Can the Bolt Holding the Arms of the Thule Parkway 4 Bike Rack be Replaced with a Pin

Updated 03/05/2014 | Published 03/02/2014

Question:

Hi there, Ive just recently bought this bike rack and put it together and realized that the top arm does not fold down. It does have a pin to tilt the rack for rear access. In order for the bike rack to fit on my truck and in my garage it needs to tilt down. Im wondering if I buy a replacement Thule pin and replace the bolt with a second pin that would make it able to fold down and get in my tight garage. Would that pin still be as durable as the bolt? We will be using the rack with 4 bikes on it. Thanks in advance for your assistance... really appreciate your help.

asked by: Roxane

Expert Reply:

I spoke with my contact at Thule and she said it is not recommended to replace the bolts holding the arms up with a pin. The bolt keeps the arms rigid which provides the strength to hold the weight of bikes. Replacing the bolt with a pin will allow for additional movement that could lead to additional problems.

She also said that if the bolt were replaced with a pin and any damage were to occur, the warranty would be void.

The best option for your situation would be to change bike racks to something similar like the Thule Hitching Post Pro, # TH934XTR, or remove the bike rack each time you park in the garage.

expert reply by: John H