rack for my pickup...

finlander said:

Hi. I have a Dodge Dakota with a cap. I was wondering if anyone has seen a rack meant to hang on a spare tire used on a tailgate of a truck, with the straps looping behind the tailgate to hole it in place. I do not have the funds to get an undercarriage (reese) type and an upright bike rack at this time. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks.

I don't have any suggestions for the type you're asking about.

Have you considered the option of making a fork mount rack - attach "universal fork mounts" to a 2X8 laid across the front of your pickup bed. Fork mounts are available many places - for example, at Performancebike.com for $10 + shipping. For $10 (or $20 or $30) + the cost of a 2X8 you could have a 1 (or 2 or 3) bike rack, clean and secure inside your topper. It's what I use inside my Suburban which I would guess is similar in size.

I have a 'cap' on my truck, not a topper. It just sits on the sidewalls. I have other stuff in there that I want to keep locked up so...I do not want to remove it to put in a rack to hold the bikes upright. If I could find some aluminum in tubular form I could cut it and bolt it together.....the hunt continues......

finlander said:

I have a 'cap' on my truck, not a topper. It just sits on the sidewalls. I have other stuff in there that I want to keep locked up so...I do not want to remove it to put in a rack to hold the bikes upright. If I could find some aluminum in tubular form I could cut it and bolt it together.....the hunt continues......

in the spirit of self-fabrication.... PVC pipe is also plenty strong for a bike carrier imho.

Wish I had read this before my trip to the 2nd LBS. They had a Graber rack that I bought that bolts to the hole in my bumper where my ball bolts to for the trailer. It is upright and holds two bikes. Has a arm that swings down and is lockable. I guess they dont make em any more. It had been there as long as the employee, 10 years. Yes, 2 inch pvc in a short section might hold 2 bikes. I would worry about it on a 200 mile trip, esp the last 10 to the cabin down a bumpy road.

finlander said:

Wish I had read this before my trip to the 2nd LBS. They had a Graber rack that I bought that bolts to the hole in my bumper where my ball bolts to for the trailer. It is upright and holds two bikes. Has a arm that swings down and is lockable. I guess they dont make em any more. It had been there as long as the employee, 10 years. Yes, 2 inch pvc in a short section might hold 2 bikes. I would worry about it on a 200 mile trip, esp the last 10 to the cabin down a bumpy road.

I have no idea whether PVC would be a good application for this, but...

On my boat trailer, I have 2" PVC pipes acting as "guide-ins" to help me put the boat on the trailer in strong river current. They are conventional PVC pipes I bought in the hardware store, about 3 foot lengths, free of the steel that they sit on.

My boat is a 21 foot welded aluminum with windshield, 6 seats, broad beam and a 175 HP engine. A big, heavy boat, about 2,500 lbs.

I have hit those PVC pipes VERY hard trying to trailer the boat in heavy current. They are very strong. I can't imagine that 50 lbs of bikes (two bikes) would stress the material, even on bumpy roads. The joints and overall design of the contraption would be the big question.

That said, I'd try to find a manufactured product specifically made for this just because it would probably work better (easier to use) and most likely look better.

Just brainstorming here 😎

Just read the instructions on this Graber and found out the max weight for this rack is 70 lbs. I just weighed the bikes on a accurate fishing scale and found out mine is 40 ( steel ) and the wife's is 35 (Alum.) Is this a really big deal?? 5 lbs overwieght? The one my uncle and I built years ago was WAAAY heavier and sturdier than this thing. I may have to return it tomorrow.....grrrrrrr....may have build my own anyway...