Thule 970 tow hitch (user error) issue

brownian

Just a heads up to anyone else who uses the super-handy Thule 970 tow-hitch bike carrier. This is the one that just 'clicks' into place on the tow hitch, by pushing down a clamping bar, which has, itself, a release button.

Somehow, mine came loose on the motorway, dragging my bike behind the car until I could pull across into the hard shoulder. The rack stayed attached to the tow-hitch, but only loosely. Damage was a bit ugly, but only the handlebars are destroyed. Could have been worse.

I suspect that the pedal of the inner bike (of two) rotated up and caught the release button.

Solutions - 1: put a split-ring or a bolt or a small lock through the locking hole beside the release button. 2 - ensure no pedal sits between the two bars of the rack (tho this increases the chance of your pedal scratching your car). 3 - back up the rack with a rope or strap into the boot.

JiffyJ

Thanks OP, i've always had my fears about how easy it is to unclick the carrier - small lock through the locking hole is just the job.

brownian

...and slightly reduces the (small) chance of bikes that are locked to the rack being stolen by simply taking rack and all. Or, indeed, of the rack itself being pinched. Slightly, because you're not going to fit any serious lock through that little locking hole.

ciarsciars

Thanks for that. Very useful.
I use the same rack and find it very handy. However, recently when I got home from a spin on the mtb and rack was at a strange angle to the back of the car i.e it had shift clockwise, which means one of two things could of happened (1) I bumped the wheel of the mtb off something and it shifted the whole rack , which is possible as the wheel over hangs the side of the car a fair bit. (2) driving on the motorway somehow caused the rack to shift.

Anyone experience with the rack moving without the release button being touched? Note in my case the rack was still fully clamped down.

plodder

I was thinking of getting a bike rack like these as I like the fact that the tow hitch is supporting all the weight rather than nylon straps like on the rack I have currently. What I can't quite understand is how they stay fixed in place without moving as described in previous posts.

brownian

Dunno how it works, plodder, but it does.

That said, I am backing up mine now, by adding the wee padlock in the lock hole. Made it to Wicklow and back with no issue today, so I guess my experience last week was a once off.

JiffyJ

ciarsciars wrote: »

Thanks for that. Very useful.
I use the same rack and find it very handy. However, recently when I got home from a spin on the mtb and rack was at a strange angle to the back of the car i.e it had shift clockwise, which means one of two things could of happened (1) I bumped the wheel of the mtb off something and it shifted the whole rack , which is possible as the wheel over hangs the side of the car a fair bit. (2) driving on the motorway somehow caused the rack to shift.

Anyone experience with the rack moving without the release button being touched? Note in my case the rack was still fully clamped down.

Similar thing happened to me, but I figured out it was because I had secured it at a slight angle originally. Unclipped and put back in, square, and no issues since.

endacl

Just in case anybody is put off using these brilliant bike racks, I’ve been using the same one now for about 5 years with zero issues. I’ve always put a small padlock through the locking hole, though. Just seemed to make sense, in terms of stopping for a sandwich or the like.

ninoon

Just taking up the point about slipping, I have used this model for 5 years or so without problem , it works by gripping the towball, ie friction/pressure. Towball can wear with use for trailers etc ,the bike carrier can be adjusted by moving the bridging tensioning bar bolt by one hole . Thule fitting instructions give minimum tensioning figures.

brownian

thanks, ninoon, that's pretty useful - might do that myself!!

To echo endacl - I too used my rack for ages without any issues, and I think it's v.v. likely user error that caused my incident.