Swinging 4-Bike Bike Rack Needed for a 2018 Jeep JL Wrangler Unlimited Sahara with 18 Spare

Question:

Which 4-bike racks will fit the 2” hitch on the new wrangler jl Sahara? Preference is swing out for trunk access. It has a 18” spare tire on the back that prevented the Yakima FullSwing from fitting because of the bolt swing lock on it.

asked by: JOHN B

Expert Reply:

From the center of the hitch pin hole to the handle of the Yakima FullSwing # Y02465 is 6". Since the handle is making contact with the spare tire on your 2018 Jeep JL Wrangler Unlimited Sahara it sounds like a better option would be to use the Yakima BackSwing # Y02483 with a 4-bike bike rack.

From the center of the hitch pin hole to the closest part of the BackSwing is 8-1/2" while that same measurement to the center of the operating handle is 11-3/4" (see attached picture). If you measure from the center of your hitch pin hole to the furthest part of your spare tire you should be able to tell if you can operate the BackSwing.

If you like the look and feel of the SwingDaddy then I recommend using the Yakima RidgeBack # Y02458 with your BackSwing. This is essentially the same carrier just without the swinging arm. This comes with a hitch lock for the bike but if you would like to lock your bikes to the RidgeBack then you will also need the HandCuff Kit # Y02466. The BackSwing weighs in at 35 lbs, when combined with the weight of the RidgeBack (35 lbs) you are looking at a total weight of 70 lbs. Add the weight of your bikes to ensure that you don't exceed the tongue weight of your trailer hitch.

For a platform bike rack that carry up to four 40 lb bikes I recommend the Kuat NV 2.0 Base # BA22B-BA02B. This weighs in at 82 lbs so when you combine that with the BackSwing you are looking at a total of 112 lbs. Again, be sure that this combined with the weight of your bikes is under the tongue weight rating of your trailer hitch.

Review videos for these products have been linked for you to reference.