Hitch-Mount 2-Bike Rack for Use With StowAway Swinging Hitch-Mount Cargo Carrier on 2004 Ford Van

Question:

I HAVE A STORAGEAWAY 2 WITH A SWING OUT ARM ON THE BIN..WHAT I WANT TO DO OR TRY TO DO IS PUT 2 BIKES BETWEEN THE VAN BACK DOOR AND THE BIN.. I KNOW I HAVE TO MAKE THE SPACE WIDER..HOW DO I DO THIS AND NEXT WHAT BIKE RACK WOULD WORK THE BEST..IF NOT THE ONLY OTHER THING I COULD DO IS FIND A WAY TO HOOK IT TO THE FRONT OF THE BIN UNDERNEATH IN TO THE SWING OUT ARM SOME HOW..WITH THE BIKE MOUNT ON THE BACK THE LICENSE PLATE MIGHT BE BLOCK BY THE WHEELS?? AND WHERE ARE U LOCATION AT WHAT STATE AND DO U DO SOME WORK THERE AS WELL??THANKS FOR ANY HELP

asked by: STEPHEN P

Expert Reply:

Your StowAway Cargo bin with Swingaway frame is intended to be used only in its locked storage position (right up next to the vehicle) when it is loaded and you are on the road. It cannot be used without being locked in this position. According to my contact at Stowaway the swinging arm mechanism and your trailer hitch receiver could easily be damaged by such use.

Given this there is no way you could fit a bike rack and two bikes between it and the rear of your Ford van.
A safer option is to install a roof rack on your Ford van, and then use roof-rack-mount bike carriers.

We offer the Yakima rack system for your Ford van that consists of parts # Y00410 and # Y00101. With this roof rack system in place you can install your choice of roof-mount bike carrier. The link provided will
let you see all compatible roof-mount bike carriers that will work with the round crossbars in the Yakima system. You have a choice of fork-mount, frame-mount and wheel-mount type bike racks. I also linked an article that may be helpful to you as you consider your preferences.

A useful accessory for your circumstances is a tire step. Tire Step # HE4040 will make loading and unloading your bikes much easier. This simple device slips over a rear tire to provide better access to the items on your van roof and folds up for easy storage.