mostu Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 We are considering buying a Tio, but need a bike rack. IH optional extra which would cost about £1000 because we need a tow bar then a rack at almost £500 each. Has anyone else encountered this problem and come up with a cheaper satisfactory alternative? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Grumpy Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 If you are fitting a tow bar have a look at Pendle bike racks, the bracket fits between the ball hitch and the tow bracket you then just plug in two bars to hold the bikes when you need them. I have used these for years on my car with no problems unfortunately I am having problems finding anyone to fit a tow bar so am unable to use this system on my van. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel E Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 There are bike racks that will fit onto the rear doors of van conversions. Unfortunately, IH replace the rear doors with their own GRP moulding, and therin lies your problem. The GRP moulding is not sufficiently strong or well supported to attach a bike frame to it, so then weight of the frame must be supported on a tow bar. The only solution I can suggest is - provided you don't need the tow bar - to get a local blacksmith to make up a frame that bolts onto the chassis and provides similar support to a tow bar. But because you're not towing with it it does not need to be anything like as strong or substantial as a tow bar is. It will also look a lot neater than a tow bar, especially if you make the back bit detacvhable (one square section tube inside another with a circlip to keep it in position). Hopw that helps. I suspect Dave Newell could organise something like that for you. Mel E ==== Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davenewellhome Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Thanks Mel although its not the kind of work I normally take on. However there is a good fabricator on the same site as my workshop and he's a motorhome owner too. If anyone wants to go down this route I can put you in touch with him. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred grant Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 dave is spot on me ansum, why do you want a towbar if you dont want to tow. (fred needs to tow alice and er mates at the carnival but thats anuther story). if you is down south (you don say me luvver) then go along to PWS at poole (ad in mmm) and see wots on offer. a good fabricater is always worth more than a thosand seaguls my biddies. fixitfred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostu Posted January 22, 2008 Author Share Posted January 22, 2008 Thanks for those ideas - certainly seems I could save a substantial sum! I'm based in bonnie Scotland though, might need a holiday down south to have work done...............shame (lol) Mo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel E Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 You've got a motorhome - why on earth is a holiday a shame???? Mel E ==== Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred grant Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 me thinks the clue is in the word scotland mel me biddy! fabulousfred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostu Posted January 22, 2008 Author Share Posted January 22, 2008 'Twas a joke....................... Holidays to anywhere are never a hardship!! Mo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 mostu - 2008-01-22 8:00 PM 'Twas a joke....................... Holidays to anywhere are never a hardship!! Mo You've never been to Grimsby or Fleetwood then! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 That was the joke!! :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 Tracker - 2008-01-22 8:04 PM mostu - 2008-01-22 8:00 PM 'Twas a joke....................... Holidays to anywhere are never a hardship!! Mo You've never been to Grimsby or Fleetwood then! Hey-up Richard, today was Grimsby day!!!! Didn't you know! They had a giant fish finger which they took down to Westminster [or is that up (ie to the capital?) Used to be but may not be politically correct now (LOL)] Don't fancy eating it though but I suspect some on this forum would demolish it in one go on their own!!! :D I know I digress ... anyway, we used a good old local fabricator to make up a removable rack for our moped when we had an old Elddis Autoquest, it had a rear bump bar and he adapted it so that we could slide the rack in and out of the 2 metal tubes that ran from the chassis to the rear. So, if you don't want a tow bar you could see about getting some sort of bump bar fitted at one of the shows and have it adapted for a bike rack to be fitted as, as has already been said, if you don't need to tow with it, you shouldn't need to have anything as strong, or expensive and to some extent as heavy either so it won't cut into your payload. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel E Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Mel B, Up or Down? On the railways, UP lines run towards London and DOWN lines away from London. They always have, so this predates any PC labelling. Mel E ==== Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred grant Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 alice is terribly up my biddys, and fred is awfully down. so were does us stand in this state of affairs? fredericktheconfused Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Mel B - 2008-01-22 9:08 PM Tracker - 2008-01-22 8:04 PM mostu - 2008-01-22 8:00 PM 'Twas a joke....................... Holidays to anywhere are never a hardship!! Mo You've never been to Grimsby or Fleetwood then! Hey-up Richard, today was Grimsby day!!!! Didn't you know! They had a giant fish finger which they took down to Westminster [or is that up (ie to the capital?) Used to be but may not be politically correct now (LOL)] DQUOTE] Mel That will be GREAT Grimsby day, please. With it's Fishing Heritage centre, it does have a bit more interest than Pembroke DOCK :D :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Mel E - 2008-01-24 5:32 PM Mel B, Up or Down? On the railways, UP lines run towards London and DOWN lines away from London. They always have, so this predates any PC labelling. Mel E ==== Don't use the railway ... horrible noisy and smelly thing that never runs on time so I hear, give me a motorhome any day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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