Since we have the cap on the truck and load it with firewood and Lynne and I are probably going to get bikes this winter, I needed a better way to carry bikes. As you know I mounted a Fisher MM2 plow on the truck and figured I could use those mounts. The plow weighs almost 900# so what the heck...
Made 2 - 2" x 1/4" angle brackets with some 1/2" thick plate welded to it to bolt to the plow mount pin holes.
Over a year ago I grabbed a carrier rack from the scrap pile at work...
Set the bikes on it and anchored them down with 4 ratchet straps...
Current rides:
2013 Toyota Tundra DC 4x4
2008 Dodge Nitro 4x4
2005 Nissan Sentra 1.8S Special Edition
Vans owned:
1986 Safari 2.5L 4 speed manual - scrapped
1995 Astro 2WD conversion 4.11 posi, shift kit, DHC rock rails - sold to Skippy
1998 Astro 4x4 D44, D60, NP231, full hydraulic system with 9k# Milemarker winch and snow plow - sold to Lockdoc
2003 Astro AWD all stock - traded for a 3/4 ton truck
2005 AWD, 4.10's - sold to skippy
99 SLT Safari AWD, G80/GT4 rear, Burgundy, 196,000 and counting (strictly AMSOIL) flowmaster 40series muffler no more cat, K&N Kone Filter, roll pan, 255/60/15 rubbers mounted to 15x8.5 inch American Racing Tailgunner wheels, billet grille, CB Radio, Alpine Deck, Shag carpet, the list goes on....
03 Chevy Silverado 2500HD, LB7 Duramax Diesel, 5 speed Allison Tranny, Crew Cab Long Bed, no muffler or cat, 4 inch turbo back and side piped. not too many other mods yet, also addicted to AMSOIL.
I like how you used the plow mounts. Talk about over built tho lol. is that also an impromptu push bar?
Dude you should so make it able to put a bench seat ont hat sucker then drive people around on the front of it while off roading a bit. Just like the hill billy rollercoaster
Rileysowner wrote:Now if I can just figure out how to do that on my Safari without having to buy a snowplow first.
Weld part of a hitch or some appropriate sized box tubing to the sub frame behind the bumper valance or to the inner steel bumper it's self. Cut out the section of bumper infront of it save it to make a plug for the hole later if you feel like it. Then use a draw bar extension of sufficient length to allow a regular hitch bike rack to be mounted on the front. Or the same hitch carrier that dean used. IIRC you can get em dirt cheap at princess auto.
98 Safari RWD. Stock.
Do you smell what Barack is cookin ?!?!
Hummmmmm. That might just work. Now I wish I was not leaving for camping tomorrow, because I won't have time to fabricate something to do this. I'm not sure what we will do to transport the bikes. I usually take the rear seat and the one middle seat out, but my back is in pain and doing that is out. Oh well, I will have something put together by our next camping trip.
"I have a torque wrench and I am not afraid to use it."
Jim
1997 GMC Safari RWD, Power Windows and Locks, 7 passenger, a/c, rear heat
Rileysowner wrote:I usually take the rear seat and the one middle seat out, but my back is in pain and doing that is out.
You sir need a hand truck. Since I inherited one with Grumpy, I've used it every time to load/unload the seats from the van. Makes it a lot easier. I also don't worry how far the van is from the garage because it's so easy to roll them around.
potskie wrote:...Dude you should so make it able to put a bench seat on that sucker then drive people around on the front of it while off roading a bit. Just like the hill billy rollercoaster
Potskie, you got me laughing out loud with those two lines!
Rob Shaver
1989 Astro 305 with an MSD 6A ignition and a dash-mounted MSD timing control, a 4160 Holley 465 cfm four barrel carb, and an HEI distributor.
Moog 625 front springs and Energy Suspension poly bushings. Rear OEM sway bar. Edelbrock shocks.
potskie wrote:Dude you should so make it able to put a bench seat ont hat sucker then drive people around on the front of it while off roading a bit. Just like the hill billy rollercoaster
LiftedAWDAstro wrote:Well after traveling around 320 miles this week, I have come to the conclusion that this mount will not work!
I am having a hard time getting over 8.2 mpg and the truck is running probably 20 degrees warmer. We filled up around 100 miles ago and moved the bikes to the bed of the truck hoping to get more mileage. It was slightly better but not much. I still ran most of the way with the OD's off. So much for an easy way to carry the bikes. I will test the mileage again the weekend of September 12th on our next camping trip.
Since that one didn't work, I made a receiver hitch for the back of the camper. And since Jayco doesn't recommend anything be done with the frame to modify it or it'll void the lifetime warranty, I figured the hitch would need to be bolted for easier removal in case of an issue.
Mounting holes...
Side plates bolted on...
Making the hitch..
Current rides:
2013 Toyota Tundra DC 4x4
2008 Dodge Nitro 4x4
2005 Nissan Sentra 1.8S Special Edition
Vans owned:
1986 Safari 2.5L 4 speed manual - scrapped
1995 Astro 2WD conversion 4.11 posi, shift kit, DHC rock rails - sold to Skippy
1998 Astro 4x4 D44, D60, NP231, full hydraulic system with 9k# Milemarker winch and snow plow - sold to Lockdoc
2003 Astro AWD all stock - traded for a 3/4 ton truck
2005 AWD, 4.10's - sold to skippy
Vans owned:
1986 Safari 2.5L 4 speed manual - scrapped
1995 Astro 2WD conversion 4.11 posi, shift kit, DHC rock rails - sold to Skippy
1998 Astro 4x4 D44, D60, NP231, full hydraulic system with 9k# Milemarker winch and snow plow - sold to Lockdoc
2003 Astro AWD all stock - traded for a 3/4 ton truck
2005 AWD, 4.10's - sold to skippy