[bro1999]

Save your #Elemental jokes about the title.

I bought the Draw-tite 1.25" hitch for my Bolt several months ago. It is a class I hitch rated for 200# tongue/2,000#, so I thought I could use my Inno 4-bike rack with it. However, turns out that my Inno rack is considered a class II accessory, while the Draw-tite hitch is a class I hitch, so there is a little nub inside the receiver that prevents 100% insertion of the rack. So I can't screw the bike rack into the hitch.

I know that my rack + 4 bikes (2 kids bikes) are under the 200# tongue weight limit, so I just need recommendations on the best way to remove the 'nub'. Other option would be to saw off about a 1/2" of the part of the bike rack that inserts into the receiver, but I'd rather not to anything that would potentially weaken the structural integrity of the rack.

 

[Barry]

Can't help with the nub question, but just a caution. Your 4 bikes plus the weight of the rack plus the leverage of the distance that the rack hangs out beyond the hitch receiver might in fact be over the 200 lb. tongue weight limit. We all have our own comfort zones, but just be aware that your use case is not necessarily a slam dunk.

 

[emartin00]

Can't help with the nub question, but just a caution. Your 4 bikes plus the weight of the rack plus the leverage of the distance that the rack hangs out beyond the hitch receiver might in fact be over the 200 lb. tongue weight limit. We all have our own comfort zones, but just be aware that your use case is not necessarily a slam dunk.

I would tend to disagree. A draw bar is going to extend just about as far as the bike rack, and it's rated for 200# on the hitch ball, not on the receiver itself.

As far as a solution. Cutting the rack is the easiest, and taking a 1/2" behind the mounting pin won't have any structural effect unless it's really close.
The only other option is a die grinder, or try to drill out the nub from the outside, but that would require you to get the location perfect.

 

[Upper5Percent]

Don't remove the nub...have your local fabricator or you weld up something like this...except the lower would be a Class 1 1 1/4 inch insert and the top tube would be a class 2 1 1/4 inch receiver...

 

[Barry]

I would tend to disagree. A draw bar is going to extend just about as far as the bike rack, and it's rated for 200# on the hitch ball, not on the receiver itself.

You may be right, but I have a 4 bike rack for my hitch receiver on my minivan, and I used it 2 days ago. Mine may be quite different, but on mine, the 4 bikes stack one behind the other and overhang quite a bit more than my hitch ball, if you consider the center of gravity of the whole rack and all mounted bikes, including those farthest from the car. Also, I know that racing bikes can be quite light, and I don't know what bro is carrying exactly, but I'd be willing to bet my 4 mountain bikes, fully accessorized, plus my steel tube rack, are at least 165 lbs. in total. Maybe more. So I'm just pointing out that it may be worth doing the math before grinding off a safety feature. Or at least being aware of the risk. Dumping 4 bikes on the highway is not anyone's idea of a fun Saturday outing.

 

[voganni]

Need a photo to advise you positively, depends on how far in the "nub" is. A die grinder with carbide tip would be my first choice, but have to see it to be sure.

 

[UtahK]

Your bike rack load is similar to adding a hitch extender when towing a trailer. The weight is no longer just a downward force, but rather a torque.

Google hitch extenders and you'll find a lot of information about how to calculate the effective hitch weight.