A simple bike rack for the CT

[Runestone]

Waiting for the Porsche rack* I decided to make one myself. Since I already had a basic Thule rack that I used on my previous car (with towing hook). I thought I could use it to simplify things. It turned out to be relatively easy and I only used a drill and a saw. I used two 48 mm aluminum pipes and a 130 cm long aluminum bar plus the bike rack. I removed the clamps for the hook and drilled holes for the rack in the bar.

Two tips if you want to do something similar:
- If don't have a Thule rack buying a new one isn't too expensive. Removing the rings for the clamp doesn't destroy it irreversibly. The rings are attached with rivets that you have to remove, but you can reattach them with ordinary bolts.
- Since the rack not is attached to the car at the top it will exert a rotational moment on the horizontal beam. You, therefore, need something with high torsional stiffness, otherwise, it will be pretty wobbly. You should not use something with an open cross-section like a U-beam or an I-beam. The best is probably a round pipe, but you could also use a box beam as I did.

* I got the idea of making my own rack last summer when I saw how simple the attachments to the car were. Then the car was delayed so I put the project on hold. When I finally got the car in November my SA offered me a Porsche bike rack for free as compensation for the delay. But since there seems to be no rack in sight I restarted my little project.

 

[Albion]

Nice, should be able to bolt on a normal European tow-hook to the horizontal bar? , like the one below:

that way you don’t need to cut up the Thule and can use different bikecarriers.

 

[Artman]

This is

I used two 48 mm aluminium pipes and 130 cm long aluminium bar plus the bike rack.

Great option here! Do you have any more specifics on the pipe that fits into the Porsche Bike Rack receivers and how it locks is place?

OEM

@bsclywilly solution below:

 

[Runestone]

Nice, should be able to bolt on a normal European tow-hook to the horizontal bar? , like the one below:

that way you don’t need to cut up the Thule and can use different bikecarriers.

Yes, that might be an even better solution. In addition to keeping the Thule intact, it will also be easier to disassemble into smaller pieces.

You might even be able to use it to tow light loads shorter distances

 

[Runestone]

Great option here! Do you have any more specifics on the pipe that fits into the Porsche Bike Rack receivers and how it locks is place?

As mentioned are the pipes 48 mm in diameter. I had to reduce the diameter by a few tenths of a mm with a belt sander to fit the receivers.

The outer part is just a M10 bolt through the pipe that locks the horizontal bar. You can use a standard nut to fasten it. But the handles are more convenient and didn't cost much.

The inner part utilizes the groves in the receiver in the same way as the Porsche rack. I used M10 bolts that had a short part without threads. I drilled holes on both sides of the pipe and made threads in the holes. I screwed in the bolts and locked them with nuts on the inside. I then cut off the heads of the bolts. The lower had to be a little shorter to fit in.

To assemble I stick the pipes in the receiver and twist them about a quarter of a turn. I then place the beam with the rack on top and tighten the handles. There is not locking mechanism on the car side, but since the pipes are fastened to the beam they can't rotate and fall out.

The design is not super neat, but functional and fairly easy to make.

 

[bsclywilly]

This is



Great option here! Do you have any more specifics on the pipe that fits into the Porsche Bike Rack receivers and how it locks is place?


@bsclywilly solution below:

As mentioned are the pipes 48 mm in diameter. I had to reduce the diameter by a few tenths of a mm with a belt sander to fit the receivers.

The socket dimensions are a bit nuanced, as the OP found out. They're 48.0mm initially, open up to a larger diameter in the center section, then necks down to 47.5mm at the deepest section. Hence, the reason my bars have a step next to the pins, in case anyone was wondering.

 

[Artman]

The socket dimensions are a bit nuanced, as the OP found out. They're 48.0mm initially, open up to a larger diameter in the center section, then necks down to 47.5mm at the deepest section. Hence, the reason my bars have a step next to the pins, in case anyone was wondering.

I was, actually

 

[SorenDK]

As mentioned are the pipes 48 mm in diameter. I had to reduce the diameter by a few tenths of a mm with a belt sander to fit the receivers.

The outer part is just a M10 bolt through the pipe that locks the horizontal bar. You can use a standard nut to fasten it. But the handles are more convenient and didn't cost much.

The inner part utilizes the groves in the receiver in the same way as the Porsche rack. I used M10 bolts that had a short part without threads. I drilled holes on both sides of the pipe and made threads in the holes. I screwed in the bolts and locked them with nuts on the inside. I then cut off the heads of the bolts. The lower had to be a little shorter to fit in.

To assemble I stick the pipes in the receiver and twist them about a quarter of a turn. I then place the beam with the rack on top and tighten the handles. There is not locking mechanism on the car side, but since the pipes are fastened to the beam they can't rotate and fall out.

The design is not super neat, but functional and fairly easy to make.

Very interesting read. I'm after a similar solution for my CT.
I am wondering if you have thought of any design improvement that I could benefit from when building my own (or ask my local plumber). And specifically I am interested in your supplier of the aluminium - perhaps I can have that shipped to DK.

 

[Runestone]

Very interesting read. I'm after a similar solution for my CT.
I am wondering if you have thought of any design improvement that I could benefit from when building my own (or ask my local plumber). And specifically I am interested in your supplier of the aluminium - perhaps I can have that shipped to DK.

I haven't done any upgrades. But if I would do it over again I would probably go for a tow hook like Albion suggested.

I finally got the Porsche carrier, but I haven't used it since mine is much lighter and quicker to attach

I bought the aluminum from here:
https://montano.se/product.html/aluminiumror-1-meter

I thought it was nice since it was pretty thick (4 mm), but 3 mm would probably had been enough since the original only is 2 mm. You can also find pipes here
https://bellaliteblack.se/raror-48x3-mm-prism?_loopref=click&_loopitem=27166

Looking at the original you probably have to reduce the diameter a little. Unless you can find 47 mm pipes, but I think the might be difficult.

I measured the diameter on the original carrier so you can use it as a reference.

 

[SorenDK]

Thanks a lot. Very helpful.
Can you tell what the dimension is of the squre bar? It's also aluminium, I assume.
And where could I buy that?

 

[Runestone]

Thanks a lot. Very helpful.
Can you tell what the dimension is of the squre bar? It's also aluminium, I assume.
And where could I buy that?

The square bar is 60x60 mm aluminium. I have bought profiles from a german company
https://www.alu-messing-shop.de/aluminium/

I not sure 3 mm thick is enough. The bending stiffness and strength is no problem, but the torsional stiffness might be an issue (as mentioned). You might also consider a round pipe since might come in thicker versions.

 

[SorenDK]

Thanks again. I think I will settle on a round pipe 4 mm thick, since I need a rather stiff torsion for the Thule Easyfold XT rack. I will possibly be driving with 2 bikes.
I now only need to find a plummer who can weld with aluminium.
I will let you know how I progress.

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