# My pickup bike rack



## slyderHD (Apr 21, 2010)

My old wallygeese I used to just toss in the back. Didnt care what happend to them. My new bike however id like to take a bit more care of. Dont really care for hitch mounted racks and dont feel like spending that kind of money. I dont wanna have to remove the front tire all the time so using a fork clamp was out. I need my toolbox so removing that is out. So this is what i came up with. I used some 1/2" EMT and bent it with a conduit bender. Welded it all up (i know i know....welding galvanized metal is bad for me...i had ventilation), sprayed it with some wrinkle black and mounted it to the tool box. The wheel pops down in the cradle and cant come out unless it gets lifted straight up about 2 feet. I test drove it on the city streets with some really big dips and even with the tailgate bouncing it shows no signs of wanting to pop out. Total cost about $3 for the EMT. Everything else I had on hand.


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## bdundee (Feb 4, 2008)

Looks pretty cool!! As long as it is mounted to the the toolbox really good and it doesn't stress the metal on the toolbox.


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## slyderHD (Apr 21, 2010)

I think it will be ok. It doesnt flex at all. The mount is about 5" wide and is made from angle iron so its bolted in and up to the box. Large washers on the backside also. I noticed the bike does rock from side to side some but id imagine most carriers that support the bike by the tire will do the same.


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## slyderHD (Apr 21, 2010)

Took it on a 20 mile drive to the trail today. Worked perfect. 70mph, gravel roads, washed out roads, railroad tracks....flawless.


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## bdundee (Feb 4, 2008)

That is awesome I'll take 4 of them!!


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## slyderHD (Apr 21, 2010)

when i got to the trail there was 2 guys tearing apart their bikes to stick in the trunk of a little honda civic. I stuck my water bottle in the cage said hi and lifted the bike up and out and hit the trail in a few seconds flat!! Loading would have been even quicker but i took this picture before i left.


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## NUTT (May 27, 2008)

That is pretty stinkin' cool. I'll have to fab something like that up when I sell the Jeep & go back to driving a truck.

You might toss a rokstrap or bungee over the front wheel (near the fork bridge) for a little extra safety.


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## the-one1 (Aug 2, 2008)

Pfffff. That's the lamest thing I've ever have seen........please send it this way to me.


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## Shark (Feb 4, 2006)

That is smart, SMRT!
I like it alot.


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## Stupendous Man (Jan 12, 2004)

Very nice job! :thumbsup:


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## dstruct (Sep 6, 2009)

That's slick! I'm tired of taking my front tire off every time and DIY projects kick a$$! Good job! I'll be making one of these!


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## insanitylevel9 (Sep 23, 2009)

very cool, but if i were you i would still strap the bike down better safe then bike less.


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## slyderHD (Apr 21, 2010)

On long trips i will for sure. But im pretty confident it cant come out. I thrashed it around pretty good and the only thing that happend was the rear tire slid over a tad on the tailgate. The only way it could come out is if I snagged a tree branch or something like that to either lift or pull on the bars. But I agree........a strap is cheap insurance.


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## Moustache rider (Jun 1, 2007)

I like cheap and effective. 

Muriatic acid will remove galvanizing and leave behind clean bare metal for welding. Aside from the dangerous fumes from welding galvanized steel, you just get a better weld on clean metal.


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## GpzGuy (Aug 11, 2008)

slyderHD said:


> On long trips i will for sure. But im pretty confident it cant come out. I thrashed it around pretty good and the only thing that happend was the rear tire slid over a tad on the tailgate. The only way it could come out is if I snagged a tree branch or something like that to either lift or pull on the bars. But I agree........a strap is cheap insurance.


Most bad things happen on short trips, usually within 5 miles from home it seems.

I would be concerned with it bouncing out, or with the wind on the highway making it lighter due to the drag, then a big bump finishing the job of lifting it out, or with it flying if you get in a wreck.

A strap seems like the simplest, most obvious solution.

Its pretty nice and clever work. I keep looking for something like this to make for my friends truck when we go in his rig.... we mostly go in mine because I have a rack and he doesn't, but I'd like it if he'd drive part of the time too... Right now I'm thinking about the DIY PVC rack coupled with straps.... but as it happens I do have some thinwall tubing out in the garage....


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## slyderHD (Apr 21, 2010)

I get a pretty decent weld with a MIG welder on galvanized metal. Bumb the gas up a tad and it does a good job. I should say good enough for something like this. Just gotta keep the exhaust fan on and keep your helmet out of the smoke. Ive been keeping my eye out for a good used TIG welder for the shop so I can do aluminum and stainless. I dont like using the MIG on stainless. Ive thought about ditching my MIG and stick welders and getting a 3in1 but budget is holding me back.


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## KPH (Aug 1, 2008)

Nice Rack - talking about the pick-up cycle mount there.

I'm going to be making something similar soon and I would be interested to know the gap (in mm if possible) _between_ the tubes (ie the space for the tire to squeeze into).

I will be doing a drawing and getting a workshop to make it so I don't really have the option of trying differing widths to see what works best. I'm thinking of a gap around 65mm.

Hope you can help.

Cheers,

KPH


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## bdean (Oct 28, 2010)

Nice! You can't beat the price!!


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