Date:         Fri, 11 Sep 1998 17:07:16 -0600
Reply-To:     john silverman <jsilver@MAIL.AROS.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         john silverman <jsilver@MAIL.AROS.NET>
Subject:      Yakima racks on the back
Comments: To: vanagon@vanagon.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Volks...
I put a Yakima rack on the rear tailgate using the new Qtowers and Q41
clips.  I then put up to 4 bikes on with their "steelhead" mounts, which are
fork mounts.  I suppose you could use the short tray wheel mount if all
bikes were about the same wheelbase, which would save some weight and a few
$s.  Also, the "Rocky Mounts" available from many catalogs, will save a few $s.
The tailgate will open easily with no bikes, just the rack, but it won't
stay up- I fixed this using the PVC pipe fix (81/2 inch pieces of PVC pipe,
I think 1/2", threaded over the strut- see the archives).  With 2 bikes, the
tailgate is easily opened by 1 person, but I don't like to keep it open for
long, as I don't want that much stress on the hinges or struts.  With 4
bikes, it's almost impossible to open.

It doesn't seem to be a problem for the tailgate.  The clips work well.
Yakima has not (to the best of my knowledge) officially sanctioned this use
of the rack, but with the old "C"towers (very similar) they did have an
official application.

Whatever...we used it for about 2000 miles w/4 bikes and no problems!

John
'90 syncro westy, Vic