Availability of Replacement Shank to Adapt 2-Inch Thule Hitch Bike Rack for Use in 1-1/4-Inch Hitch  

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Expert Reply:

In some cases it can be possible to change out the shank portion of a bike rack - the square portion that mounts in the hitch receiver tube - to an alternate size, IF the rack maker offered it in both hitch sizes, 1-1/4-inch and 2-inch. This is very much brand- and rack-dependent and sometimes even era-dependent, meaning only some production years of a rack may have this capability. You can send us any part numbers you can find on your rack along with some photos, if you like, and we can check with Thule to see if a 1-1/4-inch shank is available for it. The older a rack is the less likely it is that such a part will be available.

We do also offer hitch adapters that can let you install a 2-inch accessory in a 1-1/4-inch hitch. Examples are parts # HTAD which is a straight adapter and # HT5R which offers rise for better ground clearance. Both are displayed on the linked page. The only trouble with adapters is that they cause you to lose HALF of your hitch's rated capacity. This loss of weight capacity results from the change in the geometry of the system. Since adapters move the actual weight load further from the hitch, they increase the leverage on the hitch tube and this causes the loss of capacity.

So long as the combined weight of your bikes and rack do not exceed the halved hitch capacity you can use the adapter, but I urge you to help take some of the stress off the hitch by also using a support strap like # 18050. The strap will reduce the random motion of the rack and take some of the burden of road bumps off the receiver tube.

If you like you can click on the linked page to see all hitch racks that fit 1-1/4-inch hitches. If your hitch is a Class I type you can only carry two bikes, even if the rack holds more than two.

expert reply by: Adam R

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