bicycle rack

[egale]

Much to my dismay, I found out this weekend that a bike rack won't fit on the back of my Rogue S360 because of the spoiler. This means I have to install a hitch and get a hitch bike rack.

I will never be towing anything so this will be the only thing it will be used for. The Nissan hitch is Class I which more than suits my needs I think.

Is there anything I should be looking out for? Any idea of the cost of installation?

[globe9]

Have you tried the Saris Bones Rack? It's adjustable and is supposed to fit over spoilers. If you do go with a hitch, keep us updated. I'd be curious to see how much getting a tow hitch installed costs. I always thought it would be prohibitive for me considering the only thing I would also use it for would be for a bike rack.

For now, I just fold the back seats down and slide my bike in.

[egale]

I just called my local dealer. They want $650 parts and labor. That seems way too much. The hitch itself costs $180 I think. It is supposed to be easy to install I thought. I shouldn't need any wiring done as I will never be pulling a trailer. I have to do some more investigation.

I put one bike in the back this weekend but it is messy. Plus, I will need to be able to carry two bikes.

I looked on the Saris site. All models say they won't fit if you have a spoiler.
Modified by egale at 6:43 AM 4/5/2010

[going rogue]

Check the Official Rogue FAQ:zerothread/307234

There's an existing thread on this topic:zerothread?id=283582

[mpattdu]

Wow, the dealer is really trying to hose you. I bought the Curt Mfg class 3 hitch for maybe $130 (check their website for where to buy or check ebay) and installed it myself in 30 minutes. $650 is pretty steep.

[egale]

How hard is it to install it yourself? I think I read that the tail pipe has to be lowered? I assume the car has to be on ramps to get enough room to work?

[philipa_240sx]

No need to lower the tailpipe, it just slips over the top.

The hardest part of the install is holding the hitch while you bolt it on. Helps if you use a jack or an extra set of hands.

[egale]

Well I ordered the hitch last night, the Curt 12247 with the smaller tube. Hopefully it won't be too obtrusive. I spoke to my local mechanic who will install it. All in all its a heck of a lot cheaper than the dealer. Now to buy the bike rack, the bicycles, accessories ..........

[Elton Noway]

I think I read that the tail pipe has to be lowered? I assume the car has to be on ramps to get enough room to work?

As already pointed out, No... you do not have to lower the tailpipe (it just makes maneuvering the hitch into position a little easier). And, you don't have to have the vehicle up on a lift although that would make it easy. Ramps are nice, but you don't need them either. All you have to do is jack up one side of the car and block it in place, remove the jack and then jack up and block the other side of the car. Just make sure the car is in gear (or in park) and the emergency brake is on so the vehicle can't roll! Since you will be jacking up the back end, you should also place "blocks" of some sort under the front tires to keep the vehicle from rolling forward. You can use a brick, a piece of 4x4 etc.

How hard is it to install it yourself?

Well...if you know how to work a socket wrench its actually quite easy. There is no cutting, no drilling, no welding. To give you an idea how easy it is... here's a "How-To" video showing the actual installation of a Curt hitch.

Video - Installing a Curt Hitch on a Nissan Rogue

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMxs_ZAz1Y0

FYI... don't get hung up on the mention of the "torque" wrench / specifications. Torque is critical when building equipment with exacting tolerances like an engine or transmission, or working with fragile materials, (magnesium, aluminum etc), but none of those conditions exist when installing a hitch. Just crank the bolts down good and tight and re-tighten them after a week or so of driving around town.
Modified by Elton Noway at 10:33 AM 4/6/2010

[philipa_240sx]

Well I ordered the hitch last night, the Curt 12247 with the smaller tube. Hopefully it won't be too obtrusive.

I have the same 1-1/4" receiver hitch. Well made and very unobtrusive as the bulk of the hitch fits up under the bumper. All you see is the receiver:



Here is the 2" receiver version for reference: