Clearance Between Thule 4 Bike Rack and 2005 Chrysler Town and Country with Adapter # 853-7292

Question:

My wife has a 2005 Chrysler Town and Country Van with a 1 1/4 hitch. She has a 4 bike Thule Rack that is 2 inch. She uses an adapter but it puts the bike carrier way out and there is a lot of space between the car and the rack. I know the bottom section of he rack that goes into the receiver can be removed. Can this rack be changed to the 1 1/4? Or should I cut the bottom of the bike rack and redrill the hole?

asked by: John K

Expert Reply:

You will need to know what class hitch you currently have on your Town and Country. This should be indicated on the safety warning label on the hitch.

If you have a class l hitch installed, there will be a stop or indent inside the receiver wall that prevents Class ll carriers or ball mounts from being used. If you find that you have a class l receiver, it is rated for a tongue weight capacity of 200 lbs, and you would need a class l rack or carrier. All Class l bike carriers are limited to 2 bikes. I have linked you to a product page for Class l carriers for 2 bikes.

Many of the Thule bike carriers are supplied with an adapter that allows a bike carrier with a 1-1/4 inch shank to be used on a 2 inch receiver. If this adapter can be removed from your Thule bike carrier, you can also remove the hitch adapter you said was being used and then be able to attach the bike carrier directly into the 1-1/4 inch receiver on your Town And Country.

If you have a Class ll hitch we offer a hitch adapter, MaxxTow Trailer Hitch Receiver Adapter, part # HTAD, that would work for your Town and Country. This adapter has a distance of 6-1/2 inches from hole center to hole center. If the adapter you are using has a greater dimension, this may help reduce the space between the rack and vehicle. This adapter is designed to fit Class I or ll hitches.

I would not be able to recommend cutting the bike rack to change the clearance distance between the rack and your Town and Country Van. Making any such changes could present safety concerns and may void your warranty from Thule.

expert reply by: Jeffrey L