Date:         Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:55:02 -0700
Reply-To:     Jeffrey Vickers <jeff@VICKERSDESIGN.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jeffrey Vickers <jeff@VICKERSDESIGN.COM>
Subject:      Re: vanagon Digest - 11 Aug 2009 to 12 Aug 2009 - Special issue
              (#2009-653)
In-Reply-To:  <20090812191656.9C37C605274@izzy.vickersdesign.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes

Greg,

Before you start drilling, be sure to take whatever bikes you are
going to carry and position them to see where the cranks and tires end
up. I had a setup like this on my Syncro except I used a Yakima bar at
the top of the hatch instead of punching holes. I eventually switched
over to a Thule Doubletrack because my mountain bike's cranks came
within about 1/2" of the hatch. I scratched the hatch more than once
putting the bike on the rack. The biggest issue with attaching fork
mounts over the hatch is where the bike's rear wheel ends up. If the
fork mounts are too high for the back wheel to reach the bumper, the
bike's rear wheel  will rest on the hatch and bounce around. There is
no way to secure the rear wheel in this case unless you put more holes
on the hatch. If you attach the fork mounts low enough for your bike's
rear tire to reach the bumper, you would have to drill through the
glass. That's why I used the Yakima bar. The Yakima bar lowered the
bike down far enough for the back tire to rest on the bumper and then
you can just use a bungee to hold it down. If you're interested in my
Yakima bar setup, I can take a pick and send it. It has two fork
mounts (with skewers) attached to the crossbar, two towers that will
attach to the hatch and a crossbar that is bent to the correct angle
to accommodate the shape of the hatch. I'm not using it so I'll sell
it cheap. A straight Yakima crossbar bar will not work. Let me know if
you'd like to see pics, and definitely "dry-fit" you bike(s) up there
if you are planning to drill through the hatch.

cheers,
Jeff



On Aug 12, 2009, at 12:12 PM, Automatic digest processor wrote:

> Date:    Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:28:45 -0400
> From:    Greg S <sorkilmo@GMAIL.COM>
> Subject: bike rack bolted to hatch
>
> Does anyone see a problem with doing this to a Vanagon? Besides
> having to
> butcher the back hatch a bit.
> http://picasaweb.google.com/sorkilmo/VanagonStuff#5369145191194401426
>
> Thanks
> Greg S.
> 87' Wolfsburg Van
> Ottawa, Ontario