Swing away bike racks....do they work?

[markcm2]

I've got some parts to start my swing away cargo box/bike rack project.

Starting with the swing away receiver:

and I just received this 18"x18"x60" locking rear sealed door aluminum box:

[guggenheim]

Yakima Swing Daddy that I found on Craigslist for $100.

The inner bike is pushed as close in on the rack as possible, for weight balance and less stress on rack bars, and the bike easily clears the EVC to open the tailgate.

This is classified as a 4 bike carrier and I don't think I'll ever need to carry 4 bikes. It would definitely be a PITA to try and Tetris 4 bikes onto this thing.

[Needlenoddlenoo]

We bought a rakattach and mounted our north shore6 bike rack ,it works , I kinda had to mess with it all a little and I'm still kinda worried that when it's open full of bikes, ( 5 mountain bikes) , that it tilts so I was thinking of welding a scissor jack to the outer most point to take the weight ( am I over thinking this??) the rear door clears when it's full of bikes and it is very stout.

_________________
Not all who wander are lost

The Tortuga (99 Eurovan)
Elsie (87 vanagon ) sold
Luna -RIP.
Sunny the boxer
Leland,Sawyer,,Gallagher
Wife and I

[IdeaNerd]

[saintjobe]

I also use the Yakima SwingDaddy. I carry four bikes and it works pefectly.

[IdeaNerd]

Bump..
Anyone else with stronger struts on the rear liftgate who can speak to this question below?

Also, any other non-swingaway bike racks I should be considering?

[streamr]

I too, would like to know about the stronger struts. Mine are OK, but definitely getting tired. Here is a thread I started a few years ago. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=651384

I just checked BusDepot, they seem to have the best price. Not sure about availability.

After a few years of ownership, I'm very happy with the rack. It has held up well with no problems.

Good luck.
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'03 MV

[wildenbeast]

When I first put the 1200N hatch struts on my van, it was a little tough to close the hatch. I was used to the hatch falling on me with my old struts. With the new ones, I needed both hands to close it. Now that I've used them a few years, the struts seem to have broken in and don't require as much force to close the hatch. I know that GoWesty carries the Fiamma racks, but they are a drop-ship item so you may save yourself some time and shipping costs by purchasing them overseas. I bought the upgraded struts from here (and they also have the Fiamma racks as well): https://www.everythingfiamma.co.uk/Listing/search?...irection=0

I hope this helps.

[IdeaNerd]

Thanks @wildenbeast -- that's exactly what I was looking for, information-wise.

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@ALL: The other rack I'm looking at fairly seriously is this one (partly because it's black):
http://www.telusplanet.net/public/gary2a/EV/ev.htm

I've not seen anyone reference it here. Anybody here tried it?

[reflex.silver]

Based on some recommendations in this thread and also in an EV Facebook group, I picked up the older version of the Yakima SwingDaddy off Craigslist for $90. ($409 at REI / Amazon. Pricey$$$)
Seems like a really great rack. Holds 4 bikes (tight fit) and completely swings to the side and allows trunk access while bikes are still mounted. The rack flips down to compact, as well, when it’s is not loaded. Plus, there’s a built-in cable bike lock (that takes the same key as the locking hitch bolt.) Bonus integrated bottle opener ta boot...

[Abscate]

I love buying these accessories at 1/5 of what people pay for them new

I funded a whole car once pulling roof racks off Junkers for $10'and selling them off with the hardware all present and accounted for. In bulk, the hardware added another $25 of margin. I had an insider in the junkyard text me when models came in that I wanted and greased him with profits. One week I moved 13 of them on three hours of labor.

Nice Ginger accessory. I see she's a climber, too. Mrrrrp.
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.ssS!

[wildenbeast]

Here's a few photos showing the Fiamma rack with the 1200N hatch struts holding up my bikes. This allows us to use the rear hatch without tripping over our bikes. I tried finding some better pictures but these seem to be the best ones I've got.

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- Bill, '93 Eurovan Syncro Weekender (2.5 manual ACU)

[lucksp]

@wildenbeast - is this in a Colorado campground? Always looking for good spots.



Great racks all...I am likely going to try the 1/4 => 2" hitch adapter for a short term solution. Has anyone tried these adapters out? Does it make everything loosey-goosey?

[kourt]

Just updating this thread.

I just completed the 2003 RAGBRAI bike ride (it's a bike ride across Iowa).

My van was used as a sag wagon for me, and driven by another Eurovan friend (link to Samba thread about that trip).

We used his old Thule swing away rack, which worked spectacularly well.

I liked it so much, I bought a new one for myself--the Thule Apex XT Swing.

It has a no-tool hitch mount design with lock, and a separate cable lock for the bikes. These are not cheap, but they are high on design intent and thoughtfulness.

It accommodates four bikes and swings open, locking in place, still allowing both the tailgate and slider to move freely without hitting the rack or the bikes.

You may not consider the necessity of a swing away rack like this until you spend a week on the road and want easy access to your tailgate for cargo or night ventilation, while still keeping your bikes on the rack. The swing-away option really made the whole system work.

kourt

[mikemtnbike]

If I was getting a swingaway (I am happy with the fiamma) I would 100% get this:

https://rockymounts.com/backstage/

It is the only model on the market (that I am aware of) that allows the rack to swing to the driver's side. The idea of a rack swinging passenger side (in to my camping area) every time I open the hatch- thanks, but no thanks.
_________________
1991 Vanagon GL 2.1 AT Westfauxlia. "Frankie" Totaled https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=764510&highlight=carnage
1995 Eurovan Camper "Marzivan"
2020 GTI SE manual

[kourt]

I think it's good to have the driver side option.

I am certain that swinging to the passenger side is motivated by the fact that drivers will be presented with parking situations where the curb is on the passenger side, and traffic is on the driver side, and swinging the bikes into traffic is contraindicated in that situation.

From my own experience, I wanted the bikes on the passenger/camp side of the van 100% of the time. It was always shadier, more accessible, away from traffic, more private, and more secure for the bikes. I could sit in the shade and check my tires and do other maintenance that would not have been safe on the driver side. I could sleep with the tailgate open, with the bikes swung to the safety of the passenger side, instead of in the street and at risk of damage from passing cars.

...and if by some twist of fate the swing away lock fails and it opens while driving? You've got bikes swinging to the shoulder, as opposed to swinging into the fast lane or, worse still, oncoming traffic. That is a very marginal circumstance, but all these things play into the passenger side design bias for swing away racks.

kourt