# Roof rack use on trailer hitch?



## B42 (Oct 27, 2010)

Does anyone know of a trailer hitch rack that would accept roof rack bike mounts? I have need to both, and would rather take the time to move than spend the $$ for both. Usually goes in spurts of weeks of one, then weeks of the other.

Thanks all.


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## cracksandracks.com (Oct 22, 2009)

thule used to make a product that was a hitch bike rack, but had to arms protruding out the back that emulated crossbars on a roof, where you could attach fork mount bike racks (or any bike racks, but it came with some fork mounts at the time)...it's long since been discontinued, and I wouldn't even know where to look for that. 
there have been some diy posts about this type of rack on this forum too...


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## adrenalnjunky (Jul 28, 2007)

since I had a few spare roof trays, I built one for myself. But if you don't have a welder - I've seen several people modifying those hitch-mounted cargo platforms to work with roof trays.

Here's what I built, in mid-fabrication. I need to redesign to have about 2-3 inches of step-up on the draw-bar.


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## B42 (Oct 27, 2010)

adrenalnjunky said:


> since I had a few spare roof trays, I built one for myself. But if you don't have a welder - I've seen several people modifying those hitch-mounted cargo platforms to work with roof trays.
> 
> Here's what I built, in mid-fabrication. I need to redesign to have about 2-3 inches of step-up on the draw-bar.


Nice work. I'm assuming you need the step-up to clear driveways, etc. Thanks for the picture. Based on plenty of web searching, this looks like a decent option for me.

Thanks again both of you.


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## lunchwagon (Apr 29, 2010)

The Yakima Hitchfork was an option for what you describe, but like the Thule, was discontinued several years ago.

I made my own. No welding required.
Homemade Hitch Rack for Bikes & Cargo


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## Chad_M (Jul 11, 2013)

I have considered this several times before. I would probably make my own, it would be pretty easy.

There is a kickstarter project wanting to do just this thing also:
SWITCHbck Bike Rack by Jonny J ? Kickstarter

Hollywood made a rack that almost did the same thing, but they provided the fork mount and tray:
http://www.hollywoodracks.com/instructions/hitch/Prorider instructions current.pdf

Chad


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## adrenalnjunky (Jul 28, 2007)

B42 said:


> Nice work. I'm assuming you need the step-up to clear driveways, etc. Thanks for the picture. Based on plenty of web searching, this looks like a decent option for me.
> 
> Thanks again both of you.


Yes - I have a 4x4, but it really isn't much taller than most 2wd's. I have only drug once on a steep driveway, but if I put it on a car, I'd have issues. I had the whole thing powdercoated and used it a bit, until a buddy with better gas mileage got him a nice Thule setup. now we just use his car, lol.


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## litany (Nov 25, 2009)

1up USA makes a roof rack and sells an adaptor to use the roof rack trays on your hitch. The 1up system is probably the best. They don't have it on their website but if you call and ask about it they should have it. I called about it a few weeks ago and they said it was all in stock. I ended up with just the hitch rack but was thinking about getting the roof rack and making it a hitch rack.


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## RetroGrouchNJ (Jan 28, 2011)

Chad_M said:


> There is a kickstarter project wanting to do just this thing also:
> SWITCHbck Bike Rack by Jonny J ? Kickstarter


It looks like they are selling them for $129.
SWITCHbck ? Home


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## Chad_M (Jul 11, 2013)

RetroGrouchNJ said:


> It looks like they are selling them for $129.
> SWITCHbck ? Home


Probably worth $129 in my opinion.


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## JustMtnB44 (Nov 8, 2004)

I made my own rack to do this since I already had Thule Sidearm trays which work very well IMO. I am also a mechanical engineer and have access to all the tools needed at work so it wasn't very difficult to do. I made it fold up and tilt down as well, which made it more complex but comes in handy sometimes. It is heavier than it needs to be, but I found all the material on the scrap rack so I wasn't able to choose the tube wall thickness, but it could be much lighter if I ordered the proper material.

























edit: photos updated with smaller images


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## Rock (Jan 13, 2004)

Damn! that thing looks SOLID. How much does it weigh? You probably could have gotten by with slightly smaller tubing. There's no kill like overkill. You're an engineer so I understand (did you run FEA?).

It is beautiful. Well done, but Damn!


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## JustMtnB44 (Nov 8, 2004)

Rock said:


> Damn! that thing looks SOLID. How much does it weigh? You probably could have gotten by with slightly smaller tubing. There's no kill like overkill. You're an engineer so I understand (did you run FEA?).
> 
> It is beautiful. Well done, but Damn!


Thanks. I think the part I made weighs around 18-20 lbs, plus the Sidearm trays adds up. It is very solid, I hate racks that are sloppy and wiggle around a lot. I used 2" tubing for most of it, and 1.5" tubing for the arms that the trays attach to. All of the tubing is 1/8" wall thickness because that is what I had available, but if I were to do it again I would use 1/16" wall tubing. I did run a quick FEA and with 1/16" wall tubing it is still plenty strong. This would cut the weight down by almost 40%.


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## Christopher Robin (Dec 1, 2004)

Bumping this... this is what I need. Anyone know of anything existing like this or know who can make one?


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## Crankyone (Dec 8, 2014)

*Yak version*

I use it with a Tulle snowboard rack as well. I will haul my cargo bike on an old tandem rack I acquired somewhere.


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## Christopher Robin (Dec 1, 2004)

Do you know the model number on that Yakima version? Maybe I can dig one up somewhere.


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## bgredjeep (Dec 25, 2006)

I just built this to hold my Yakima frontloaders that I pulled off my VW. I'm selling the car back at the end of this month and wanted to plan for a hitch rack for whatever I replace it with. Rather than dealing with selling these and buying a hitch rack, I spent a few hours in the shop. I used 1" and 1.5" 16ga tube, and the bottom of an old hitch rack that my parents smashed a few years ago. I finished it today (paint currently drying).

The offset for the 2nd mount is for the shorter wheelbase on my wife's bike.


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## need4gforce (Sep 12, 2009)

bgredjeep said:


> I just built this to hold my Yakima frontloaders that I pulled off my VW. I'm selling the car back at the end of this month and wanted to plan for a hitch rack for whatever I replace it with. Rather than dealing with selling these and buying a hitch rack, I spent a few hours in the shop. I used 1" and 1.5" 16ga tube, and the bottom of an old hitch rack that my parents smashed a few years ago. I finished it today (paint currently drying).
> 
> The offset for the 2nd mount is for the shorter wheelbase on my wife's bike.


Dude. HOw much to make me one of these? I have some Thule roof racks that I would love to put on something like this. Having it made for a 1 1/4 hitch. Sending you a PM also. Thanks


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