Bike rack, mounted to a front hitch receiver

[Arnoldter]

Has anyone had a hitch mounted to TV (I have a 1500 Silverado) front end to carry 2 electric bikes that weight about 100lbs for both. Any drag going up steep entry ramps or over speed bumps and such?

[Lets travel]

I also didn't want to put the bikes on the back of the airstream and put on a front tow hitch and bike rack and it's been great. Takes a couple of trips to get the bikes mounted correctly and secure but we love it. We also mounted two electric bikes in front and not have had any problems

[Tincampers]

I tried it but found it very distracting. Sold it to a guy in a Walmart parking lot in Page, Az.

[glcmranger]

Yes. I bought a CURT Front end Hitch for my 2014 Tundra. I use it all the time for both my motorcycle carrier as well as my Thule Bike rack. You can find Bike racks that are lower so the bikes are not within your view of sight.

[m.hony]

I have a front receiver and a bike rack with 2 ordinary bicycles.
No problems.

[manook]

Originally Posted by Arnoldter

Has anyone had a hitch mounted to TV (I have a 1500 Silverado) front end to carry 2 electric bikes that weight about 100lbs for both. Any drag going up steep entry ramps or over speed bumps and such?

I mounted a Kurt front receiver to my 2014 chevy 1500 and realized part of was too low for many driveways, aka bottoming out. So I had a welder friend move the receiver from below the crossmember of the frame of the Kurt, to above it, then cut a hole in the air dam.

Works great, I have put four bikes on it.
For better visibility, I do remove the seats from the bicycles

Sincerely

[manook]

Originally Posted by manook

I mounted a Kurt front receiver to my 2014 chevy 1500 and realized part of was too low for many driveways, aka bottoming out. So I had a welder friend move the receiver from below the crossmember of the frame of the Kurt, to above it, then cut a hole in the air dam.

Works great, I have put four bikes on it.
For better visibility, I do remove the seats from the bicycles

Sincerely

added pic.

[Wingeezer]

I have used front hitch receivers on my previous Sierra 1500, and now on my Sierra HD2500 and been very happy with the arrangement.

Never had any issues with either.

I will say though that the hitch receiver installation on the 2500 is not quite as convenient as it was on the 500.


With the 1500, the receiver came out below the bumper.

On the 2500, it comes out right through the plastic section at the the middle of the chrome bumper where the license plate goes!

The shop had to cut a rectangular piece out of the plastic for this reason.

Perhaps there may be other front mounted receivers for this truck that come out below the bumper, I don't know. This was the one they installed for me!

It creates two issues ...............

(1) the hole for the securing the pin into the receiver is hidden behind the bumper and not terribly accessible. That means that when installing or removing the bike rack, I have to throw down a tarp and get under the bumper with a flashlight to insert or remove the pin. Only takes a minute or two though.

(2) I had to make up a licence plate holder with a 2" tube on the back, so that when we do not have the bike rack in place, I can stick it into the receiver so the plate is in its normal previous location.

I modified the bike rack so that it can carry the licence plate right on the rack the rack is in place.

(3) Because the receiver on the new truck is quite a bit higher than it was on the 1500, when I put the bike rack in place, I found the bikes were higher than desireable and did obstruct vision somewhat.

So I cut and re-welded the vertical tube of the bike rack to drop the bikes down to where I wanted them.

I like to have the handlebars/seats barely visible over the line of the hood so I can just see them and know that they are remaining positoned as they should when we travel and all is well wth them.

Been carrying bikes this way for about 18 years including 8 years with the HD2500 and for our own situation, still feel it is the best compromise solution for us to carry the bikes There are of course pros and cons with any method - including mine!

Brian

[jmgunn1]

Have a receiver bolted to brush guard,F-150 4x4 been coast to coast with bikes no problems

[franklyfrank]

Originally Posted by glcmranger

Yes. I bought a CURT Front end Hitch for my 2014 Tundra. I use it all the time for both my motorcycle carrier as well as my Thule Bike rack. You can find Bike racks that are lower so the bikes are not within your view of sight.

How do you clean the dead bugs from the spokes :-) ?

[ashrink12]

I Have a 2016 Chevrolet 2500HD. My Curt front hitch fits under the license plate. It bolted right on w no modifications necessary to my vehicle. I lower the bicycle seats all the way down so that visibility isn't an issue. I would not want to add weight to the rear of the airstream.
I bet you'll like the bikes upfront.

Greg

[m.hony]

The Curt front mounted receiver bolted up to my Tundra very easily utilizing the existing bolts for the tow hooks.
Very simple 10 minute install- tow hooks off, receiver and tow hooks back on.

[Wingeezer]

Originally Posted by ashrink12

I Have a 2016 Chevrolet 2500HD. My Curt front hitch fits under the license plate. It bolted right on w no modifications necessary to my vehicle. I lower the bicycle seats all the way down so that visibility isn't an issue. I would not want to add weight to the rear of the airstream.
I bet you'll like the bikes upfront.

Greg

Sounds like a good arrangement, and likely more economical than the installation they did on our truck! I wasn't aware of it at the time and I guess the hicth place I worked with were not either, otherwise I likely would have gone that way!

Brian.

[tadpoletim]

I have a front hitch receiver for my bike rack on our 2003 Silverado 3500 - have had no problems on a couple of long trips. The two Mountain bikes with slanting cross-bars are at a odd angle but it does not seem to matter. Hitch installed by Cap-It and no problems with using it.

[1973Argosy]

I have a front hitch on all of my 4x4`s. On my tow vehicle, 2000 ford expedition, it tends to carry a hitch cargo carrier with my cooler and yamaha generator. I also have a 12000# winch that can go between all of my 4x4 vehicles. All of my trucks are wired for the winch on the front and back hitch with anderson style connectors. Carry a set of jumper cables with the anderson connector on one end, it always surprises people when you jump start them without raising your hood.

[bwlund]

We have an Arvika Airstream Travel Trailer Bracket - 7000 Series designed for the Airstream.

We ordered from this website: https://www.racksforcars.com/15147/Arvika-Airstream-Travel-Trailer-Bracket/