Will Hollywood Racks Sport Rider Bike Rack for Electric Bikes Clear Large Spare Tire on a Jeep

Question:

Will this rack work with a 2018 Wileys Jeep with a rear spare tire mount? If not, is there a bike rack that will accomodate 2 - #68, 4inch fat tire electric bikes? Tires on the jeep - 17-inch high gloss black wheels and 32-inch BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A® KM Off-Road tires.

asked by: Tina

Expert Reply:

On your Jeep measure from the center of the hitch pin hole straight back to the distance required to clear the spare tire. If that distance is less than 7-1/2 inches then the Hollywood Racks Sport Rider SE 2-Bike Carrier for Electric Bicycles # HLY84FR will clear the spare tire. This rack can accommodate regular tires and fat tire up to 5" wide.

Since you have larger than stock tires on your Jeep it is likely that the rack will not extend out far enough for it and/or the nearest bike to clear the spare. You could potentially use the Kuat Pivot, # PVP20B, but it is possible that the red handle, used to secure the swing arm to the base, would interfere with the spare tire.

The remaining option is to use a hitch extender such as # C45791 which will move the bike rack out 8 inches. Other lengths are also available. The only downside is that the use of an extension will reduce the tongue weight capacity of the hitch by 50 percent. That means that the combined weight of the bike rack and bikes, 204 pounds, would need to be under the reduced hitch tongue weight capacity.

You may find that you will have to remove the batteries from the bikes to get under the reduced tongue weight capacity if you end up needing the extension.

expert reply by: Michael H