| Author |
Message |
IrideWheelies
Samba Member
Joined: July 09, 2009
Posts: 386
Location: Olympia, WA
|
 Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2010 2:34 pm Post subject: feedback requested on GoWesty double swingaway tire carrier |
 |
|
I've been sitting on a very nice Nissan Pathfinder tire carrier for about a year now. I just can't bring myself to drill the holes(like this http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=343917&highlight=pathfinder). It's not that my van is so nice that I'm afraid to drill holes - I'm just not sure if I'll be able to reinforce it enough to hold all I want to carry and I'll destroy the sheet metal.
I seriously thinking about getting the Go Westy double swing away but I have a few questions and would like to hear some feedback from the Samba before I do. http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=4251
If you have one, can you please share your thoughts about it?
If you tow with it or use a bike rack with it I'd like to know how it works out. My van almost always has a Thule T2 4 bike rack attached to it and it already sticks out pretty far.
There are so many good choices in tire carriers now thanks to Rocky Mtn Westy, Gary Lee, Go Westy and everyone else. I just want to get the right one.
_________________
89' Dove Blue Syncro Hightop |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Alaric.H
Samba Member
Joined: March 28, 2009
Posts: 2529
Location: Sandy Springs GA
|
| Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2010 3:07 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Are you writing about the brand new one that just come out?. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
buildyourown
Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2009
Posts: 1668
Location: Seattle
|
| Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2010 3:12 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I have the GW bumpers and have used my T2 rack on it a lot. They are very strong. The receiver is boxed into the bumper and the frame attachment spars. Very stiff, even with the huge cantilevered forces of a bike rack with DH bikes.
I built my own rack attachment as adding swingouts was an issue. You couldn't swing them out without removing the rack which meant the back of the van was pretty much unusable. I built my bike rack into swingout, which has turned out great.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
IrideWheelies
Samba Member
Joined: July 09, 2009
Posts: 386
Location: Olympia, WA
|
| Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2010 4:11 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I should have mentioned that I already have the Go Westy plate steel bumpers with the integrated hitch installed on my syncro.
Alaric, I'm asking for feed back on this carrier http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=4251
(Please excuse the iPhone screen shot. It's the only quick way I could think of to get the image from the GW website.)
Specifically if anyone has used it with a bike rack or towed a trailer with it.
buildyourown, I checked out your swingout bike holder, it's really great. I'm pretty happy with my Thule T2 but I was hoping someone has direct experience with using a 4 bike rack like a T2 with the Go Westy swing out carrier.
_________________
89' Dove Blue Syncro Hightop |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
fredn
Samba Member
Joined: May 27, 2010
Posts: 332
Location: Vancouver
|
| Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2010 4:14 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Alaric.H wrote: |
| Are you writing about the brand new one that just come out?. |
The ones that just came out are by Rock Mountain Westy not GW.
They look awesome but if you already have GW bumpers I don't know if their stuff will fit. Maybe someone else can chime in on that. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Rocky Mountain Westy
Samba Member
Joined: April 17, 2008
Posts: 1038
Location: Fort Collins Colorado
|
| Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2010 4:24 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| fredn wrote: |
| Alaric.H wrote: |
| Are you writing about the brand new one that just come out?. |
The ones that just came out are by Rock Mountain Westy not GW.
They look awesome but if you already have GW bumpers I don't know if their stuff will fit. Maybe someone else can chime in on that. |
I have a customer that uses the Thule Rack with our trie swings. It works good. There is plenty of clearance. If this interests you I might be able to get a picture from him. We also make our tire swings to fit GW bumpers. They are very sturdy and can handle quite a bit of weight. We can also do this we our dual swing, one mounted on each side. Here is a picture of the single swing.
_________________
Van Cafe & Rocky Mountain Westy Inc.
www.rockymountainwesty.com
970-310-3441
[email protected]
The Splitzgauer build (when I have time to work on it and update the thread)
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=497133 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
IrideWheelies
Samba Member
Joined: July 09, 2009
Posts: 386
Location: Olympia, WA
|
| Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2010 4:55 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Thank you Rocky Mtn Westy. I assumed my bike rack would interfere with the spare tire when using your rack. Good to hear it will fit. I really like your swingout, especially how the hi lift jack mounts.
If you could post pics of your customer's van showing the bike rack and spare tire carrier together I'd love to see them.
Could I get one with a fold up tray instead of just a gas can holder?
_________________
89' Dove Blue Syncro Hightop |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
singler3360
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2009
Posts: 1191
Location: Corvallis, Oregon
|
| Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2010 5:03 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Seems like you could have the RMW single swing carrier with an opposite swing-away bike carrier in the hitch. Post those pics if you them!
Is it possible to get the RMW single swing with a longer shelf in place of the spare tire? And would this clear the bike carrier if it wasn't too deep? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Rocky Mountain Westy
Samba Member
Joined: April 17, 2008
Posts: 1038
Location: Fort Collins Colorado
|
| Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2010 5:08 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| IrideWheelies wrote: |
Thank you Rocky Mtn Westy. I assumed my bike rack would interfere with the spare tire when using your rack. Good to hear it will fit. I really like your swingout, especially how the hi lift jack mounts.
If you could post pics of your customer's van showing the bike rack and spare tire carrier together I'd love to see them.
Could I get one with a fold up tray instead of just a gas can holder? |
I will have to get some pics from my customers. I don't have any. I will email them. I don't believe they are Samba junkies like the rest of us so I doubt that they will chime in.
So they key to us making any money at all on this stuff is production. At this point the only way to get a fold down tray is on the double swing. With the single swing and the tire centered there really isn't a whole lot of room for a tray of any decent size. as in how useful would it really be if it was 12" x 12".
_________________
Van Cafe & Rocky Mountain Westy Inc.
www.rockymountainwesty.com
970-310-3441
[email protected]
The Splitzgauer build (when I have time to work on it and update the thread)
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=497133 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Rocky Mountain Westy
Samba Member
Joined: April 17, 2008
Posts: 1038
Location: Fort Collins Colorado
|
| Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2010 5:12 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| singler3360 wrote: |
Seems like you could have the RMW single swing carrier with an opposite swing-away bike carrier in the hitch. Post those pics if you them!
Is it possible to get the RMW single swing with a longer shelf in place of the spare tire? And would this clear the bike carrier if it wasn't too deep? |
I will work on Thule bike rack pics.
I could probably make the single swing with a long tray and no tire. It would have to be pretty narrow. If I remember right there isn't much clearance to the Thule Bike rack, swing away or fold down.
_________________
Van Cafe & Rocky Mountain Westy Inc.
www.rockymountainwesty.com
970-310-3441
[email protected]
The Splitzgauer build (when I have time to work on it and update the thread)
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=497133 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
singler3360
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2009
Posts: 1191
Location: Corvallis, Oregon
|
| Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2010 5:20 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Rocky Mountain Westy wrote: |
I could probably make the single swing with a long tray and no tire. It would have to be pretty narrow. If I remember right there isn't much clearance to the Thule Bike rack, swing away or fold down. |
Exactly, no tire. You might get some interest in this configuration amongst us 2WD folks or those who have figured out how to store larger spares in the original location and don't need a rear tire carrier. I'm not interested in a huge box back there, just a small foot locker long enough to stash folding chairs, etc...
PM when you get a quote on this setup. Thanks. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
andy syncro-nutz
Samba Member
Joined: August 22, 2010
Posts: 538
Location: Upper Ottawa Valley
|
| Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2010 5:28 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Not GW but should be availible again soon, And not exactly on your side of the world eather,
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
buildyourown
Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2009
Posts: 1668
Location: Seattle
|
| Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2010 6:34 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| IrideWheelies wrote: |
buildyourown, I checked out your swingout bike holder, it's really great. I'm pretty happy with my Thule T2 but I was hoping someone has direct experience with using a 4 bike rack like a T2 with the Go Westy swing out carrier. |
I get it. I was just saying that the GW swingout will hit the T2 rack when mounted to their bumpers. My rack started out as a can/grill carrier and then I realized it would hit my bike rack so it evolved.
I'm sure you can measure for yourself, but there is plenty of room between the bikes and the van with the T2. I have my grill and gas cans wedged in there.
If you can find a fabricator, I will share my rack design. I had access to lots of silly tools, but it could be simplified for a fab shop. (ie, no CNC machining)
The swing out is a much better design for a hatchback vehicle vs the stock T2. Much easier to get access to the rear. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
IrideWheelies
Samba Member
Joined: July 09, 2009
Posts: 386
Location: Olympia, WA
|
| Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2010 9:43 pm Post subject: |
|
|
buildyourown - when you don't have bikes on your carrier does your rack swing up or come off? How does it look when it's empty. I can tell your priority is to have the best bike carrier. In a perfect world I would only be driving my van with bikes on it, to or from the trail head. But since it's my only vehicle I need my rack to fold up out of the way so I can park in a regular space. I also tow a boat sometimes. Your rack looks like the sturdiest way to carry bikes on a vanagon ever built, especially several DH bikes. My T2 wiggles around a lot with 3 or 4 big bikes on it. I bet yours is rock solid.
I started this thread asking for feedback on the GW spare tire carrier because I thought it was a good way for me to carry a spare tire, some cargo, a gas can and use my bike rack, or tow a boat. It's a lot to ask, I know, but the GW carrier looked like it would do the job.
I'm surprised that no one has offered any feedback on the GW carrier yet, maybe they haven't actually sold that many of them? I wonder, does anyone in Samba land actually own one?
Now that I know the Rocky Mtn spare tire swingout will accommodate my bike rack I might just go that route. 
_________________
89' Dove Blue Syncro Hightop |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
buildyourown
Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2009
Posts: 1668
Location: Seattle
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 9:48 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
buildyourown - when you don't have bikes on your carrier does your rack swing up or come off? How does it look when it's empty. I can tell your priority is to have the best bike carrier. In a perfect world I would only be driving my van with bikes on it, to or from the trail head. But since it's my only vehicle I need my rack to fold up out of the way so I can park in a regular space. I also tow a boat sometimes. Your rack looks like the sturdiest way to carry bikes on a vanagon ever built, especially several DH bikes. My T2 wiggles around a lot with 3 or 4 big bikes on it. I bet yours is rock solid.
|
I could have easily designed in a pivot to make the rack fold up. I didn't because it would add weight, time, and one more joint to wiggle. I decided it wasn't worth it.
The bike portion can be removed with 6 bolts. The whole rack can be removed by pulling the clevis pins. You need 2 people and a dead blow hammer, but it takes about 5 min to pull it off and store it in my garage.
I was initially worried about the length when empty. However, it's not any longer than my Toyota Tacoma and it's higher than a regular T2 so it's easier to see. I'm adding lights so should get even better. But yeah, it's not my daily driver.
It does kill the ability to use the hitch at the same time, but bike racks are the only reason I got a hitch.
The GW is too low to work with a T2. You asked about compatibilty, and mine mounts the same way, and it doesn't work. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
boulderdrop
Samba Member
Joined: February 06, 2008
Posts: 481
Location: Seattle, WA
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 10:53 am Post subject: |
|
|
Anyone ever put the GW "Double Swing Away Carrier" on a GW Front-Bumper + 2" Hitch?
I'm running Gary Lee's rack on the rear-hatch and would like to put the spare-tire on the front, but the rack needs the clearance in the back. So, I've been looking for solutions on mounting the tire on the front. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
nohabusguy
Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2004
Posts: 65
Location: New York
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 6:19 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I have the GW swing away tire carrier -- see this for my thoughts on it
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=399489&highlight=
_________________
1967 Double Cab
1967 21 Window Deluxe Bus
1989 Westy Syncro (Subaru 2.5, dreaming of installing a NAHT)
1990 Doka Syncro (WBX 2.1) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
IrideWheelies
Samba Member
Joined: July 09, 2009
Posts: 386
Location: Olympia, WA
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 7:39 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Thank you for linking your review, Nohabusguy.
Buildyourown, I assumed that the tire would have room to swing with the bike rack in the low position but I'll take your word for it that it wont. Now that I've looked at it I can see how it would interfere. Thanks for mentioning that. I would have felt pretty stupid after I had everything installed and I tried to open the hatch for the first time!
Now it looks like I'd be better off with the RMW setup. I'm going to measure how much room I have between the rack when it's folded up and my hatch this weekend. Maybe we can get a measurement from the RMW guys of how far the outside of tire is from the hatch so we'll know how much room there will be between them.
Thanks everyone!
_________________
89' Dove Blue Syncro Hightop |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
IrideWheelies
Samba Member
Joined: July 09, 2009
Posts: 386
Location: Olympia, WA
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2010 7:46 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Boulderdrop, I don't think you would want to install the swing out tire carrier on the front of your van and I doubt it would work anyway. There's a second bolt that secures the unit from the bottom and I don't think you could get it in on the front hitch. Plus, it's huge.
Mabye try something like this: http://www.sportsimportsltd.com/unhimosptica.html
_________________
89' Dove Blue Syncro Hightop |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
IrideWheelies
Samba Member
Joined: July 09, 2009
Posts: 386
Location: Olympia, WA
|
| Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2010 11:43 am Post subject: |
|
|
I was able to get a photo of my bike rack yesterday between
rainstorms.
Unless the RMW tire carrier holds the tire right up against the hatch I don't think there will be enough room. I have 16 x 7 steelies with 215/70/16 BFG ATs.
_________________
89' Dove Blue Syncro Hightop |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
