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Hitchless Bike rack or install a hitch?
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I have a 2013 Honda Odyssey that does not have a hitch. I'm currently trying to determine if I should get a hitch installed on my van or purchase a bike rack that doesn't require a hitch. A friend of mine showed me this one...but I'm nervous about...#1 is it really universal...will it FIT my van lol...and #2 I don't like the idea of not being able to open/close the tailgate, without removing it.

When I called the dealer...they said $1200 to install...but he asked if I had my own hitch. Hmm...so guess that meant I could find my own but...does it matter WHICH hitch to purchase?!?! ugh...system overload.

Thoughts/suggestions?

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Re: Hitchless Bike rack or install a hitch? [fitmomma0722] [ In reply to ]
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I mean you can get a hitch for $100-$200 range I think, do not know for your car in specific. But if you are never going to tow something, why? I would go for a roof mount. Little bit nicer way to carry bikes. Downside is your van is tall, if you aren't careful you could crunch the bikes at a drive through.
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Re: Hitchless Bike rack or install a hitch? [fitmomma0722] [ In reply to ]
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I would recommend a hitch mount over anything else. The $1,200 quote for a hitch install is beyond insane. You should tell your dealership you're insulted by their flagrant effort to screw you over.

Order the trailer hitch from www.etrailer.com (no affiliation, I just buy lots of stuff from them and they have incredible customer support) and have a local mechanic install it. If you're even remotely 'handy' you could install it yourself. etrailer has numerous how-to videos on installing a hitch.

Good luck.
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Re: Hitchless Bike rack or install a hitch? [fitmomma0722] [ In reply to ]
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hitch mount all the way, especially on a minivan. getting bikes on and off a roof rack on a mini-van is a PITA.

No way it should cost 1200 to install. I got U-Haul to install a hitch on my old truck for about $400, maybe a little less. going rate around here seems to be about $200-250 for the install and wiring, plus whatever the hitch itself is.

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Re: Hitchless Bike rack or install a hitch? [fitmomma0722] [ In reply to ]
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A couple things:
1. I have a Swagman hitch mount, it has a "tilt" feature that allows you to open the tailgate with bikes on. I think several other brands do as well. (I have a Toyota Highlander and it works great)
2. I also have a roof mount but (a) it is high and my wife cannot put her bike on the SUV if I am not around and (b) I also mountain bike and although a 15-16 lb road bike is easy enough for me to throw on the roof, a 30+ lb mountain bike is a pain in the ass.

Things to consider if its more than just you and your bike.
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Re: Hitchless Bike rack or install a hitch? [fitmomma0722] [ In reply to ]
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For my Honda Fit, I got a Hidden Hitch online and installed it myself. It took me less than an hour and it was pretty easy.

With this, I use a Kuat bike rack and it is the best bike rack ever!!! All my friends make fun of me because by the time they get off their bikes, mine is already installed on my rack it is so easy!

http://www.raptorcorn.com
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Re: Hitchless Bike rack or install a hitch? [fitmomma0722] [ In reply to ]
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Hitch. Uhaul did a nice job for me and it was around $275.
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Re: Hitchless Bike rack or install a hitch? [fitmomma0722] [ In reply to ]
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How many bikes do you plan to transport?

I don't have a minivan but I do have a hitch. They're not one size fits all but at the same time it's not difficult to find one that will fit your van. You'll probably want to get a 2" hitch. The difficulty might be in deciding which bike rack to buy but that's a good thing since there are many good racks out there.

Nanoo Nanoo
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Re: Hitchless Bike rack or install a hitch? [fitmomma0722] [ In reply to ]
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I have a hitch because 1) I can move the rack from car to car easily and 2) I simply can't reach to hoist bikes up on top of even my Ford Focus, much less the SUV!

I did find that the Focus would only take a 1.25" hitch, where the Pacifica required a 2". We chose to get the rack in a 2" and put an adapter on the Focus, but if you plan to use it on more than one car that's something to think about.
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Re: Hitchless Bike rack or install a hitch? [fitmomma0722] [ In reply to ]
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Etrailer.com has videos of DIY hitch installations, reviews of bike racks themselves, and everything you'll need to do the job. Check it out.

http://www.etrailer.com/...den-Hitch/87479.html
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Re: Hitchless Bike rack or install a hitch? [fitmomma0722] [ In reply to ]
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hitch all the way. get another quote on the hitch, 1200 is ridiculous
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Re: Hitchless Bike rack or install a hitch? [fitmomma0722] [ In reply to ]
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Good comments here - but I need to add one that has not been mentioned ...

the "hitchless" racks all require some attachment mechanism to hold things in place on a painted door/liftgate/trunk lid/other. These are usually L-bends/brackets that are padded to some degree. But the paint on those sharp corners of your liftgate is very thin, and very easily damaged by the rubbing and stress of these band-strap-held L-brackets. We all tighten the crap out of them to keep things secure = good for bikes, bad for thin/sharp-edged paint.

Hitch-mounted all the way. For $200 you can get one that tilts away from the lift gate while the bike is still on the rack.
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Re: Hitchless Bike rack or install a hitch? [fitmomma0722] [ In reply to ]
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Don't go to a dealer. There are independent shops everywhere. I got mine installed for like $200-$250.
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Re: Hitchless Bike rack or install a hitch? [fitmomma0722] [ In reply to ]
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I ordered a hitch online for $120. Called around to see how much it was to install and was quoted anywhere from $60-120. Just decided to do it myself and had it done within 30 minutes. Love it.


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Re: Hitchless Bike rack or install a hitch? [fitmomma0722] [ In reply to ]
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I put a hitch on my car from eTrailer.com. The hitch was $189 including the light wiring kit and it took about an hour to install. Its super easy if you are used to working on cars at all but probably not the job you want to start your mechanical life with. Actually, the hitch is a piece of cake to get on, 4 bolts. The only hard part is that on most cars you have to take the muffler(s) off their mounts to get room. That is a no tool job but a little of a PITA. That part took about 50 of the 60 minutes of the total install time and it would have taken no time at all if the car was up on a lift and I was not trying to do it laying on my back. If your car is a "normal" install, anyone charging more than $150 for the labor is ripping you off.

I used my hitch mostly for bikes but do end up renting a trailer once or twice a year or so for something so the hitch was well worth it for me.
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Re: Hitchless Bike rack or install a hitch? [jstonebarger] [ In reply to ]
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jstonebarger wrote:
Etrailer.com has videos of DIY hitch installations, reviews of bike racks themselves, and everything you'll need to do the job. Check it out.

http://www.etrailer.com/...den-Hitch/87479.html

THIS.

I've bought 3 hitches from eTrailer, and installed 2 of them myself.
Hitches were $150 or less, no tax, free shipping.

It's about a 45-60 min DIY job, if you are reasonably handy.

The last one I was having trouble installing (couldn't get the muffler off the hangers, and also needed a tool I didn't have to widen some screw holes in the car frame) - so I took it to my wife's independent car mechanic dude, who installed it for under a C-note.


float , hammer , and jog

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Re: Hitchless Bike rack or install a hitch? [jhorn929] [ In reply to ]
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For my Honda Fit, I got a Hidden Hitch online and installed it myself. It took me less than an hour and it was pretty easy.

+1 for my subaru. Fit perfect and took very little time to install. Works great.

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Re: Hitchless Bike rack or install a hitch? [fitmomma0722] [ In reply to ]
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Wow, I thought the $800 quote from Subaru was bad. Like others, we went to Uhaul, had it installed in about 30 minutes for $300-ish and it looks great. Since we don't normally haul anything, they gave us the option of having the trailer wires exposed (which is what I'm used to on my truck) or routed through the inside where you pull them out when you need them. Kuat all the way.
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Re: Hitchless Bike rack or install a hitch? [fitmomma0722] [ In reply to ]
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Seconding the Uhaul for installing a hidden hitch. I called around to a ton of places and they were the cheapest. Made an appointment, in and out in 30 minutes. Buy a decent bike rack for it as I did many years ago and it will last forever. Mine is about 10 years old and going strong.

A quote of $1200 to install would be enough for me to sever ties with that dealership.
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Re: Hitchless Bike rack or install a hitch? [Durhamskier] [ In reply to ]
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will uhaul install any hitch for you? As in if I buy a Curt or Hidden Hitch for my subaru can I just bring it into them for the install vs. having to buy whatever they have at the location?
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Re: Hitchless Bike rack or install a hitch? [ilikepizza] [ In reply to ]
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I couldn't say for sure as I had to buy a hitch, and they were the cheapest for the purchase/install combo. I don't remember the breakdown on costs, sorry. This is also in Toronto (Uhaul on Warden Ave.) in the 1 in a million chance you're from the GTA :-p
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Re: Hitchless Bike rack or install a hitch? [ilikepizza] [ In reply to ]
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I got a hitch for my Odyssey. Uhaul sells and installs them by my in NY. It came out to about $250. Dealer will charge you a lot more, but the hitch will be integrated into the bumper instead of sitting under it.
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Re: Hitchless Bike rack or install a hitch? [fitmomma0722] [ In reply to ]
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My car has a center exit exhaust, so I would have had to re-route my exhaust to get a hitch. I think in most cases hitches are the way to go, but it wasn't for me. Plus, I didn't want to get a hitch for my car AND my wifes car.

I bought one of these instead: http://www.thule.com/...-2-bike-9003-_-16002

Your bikes sit on a platform. They don't hang from the toptube like most other trunk/hatch racks. The rack locks to the car, and the bikes lock to the rack. Great anti-theft protection. It seems pretty universal. It can go on the back door of a van/suv/hatchback or on the trunk of a car. When I buy a new car I won't have to buy a new hitch. If I rent a car for long trips, I can easily put this on whatever I rent.

In most cases, I think you'd still be able to open the back hatch (if you don't have bikes loaded). The rack is about 35 pounds, so it's heavier than something like a Saris Bones rack, but I think it will scratch your bike and car less than a Bones rack.
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Re: Hitchless Bike rack or install a hitch? [fitmomma0722] [ In reply to ]
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Answers to some more basic questions if you still have them and are leaning towards a hitch. If you are going to buy a hitch, the first step is to decide what hitch size or "receiver" you want. That is the size of the square hole which the hitch or rack will go into. There are 2 choices, 2 inch or 1 1/4 inch. 2" is standard and what most people think of when they think trailer hitch. A 2" is what you'll need if you ever want to tow a trailer. 1 1/4" will work for a bike rack and maybe a super small trailer but not anything you are going to rent at UHaul. Go with the 2" as it is more versatile.

Then as for brand, poke around the pictures on etrailer.com and see which one you think looks the best once its installed on your make and model. They have pics of different brand hitches installed on particular makes and models. They are all functionally the same, but some have square tubes, some have round tubes and some brands just look a little better in how they sit under the bumper on a particular make and model. Don't worry about the other specs like towing capacity etc, Any 2" hitch you get will handle way more than you ever want to tow with an Odyssey.
Last edited by: STP: Aug 28, 14 12:24
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Re: Hitchless Bike rack or install a hitch? [STP] [ In reply to ]
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I have Swagman that i picked up this year. It has an adapter that allows it to work with either 1 1/4 or 2. Love it as my old car had the 1 1/4 and my SUV had a 2.
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