Recommended Yakima 4-Bike Rack to Clear Spare Tire on 2004 Toyota RAV4

Question:

I see the curt item number C13524 is the correct hitch for the rav4 however curious if yakima makes a 4 bike rack that will clear the spare tire

asked by: Burke G

Expert Reply:

When we installed the Curt # C13524 on a 2004 Toyota RAV4, we found that the rearward clearance distance between the hitch pin hole and the rear face of the spare tire was 10 inches. This means that you'd need a bike rack with a shank that has a hitch pin hole to closest portion of the rack upright distance greater than 10 inches.

The Yakima RidgeBack # Y02458 shank is 11-1/2 inches from the pin hole to the upright, while the Yakima BackRoad, part # YA44FR offers 13-1/2 inches to the closest part of the rack upright. Both racks are fairly similar, but the RidgeBack uses a tilt mechanism that's a little easier to use along with an easier to use anti-rattle hitch pin system. The RidgeBack is an upscale version of the BackRoad, if you're planning on using the rack quite a bit, the price differential might be worth it for the easier to use features on the RidgeBack.

I've linked to product demonstration videos for the Yakima bike racks mentioned above.

expert reply by: Mike L