Trailer hitch issue. 5 degree angle
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From: Bethesda, MD
2010 Mercedes GL450; 2000 Mercedes ML55 AMG; 2016 VW GLI SEL Stick!!!
Trailer hitch issue. 5 degree angle
Hi all.
I have been having issues with my hitch mounted bike rack and so went to rei to see what's up.
Beyond the fact that they found issue with the construction of the bike rack, they found and measured that hhe angle of my hitch was at 5 degrees mounted down.
They measured other nearby cars ( ford explorer 18 and a jag f pace) and both of those had 0 degree angles. So a 90 degree perpinduclar to the ground.
Is 5 degree factory? Or has it been pulled out of shape.
No rear end accidents. No heavy towing except for uhaul trailers for mulch etc.
Help please.
Does this require a replacement?
Also I was looking af purchasing a euro thule bike rack wihh lights and licensplatr mount. Ours has the 7 pin correct? I see bike racks with 13 pin as well.
I have been having issues with my hitch mounted bike rack and so went to rei to see what's up.
Beyond the fact that they found issue with the construction of the bike rack, they found and measured that hhe angle of my hitch was at 5 degrees mounted down.
They measured other nearby cars ( ford explorer 18 and a jag f pace) and both of those had 0 degree angles. So a 90 degree perpinduclar to the ground.
Is 5 degree factory? Or has it been pulled out of shape.
No rear end accidents. No heavy towing except for uhaul trailers for mulch etc.
Help please.
Does this require a replacement?
Also I was looking af purchasing a euro thule bike rack wihh lights and licensplatr mount. Ours has the 7 pin correct? I see bike racks with 13 pin as well.
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Joined: Nov 2018
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From: Dallas Texas USA
2023 AMG EQE 53
The receiver piece should be pretty horizontal, of course a lot depends on what is loaded into the car, but it should not be off much. When you say it's off by 5 degrees, which way, pointed down from horizontal or up? I guess the question is what happens to the bike rack when it's installed? If up by 5 degrees then it would tilt the rack closer to the back of the car, if down then it would tilt it further away. How does this become a problem? One easy way is to go find the same vehicle (you don't say but I assume the GL450) and check out their hitch receiver. Or go to the dealer, look at the same car or ask the service advisor. That is a really beefy piece and I doubt it got bent without a wreck and even then I doubt it.
As for the lights I don't think I've ever seen a rack with lights and a license plate holder.
As for the lights I don't think I've ever seen a rack with lights and a license plate holder.
Thread Starter
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From: Bethesda, MD
2010 Mercedes GL450; 2000 Mercedes ML55 AMG; 2016 VW GLI SEL Stick!!!
The receiver piece should be pretty horizontal, of course a lot depends on what is loaded into the car, but it should not be off much. When you say it's off by 5 degrees, which way, pointed down from horizontal or up? I guess the question is what happens to the bike rack when it's installed? If up by 5 degrees then it would tilt the rack closer to the back of the car, if down then it would tilt it further away. How does this become a problem? One easy way is to go find the same vehicle (you don't say but I assume the GL450) and check out their hitch receiver. Or go to the dealer, look at the same car or ask the service advisor. That is a really beefy piece and I doubt it got bent without a wreck and even then I doubt it.
As for the lights I don't think I've ever seen a rack with lights and a license plate holder.
As for the lights I don't think I've ever seen a rack with lights and a license plate holder.
Th is angle caused my thule apex 5 bike to lean pretty far down when loaded. It seems very unsafe and as if the bikes will slide off. So the angle causes the rack to lean closer to the ground.
I don't have multiple x164s...so that's why I'm asking here. In the forum. Of x164 owners. Who may or may not have hitches. Who may be kind enough to share their experiences on their own hitch.
I think I'll have to go to my sa...but I just wanted to know what other people are experiencing on their cars and hitches. I thought it might just be a factory angle.
In looking at the velocompact 3 thule 927. Pretty cool rack. Lights and licensplatr and everything.
Last edited by kombifan; Mar 19, 2019 at 04:54 PM.
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From: Allentown, PA
'08 GL 320 CDI
I've never measured it, but I've always thought that my draw bar was at an angle as opposed to being sticking straight out. Meaning, the rear-most part of the draw bar (the ball) is lower than the part of the draw bar that sticks into the hitch.
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From: Bethesda, MD
2010 Mercedes GL450; 2000 Mercedes ML55 AMG; 2016 VW GLI SEL Stick!!!
I'm talking about my receiver. Apparently when measured there is a 5 degree angle in it. It's not flush.
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'08 GL 320 CDI
No, I'm not referring to the draw bar drop/rise (I wasn't clear with the way I initially worded it). I'm extremely familiar with hitches/draw bars/etc as I'm a life long trailer boater and have worked at a boat dealership for 31 years. I'm referring to the straight section of the draw bar - essentially, the draw bar is an extension of the receiver's 2" hole, so to say. In other words, I'm agreeing with you that my receiver must be mounted with a slight downward slope (rear of receiver lower than front of receiver). It's definitely different than every other vehicle I've ever owned or used.
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From: NW corner of CONUS
2008 GL 320 CDI, 2004 VW V10 Touareg TDI
I don't quite see why a 'not quite level' draw bar makes a nickle's worth of difference in the function of the hitch to support, pull and control a towed load. 5 degrees is not much and if it causes concern about the ability of the bikes to stay put as required then it may be time to do a bit of tweaking to the bike rack to bring it up 'level' or perpendicular to the ground.
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Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2017
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From: Bethesda, MD
2010 Mercedes GL450; 2000 Mercedes ML55 AMG; 2016 VW GLI SEL Stick!!!
No, I'm not referring to the draw bar drop/rise (I wasn't clear with the way I initially worded it). I'm extremely familiar with hitches/draw bars/etc as I'm a life long trailer boater and have worked at a boat dealership for 31 years. I'm referring to the straight section of the draw bar - essentially, the draw bar is an extension of the receiver's 2" hole, so to say. In other words, I'm agreeing with you that my receiver must be mounted with a slight downward slope (rear of receiver lower than front of receiver). It's definitely different than every other vehicle I've ever owned or used.
We are agreeing!
It's weird. Why would it be at an angle? If anything it would only cause your ball to become lower 😐 (or at least the way mine is it would cause it to be)
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From: Allentown, PA
'08 GL 320 CDI
Yeah, it's definitely weird. Not that I make a habit of scrutinizing every receiver and draw bar that I see, but I honestly can't recall ever seeing one NOT being level. In the end, I'm not worried about it - it's still just as functional. Does your bike rack have tie-downs? If so, I would imagine that would more than make up for a slight downward angle? I use a 4-bike rack and the angle has never even entered into my mind as a concern.
Maybe I need to have the GL start wearing tighty whities instead of a boxers.......
Maybe I need to have the GL start wearing tighty whities instead of a boxers.......
Thread Starter
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From: Bethesda, MD
2010 Mercedes GL450; 2000 Mercedes ML55 AMG; 2016 VW GLI SEL Stick!!!
So I had the thule apex bike rack. Rei took it back as thule gave them a destroy number.
The issue I had was that was the arms of the rack were leaning towards the ground, exacerbated even more when you put bikes on. This caused a heavy lean of the arms downwards, tilted to the group instead of the straight arms of other racks that are pointed upwards. This tilt caused the bikes and their cradles to move towards the back of the rack arms (cradles are movable so nothing I could do) making all the weight hang off the end of the arms. The arms of the rack are already curved, but according to the Rei rep, the 5 degree angle was part of the cause exacerbating it.
This is part of the reason I'm looking at the thule velocompact 3. It's a platform one and it's lighter than the t2 classic or pro and much cheaper. It's got lights and turn signals and a license plate holder. I could even get it shipped here for 532$ fellow forum owners who are interested should definitely look into it.
The only reason I'm asking about the hitch is if the angle is factory or not and if not it's probably something I could get fixed under my extended warranty. It's really frustrating because the rep at rei first tried to blame it on my hitch angle...something I disproved by pushing up on the bike rack to account for the 5 degree angle.
If it's factory I'll have no worries about performance when towing; just a peculiarity about why my hitch is at an angle.
Very very strange.
The issue I had was that was the arms of the rack were leaning towards the ground, exacerbated even more when you put bikes on. This caused a heavy lean of the arms downwards, tilted to the group instead of the straight arms of other racks that are pointed upwards. This tilt caused the bikes and their cradles to move towards the back of the rack arms (cradles are movable so nothing I could do) making all the weight hang off the end of the arms. The arms of the rack are already curved, but according to the Rei rep, the 5 degree angle was part of the cause exacerbating it.
This is part of the reason I'm looking at the thule velocompact 3. It's a platform one and it's lighter than the t2 classic or pro and much cheaper. It's got lights and turn signals and a license plate holder. I could even get it shipped here for 532$ fellow forum owners who are interested should definitely look into it.
The only reason I'm asking about the hitch is if the angle is factory or not and if not it's probably something I could get fixed under my extended warranty. It's really frustrating because the rep at rei first tried to blame it on my hitch angle...something I disproved by pushing up on the bike rack to account for the 5 degree angle.
If it's factory I'll have no worries about performance when towing; just a peculiarity about why my hitch is at an angle.
Very very strange.
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Joined: May 2015
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From: Allentown, PA
'08 GL 320 CDI
The issue I had was that was the arms of the rack were leaning towards the ground, exacerbated even more when you put bikes on. This caused a heavy lean of the arms downwards, tilted to the group instead of the straight arms of other racks that are pointed upwards. This tilt caused the bikes and their cradles to move towards the back of the rack arms (cradles are movable so nothing I could do) making all the weight hang off the end of the arms. The arms of the rack are already curved, but according to the Rei rep, the 5 degree angle was part of the cause exacerbating it.
Thread Starter
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From: Bethesda, MD
2010 Mercedes GL450; 2000 Mercedes ML55 AMG; 2016 VW GLI SEL Stick!!!
Ah, I understand, now. Yeah, I see how that could be disconcerting. The 4-bike rack I have has straight arms and the cradles rotate, but don't move (at least not easily, that I'm aware of). This is the one I have (I think I pad about $150... but the arms still collapse and the whole thing still pivots down), just for comparison. It's the Allen 4-bike rack: https://allensportsusa.com/products/...19336515682363
I've added a picture of my rack arms for comparison. Now imagine them much lower.
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From: Allentown, PA
'08 GL 320 CDI
Looking at that Thule rack and thinking of what you said about the cradles sliding/moving... That doesn't seem right - are you sure there is no way to tighten the cradles so they don't move? If they can be tightened, the angle of the arms wouldn't matter as the bikes would still hang straight. On the other hand, if they move so easily as to slide around then maybe something was wrong with it.
I think that picture of my rack is misleading - probably due to the angle that the picture was taken at. I can't say, from memory, whether the arms are 'perfectly' straight out, or not - but whatever angle (if any) that they are at, it was never something that caused me to think about it.
I think that picture of my rack is misleading - probably due to the angle that the picture was taken at. I can't say, from memory, whether the arms are 'perfectly' straight out, or not - but whatever angle (if any) that they are at, it was never something that caused me to think about it.
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Joined: Nov 2018
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From: Dallas Texas USA
2023 AMG EQE 53
Very familiar with the Thule racks, they all have elastic things that snap over the bike bar to keep the bike in place. With the weight of the bike hanging down, whether exactly straight or a slight angle should not make a bit of difference. I have a Thule Helium Pro, it comes in different bike capacities. If you look at the pics on the Thule website even they don't have the bikes perfectly level. I think you're overthinking the issue but it's your car and your bike.
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From: Bethesda, MD
2010 Mercedes GL450; 2000 Mercedes ML55 AMG; 2016 VW GLI SEL Stick!!!
Looking at that Thule rack and thinking of what you said about the cradles sliding/moving... That doesn't seem right - are you sure there is no way to tighten the cradles so they don't move? If they can be tightened, the angle of the arms wouldn't matter as the bikes would still hang straight. On the other hand, if they move so easily as to slide around then maybe something was wrong with it.
I think that picture of my rack is misleading - probably due to the angle that the picture was taken at. I can't say, from memory, whether the arms are 'perfectly' straight out, or not - but whatever angle (if any) that they are at, it was never something that caused me to think about it.
I think that picture of my rack is misleading - probably due to the angle that the picture was taken at. I can't say, from memory, whether the arms are 'perfectly' straight out, or not - but whatever angle (if any) that they are at, it was never something that caused me to think about it.
No, no way to stop cradles from moving. There are tie down rubber straps for hhe bike but that doesn't stop cradles from inching/moving during transit.
The issue I had was that the arms on my thule apex 5 bike is that the arms were angled to the ground when loaded, casuuimg the bikes to be very close to the ground and causing the cradles to slide too.
Anyways ive returned the hitch bike rack and I don't think I'll go back to a hanging one anytime soon although your rack looks much better l, now to see if the hitch angle is factory or something to be corrected.
Last edited by kombifan; Mar 21, 2019 at 12:28 PM.
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From: Allentown, PA
'08 GL 320 CDI
I'll have to check my rack to see if it is, indeed, angled like that. Maybe it is and I just didn't notice - since with the hitch being angled, it offsets that a bit? But, never had any problems with the rack and it's ability to carry bikes. Compared to what those "big name" racks cost, I gotta say that I'm really impressed with this one. It's not as 'cool' looking, but functionally it's just fine. When I originally researched bike racks and came across Allen, I was pleasantly surprised to read/find out a lot of good things about them.
