a two piece sleeve that goes over the 1.25" pipe to make it a proper 2" male end. Attaching the 'no wobble' bolt required two wrenches and upon tightening it to the maximum I was unpleasantly surprised that there was so much vertical movement of the rack in the hitch. It definitely does not wobble side to side, and the torsion is minimal to non-existent, but it is a little alarming that the rack travels up and down almost 1 to 1.5 inches, pivoting on the 'no-wobble' bolt.
The bikes went on quickly and easily and I was surprised that fully loaded, that they needed no more than the included straps to affix to the rack with no movement.
In taking the assembled and loaded contraption for a test ride I was disappointed and upset that a bumpy road definitely made the whole thing shake. I'm using shims on the top of the receiver to keep it all from bouncing too much, but I really felt I got exactly what I paid for - the cheapest 3 bike rack out there.
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Warning - Amazon tags a Master brand locking hitch pin (with a blue anodized end) to sell with this item THAT DOES NOT FIT this rack.
Not for a Wrangler
Ordered this rack for my new 2010 Jeep Wrangler. The rack was about an inch shy of being able to lock it down on my hitch. I returned it only after putting the thing together. From what I can tell it seemed of good quality but I never got a chance to put my bikes on it.
Do NOT buy if you have a Jeep with a spare tire on the back!
Good-n-Sturdy Hitch Mount Bike Rack
I just got back from family vacation, and was very pleased with my new bike rack. The bikes went on very easily, and were very secure the whole trip. I did make two modifications to the rack. Since I wanted to use my locking 5/8 inch hitch pin, I drilled out the small hole in the rack to fit the pin. I also wrapped a few pieces of electrical tape around the insert on either side of the hitch pin hole to reduce the wobble a little. Overall am very satisfied with the product.
Deluxe 3 bike carrier for 1 1/4" or 2" hitch
Amazon.com Product Description:
Carry your bicycles as securely as possible and avoid the hassles of piled bikes or high threshold rooftop mounts, with the Allen Deluxe 3-Bike Hitch Mount Rack. Fitting vehicles with a 1.25 or 2-inch trailer hitch, the Allen Deluxe Hitch Mount Rack is both easy to operate and super secure for your bikes. Constructed out of steel with a durable black powder finish and with Allen's patented tie downs that keep bikes from bumping, the rack is built to last and is backed by a lifetime warranty from Allen.
The Allen rack boasts a patented tie-down system and individually cradles up to three bikes in the 16-inch carry arms. A separate tie down strap is included with the rack and eliminates lower bike movement completely. As easy to install as it is to use, the rack sets up in less than 5 minutes with a no-wobble bolt that holds it still within the hitch. When the rack is not in use, the carry arms quickly drop out of the way and fold down flat with a patented single pin mechanism and the rack tilts up to allow easy access to the lift gate.
Specifications:
- Fits vehicles with a 1.25 or 2-inch trailer hitch
- Holds up to three bikes
- 16-inch carry arms
- Individual bike cradles
- Steel construction
- Black powder coat finish
- Patented single key release system
- Tie down strap
- Minor assembly required
About Allen Bike Racks:
In 1967, after a few years of working on the aerospace technology for the Apollo missions, Dick Allen was out of a job. Government cutbacks led Allen, a Harvard-trained physicist, to transform his garage hobby into a new industry. A cycling enthusiast, inventor, and family man, Allen had a personal need for a bike-carrying device. On weekends, he would take his sons and wife to Cape Cod or the White Mountains of New Hampshire. What proved difficult time and again was the transport of his family's bicycles. Rather than fight through inconvenience with twine and a dinged car, Allen sought an answer for himself as well as a market in which he foresaw major growth possibilities.
Always a pathfinder, Allen took to work in his Lincoln, Massachusetts garage in search of a more efficient way to transport bikes. Drafting designs during the day and constructing them throughout the night, he put together a model made of electrical conduit, metal strapping, and fire hose casings (for padding). At first, the Allen's tested the prototype on weekend excursions. Finding the first trunk-mounted rack to be a success, Dick started Allen Bike Racks. Dealer acceptance came quickly, and by 1971 Allen Bike Racks were sold nationally through a number of major bicycle distributors. Today, the company owns over three-dozen patents and offers a versatile product line of bike racks while Dick's son Alex now owns and operates the business. What started out as a small garage run operation now operates three warehouses nationally, two factories abroad, and has products sold in more than a dozen countries around the world.
Manufacturer's Warranty
Lifetime warranty
- 3-bike rack fits vehicles with either a 1.25 or 2-inch trailer hitch
- 16-inch long carry arms individually secure bicycles with Allen's patented tie-down system
- Folding carry arms quickly drop out of the way when rack is not in use
- Rack sets up and installs in less than 5 minutes
- Sturdy steel construction with black powder coat finish; Lifetime warranty
