Tow Hook Bike Rack - my own spin on it
 

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
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...ps1bbfee37.jpghttp://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...ps2df0eed4.jpg

I then hacked off the loops, and cut down two 17" steel tubes (.250 wall 1")http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...psd998bc0f.jpg

Then I stuck an orange slice in my mouth and got to welding. Welded the steel tube onto the very end of the tow hook (I'd liked to had sleeved it further but in order for them to stay tight, the tapered portion of the tow hook would have to seat)http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...psca6f76eb.jpg

I was left with some open tubing on the end and I wasn't sure what I wanted to do there. I contemplated some rubber caps just to cover the open ends, or maybe welding some round plate onto it to seal it. I ended up using the loops I cut off the tow hooks just to "finish" it off…
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...ps58d22d45.jpg
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...psbfed7fc7.jpg

…and as an added bonus I can use the loops to make sure the bars are tightened down to TAF specifications
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...psa5c8f972.jpg

test fit
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...ps31e52b45.jpg

and yes, they're strong…I'm about 150lbs, my bike is 22lbs
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...ps742dffa7.jpg

Finished product after a coat of Rustoleum Hammered Black
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...ps060d169e.jpg

Installed with the Thule Big Mouth
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...psa3440c51.jpg

aaaaaaand with my new 2014 Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc 29er
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...psa7ca385c.jpg

This image made me cringe.

Overall, great DIY solution.

I'm still unclear how a bike will sit on those poles

Thanks! Why would it make you cringe? They're beefy!


Exactly like this:http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...ps41c71dd0.jpg

That's actually pretty amazing

You can literally lift the entire car from those tow points. I think they're strong enough to support 75 lbs each.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...psa7ca385c.jpg


updated first post with new pics

This is awesome -- Ima gonna try this myself ~ thanks!!

That's brilliant! I have a trailer hitch on my mustang solely for the purpose of holding a bike rack. When I replace the mustang with an FR-S, I'm going to do something like this.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

Thanks for posting! I have the same Thule big mouth and I was wondering if it would fit.

SELL IT!

All these stories about people getting banned for selling without paying vendor fees...gotta say I'm kinda scared to start

very smooth LOL..


goodluck!

Not bad, looks way better than this...

http://ekhatch.files.wordpress.com/2...0025copy-3.jpg

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.

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. :cheers:

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

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!


http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...44437_HDR1.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...27371_HDR1.jpg

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...1935520091.jpg

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...1936016771.jpg

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

Damn that thing looks like a serial shin killer.

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

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

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.

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. :-)

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. :thumbsup:

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).

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.

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...