Eliminating Bike Carrier Movement on the Swagman XTC Bike Carrier

Question:

We have a Curt trailer hitch receiver class III - 2 attached to our 2010 Rav 4 and are using the Swagman XTC 2 bike rack. With two bikes on it, the bikes rock from side to side a bit. What is our best option to stabilize the bike rack?

asked by: Carla K

Expert Reply:

Any bike rack, especially platform style bike racks like # S64670, is going to have some movement as you drive, no matter if you are using anti-rattle or not. It just happens to be less movement with a threaded hitch bolt like the one included with your bike rack.

On a platform rack, as long as the bikes are moving along with the rack and not independently of it you have nothing to worry about. The only way to further eliminate movement would be to utilize some sort of stabilization strap such as # 18050. But it might be difficult to find a good attachment point on the rack to use a strap.

Ordinarily I would say to add another anti-rattle device but since the 2 inch adapter for the bike rack doesn't stick out of the receiver much at all, if any, there isn't really a good way to add an additional device.

Using the locking anti-rattle hitch pin, # S64029, wouldn't give you any additional anti-rattle support beyond what the included hitch bolt provides.

expert reply by: Michael H