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Bike + Roof Rack + Garage = Ouch

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  • Bike + Roof Rack + Garage = Ouch

    So after 8 years of transporting my bike on a roof rack, I forgot about it and pulled into the garage.

    This sucked, the one bike carrier folded and went through the back window, the bike is fine, the cross bars look okay, I have yet to give them a closer look.

    I got the car fixed up, went with a black roof instead of the Gray. I had them tint the rear window before it was installed.

    I started looking into the options of rook rack vs Hitch carrier.

    The downsides to the rook rack

    - Muddy Bike dripping on the car.
    - Bike arrives coved in Bugs.
    - Car is slower.
    - My wife has a hard time getting the bike up there.
    - The roof rack is too noisy to have the sunroof open on the highway.

    But you always have the roof rack with the car ready to go.

    Then I started looking into Hitches, but the "Hidden Hitches" don't clear the GLI rear valence and drilling into the thin tin in the spare tire well seems flimsy.

    Then I saw how the Bosal and Westfalia hitches(towbars) mount and fit and how the car was designed to accept a hitch.



    Even our tool tray's in the spare tire has the provision for the removable European receiver.



    Mounting Holes



    There is a notch where the hitch slides in



    But to buy a hitch, it would com in close to $500 and still require rework to use one of our receiver styles.

    I decided to get some steel and make my own.

    Rubber grommet is for the trailer wiring to come through.



    I used 7/16" bolts with 2x2x1/4 Flatbar drilled.



    Finish Welded



    Finished in Black Endura











    The design intent was only to carry a bike carrier, nothing more. The 105hp car can only handle so much. I have dimensions and drawings if anyone wants the info to build their own. I based the design and capacity's on this Hitch.
    Last edited by RobG; 01-27-2012, 10:45 AM.

  • #2
    Re: Bike + Roof Rack + Garage = Ouch

    Ouch is right, but solid design and fab work as always Rob!!!
    Blair
    Former Cars: '12 Fiat 500, '10 VW GTI, '05 Smart Fortwo, '96 VW Jetta GLX, '02 VW GTI 337.........

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    • #3
      Re: Bike + Roof Rack + Garage = Ouch

      Awesome work on the hitch! I'm going to need one for my Passat eventually, and that would be the way to go if I can find one!

      Sucks about the rest of the story, I've been so damn close to doing that once or twice now. +1 for reasons to have tint.
      Stefan
      -> '19 Deep Black Pearl Alltrack
      -> '05 Urban Grey Passat Wagon TDI.
      -> Past rides: '14 Allroad, 06 Mazda5, '98 Jetta K2, '01 Jetta TDI, '91 Mazda B2200, '81 Toyota Cressida
      -> FutuRe Ride...??!

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      • #4
        Re: Bike + Roof Rack + Garage = Ouch

        ouch is right. wicked work on the hitch though that looks amazing
        Team Highschool
        Twin Turbo Turbo Smurf Avant

        www.ctsturbo.com - the home for all your turbo needs. PM me for details.

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        • #5
          Re: Bike + Roof Rack + Garage = Ouch

          nice and clean
          put.......put.......

          .... ... .. .

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          • #6
            Re: Bike + Roof Rack + Garage = Ouch

            You get new wheels sir?

            Very nice work on that hitch, thats clean!!!

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            • #7
              Re: Bike + Roof Rack + Garage = Ouch

              I will add another ouch to that list. Nice work on the welding though.
              Last edited by Stonewall; 06-27-2011, 12:26 PM.
              Name: Brent
              His: '04 TDI Golf Mods: None If it's smoken it ain't broken
              Family: '15 Jetta Sportwagon
              Fun car: '92 Blue Karmann Crabby Cabby Mods: Coils, front and rear swaybars, LED interior lights and some other old things.

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              • #8
                Re: Bike + Roof Rack + Garage = Ouch

                CRAP!!! Really nice fab work though!!! Do you have the mounting hardware still for the bike rack? I lost a couple of the slide bolts for the base rack.
                Hers 2009 Audi A4 6sp manual
                Mine....2005 Golf TDI, VNT 17, Malone tuned stage 4, Spec stage 2 clutch, FMIC, Ventectomy, NewSouth gauges, BuzzKen 2.5 turbo back exhaust, Evolution Skidplate, Helix OEM Reps retrofitted with Morimoto Bixenon mini's, ST coils, colour matched Huffs. Frostheater

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                • #9
                  Re: Bike + Roof Rack + Garage = Ouch

                  Said ouch a couple of weeks ago when sarah told me about it. Great job Rob!
                  --
                  Rod
                  Ex-presidente

                  Drive

                  2016 VW Golf .:R

                  Drove
                  2001.5 Audi S4 / Santorin Blue STAGE II+ / JFonz Tuned

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                  • #10
                    Re: Bike + Roof Rack + Garage = Ouch

                    Too bad you didn't post then it happened. Could have sold you the rear glass out of my parts car.
                    Name: Brent
                    His: '04 TDI Golf Mods: None If it's smoken it ain't broken
                    Family: '15 Jetta Sportwagon
                    Fun car: '92 Blue Karmann Crabby Cabby Mods: Coils, front and rear swaybars, LED interior lights and some other old things.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Bike + Roof Rack + Garage = Ouch

                      Nice looking hitch, I specifically like the Paint Job, and the very thorough wash job performed with the rear cover off. I must admit I was concerned about what the fit would look like with the valance cut open, I suppose I should have known better with your history of quality fabrication and fitments....

                      Love it. I hope you get lots of use out of it, and if you ever decide to tow anything, I have a small fleet of trailers you can test out the capacity!

                      PS, Thanks for the BLL, I finished the last one off at 4:36 on Saturday Morning.
                      03 Saab 9-5 Aero Sportcombi - Hers
                      07 Tundra Crewmax - Written off (thanks F-150 Raptor)
                      07 Cadillac Escalade EXT - His
                      00 Ski Centurion Air Warrior - Ours
                      In the works - 90 Toyota Supra Turbo!

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                      • #12
                        Re: Bike + Roof Rack + Garage = Ouch

                        i did that exact same thing pulling into the car wash about 2 months ago. totally forgot my bike was on the roof, smash, bike falls off bouncing across the carwash floor. so embarrassing haha. didnt do any damage though. minor scratch from my bar end hitting my rear window and thats it. new hitch looks good though!!
                        03 GTI/K04-001

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                        • #13
                          Re: Bike + Roof Rack + Garage = Ouch

                          Originally posted by Geobmx4life View Post
                          Do you have the mounting hardware still for the bike rack?
                          Like the T-Slot Bolts?

                          Originally posted by mrbeggins View Post
                          i did that exact same thing pulling into the car wash about 2 months ago. totally forgot my bike was on the roof, smash, bike falls off bouncing across the carwash floor. so embarrassing haha. didnt do any damage though. minor scratch from my bar end hitting my rear window and thats it. new hitch looks good though!!
                          Glad I'm not the only one.
                          Last edited by RobG; 06-27-2011, 01:51 PM.

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                          • #14
                            Re: Bike + Roof Rack + Garage = Ouch

                            I had to fix a bike back when I was working at bow cycle that northland volkswagen took off the top of a customers jetta.

                            Hitch looks amazing though, I bet if you fabbed up some more of those you could sell them for a pretty penny.
                            Last edited by BaggedGLI; 06-27-2011, 06:01 PM.
                            Calgary Autoworks

                            2004.5 Jetta GLI
                            2005 Audi Allroad

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                            • #15
                              Re: Bike + Roof Rack + Garage = Ouch

                              Man, that was always my worst fear. Yours too I'm sure.
                              Jay

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