Before you consider buying a hitch
receiver mounted bike rack, you'll probably need to know what size
receiver you have. If the size isn't printed somewhere on the receiver,
you can measure it quite easily. Just grab a tape measure or ruler,
remove the protective cap (if you have one) from the end of your
receiver, and measure the space between the walls of the receiver.
Whether you measure left-to-right or top-to-bottom won't matter-the
measurement will be the same.
The standard sizes of hitch receivers are 2" or 1 1/4". If your measurement is just under one of these two measurements you may have to remove rust or road grit from your receiver. Before you go searching for tools, try removing the build-up with your finger; sometimes the gunk comes out pretty easily. If that doesn't work you may need to use sandpaper or a metal file. You could also use a flat head screwdriver to chip and scrape the rust from a receiver. To help keep your receiver rust and dirt free after you've cleaned it up, make sure you place the protective cap over the open end when you're not using it. If you don't have a cap for your hitch, you can usually pick up a replacement cap wherever you had your receiver installed. Also, spraying the inside of your receiver with a little silicone spray will help prevent corrosion and keep your bike rack from getting stuck in a rusty receiver.
The setup of a hitch mounted bike rack varies from model to model. For most hitch racks this involves bolting the tongue assembly (the part that slides into your vehicles' hitch receiver) to mast assembly (the upright post). Some models may also need to have the bike arm assembly bolted to the mast, but most come pre-assembled. Tray style hitch racks take slightly more assembly, as each tray must be bolted in place individually. The only tool needed for assemly is usually an adjustable wrench.
The standard sizes of hitch receivers are 2" or 1 1/4". If your measurement is just under one of these two measurements you may have to remove rust or road grit from your receiver. Before you go searching for tools, try removing the build-up with your finger; sometimes the gunk comes out pretty easily. If that doesn't work you may need to use sandpaper or a metal file. You could also use a flat head screwdriver to chip and scrape the rust from a receiver. To help keep your receiver rust and dirt free after you've cleaned it up, make sure you place the protective cap over the open end when you're not using it. If you don't have a cap for your hitch, you can usually pick up a replacement cap wherever you had your receiver installed. Also, spraying the inside of your receiver with a little silicone spray will help prevent corrosion and keep your bike rack from getting stuck in a rusty receiver.
The setup of a hitch mounted bike rack varies from model to model. For most hitch racks this involves bolting the tongue assembly (the part that slides into your vehicles' hitch receiver) to mast assembly (the upright post). Some models may also need to have the bike arm assembly bolted to the mast, but most come pre-assembled. Tray style hitch racks take slightly more assembly, as each tray must be bolted in place individually. The only tool needed for assemly is usually an adjustable wrench.
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