Front mounted bike rack

[jlandreth]

The wife and I are getting a couple of ebikes to take with us on our adventures. Problem is trying to find a way to transport them. They are not bikes that can be folded so they take up a lot of room plus they weigh around 62 lbs each. Because of the weight, the Fiama rack is not an option. Also, most other bike racks are not rated for that kind of weight. Hollywood racks makes one specifically for ebikes rated to carry two 80 lb bikes. Problem with that is that it's meant to be mounted in your receiver hitch. So, I'm thinking about putting a hitch under the front bumper on my 2018 F250. Has anyone else done this? Pictures would be appreciated.

[TomW]

I got mine from Etrailer.com

Tom

[n2916s]

Been dragging my two full size bikes around for years on the front of my trucks. They get dirty but no problem otherwise. Found Curt front hitches at E Trailer.

[Mollysdad]

I'm thinking of doing that also.
Curt makes a front receiver for the Tundra.
The only issue seems to be it uses the same bolts as the "skid plate" and therefore all has to be removed for an oil change.
The solution seems to be cutting a 4" hole below the oil filter so everything can be left in place.

Just make sure that 150 pounds you're adding doesn't use up all your carrying capacity.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Consider that your "view forward" will look like with the bikes onboard. It is likely (though not certain) that they will be in view as you go down the road. That may / may not bug you.

However much fun parking the truck is *without* a gizmo on the front, it will be at least a few inches more fun with it. Pulling the rack whenever you are set up is one option. To me that seems like a hassle. It *is* way easier to pull a setup like that than a roof mount though.

I've used the same sort of carrier (though not the same brand) as a rear mount for a lot of miles. This was back in the days of tent camping. They are *way* easier to use than a roof mount or bed mount for a set of bikes. Dirt wise, I don't think a front mount will be massively worse than a roof mont. You will collect a goodly sample of bugs en-route either way

Bob

[StreamDog]

Does your 2018 have adaptive cruise, collision avoidance, parking assist, etc? These might be affected.

[JonDNC]

Just ordered curt hitch for my F 350

[jlandreth]

Originally Posted by StreamDog

Does your 2018 have adaptive cruise, collision avoidance, parking assist, etc? These might be affected.

My 2018 doesn't have any of these.

[caz]

My solution for our two bikes was to purchase a soft pad from Dakane that is strapped over the rear tailgate. Front wheels of the bikes hang over the tailgate and are strapped down. Very easy to load/unload bikes. Caz.

[dnsapp]

If you have an F150 with an eco boost I’d check with ford to make sure it’s okay to mount anything in front of your air intake on the front. They don’t recommend even a car tag in front of the air intake.

[piepco]

We have two Rad City E-bikes, 40 lbs. apiece. We had a receiver hitch mounted on rear of our 2003 25’ Safari ; with a Thule rack ; very secure and sturdy.

[rucos]

I also have an Ebike .... mine is a fat tire so I had some hitch issues. To heavy to hang on the back of the trailer.
Last year I purchased a curt hitch from Amazon that worked great. I then tried a bought rack and used it for a 5 day trip but didn't like it..... I then built my own rack which has worked great. I drove with the bike on the front from here to Mexico last winter with no issues .... I don't find it blocks my vision much at all and it solved my hauling my bike problem. My wife is a road warrior and rides a super light road bike so hers is easy to find a spot in the truck but the EBike is heavy so the front hitch was the only solution I found that worked.
The biggest thing I do is protect the electronics etc from the weather.....I get very wet up front....... I wrap with stretch plastic wrap.

[rucos]

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/Users/Roy/Downloads/IMG_0892.JPG

sorry Im trying to post photos but can't get them to work

[ElliotA]

I have been using a Thule Ez-Fold in front of my trucks for over five years without any problems. The last two years I have been transporting my two new e-bikes which weigh over 62 pound each.


The only problem is driving at night as the bikes do block the headlights a bit.

[rucos]

hopefully this works for photos.....LOL

[mike28]

I have been transporting on front of F-250 for a couple of years now. Works great. Curt receiver from E-trailer. Be sure to measure several times before cutting air dam under bumper. Curt instructions are not clear on measurements. If you cut wrong another air dam is under $100!

The real important thing is to purchase a quality bike rack!!! I purchased a Kuat, which is one of he best and folds up with locking cables attached. It has a knob to tighten to eliminate wobble. It carries two bikes and can carry four with extra accessory!Attachment 347579

Don’t know about sensors on truck, but you might be able to bypass them when using rack.

[jlandreth]

Thanks for all the help and suggestions. I feel much more comfortable about doing this now.

[MAW2]

Hey there, we are up in TN staying at TCPC. This morning we walked past an Airstream with a BIKE WING bike rack mounted on the trailer hitch over the propane tanks. The setup was really nice, we are big bikers and always looking at options for carrying the bikes. Not sure about the weight capacity but might be worth exploring.
Good luck (0:
MAW2

[losfeliz]

jlandreth, Yes we did this and just completed a 7000 mile journey with the setup in the pictures. In order to keep the bikes low on the front, I was looking for a rack that had a straight hitch, which most bumper mounts don't. Most of them curve up (like this). The Swagman SWG64663 was made for an RV bumper, so it is straight. I tried to include a picture that shows you how it extends straight out. This worked perfectly on our front hitch. At first we had the kids bikes on the front, but quickly realized the adult bikes didn't interfere with the visibility much at all (included a pic during a Wyoming rain storm). However, on our very last night of the trip, coming home in the dark, I did notice my headlight beams being partially obstructed by the bikes. Either that or my aging eyes were just ready to be home. Note that in addition to the hitch receiver, I added a short 6 inch extension so the bikes wouldn't rub on the bumper/grille. Made it with this kit for 7000 miles, 15 states, family of 5 and I survived. A little grayer hair though.

[Daquenzer]

I tow my bikes on the front and I have Trek e-bikes. It works great. And they are really easy to get on and off because the hitch is lower. I also have wheel stands and a system for putting them inside if the weather is going to be bad or if I am driving at night and want to make sure I have good light coverage. Then I cover the bikes with moving blankets in case they should tip so they don't scratch anything up. But the stands are pretty stable.

The other advantage of the front bumper is that if you want to haul them to a bike trail you have the bike rack with you.

PS. Let the dealer install. Not worth messing up the air dam underneath.