Today, on our 2013 Ford Escape, we'll be test-fitting the Softride Dura Parallelogram Tilting Four-Bike Rack for inch-and-a-quarter and two-inch hitches, part number sr26247. With our two-inch shank already installed on the bike rack, we'll slide the bike rack shank into the hitch, line up the hitch pin hole, and install and tighten down the anti-rattle bolt. With the bolt tight, our bike rack is secured to the vehicle. We'll now go ahead and give you a few measurements. Our ground clearance here at the bike rack measures 11 and a quarter inches. From the closest point of the bike rack to the back of the vehicle, here at the mast, measures four and three quarters inches.
We'll now load our bike. We'll undo the straps to expose our cradles, place the bike into the cradles and bring the straps around, securing the bike to the bike rack. Now, a great feature of the Dura Parallelogram is its ability to tilt down, keeping the bikes parallel with the ground, and allow access to the cargo area. We'll pull the pin here on the side of the mast which will allow us to bring the bike rack down. You'll notice that the arms stay parallel and the bike stays in its position.
We'll open the cargo door, gain access to our cargo area, close the door, and bring the arm back up. That's it for our test-fit of the Softride Dura Parallelogram Tilting Four Bike Rack, part number sr26247, on our 2013 Ford Escape.