My $26 bike carrier

[swaz]

I've been planning to make one of these since I saw my old mans one that a local Mens Shed made for him for a few hundred $. I bought a new car and had a hitch type tow bar installed on it which gave me the shove along to make one of these things. I have only made it to carry my one bike as that is pretty much all I do. I try to ride twice a week after work and it is a PITA to put on the Thule Express, put bike on, connect light bar; unmount bike from carrier, light bar, put it in boot. Repeat after work and when at the track. I was putting the bike on 3 time and taking it off another 3 times.
Went to the local metal supply place where my work place has an account (cheaper than retail) to buy what I need. They also cut to size which is a massive advantage. They have an off cuts rack with everything bar the flat bar I needed for the project. Walked outta there with all the steel I needed, including the telescoping CHS for the wheel bits for $16 + a hand full on bits from their scrap bin to practice on.
Am also lucky enough to have access to a very well appointed metals work shop with all the toys. So the large hole for the hitch pin was drilled there along with getting one of the guys to weld the T together so I was confident it wouldn't break. The rest I weldeded at home with my MIG and flux core wire. After a trip to the big green shed for some nuts, bolts and the foam I am pretty much all done for $26. Everything else like the cold gal paint, silver spray paint, aluminum for the license plate, screws etc etc were already laying around the shed. I have some indicator lights to mount and an LED light for the number plate and it's all done!
This is a bit of a stop gap until the cash come available for an iSi carrier and will mean i can take my bike to the in-laws place to cope with being there!

 

[Ezkaton]

Can't complain about that for $26! :nono:

 

[Boom King]

Nice work. Hope you don't have carbon rims?

 

[swaz]

Nice work. Hope you don't have carbon rims?

Alloy. Why would carbon rims be bad?

 

[swaz]

Can't complain about that for $26! :nono:

Lets not count my time, the cost of the equipment I used or already own because then it would add up to to about 5 commercially available racks.

Although I learned a lot and it is one of the better home made things I have made I can certainly see the value in a Gripsport or iSi carrier with their laser cut bits, powder coatings and nice welds. They are actually a great price considering the alternative thin walled steel round tube and plastic offerings from big companies.

 

[Boom King]

Alloy. Why would carbon rims be bad?

Depending on what height the bike sits, the exhaust gasses can melt the rims.

 

[swaz]

Depending on what height the bike sits, the exhaust gasses can melt the rims.

Ah right. Bike sits above the exhaust and the pipe on the car actually points towards the ground so should be safe.

 

[Ideate]

Can't complain about that for $26! :nono:

I told you Daz! We could have made yours together like that movie Ghost on the pot wheel.. except holding a MIG torch.

 

[Ezkaton]

Lets not count my time, the cost of the equipment I used or already own because then it would add up to to about 5 commercially available racks.

Although I learned a lot and it is one of the better home made things I have made I can certainly see the value in a Gripsport or iSi carrier with their laser cut bits, powder coatings and nice welds. They are actually a great price considering the alternative thin walled steel round tube and plastic offerings from big companies.

Haha yeah, true that. I just got a GripSport rack the other day and those things are SOLID... road test tomorrow!

I told you Daz! We could have made yours together like that movie Ghost on the pot wheel.. except holding a MIG torch.

But I'm lazy!

 

[Sappa]

2 thumbs up

That looks good, well done :thumb::thumb:

 

[richie_gt]

Depending on what height the bike sits, the exhaust gasses can melt the rims.

Really? I find that very hard to believe. On a performance car maybe.

 

[Flow-Rider]

Really? I find that very hard to believe. On a performance car maybe.

Warm your car up and get someone to hold it on 2500RPM stationary and see how long you can hold your hand near it.

 

[Boom King]

Warm your car up and get someone to hold it on 2500RPM stationary and see how long you can hold your hand near it.

Bugger that!

Really? I find that very hard to believe. On a performance car maybe.

Just mount your carbon rim behind your exhaust and see what happens if you're that confident

 

[Boom King]

Really? I find that very hard to believe. On a performance car maybe.

http://forums.mtbr.com/california-norcal/psa-dont-put-bike-rack-too-close-exhaust-934298.html

Just one example of many.

 

[scblack]

http://forums.mtbr.com/california-norcal/psa-dont-put-bike-rack-too-close-exhaust-934298.html

Just one example of many.

I wonder how close the rim has to be to the exhaust to cause the issue?

 

[willsy01]

Really? I find that very hard to believe. On a performance car maybe.

Exhaust gas temperatures at the headers (as soon as it leaves the engine) are usually in the 5-700 degree range and that's just your typical engine......nothing hipo. That temp will of course drop as it travels along the exhaust but it's still bloody hot as it leaves the pipe.....concentrate that on a bit of carbon and will make rather light work of the resin holding it together.

 

[Boom King]

I wonder how close the rim has to be to the exhaust to cause the issue?

As close as your average hitch mounted carrier, if in line with the exhaust trail.

There was a guy last Friday that melted his on the way to Barjarg. He did nothing special, just didn't realise what happens, which is what pretty much everyone does. Once and once only usually.

 

[richie_gt]

Warm your car up and get someone to hold it on 2500RPM stationary and see how long you can hold your hand near it.

Yeah...nah. I'll watch you do it though!

http://forums.mtbr.com/california-norcal/psa-dont-put-bike-rack-too-close-exhaust-934298.html

Just one example of many.

Would've never even thought that would happen!

As close as your average hitch mounted carrier, if in line with the exhaust trail.

There was a guy last Friday that melted his on the way to Barjarg. He did nothing special, just didn't realise what happens, which is what pretty much everyone does. Once and once only usually.

And again...would've never even thought that would happen!

 

[mtb101]

good job.

next time you're on the freeway watch how much the bike bounces around in rear view mirror, dirt road even worse - that T joint will be under sideways load.

I'd be putting on stabilizer arms to minimize that and some plates to spread weld area. don't want bike on road.

join to tow bar would need to be heavier gauge as well.

 

[swaz]

good job.

next time you're on the freeway watch how much the bike bounces around in rear view mirror, dirt road even worse - that T joint will be under sideways load.

I'd be putting on stabilizer arms to minimize that and some plates to spread weld area. don't want bike on road.

join to tow bar would need to be heavier gauge as well.


View attachment 319241

It's been for a short test drive and the bounce was minimal bit I plan to take it on a dirt road and video how it acts. I had considered putting some gussets in but it's 4mm 50x50 for the hitch and the cross piece is 3mm 25x25. If I had my time over again I would make that 40x40 x 3mm but then they overall weight increases a lot and there wasn't any of that in the off cuts bin. It's only a 12-13kg bike too so I am hoping that will help with my minimal engineering design.