Ground Clearance Concerns with Hitch-Mounted Bike Rack on 2015 VW Jetta

Question:

I need your help with making a decision. I recently installed a Curt hitch and Yakima Holdup 2 Evo bike rack on my 2015 Volkswagen Jetta. After the install, Ive becomed concerned about lack of ground clearance. I don’t seem to have any issue with regular roads. However, dips and driveways have me concerned. Here’s where I need your advice. Is this normal with hitch mounted racks and cars? Is there a better rack option for my car than the Holdup? Should I bag the whole thing in favor of a trunk mount style rack. Let me know your thoughts. Any help is appreciated.

asked by: Bryan G

Expert Reply:

Because of the difference in vehicle frames and styles, ground clearance can be more of a concern on certain vehicles when using hitch-mounted accessories. This isn't abnormal, as some vehicles like your VW Jetta just require that the hitch receiver sit a bit lower to the ground because of the rear design and frame space available for mounting the hitch.

There are things you can do to offset this, such as getting a bike rack that features a rise in its shank (which your Yakima HoldUp EVO 2 Bike Rack # Y02480 has) or using an adapter like # HT5R that provides a raised receiver. Using an adapter in your case isn't really an option though, as Yakima does not allow them to be used with their racks and doing so would likely reduce the capacity of your hitch lower than the weight of the rack and your bikes anyway.

There isn't much else you can do to your current setup to increase the ground clearance and I'm not sure a different hitch-mounted bike rack will offer a better solution. Your Yakima HoldUp EVO 2 does have a rise in its shank and when ground clearance is a potential issue, I like going with a platform-style rack like this instead of a hanging-style carrier. This is simply because if you were to have issues with hitting the ground, the rack's platform would hit it first, protecting the bikes from damage.

I just recommend taking precaution when backing out of steep driveways or going over dips. Backing out slowly and at an angle should hopefully allow the rack to remain off the ground.

expert reply by: Chris R