Can Movement of Bikes and Bike Carrier be Eliminated on Trailer Hitch Mount Bike Carriers

Question:

Is there a way to decrease wiggly movement of the rack when bikes are loaded ???? thanks

asked by: Audrey

Expert Reply:

On any trailer hitch mounted bike carrier, especially platform style carriers there is going to be some movement of the carrier in the hitch receiver. Its just physics at work! There are things you can do to keep movement to a minimum.

Some bike carriers will have a threaded hitch pin that pulls the shank of the carrier tight to the inside of the receiver. These will eliminate some movement but not all. So the solution is to use a secondary anti-rattle device. If you have a 2 inch hitch receiver one of the best solutions is the Blue Ox Immobilizer # BX88224. This takes up most side to side and up and down movement.

For a 1-1/4 inch hitch you could add # RM-061-125 which wedges itself between the receiver opening and the bike carrier shank to help eliminate some movement.

What you will not be able to eliminate is the teeter-totter type of movement common on platform style racks. there is nothing to worry about when that occurs though. Provided the bikes are within the capacity of the bike carrier and everything is within the capacity of the trailer hitch the teeter-totter movement will not cause any damage to anything, especially the bikes since they are moving WITH the carrier.

expert reply by: Michael H