Item Added to Cart

Home

Determing Required Hitch Clearance

Platinum Series: FREESTANDING Bike Rack

sku # SS33062

$99.99

Resource Center

What Fits Your Vehicle?

Find the perfect rack for your car by selecting from the fields below.

Make Model Year My Roof Has

Each roof is different, so take a look and let us know what’s on your roof:

Bare / Naked: You have nothing on your vehicle’s roof

Factory Tracks: Mounted flat to the outer edges of your roof and run front to back

Factory Raised Side Rails: No crossbars. Run front to back on the outer edges of your roof with some clearance between the vehicle and the rail

Factory Crossbars: Also known as load bars, they run side to side and are attached to factory side rails

Rain Gutters: Thin channels that run from the front windshield to the rear, on each side of the roof, near the tops of the doors

Fixed Points: No rails. No crossbars. Rectangular access panels at each corner of the roof which open to reveal hidden rack attachment points

Hitch Yes No

Determing Required Hitch Clearance

Rear mounted spare tires should not pose a problem when deciding which hitch mounted bike rack you want to put on your vehicle. With a simple measurement, you will be able to identify the hitch clearance specific to your vehicle and select the perfect bike rack for your car, truck, or SUV.

Tie a small weight, like your car keys, onto the end of a string and tape the other end onto the center of your spare tire. Be sure the string is long enough to hang below your car’s hitch.
Measure the distance from the center of the hitch pin hole to the string. Keep the tape measure parallel to the ground for the most accurate measurement.
After determining the hitch clearance on your vehicle, pick a bike rack that has about an inch more clearance than what you just measured on your vehicle.

By following these simple steps, you will be able to find a hitch mounted bike rack with the features you want and the appropriate clearance for your specific car and spare tire. The rack will sit close to your vehicle while still allowing room for your spare.

While shopping, use our convenient compare feature to view the hitch clearances on many bike racks at once. Simply checkmark the ‘Add to Compare’ boxes under the hitch racks that interest you, and push ‘Compare Now.’ When viewing one bike rack at a time, refer to the specifications tab on the item’s page to see the hitch clearance for that particular bike rack.

Raceway Platform

Raceway: 2 Bike

Quantum 8 Shorty

Quad Gravity Bike Stand

Post & Ring Bike Rack

Platinum Series: FREESTANDING Bike Rack

Determing Required Hitch Clearance