Bike rack options?

[MikekiM]

Looking to transport my MTB with the Jeep.

The rear bumper doesn’t have a receiver so looks an over the tire rack might work best. Any suggestions?

Giving thought to making one that mounts in place of the Bestop HighRock 4x4 cargo basket. But in the short term looking for something inexpensive to cart the bike short distances.

 

[pbeach]

I've had several bike racks — this is far and away is easily my favorite. Yakima. Quality. Solid. Well built and engineered. There's a plate that mounts to the spare tire carrier — the unit slides onto the box channel steel bar that's connected to the plate. It comes with several bars of different lengths. This is mounted on a 33" spare.

One caveat: new, it's not cheap. That said, you get what you pay for. I luckily found this on OfferUp for a 1/4 of the price. (I've had two lesser racks made by Allen — decent enough but no comparison).

FWIW: the tube top that hangs the bike — had 'em for years — invaluable and well worth the cost.

Here's a comprehensive vid:

 

[MikekiM]

I've had several bike racks — this is far and away is easily my favorite. Yakima. Quality. Solid. Well built and engineered. There's a plate that mounts to the spare tire carrier — the unit slides onto the box channel steel bar that's connected to the plate. It comes with several bars of different lengths. This is mounted on a 33" spare.

One caveat: new, it's not cheap. That said, you get what you pay for. I luckily found this on OfferUp for a 1/4 of the price. (I've had two lesser racks made by Allen — decent enough but no comparison).

FWIW: the tube top that hangs the bike — had 'em for years — invaluable and well worth the cost.

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Thanks.. came across this in my search. Not sure if it would be compatible with my carriers tire mount. I would really like if it could come on and off quickly. Mounting the Bestop cargo basket takes all of five to ten minutes. Hence my thoughts of DIY'ng something compatible.

I have one of the top tubes on my short list.

 

[NashvilleTJ]

@Woodrow & @gasiorv are hardcore bikers, and may have some ideas.



'Course, if Mike does a trail 250 miles from his house, he rides his bike to the trail...

 

[Woodrow]

Thanks.. came across this in my search. Not sure if it would be compatible with my carriers tire mount. I would really like if it could come on and off quickly. Mounting the Bestop cargo basket takes all of five to ten minutes. Hence my thoughts of DIY'ng something compatible.

I have one of the top tubes on my short list.

I'm not going to be much help. I don't have a receiver or a spare on the back of my TJ for clearance reasons. In your case, I like @pbeach 's idea. I use my pickup bed or a One Up hitch rack (which is my favorite rack ever, BTW) for MTB transport. Not mine, just a random pic but this style of rack is awesome. Very secure and only touches the tires so no shuttle rub.

@Woodrow & @gasiorv are hardcore bikers, and may have some ideas.



'Course, if Mike does a trail 250 miles from his house, he rides his bike to the trail...

I would, but I'm afraid of cars so no road biking for me

 

[MikekiM]

The Yakima rack looks like a great option. Not sure about the mount though.

My carrier has a mounting bolt dead center.

I have a little more clearance with the new wheels due to larger center bore but not much.

 

[chili_pepper]

The Yakima rack looks like a great option. Not sure about the mount though.

My carrier has a mounting bolt dead center.

I have a little more clearance with the new wheels due to larger center bore but not much.


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I was going to suggest the Thule 963 Pro but it mounts in a very similar way to the Yakima above.

 

[gasiorv]

Figure out way to use a 1 up. That is the best option. I welded a small piece of square tubing in my rear crossmember (I don't really have a bumper) that is long enough to just attach a 1 up. And welded on a loop to attach the safety Velcro strap. I wouldn't deal with any other type of rack after having a 1 up.

 

[MikekiM]

Figure out way to use a 1 up. That is the best option. I welded a small piece of square tubing in my rear crossmember (I don't really have a bumper) that is long enough to just attach a 1 up. And welded on a loop to attach the safety Velcro strap. I wouldn't deal with any other type of rack after having a 1 up.

Sorry to say.. I have no idea what a 1 up is...
I know the brand OneUp Components. Love the Dropper seat post and the Bash and Chain Guides.. But as far as I know they don't sell a bike rack..

 

[MikekiM]

I've had several bike racks — this is far and away is easily my favorite. Yakima. Quality. Solid. Well built and engineered. There's a plate that mounts to the spare tire carrier — the unit slides onto the box channel steel bar that's connected to the plate. It comes with several bars of different lengths. This is mounted on a 33" spare.

One caveat: new, it's not cheap. That said, you get what you pay for. I luckily found this on OfferUp for a 1/4 of the price. (I've had two lesser racks made by Allen — decent enough but no comparison).

FWIW: the tube top that hangs the bike — had 'em for years — invaluable and well worth the cost.

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Any chance you have or can provide a picture of the plate that mounts to the tire carrier? In the pics on the Yakima website it looks like the mounting post comes out dead center on the tire mounting plate. That won't work for me. It also looks like it's just a 1x1 square tube. If that's the case I might able to weld a 1x1 to the carrier and skip the Yakima mounting plate.

 

[chili_pepper]

If that's the case I might able to weld a 1x1 to the carrier and skip the Yakima mounting plate.

Just thinking you could probably fashion an adapter yourself and use the rest of the purchased rack.

 

[JKP]

Sorry to say.. I have no idea what a 1 up is...
I know the brand OneUp Components. Love the Dropper seat post and the Bash and Chain Guides.. But as far as I know they don't sell a bike rack..

A receiver hitch bike rack company.

 

[MikekiM]

Just thinking you could probably fashion an adapter yourself and use the rest of the purchased rack.

Might have to order one just to have it in hand. Of maybe one of the few local bike shop might have one I can handle.

 

[GoldenGorilla]

I have an OR Fab swingout and mount my bike behind the tire. I use a rockymounts fork mount rack attached through the CB antenna mount built into the rack.

 

[MikekiM]

I have an OR Fab swingout and mount my bike behind the tire. I use a rockymounts fork mount rack attached through the CB antenna mount built into the rack.
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That’s interesting. If go the DIY route using the Bestop cargo basket mount I might be able to do something like that. I have a TrekTop Nx so there’s a bit more room between the rear window and the spare.

Do you remove the inside pedal?

 

[chili_pepper]

Might have to order one just to have it in hand. Of maybe one of the few local bike shop might have one I can handle.

What's the size of that central nut on our tire mount?

 

[GoldenGorilla]

That’s interesting. If go the DIY route using the Bestop cargo basket mount I might be able to do something like that. I have a TrekTop Nx so there’s a bit more room between the rear window and the spare.

Do you remove the inside pedal?

The Yakima style rack above is the easiest way to go, but doesn't work with the particular way the OR Fab rack holds the spare.

When I'm running the hard top I do have to remove the left pedal with this setup, but it's OK with the factory soft top. I usually haul bikes around on one of our other cars. I don't remember exactly why I needed this option, but it's not on the Jeep permanently. If I recall I needed to park in a rough field for a 100 mile MTB race I was doing and the description had me thinking it was too rough for my car. I do like having the option, but I would probably build a way to elevate the tray a bit higher if I wanted to use this all the time.

I know this doesn't apply to the OP, but if you've got a hitch (even one in the bumper), a North Shore style rack is a good option for mountain bikes, but they don't work for road bike forks. Probably a bit bouncy on a longer hitch extension to get around the spare, but doable.
https://northshoreracks.com/?v=7516fd43adaa

Kuat is the gold standard for hitch tray style bike racks. They're just much better made than any other I've seen and compatible with all types of frames and again, would probably be a little bouncy on a hitch extension to clear the spare, but not terrible.

 

[MikekiM]

What's the size of that central nut on our tire mount?

Technically, the washer and nut aren’t needed. The carrier mounting plate is threaded. I put the nyloc nut on there as an extra precaution. There is a 1/2 x 20 8” grade eight bolt coming from behind the carrier mounting plate used to pull the mount in tight against the carrier arms.

Unfortunately the bolt isn’t fully threaded or I could ditch the washer, reverse the bolt and use the nyloc on the back side which might leave a enough room to weld the racks tongue directly to the mounting plate just below the carrier bolt.

 

[MikekiM]

I've had several bike racks — this is far and away is easily my favorite. Yakima. Quality. Solid. Well built and engineered. There's a plate that mounts to the spare tire carrier — the unit slides onto the box channel steel bar that's connected to the plate. It comes with several bars of different lengths. This is mounted on a 33" spare.

One caveat: new, it's not cheap. That said, you get what you pay for. I luckily found this on OfferUp for a 1/4 of the price. (I've had two lesser racks made by Allen — decent enough but no comparison).

FWIW: the tube top that hangs the bike — had 'em for years — invaluable and well worth the cost.

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Do you happen to still have all of the tongues? I am curious what size stock they are and whether they are hollow.

 

[chili_pepper]

Technically, the washer and nut aren’t needed. The carrier mounting plate is threaded. I put the nyloc nut on there as an extra precaution. There is a 1/2 x 20 8” grade eight bolt coming from behind the carrier mounting plate used to pull the mount in tight against the carrier arms.

Unfortunately the bolt isn’t fully threaded or I could ditch the washer, reverse the bolt and use the nyloc on the back side which might leave a enough room to weld the racks tongue directly to the mounting plate just below the carrier bolt.

Assuming you could clock it correctly, you could get a length of 1" square tube* (length determined by mounting flange in chosen kit), drill and tap a 1" square cap plate to match the 1/2 x 20 bolt, then weld the cap to the tube. The tube will then thread on the bolt (again, needs to be clocked).....this would replace the mounting flange in either the Yakima or Thule rack kits, providing a square stock stub for the rack. I suspect a drilled and tapped plate would be need to receiver the rack lock and tightening knob as well. I can sketch it up if that doesn't translate...

* 1" is the size of the tube for my Thule, I'm assuming it's the same for the Yakima but can be adjusted to suit chosen rack.