Travelr
Lake Tahoe, Nevada
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Joined: 10/24/2006
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I use a double receiver from Cabala's. Keeps the tow gear for the toad at the same height. Then I have a Thule conventional 4-bike rack which tilts. (we have a DP so I need access to the engine compartment and did not want to remove the entire package to get the bonnet open in the rear) The bottom receiver added about 8" to the length, straight out, and 4" in the top height receiver. CW has a double receiver too but it drops the bottom which I did not want to do. The Thule rack we have has fold down dual arms so if I don't want to run into the arms in the RV park, I fold them down. Comes from banging my head on the old rack.
Ken Cash
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Ryles
Woodstock, GA
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Joined: 11/03/2006
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We have a 32' Itasca with 500/5000 pound hitch. We tow a 3600 pound car on a tow dolly with electric brakes. Tounge weight from the tow dolly is around 150-200 pounds. This setup has not been an issue for us.
We use the following to tow 5 bikes on a Yakima rack. Bikes probably weigh around 100 pounds combined, maybe a little more.
The top slot was right above the tounge latch on the tow dolly so I couldn't actually secure the dolly with the bike rack on so I had an extension welded in to make the top slot 2 inches above the spot where it was when we bought it. Works great.
hHitch Adapter
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msmith1199
Central, CA
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Joined: 10/07/2001
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cybrfalcon wrote:I appreciate all the responses so far! Some of them are quite original and maybe useful to many. Here are my thoughts on the responses so far:
6. Folding bikes. This is a possibility although the Focus doesn't have gobs of trunk space (and again, no huge basement compartments).
Great suggestions! Any other ideas?
The folding bikes fold up very nicely and you can get a nice carry bag for them. You should have enough room in the backseat of your Focus to carry two bikes. Or one in the trunk and one in the back seat. Remember, nobody is riding in the toad anyway so there's room for storage. I do have room for bikes and I could have easily put a bike rack on the back of my Dodge Dakota, but I opted for the folding bikes anyway just because I got tired of messing with the bike racks. Now I fold the bikes up, put them in their bags, and stick them in the basement. If I wanted to I could even keep them inside the motorhome someplace.
2004 National Tropi-Cal T-350, Class A, Triple slide, 330 HP Cat DP.
2006 Dodge Dakota 4x4 or
2002 Harley FLSTF Fat Boy on a Trailer or
2004 Polaris Quad on the Trailer
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cybrfalcon
Monroe, Oh
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Joined: 09/02/2003
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Thanks to all that offered suggestions. I think I've decided on folding bikes as the solution to my problem because 1)I'm not sure there will be clearance for a receiver and bike rack once the Focus is loaded on the dolly (low profile tires). I will either carry both of them in the trunk or one in the trunk and the other in the back seat of the Focus (I plan to purchase storage bags for them), 2)Can't find a front mounted receiver for an the F53 chassis and 3)Previous owner added a 6" PVC pipe to rear bumper which would require me to either remove the pipe and leaves holes in my bumper or purchase a very long hitch extension so that a bike rack mounted there would clear the pipe.
Thanks again to everyone, I valued all responses!
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Spikester
Belfair WA
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Joined: 04/05/2008
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Years ago I bought a product called Hike-a-Bike, it was advertised in the market place section of the FMCA magazine. It simply has a 2" ID sleeve made of square tubing that slides over your 2" ball mount that is fitted into your receiver, it is held in place by a 3/4" bolt. The sleeve has a 2" curved piece of pipe welded to it about 36" long. Attached to the top of the pipe is a rack assembly that will hold 2 bikes, or can be adabpted to hold 4 sets of skis. I have carried 2 full sized bikes on this assembly when towing 4 wheels down, towing with my tow dolly, or towing my 18.5' boat with no problems. I use a 10" ball mount. Been doing this for the past 20 years, really a handy set-up. Company has been out of business for years, never seen anything like it since, but was/is a pretty slick product. Metal fabrication shop, or individual could probably make one fairly easy, not much to it, tubing cutter, welder, and pipe bender is about the extend of tools required. I would be happy to take some digital photos for anyone that is interested, contact me via private post.
Spike
08 Newmar Ventana 3330
350HP ISBXT
Spartan NVS Chassis
Mini Cooper Toad
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Travelr
Lake Tahoe, Nevada
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Joined: 10/24/2006
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Spikester.... Go to Hollywood Bike Racks. They make what you describe calling it a 'Tow-n-Go' bike rack.
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tropical36
Southwest Florida_USA
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Joined: 07/11/2004
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I'd probably install a hitch receiver on the front of the coach under the front bumper and then slide in a hitch haul II with the bike accessory. Check this out at Hitch Accessories
"We are often so caught up in our destination that we forget to appreciate the journey."
1998 36ft. National Tropi-Cal Model 6350, with a tag axle and one slide, on a 1997 P32 Chevy chassis....7.4 Vortec Engine
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tylerlindsey
Atlanta
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Joined: 07/31/2006
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Take a look here. We use a simlar product from Blue Ox. Nice thing is the bikes mount to the Motorcoach trailer hitch but still allows one to connect a dolly, or in my case, a tow bar...
https://www.rvpartsdealer.com/p-72427-4-bike-2-receiver-w-rise-drop-bar.aspx
Tyler
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YooperRon
Chassell, MI
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Joined: 01/01/2009
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I u-bolted a piece of 2 1/2 inch tubing with 3/16 wall, to the tongue of my tow dolly. Drill a hole in the tubing for a hitch pin and instert your bike carrier into that. My bikes are then mounted on that about 1 foot in front of the grill of the car. You have to check clearances for turning. It works great. I don't have any pictures right now, but I could get some tonight and post them if you want.
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golfingflyfisherman
Denver, CO
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Joined: 10/23/2006
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This should do the trick. I've been using this for years.
http://www.heininger.biz/sportsrack_v-rack.php
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