Thule 963 Spare Me 2-Bike Spare Tire Mount Rack
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Equipment Details
Manufacturer: ThuleBrand: Thule
Release Date: 2007-08-04
Model: 963
Color: One Color
Product features:
- Spare-tire mount rack that carries up to 2 bikes at once
- Durable powder-coated steel tubing construction
- T3 cradles easily protect bikes; includes locking knob
- Improved wing knob makes it easy to raise bike arms
- Comes with heavy-duty strap to secure bikes
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Sports reviews of Thule 963 Spare Me 2-Bike Spare Tire Mount Rack
Customer Review: Solid product & installed on 08 RAV4
Sport shop rating: 5 Stars
For owners of '06-'09 RAV4s, getting a bike rack that fits onto the spare tire isn't straight forward. As others have mentioned, getting a bike up on the roof is difficult and eliminates other roof storage. For me, I sometimes take my bike to work and ride from there, which is problematic since I park in a garage and height clearance also makes a roof rack not practical.
I initially heard about the difficulty of installing this rack in a newer model RAV4 because of the metallic flange on the spare tire mount (see Customer Images above). I decided to try the Yakima Spare Joe 2-Bike Spare Tire Mount Rack, but found that it rubbed against the rear windshield wiper and long-term use of a loaded rack would have probably broken the wiper eventually. I was also not impressed with the "strap-on" systems which appeared a bit flimsy and easy to steal. I returned it to Amazon a bit disappointed and worried that I would have to buy a hitch mount for the RAV4 ($150 from ebay) in addition to a hitch-mounted bike rack ($100+). For some reason, I didnt really like the look of the hitch bike racks that are currently available (some of the single arm ones (Surco BT300 Spare Tire Mount Bike Rack, Up To 3 Bike Capacity) make the car look like it has a tail). RAV4 owners also know the problem of having a hitch-mounted rack is that it makes it difficult to easily open the rear door with bikes mounted.
So, I took a tip from one of the other posters on here and decided to just remove the metallic flange to allow for the Thule 963 to fit on my car. I liked the look, two support arms, easy tie-down w/ grooves for my bike cables, locking mechanism to prevent theft, and the fact that it mounts to the spare tire rack for a secure fit. It also allows me to open the door with the bikes mounted.
Instead of using a hacksaw, I took it to a local auto-body repair shop with the mounting bracket and explained that I wanted them to cut it off and file it down to be flush. [Note: the bracket doesn't support any weight of the spare tire and wasn't even on models '05 and earlier. Also, I own the car, so I don't mind making modifications.] For about $30 bucks and 10 minutes of their time, I was able to have it removed. They even put a little paint on where it was cut off, so you can't even really tell it was ever there in the first place. From there, it was simple to install - etrailer.com has a great demonstration video online. I posted the pictures of the final product here on Amazon. It fits great and feels very sturdy, not to mention looks good. I'm looking forward to a full season of riding!
Hopefully this helps some other RAV4 owners out there!
Description of Thule 963 Spare Me 2-Bike Spare Tire Mount Rack
A heavy duty two bike spare tire carrier that adapts to off center tiresDesigned for convenience and durability, the Thule Spare Me spare-tire mount rack holds up to two bikes at once, making it an ideal accessory for camping trips and cross-country drives. The Spare Me offers an updated, high-tech look that matches Thule's successful hitch line, so it won't look out of place on modern cars. More significantly, the rack's T3 cradles easily protect your bikes without sacrificing the fit of the frame or the rack's adjustability. And thanks to the improved wing knob, it's easier than ever to raise and lower the bike arms. Made of powder-coated steel tubing and designed to fit a wide range of tires, the Spare Me comes with a heavy-duty strap to secure the bikes and a locking knob that's compatible with Thule's 583 cable lock system. The Spare Me carries one or two bikes and handles up to 75 pounds.
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