Front Receiver for bike rack or hitch haul

[Cecil]

Anyone mount a front receiver to their TV?  If so, anyone do it on a 97-02 Expedition that can share photos.  Do bikes get in the way of headlights?

I used a trunk/cargo mount on our first trip. Fit my bike and DD.  Threw DS's in the back as it is very small.  DW does not have a bike but that will change next year.  With a concern of TW I was thinking of putting on a front hitch and buying a 4 bike rack carrier. On those time when I don't take bikes, or don't take the kids bike but take mine and DW I could mount our bikes on the rear of the expedition and put a hitch haul on the front of the Expedition and load my DD's 2 seater battery powered jeep for her and DS to ride around camp in.  Anyone do this?  thanks

[austinado16]

You and DW need a tandem, with a tandem trail-a-bike for the kidlets.

[mstrbill]

I have front hitch on my 98 F150 SC, it wasn't a big deal to install. The only problem is you have to cut a large square out of your front airdam. And if you have a front license plate you will need to find somewhere to put it while using the front hitch. So far I haven't been bothered when I put it on the dashboard.

Depending how tall you are, you may find that the bikes block a large portion of your near vision, I am looking for someone to cut off about 6 inches of the bike rack I use. Women's bikes tend to be bit worse of a problem as they don't have top tube. And if you use one of the top tube adapters they tend to sit up higher. If you put a cargo carrier up there make sure you get one with flags so you remember it is there.

[roxysurf]

I installed a front hitch on my 2002 F150 and it had 2 sets of mounting holes so I was able to install it with no mods to the air dam or plate.  I use it to push my trailer up my long narrow driveway.  I thought about mounting a bike rack so it will be interesting to hear about other's experiences.  Note that a 2WD truck or most vehicles for that matter are not very high up front and my hitch has hit the pavement while exiting a driveway a little too fast to merge into traffic.  If a cargo carrier is used then you will have to be that much more careful.   

[austinado16]

I don't think a cargo carrier up front is a very good idea.  I can just see that thing getting shoved in the back of the next car in line, or being raked along side a building, gas pump, vehicle, etc.  followed by, "Oh sh!t........I forgot the carrier is up font with that friggin' plastic jeep."

Leave the jeep at home, put the bikes on the back or on the pop-up roof, and have some piece of mind.  YMMV, of course.

[Lazyike]

I recently looked at a new hitch at Harbor Frieght. It slides inside the 2" hitch and has two 2" receiver hitch holes one on top of the other. Hope that was not to confusing. The camper ball goes in the bottom then your bike rack can go in the top hole. The bikes ride right above the hitch. WOuld have to be careful how tight you turn with the pup hooked up. I did not buy one yet but, am thinking about it. If I do I will report on how well it works.

[roxysurf]

I recently looked at a new hitch at Harbor Frieght. It slides inside the 2" hitch and has two 2" receiver hitch holes one on top of the other. Hope that was not to confusing. The camper ball goes in the bottom then your bike rack can go in the top hole. The bikes ride right above the hitch. WOuld have to be careful how tight you turn with the pup hooked up. I did not buy one yet but, am thinking about it. If I do I will report on how well it works.

I think this is it http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=99591

[Cecil]

I recently looked at a new hitch at Harbor Frieght. It slides inside the 2" hitch and has two 2" receiver hitch holes one on top of the other. Hope that was not to confusing. The camper ball goes in the bottom then your bike rack can go in the top hole. The bikes ride right above the hitch. WOuld have to be careful how tight you turn with the pup hooked up. I did not buy one yet but, am thinking about it. If I do I will report on how well it works.

This is an option I am considering but my concern is the added tongue weight you get by putting the bikes back there.  I assume if I can have a max trailer tongue weight of 350lbs and I load 150lbs worth of bikes using this setup I only have 200lbs of tongue weight to really load the trailer which is limiting.  I have a front trunk on my PUP so putting tongue weight on will not be hard. I also can not put a WDH on my PUP so from a novice on this thinking about it unless I can put them on the roof of the TV (too much effort on a tall SUV like the Expedition) the best location is the front.  This would also allow me to level out the TV if I get a little squat from the PUP. 

[rabird]

I assume if I can have a max trailer tongue weight of 350lbs

Don't assume, look it up, but your thinking is correct.