Recommended Hitch Mounted Bike Rack With Tilt Away Capability

Published 11/23/2016

Question:

I purchased one of your original style hitch rack back about 1992. It has the mount that is held on over the ball, by a nut and does not fold down. Is there any way of making that a fold down style. The reason I ask is that I am a disabled vet who has lost 3 fingers on his left hand and is losing strength in both hands due injury in the Navy and a set of pinched nerves and a degenerative nerve disease in my neckC6,C7. So it is getting more difficult to take my bikes off each time I need to the back of my car. I have not been able to take my bikes with us, recently. I would like to once again. Thanks

asked by: Jerry F

Expert Reply:

First of all, thank you for your service. I have some options for you, but unfortunately the racks that fit over the ball are not able to be folded or tilted and there is not a way to retrofit any kind of tilting kit to them.

If you don't need a rack that will allow you to tow a trailer and carry your bikes at the same time, there are many other options for tilting bike racks that fit within a 1-1/4 or 2 inch receiver. I recommend the Swagman Chinook 2-Bike Platform Rack, # S64683, for your application. This platform style bike rack allow you to secure your bikes at the wheels and has an easy to operate padded hook that connects to your bike frame to lock it in place. The rack has a tilt function even with bikes loaded that gives you access to you cargo area, and it is folded up to the vehicle when not in use. This rack also has an anti-rattle threaded hitch pin to take noise and movement out of your hitch.

If you want to consider other options, I have linked a page for you that shows all our hitch mounted tilting bike racks. I do want to note that most of the hanging style bike racks cannot be tilted with the bikes attached, they would have to be removed first to utilize that function. The only hanging style racks that can be tilted or moved without unloading the bikes are the swing-away bike racks and the softride bike racks.

expert reply by: Jason S