Modular platform bike rack swings away with bikes loaded for cargo area access. Swap the bike rack for a ski carrier or cargo carrier without removing the base from your vehicle, or add a 2nd tier to carry 2 accessories (all sold separately).
Features:
Specs:
Notes:
This modular bike rack carries 2 bikes by the wheels. It also swings away, while fully loaded, for rear cargo area access. But the EXO system is more than just a swing away bike rack, it's the ultimate gear-carrying rig! You can easily swap the bike rack for a ski carrier or cargo carrier (sold separately) without removing the base unit from your vehicle. You can also add a second level to pair the bike rack with a cargo carrier to haul all your biking gear, or swap accessories for a skiing or camping adventure (all sold separately). Lastly, because you can carry so much gear on the back of your vehicle, it frees up space on your roof to carry even more gear.
The bike rack has ratcheting hooks that grab your bikes firmly by the front wheel - not the frame. It's perfect for carrying nearly any bike, including bikes with carbon frames, disc brakes, thru axles, or full suspensions. To load a bike, simply place your front wheel in the cradle, rotate the arm up and over the wheel, and press down firmly on the ratcheting hook. The hooks also fold down when not in use.
Large rear-wheel holders accommodate bikes with a wide variety of tire widths, including fat bikes. They pivot front to back, automatically adjusting to your wheelbase - no need for sliding and tightening. The wheels secure in place with the ratcheting straps built into each holder.
The hinged arm on the base lets you swing the unit away from your vehicle. This provides full access to your vehicle's rear cargo area and eliminates the need to remove your bikes when you're unloading your vehicle or letting your dog hop in or out of the back.
To open the hinged arm, simply rotate the release knob counterclockwise until it's unscrewed from the arm, pull out on the spring pin, and swing the rack away from the rear of your vehicle. The arm will lock in place when it's fully extended, so your hands are free to open your hatch and remove cargo.
To close the base, just pull the release lever at the hinge and swing the extended arm back into position. Once you hear the spring pin lock into place, rotate the knob clockwise until it's tight.
To install the EXO system, simply slide the shank on the base unit into your 2" hitch receiver, insert the threaded hitch pin, and tighten it down with the included 24-mm wrench. The threaded hitch pin also reduces noise and movement in your hitch.
Dual arms on the base have tracks with cleats and SpeedKnobs that secure EXO accessories. To swap the bike rack for a different accessory, undo the latches on the sides of the arms, rotate the SpeedKnobs to allow the cleats inside the tracks to free the bike rack, and remove it. Next, put the new accessory in the tracks, rotate the SpeedKnobs so the cleats secure it, then close each latch.
This EXO system includes 5 SKS locks to secure the system, the carrier, and your bikes. A lock secures the base to your vehicle's hitch receiver and locks in the arms secure the bike rack. Finally, the bike rack has 2 cable locks to secure your bikes.
Because the EXO System is modular you can swap out the bike rack for a ski rack, cargo carrier, or accessory. You can also add a second tier and another accessory for whatever adventure you have planned. The various configurations are outlined below.
The SnowBank (Y57VR - sold separately) is perfect for your ski trip. It carries up to 5 pairs of skis or 4 snowboards. It has an expanding hinge that accommodates thick skis and large buttons that let you access your skis even if you're wearing gloves.
The GearLocker enclosed cargo carrier (Y44VR - sold separately) has 10 cu ft of storage space for carrying helmets, clothes, and other gear. It keeps your gear secure, dry, and away from prying eyes. It also has built-in handles, so it's easy for you to tote all your gear to the campsite in a single trip. Collapsible totes with removable dividers (Y64VR - sold separately) keep your gear organized in the carrier.
If you want to carry coolers, luggage, and other larger, bulky gear, you can add the GearWarrior cargo carrier (Y37VR - sold separately). It has a weight capacity of 250 lbs. A wheel kit (Y97VR - sold separately) converts the GearWarrior into a wagon, so you can wheel your gear to the campsite.
To transform the system into a 2-tier carrier you will need the TopShelf (Y94VR - sold separately). It attaches to the base unit and holds 1 accessory. With the base rack swung away, you can swing the TopShelf back 180 degrees, with your accessories and gear still attached. This will provide unfettered access to your gear on the lower level.
For your biking adventure you can pair the bike rack with an enclosed cargo carrier or a cargo carrier. A 2-tier setup will require you to relocate the bike rack to the top level so you have room to mount your bikes. Using the bike rack on the top level reduces its weight capacity to 40 lbs per bike.
For your skiing adventure you can swap the bike rack for a ski carrier and add an enclosed cargo carrier or a cargo carrier to transport all your gear to the slopes.
If you just want to carry gear, you can swap the bike rack for a cargo carrier and add a second cargo carrier. You can outfit the system with an enclosed cargo carrier and a cargo carrier, 2 enclosed cargo carriers, or 2 cargo carriers.
Note: The cargo carrier has a weight capacity of 250 lbs when it's installed on the single-tier system. If you install it on a 2-tier system, it can carry 110 lbs on the bottom tier or 80 lbs on the top tier. Similarly, the enclosed cargo carrier's weight capacity changes based on where it's installed. When utilized on the bottom tier, either alone or in a two-tier system, its weight capacity is 100 lbs. Installed on the top tier, it's weight capacity is 80 lbs.
The BackDeck camping table (Y84VR - sold separately) is perfect for use at the campsite. It lets you prep meals, lay out your gear, and even mix drinks at the end of the day. Simply remove the top accessory and replace it with the table once you get to the campsite.
Alternate Instructions
Average Customer Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars (306 Customer Reviews)
Modular platform bike rack swings away with bikes loaded for cargo area access. Swap the bike rack for a ski carrier or cargo carrier without removing the base from your vehicle, or add a 2nd tier to carry 2 accessories (all sold separately).etrailer always communicates well and the products are high quality!
We use this for extra storage in our class B campervan. I'm able to store all the bulky items that don't fit inside the van like chairs, mats, and our grill. I like that it doesn't block the license plate or taillights and still allows access to the Thule bike rack. The SwingBase allows both doors to open for full access into the rear of the van.
Very interesting! I am pleased with this purchase. All of this equipment is well built and was designed with ease of use and security in mind. The hitch part is surprisingly pretty heavy, but once it is connected this weight gives the hitch a sturdy feel. The lockers are pretty big and the material though light weight feels like it will hold up to some rough miles and a few bruises. It is so nice to have this much dry secure and easy to access storage outside of our vehicle. Customer service was excellent and delivery times were surprisingly short.
Very easy to install. Total installation time (not counting taking photos and opening boxes) was approximately 15 minutes. The only issue I encountered was the left handle on the lower rack had a broken piece inside the locking pin assembly. Other than that, everything was quick and smooth for a single person job. This will greatly assist my business by allowing more room for passenger comfort on long trips to and from airports with a large party. Looking forward to putting this to use.
Product meets all expectations. etrailer quickly replaced a broken Knob Assembly which was damaged during shipping. Vehicle is an Airstream Interstate 24GT. The swing assembly does restrict the Sprinter's right barn door from opening completely, but not a significant issue. We did add our own rear turn signal lights and license plate holder since the factory rear lights restricted ground clearance.
Installed on 2017 Transit 350HD.
First order on etrailer and the experience was great; really fast shipping and great communication. I was surprised to see it picked and shipped so quick so late in the day, especially for how big this is. It comes in 4 boxes; one giant one and 3 moderately huge ones.
The Yakima EXO system is top notch, great construction. Excellent fit and finish, and pretty easy to assemble. Read the instructions and follow each step and you'll have no issues. I have a bad back and was able to assemble myself, the heaviest part is the swing away hitch - if you can lift about 40-50 pounds it is going to be easy to assemble without any help. I went slow and it only took me about 30-45 minutes.
Tips - the bike rack portion it's not super clear that the rails should not be tight when you put the upper bike rack on. Just set everything in place and it will make getting the bolts through easier.
Pros - it's as advertised. Super sturdy, no shaking/rocking, easy to use. The people who designed this system should be high fiving themselves, it's great.
Cons - none really other than one minor customer experience gripe - you're given enough lock centers to re-key multiple Yakima EXO accessories, I think 4 are included...but it does not come with a master key for removing the lock center. You'll need to buy this separately or do like I did and make your own. Considering they put the effort into including replacement lock centers and give you every tool you'd need, it's a weird oversight.
That being said once you replace the lock center on the cargo carrier you only need 1 key for all of the locks on the system which is awesome.
Ford Transit specific issue I ran into:
When the swing away is open there is a safety latch that holds it open so it will not fall closed on you. This gets in the way of the passenger door opening. But if you remove this (at your risk) you can open the passenger door fully and if you rotate the upper shelf you can even open the door entirely against the side of the van. Also it will 100% block your camera and license plate if it's door mounted.
Absolutely stoked on this system. The cargo box is awesome with internal tie downs and taking it apart to store it in the garage only takes a minute or two. I love how easy the cargo box indexes in place. Every aspect of it has been super satisfying to play with.
We have owned our Yakima swing away cargo carrier for a year and it has been a wonderful addition to our Rubicon. It gives us all the room for our 2 large dogs while carrying our luggage to visit our family. It has been so helpful; it stays on the Rubicon all the time! The way the carrier swings out of the way was critical for the dogs to get access to the rear of the Rubicon. Can't live without our Yakima carrier!
This is the perfect setup for family road trips when you need a little extra dry storage. I mounted this on my Rivian R1S and saw no change in range, as opposed to a roof mount system. I only wish Yakima would incorporate a full-size spare mount for the EXO. Also had a favorable experience with etrailer customer service, as one of the locking pins arrived damaged. They were quick to get a replacement part to me at no cost. I couldn't be happier with the EXO or etrailer. I know that sounds corny, but it's true.
Unfortunately we can’t open rear of 2018 expedition with the top box in place. One of the knob locking pins is/was broken in shipping. I also wish all of the items were keyed the same. This whole setup is 5 keys. I’ll probably call a locksmith and have them all re-keyed if possible.
Good design with minor flaws. After 12 months of using main frame and one level container I have found rusting pin in the swing hinge and box perforation,probably caused by a small rock picked by the rear tire. This year I purchased the frame for the upper tier and a 2nd container. The upper rotaing frame is loosely fitted and requires some gymnastics to fit in the stabilizing screw. It is especially difficult with the upper container loaded. The securing screw should have a butterfly handle and a pilot point, like the one in the lower level.
The lights work very well with the hitch box assembly.It is mounted on a Ford Transit camper. High visibility and easy to attach. The wire hold plastic clips have not held up after a few uses so I use some zip ties. The Transit blis system deactivates when a trailer is attached. You can use the Yakima box with lights and have blis active by setting trailer length to shortest setting in the controls. I believe it us longer than box and rack.
Couldn’t love this more, adds all of the extra space needed. Locks integrated throughout make very easy to secure. Love that the cargo boxes can be removed individually, packed and returned to brackets. Two improvements which we would improve, locks are all keyed differently and would be a bit easier for us if they were keyed alike. Also, has a significant wobble once affixed to the hitch. We were able to fix temporarily with shims, and will be ordering a hitch tightener for future use. Not sure if this is a universal issue or specific to our vehicle type.
I think this is a great product except for the locking pin in the full swing out position doesn’t allow the right rear door to open fully. (Check photo included). If Yakima made a 1/2” shorter pin then it would allow the door to open correctly.
I'm always impressed with the speed of getting shipments from etrailer. Of course the Yakima product quality is great, I think the service at etailer is what keeps me coming back.
Perfect for my needs, 2 bikes load easy and are secure. Gear tray is perfect dimensions for cooler and gear bags.
Great bike rack and cargo carrier. I use it on my camper van and it is very functional and creates a ton of extra storage. Swing away rack works extremely well!
Very heavy duty (which means quite heavy in weight too). Manipulates well to get into one or the other storage bin. Lots of room! Overall love it!
Major flaw in the design. When using the box mounted on the bottom rack, You have to rotate the upper board/box rack 180° entirely in order to open the box… this isn’t super difficult but you actually have to swing the entire rack (upper & lower) out to the side to rotate the upper rack. This is extremely annoying if you just need to get something out of the box in a hurry. Additionally the turn knob/handle where you release the rack to swing out to the side, is right where your wheels throw all the mud, snow, dirt etc. so this makes for a messy event if you just simply want to get into box as stated earlier or in the back of an SUV after driving through any type of in-climate conditions. Another flaw was the clip rings should have been made with lanyard as we lost ours day one. Do your self a favor and by extra clips from the hardware store and keep in the box.
Aside from the flaws, the structural integrity is excellent, the mounting pin through the hitch is more than safe and secure, again a bit annoying if you want you remove the entire rack system quickly or even just after a trip. We ended up just leaving ours attached all winter due to the inconvenience. The box is made well, the rack holder’s are also made well. Quality of the product is high, just wish Yakima would have put a little more thought into the ease and accessibility of the rack in the way that THULE typically does. A simple 30° tilt up feature on the upper rack would have been perfect, additionally a 30° tilt down on the hitch mounting point for the entire rack to tilt would have given so much more ease to accessing the back of the vehicle.
We like the overall product and after spending so much money on it we have no choice but to keep it for years to come. Just might have to weld my own tilting brackets to ease the painful transitions.
Got everything but the keys for the Cargo Carrier, no instructions in the box or keys. All the other items had instuctions, hardware etc. included but not the cargo carrier. It was the only piece that did not come in a Yakima labeled box.
I LOVE my EXO system
Thanks etrailer
The unit arrived as projected,, 4 components all well packaged.
The instructions were easily followed and accurate
The quality of the construction was good with clean welds and good coating
One issue was no keys for the pin locks could be located
The design of the attachment is very easy to attach and detachment.
You can see the various coolers utilized, couple reasons
1. Larger coolers can’t be accessed, the smaller size allows for open top
Access, additionally these can be locked with cable thru handle to
Reduce possible theft.
I did find the upper tightening knob to be not as secure, as I felt better,
In putting a thru bolt and lock but in lue of
All in all pleased , we’ll see how it holds up under highway use
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