E-Bike rack and hitch possible on my car?

[jolo100]

Don't know what you meant by "And the maximum"
The 1.25" Hitch is rated for max 200Lb of load
The 1.25" to 2" Adapter shown above in post #10 is rated for 350Lb
Bike racks are usually around 25Lb (1 up) to 50Lb (yakima, thule 2...)
This means you can carry a bike load of up to 200 - 50 = 150Lb
A single E-bike will be way below that, so you have no problems on load capacity, even with the adapter.

If you are getting an installer to install the adapter and rack, and if you chose a 2" rack that requires installing the adapter, just ask them to secure the adapter to the Hitch permanently and tightly with a bolt and lock nut.
When you get the car, with the rack off the hitch, check that when shaking the adapter it does not wobble inside the Hitch.

Great reply, thank you.

 

[jolo100]

Jolo100, I ran into the same problem as you in trying to find a hitch and rack that would be secure for my Toyota Yaris, 1-1/4” / Class 1. I finally gave up because I really didn’t have many options on racks that I liked and didn’t have a lot of wobble. So instead, I will be focusing on getting folding bikes, with one fitting on the back seat and the other one in the trunk.

Thank you for your comment. My e-bike dreams are starting to fade.
I'm concerned about the wobble also.

 

[scrambler]

Don't overthink it, go for it
You never said what was the weight of your e-bike, and if it has a removable battery, in which case you need to check the weight of the bike without the battery as you can remove it for transport

 

[jolo100]

Don't overthink it, go for it
You never said what was the weight of your e-bike, and if it has a removable battery, in which case you need to check the weight of the bike without the battery as you can remove it for transport

The E-bike that I liked and tried is 62 pounds and the battery is removable.
A Ride1UP 700 that is sold retail in a store here.
I had a lot of fun trying it, seemed to fit me well.
I would need a way to drive it home after I bought it.

 

[jolo100]

I just got a estimate from a Denver company that specializes in racks and hitches called Pretty b pricey, but .......

1 x Class 1 Trailer Hitch, 1-1/4" Receiver, Select Honda Accord, Acura TL $198.31
1 x Yakima OnRamp 1.25 Inch Bike Rack
$649.00
1 x Hitch Install $550.00
Sales Tax $74.65
Total $1,471.96

 

[scrambler]

The rack and install seem high.
Did you choose the rack, or is that all they offer?

 

[jolo100]

That was their selection. I found it high as well..
This place is the only one that I know has any variety of e-bike racks. The others places are "hitch" places and might only carry the Thule EasyFold XT 2-Bike Hitch Rack. The e-bike stores here usually have only that rack.
The think is that the rack is for 2" and 1 1/4"

And yes, I overthink everything, but this one is a hard one because of my car.

 

[harryS]

I ran your car thru a U-haul site. The hitch is $169 and install brings the total price to $271 with tax. No one says you have to buy the hitch and rack at the same place, although the first open dates in CO seem to be around 9/24. U-Haul carries Saris platform racks, which have good rep's.

Nonetheless, it's still a class 1 hitch. 100-150 pounds tongue weight, But one bike will be fine.

I've owned four hitches in my life. First two, I was fit enough to crawl under a car, bench press 50 pounds, and use fishing line to pull bolts thru a frame, etc., and install myself. After I passed age 50, I started paying UHaul.

 

[jolo100]

I ran your car thru a U-haul site. The hitch is $169 and install brings the total price to $271 with tax. No one says you have to buy the hitch and rack at the same place, although the first open dates in CO seem to be around 9/24. U-Haul carries Saris platform racks, which have good rep's.

Nonetheless, it's still a class 1 hitch. 100-150 pounds tongue weight, But one bike will be fine.

I've owned four hitches in my life. First two, I was fit enough to crawl under a car, bench press 50 pounds, and use fishing line to pull bolts thru a frame, etc., and install myself. After I passed age 50, I started paying UHaul.

Thank you so much. Very thoughtful to look that up.
I agree with you about getting the hitch seperate.
You really made me laugh about the reason to pay U-Haul. I'll be hitting 70 next week.

 

[BlackHand]

Most racks seem to be $50-100 more than they were last year. Pandemic pricing

That install does seem high, unless the hitch they were quoting requires pulling the bumper or dropping the exhaust.

Couple things to think about: will you remove the rack or leave it on all the time? If you plan to remove it how easy is it and how hard would it be for you to mount it.

How will you get the bike on the rack? The pricey racks like the 2 you've mentioned have ramps to help make loading easier.

We ended up with the Thule EasyFold: stupid expensive for a rack. But it was available quickly, folds nicely, has a plate holder, has wheels, has a ramp, and my wife can put it on by herself.

 

[m@Robertson]

• No real security solution if bike stays on rack unattended

I use a 1/2" cable lock on this rack if I want to go inside at the gas station mini mart or something. Ordinarily I won't use a cable lock because they are easy to defeat but it will do nicely for a short absence from the car to buy a burrito.
I do indeed only use it occasionally. Its a 5-minute job to ratchet a bike down with three straps. On the plus side it also has a 6 ft ramp so easy to load.

The tongue weight capacity for 1 1/4" receivers is 100 to 200 pounds

The factory hitch has a rated tongue weight of 275 280 lbs. Strictly speaking its a Class II due to the vehicle's tow capacity (3500 lbs) even though it is a 1.25" hitch mount. I wouldn't use it for anywhere near that, but those are the manufacturer's (Mercedes-Benz) specs.

If we buy into the tongue weight reduction of 50%, then
275 / 2 = 137.5 lbs.
137.5 - 33 lb rack = 104.5 lbs

I can carry a 104 lb bike over and above the weight of the motorcycle rack. Which is plenty and thats after halving my tongue weight allowance. Considering I always remove the battery (which at 52v/21ah or larger is substantial) I am well below 104 lbs no matter what bike I am hauling.

UPDATE: I went and actually read my manual rather than believing an online resource. Tongue weight is 280 lbs. So... 280/2=140-33=107 lb bike. No problem.

 

[m@Robertson]

Thank you for your comment. My e-bike dreams are starting to fade.
I'm concerned about the wobble also.

Don't be. Everyone who uses a rack mounted to a hitch should also be using a hitch tightener. Bolt that sucker on and it clamps the rack and the hitch together so there is no wobble. I can't imagine why you wouldn't use one on this type of connection unless you are unfamiliar with them and just didn't know to use one.

 

[Rickman1]

My dealer wouldn’t install a 2” receiver hitch on Mazda CX5 as the manufactuer only offers a 1 1/4”. I went to an auto accessory company and had them install a Curt 2” receiver. I won’t be exceeding the weight limit even with two ebikes on the rack. I’m using a Hollywood rack for Two ebikes. They specifically state to not use a 1 1/4” adapter as it won’t handle the stress placed on it. I think the dealer doesn’t want to take a chance with someone trying to tow a large travel trailer or yacht.

 

[pawtoki]

Here is my hitch adapter. Its REALLY sturdy and is much, much shorter than an adapter that does not have a riser. It is rated for a tongue weight of 350 lbs so no issue there. Notice I also used a hitch tightener. I use another one on the other connection to the rack. Rattle free on the highway and well up off the ground.

https://amzn.to/3h5lMAJ

View attachment 98905

The rack is still $173 at Summit Racing. Everywhere else it has increased to about $350. Motorcycle rack rated to 400 lbs. Totally different world than ebike racks costing hundreds more that you still are barely within spec on for weight limits.

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