What Bike Rack do You Recommend that Lets Me Open My Rear Hatch on My 2010 Toyota RAV4?

Updated 04/01/2022 | Published 03/18/2022

Products Featured in This Question

RockyMounts BackStage Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Wheel Mount

(152)

$899.99

etrailer Trailer Hitch Receiver - Custom Fit - Matte Black Finish - Class III - 2"

(1495)

$162.03

Kuat Pivot 2 Swing Away Hitch Extender for Bike Racks - 2" Hitches - Driver's Side

(234)

$498.00

Question:

What about this one? SportRack Ridge Swing 4 Bike Rack - 2" Hitches People say that they can open the door of a RAV4 when they swing it to the passenger side. But I didn’t see any pictures with bikes on it.

asked by: Richard S

Expert Reply:

I have a great solution for you. When determining if you have enough clearance when using a hitch-mounted bike rack with your 2010 Toyota RAV4 with a swinging trunk toward the passenger's side of the vehicle, there are a few factors to consider. The first is the overall length of the hatch door itself. Another thing is the length of your handlebars of your bikes. Even if we determine those dimensions, it still does not give us a 100% firm solution as to what rack will allow you to access your hatch.

However, for a definite solution, I recommend the Kuat Pivot 2 Swing Away Hitch Extender for Bike Racks - 2" Hitches - Driver's Side # PVD20B. This is the only swinging hitch adapter we carry that swings to the driver's side of the vehicle. With this factor, you can rest assured that you can fully open your rear hatch all the way to the maximum on your RAV4. Another great factor about the Pivot 2 is that it allows you to swing a bike rack away from your vehicle at an angle of 90 degrees and 120 degrees. All of our other adapters only have the single 90 degree swinging point. The adapter also gives you an additional 8-7/8 inches of length to clear your spare tire. However, it is important to note that using this adapter reduces the overall weight capacity of your hitch by 50%.

For the rack itself, I recommend the RockyMounts BackStage Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 2" Hitches # RKY10002. With the wheel-mount design, you do not have to worry about any bike frame adapters that are required when using certain bike styles with frame-mounted hitch racks. It has a 60 pound per-bike capacity and fits bikes up to 5 inches wide. It also has the tilting feature that allows you the ease of loading/unloading your bikes with the rack lower to the ground.

If you need a compatible 2-inch hitch receiver to use these components, I recommend the etrailer - 2" # e98864. The etrailer hitch comes with a super easy installation that only takes 50 minutes to complete. It also comes with a high tongue weight and gross towing weight rating for your vehicle. This factor is important when using the Kuat Pivot 2 because you need to have enough capacity for the BackStage and your bikes with the 50% reduction. With the Pivot 2, you will have a maximum tongue weight 337.5 and a gross towing capacity of 2,250 pounds. As with all hitch receivers, I recommend confirming with your Toyota owner's manual that your vehicle can handle the combined weight of the components you wish to transport.

expert reply by: Bob C

Richard S.

1/1/0001

Bob C.

4/1/2022

Yes, the SportRack Ridge - 2" # SR2415 is another great swinging choice. You will be able to swing the rack with bikes loaded. However, it is important to note that the Ridge only swings to 90 degrees to the passenger's side of the vehicle. This is not the same swinging capability as the 120 degrees of the # PVD20B. Also, it is possible that there may be some interference with the Ridge since it swings open in the same direction as your trunk. In order to confirm if the Ridge works, you can definitively check by checking the angle that your hatch opens. If that angle does not exceed 90 degrees, you should not have a problem. Even though we do not have the Ridge demonstrated on video with a 2010 RAV4, we do have the rack in a demo video installed on a 2015 Jeep Wrangler with a spare tire. This vehicle has a swinging trunk just like your vehicle. I went ahead and attached that video to this answer.