Tow Hook Bike Rack - my own spin on it

[SOAZ]

Originally Posted by Silver Ignition

I will give credit when credit is due. I essentially used @that_guy 's idea in a slightly more crude fashion.
I don't have access to a fancy machine shop and all that jazz, but I do have a welder. So where he had a one-piece aluminum setup, mine is 3 pieces and made of steel.

So here's what I started with…I purchased two new tow hooks from my parts department

So, did you grind of sand down the end of the tow hook bar to get it inside of the tubing or is it really just welded right to the end of it?

[Silver Ignition]

Originally Posted by SOAZ

So, did you grind of sand down the end of the tow hook bar to get it inside of the tubing or is it really just welded right to the end of it?

It's got about 1.5" of overlap. I welded the circumference of it and drilled two holes on opposite sides to spot weld it also. They're strong.

[SOAZ]

Originally Posted by Silver Ignition

It's got about 1.5" of overlap. I welded the circumference of it and drilled two holes on opposite sides to spot weld it also. They're strong.

Agreed. I am going the same route and just wanted to make sure it was sleeved a bit. (I think it should be for strength and was thinking about a spot weld as well, but my buddy thinks it would be strong enough with just the weld itself holding it on the end with no overlap at all.)
I win.

Nice work and thanks for the idea, can't wait to be able to take my bike around.

[SOAZ]

Originally Posted by Silver Ignition

It's got about 1.5" of overlap. I welded the circumference of it and drilled two holes on opposite sides to spot weld it also. They're strong.

Copied your set up basically. Used an m20 bolt welded into the end. I am going to cut mine down. I went big, but I think in order to leave it attached more often I may make a short version for 1 bike and keep these for 2. We'll see.
Thanks for the idea!

[Silver Ignition]

Originally Posted by SOAZ

Copied your set up basically. Used an m20 bolt welded into the end. I am going to cut mine down. I went big, but I think in order to leave it attached more often I may make a short version for 1 bike and keep these for 2. We'll see.
Thanks for the idea!

AWESOME dude nice work! I actually considered making a second set of tubes, just longer to carry 2 bikes...

[murdoc]

Damn that thing looks like a serial shin killer.

Like the idea of using one of my old roof racks on the car though.

[Fizz]

I only managed to get a 1" galvanized steel tube with 1.6mm wall thickness. Do you think this will be strong enough to hold a dual suspension mtb?
@SOAZ @Silver Ignition

[cycleboy]

Originally Posted by SOAZ

AIR9 with Niner carbon fork? If so, we're MTB twins! Well, mine's blue with a bare carbon fork, but almost the same. I love my Niner! It takes me back to my early days of MTB before suspension existed. Climbs like a goat and descents require more skill.

In other news, it looks like you guys can use these things as spikes to kill zombies when the apocalypse comes.

[SOAZ]

It's actually a SIR9. I'm addicted to steel. I love the flex it has! (Until I break the frame) Niners have the best geometry, I've found nothing that rides like them in a hard tail. :-)

Originally Posted by cycleboy

AIR9 with Niner carbon fork? If so, we're MTB twins! Well, mine's blue with a bare carbon fork, but almost the same. I love my Niner! It takes me back to my early days of MTB before suspension existed. Climbs like a goat and descents require more skill.

In other news, it looks like you guys can use these things as spikes to kill zombies when the apocalypse comes.

Originally Posted by Fizz

I only managed to get a 1" galvanized steel tube with 1.6mm wall thickness. Do you think this will be strong enough to hold a dual suspension mtb?
@SOAZ @Silver Ignition

If it's galvanized "pipe" I would be worried. Tubing is meant to have strength and pipe is only made to carry something within it without leaking. They're made very differently and have varying wall thickness. I would just make sure it is in fact tubing (Cold rolled mild steal at least) and what the wall thickness is before trusting it with your bike.

[cycleboy]

Nice! I considered the SIR before deciding I wanted to go Al/Sc alloy.

I agree steel rides great! Back in the day I rode a Wicked Fat Chance, then a Gecko Genesis (which I still have and will fix up someday).

[Fizz]

Originally Posted by SOAZ

If it's galvanized "pipe" I would be worried. Tubing is meant to have strength and pipe is only made to carry something within it without leaking. They're made very differently and have varying wall thickness. I would just make sure it is in fact tubing (Cold rolled mild steal at least) and what the wall thickness is before trusting it with your bike.

Hmm....do you think the Yakima crossbars will slide over the tow hook shaft? If so that would be ideal, since those bars should be strong enough and comes with a nice thick vinyl coat to help the bike carrier mounts grip better.

[SOAZ]

Originally Posted by Fizz

Hmm....do you think the Yakima crossbars will slide over the tow hook shaft? If so that would be ideal, since those bars should be strong enough and comes with a nice thick vinyl coat to help the bike carrier mounts grip better.

I think they would if you extend the tow hooks. If you take your factory tow hook and screw it into place it doesn't stick out very much. I think the bike would be too close to the car. If you extend it like I did then I think using any type of tray carrier could be made to work with a little messing around.

[Fizz]

Originally Posted by SOAZ

I think they would if you extend the tow hooks. If you take your factory tow hook and screw it into place it doesn't stick out very much. I think the bike would be too close to the car. If you extend it like I did then I think using any type of tray carrier could be made to work with a little messing around.

Yeah that's what I meant, extending the factory towhook like yours, but using the Yakima round crossbars instead of other steel bars. But those yakima bars aren't exactly cheap though...