Bike rack for 2019 outlander

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Handsomedan

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#2362539 29-Nov-2019 08:23

muppet:

scuwp: You don't want it too far away as the weight on the towball with 4 bikes will be reaching the usual max towball loading. Unless you have a special towball fitted?

I have had a standard Torpedo 7 rack on my last 3 SUVs without any hassles.

I am fully prepared to be schooled here, but what??

Max loading on our towball is 2,000kg. So in my mind, unless each bike weighed 500kg, aren't you going to be just fine?

(Ok, explain how dumb I am someone)

It's not the lateral load (towing) it's the vertical load (as if standing on it) that is the issue.

Mine's rated for approx 2000kg for towing, but about 80ish (from memory) for vertical load...i.e. 4 bikes and a heavy rack could invalidate the warranty...but doesn't appear to do any harm.

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sidefx

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#2362543 29-Nov-2019 08:35

Handsomedan:

It's not the lateral load (towing) it's the vertical load (as if standing on it) that is the issue.

Pretty much this - think about where most of the weight is on a trailer -resting on the wheels right. Only thing the towball\bar is doing is pulling it along. When bikes are on a bike rack the forces are completely different direction. I think on mine there's a towing weight printed on the towbar, then a seperate much lower vertical loading weight listed.

Bike racks also tend to stick out so there's also added torque effect from that...

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Fred99

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#2362696 29-Nov-2019 10:25

Handsomedan:

]It's not the lateral load (towing) it's the vertical load (as if standing on it) that is the issue.

Mine's rated for approx 2000kg for towing, but about 80ish (from memory) for vertical load...i.e. 4 bikes and a heavy rack could invalidate the warranty...but doesn't appear to do any harm.

Strictly true, but the maximum tongue load isn't because the towbar is likely to snap, but to ensure safe weight distribution in the towing vehicle - too much weight on the rear and you'll lose traction on the front wheels, the ESC system may not work properly etc.

80kg max tongue load but 2000kg maximum towed weight is also theoretically potentially unsafe, ideally tongue weight should be about 10-15% of the towed weight. But some newer vehicles may have towing stability anti-sway control (actuated when the trailer lights are plugged in, and using the tow vehicle esc system) and some trailers (UK imports) may have stability control that's supposed to work in tandem with the car esc system. Personally, I'd prefer to have something that was inherently stable and not rely on electronics to correct things. Possibly the biggest risk may be if there was something like a caravan with weight distribution set up for low tongue load - to be towed using a vehicle with towing ESC - and someone towed it with a vehicle without ESC (or turned it off), it would be very dangerous.

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