Rear Factory 2" receiver hitch
Would the TM receiver be strong enough for a bike rack with 3 or 4 bikes?
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Hi and welcome (many good ideas come from these very experienced folks).
When we purchased our new 2720QB, one carrot of the dickering process was for the dealer to mount (bolted-welded) a
TM factory 2" receiver hitch that is rated @
150#s.
To answer your question above, it all depends on the weight of the rack AND if the bikes are feather weight, sub-16# carbon fiber roadbikes vs. a sweet lookin'
towny that weighs 40# vs. some that are kid bikes (can't imagine trying to place more than one heavy weight
e-bike on a rack).
(I installed a full time rear view camera on the TM and to witness the
bucking of the bikes without a truly rigid bike rack system brings some horror to mind/pocket book. Thus the expensive change from a Saris Thelma 2 to a 1Upusa).
I.E. Our
1upusa aluminum 2 bike rack (~46#s plus our two
Marie Osmond like 23.5# mtbs) is mounted on top of a heavy duty hitch extender (~26#, supports the majority of all the combined bike and bike rack weight & reduces the stress on the neck of rack welds with the
bucking) while towing with rigid anti-rattle
Hitch Vise and two ratchet straps (to further minimize bike movement induced from the wind while on the move). Adding a 3rd bike and a third bolt on 1Upusa unit, likely, would exceed the 150#mark.
Can you mount one or two of the total number of bikes on the roof of the TV or front of the TM tongue or front of the TV (as some TMers have done)? Good Luck and let the members know how you've solved your quandry.