Recommended Platform Bike Rack for Use With 2013 Jeep Wrangler

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Question:

HI! First time purchasing a bike rack and confused. Looking to use it primarily on a 2013 Jeep wrangler with spare rear tire standard tire, not oversized. and also on a 2012 gmc terrain and a gmc sierra 2500 pickup. The 1-1/4 -2 inch will work for all vehicles. I just purchased a new specialized women's pitch sport mountain bike, with 2.3 inch tires, according to website, and we have another mtb with smaller tires. We would like to travel with it. Some of my concerns are clearance for spare tire, stability, quality, price, and safety theft. I would really not like to spend more than $250 max. I think we would prefer the platform bike racks. I used the filters and narrowed it down to a small list 17 or so the ones that stand out the most to me anyway are the Swagman XTC-2 S64670 and Swagman XC-2 S64650. They have amazing reviews. Everyone seems happy. I do see that with the xtc2 you have to watch the tire size, mine should fit, seem to be just under. But it does have the handy straps for tires which the other does not. I also was looking at racks with locks but it seems that they get really expensive if you want a bike lock and hitch lock. But I'm not sure if just a cable lock they can cut with bolt cutters is a good idea if we are traveling? I see i can purchase the kit from you or should i just get one where all is included? So confused! Any help would be great! Im so excited to get it that I wanted to purchase one right now but afraid of making a bad choice. Thank you so much for any help!

asked by: Monica C

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Expert Reply:

I can certainly help you out choosing the right bike rack to fit your needs. The first step for you to take is to measure from the center of your Jeep's hitch pin hole to the outermost edge of the spare tire. You would need your bike rack to extend past this at its closest point if your Jeep has a similar measurement.

The Swagman XTC-2 # S64670 is 8 inches to the first wheel hoop, and the Swagman XC # S64650 is 10-1/2 inches, so they would not work in the example I gave, though they may work if your Jeep had more clearance, and would be very good choices. You were correct about the reviews; there are hundreds of them and the praise is nearly universal. I'm confident you would feel the same way.

If it turns out you needed something that extends further than 10-1/2 inches, I recommend checking out the Hollywood Racks Trail Rider # HR200Z, which is 12-1/2 inches to the closest edge of the wheel loop, comes with great ratings, and can be secured with an anti-rattle hitch lock and cable lock set made for the rack # HRLHPTC and still keep you under budget. Your tires will fit the Hollywood and it also has the handy tire straps you referenced. I've added a photo showing you how this rack looks when installed and with a bike on it.

In terms of security, the anti-rattle hitch lock that comes with the Hollywood Racks Locks # HRLHPTC or Swagman Rack Locks # S64031 not only locks the rack to your hitch, but also helps keep the rack stable in the hitch, which was something you are looking for. When it comes to preventing theft, there is not going to be a foolproof system that will completely protect your bikes and rack. However, a cable lock is a pretty large deterrent; you would have to be really unlucky and come across people with bolt cutters specifically looking to take bikes, whereas without a cable lock a theft becomes much more opportunistic.

I have added a link to video reviews of these racks and products for you to take a look at as well.

expert reply by: Kyle S

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Answer 1

For most Jeep Wrangler applications the Brophy Hitch Extender part #HE06 which provides 7-5/8 inches of additional length to the hitch would work well. I attached a review video that shows it being used in a similar Wrangler as yours. You should note…

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Answer 2

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Answer 3

I would be happy to help you set up your 2022 Toyota Highlander to haul your new travel trailer. The wiring harness you currently have controls your trailer's lighting functions only. You do not need to rewire your Toyota you just need another…

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Answer 4

To me it makes the most sense to put a Bike Rack #HLY64FR on the flat towed vehicle rather than above the tow bars. Especially on heavy e-bikes as they are difficult to lift that high onto the rack, but also as it only makes sense to have the rack on…

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Answer 5

I checked your order notes and the leaf springs you bought last year were the part #e28SR which are for 5k axles. Since this is over the capacity of your axle failure would not have been caused by over loading the trailer assuming you stayed under…

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Answer 6

The Dexter 072-078-00 is a 2,200 lb capacity leaf spring. You can use a higher capacity leaf spring, however it won't increase the capacity of your trailer as the axle is still rated for that max capacity of 4,400 lbs. My recommendation for a…

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Answer 7

There are some subtle difference between the Kuat Piston Pro Bike Rack for 2 Bikes #KU76ZR and the Kuat Piston Pro X Bike Rack for 2 Bikes #KU98VR. Overall the two racks are very similar, there are just some subtle differences/upgrades on the Piston…

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Answer 8

Hello Jody, There is indeed a bike rack capable of carrying a pair of ebikes and a pair of road bikes at the same time, so long as you have a 2 inch hitch. That said, it really depends on how much your ebikes weigh, but a good option to start with is…

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Answer 9

The Kuat Sherpa 2.0 #SH22G and the NV 2.0 #NV22G that you referenced are both excellent platform-style racks that will hold your bikes by the front wheels with no frame contact. These are top-of-the-line carriers and you really would not go wrong…

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Answer 10

You should not need an extension for the Hollywood Racks Destination E Bike Rack #HLY66ZR to fit on your 2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport. We installed this on a 2021 2-door Wrangler which I have included the install video linked near the bottom of…

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Answer 11

Class I and Class II hitches both have a 1-1/4 inch receiver opening. The difference is that a Class I hitch has a lower tongue weight rating, usually 200 pounds and a lower towing rating, usually 2,000 pounds. A Class II hitch usually has a tongue…

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Answer 12

A cover being installed on your spare tire would not prevent the Swagman Bike Rack part #S80501 from installing. The rack would still fit and work well. You might still compare the dimensions in the picture I attached with you spare tire so that you…

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Recommended Platform Bike Rack for Use With 2013 Jeep Wrangler

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