Will the Saris Freedom 4-Bike Rack Hit the Ground When Tilted On A 2018 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack?

Question:

Hi! We are wondering about the Saris Freedom 4 bike rack for a 2018 Volkswagon Golf Alltrack in terms of the tilting away clearance as this car is not terribly high off the ground vs another larger SUV. We already purchased the 2 inch hitch converter from etrailer so we are ready to go with a 2 inch hitch rack. Thanks so much!

asked by: Emmy K

Expert Reply:

I'm not going to lie to you, the Saris Freedom Bike Rack for 4 Bikes # SA4414B will not be able to be tilted without ground interference.

This rack does already have built-in shank rise so that it sits higher naturally, but when it's tilted back it's almost certain that it'll hit the ground, especially with your car being so much lower than most.

Your best bet is to return the adapter sleeve, use the Trailer Hitch Adapter - 1-1/4" to 2" Hitch - 4-1/2" Drop/5" Rise # e93YR instead. This adapter will adapt your class I hitch to a 2" hitch while also providing 5" of rise or 4-1/2" of drop.

With the extra clearance gained from the adapter, you shouldn't run into any clearance issues, although it'll still likely be close.

expert reply by: Bryce D