Very Quick
"When assembling it I put all four wheel loops on and both hooks, but since I don't anticipate putting another bike onto it I eventually took the other two wheel loops and one ratcheting hook off and stashed them with the hitch adapter hardware."
"- The 2" adapter plates are metal and were already bolted on (previous reviews made it seem like Swagman upgraded from plastic to metal at some point)."
"Finally, I'm in the camp that says "buy cheap, buy twice" so I bit the bullet and also bought the Anti-Wobble hitch pin and lock with cable to secure my bikes and prevent theft of bikes or entire rack."
"You can lock both the tie downs and the bolt on the hitch with a smaller padlock."
"Technically I am locking the bikes I transport to the tow bar, not to the hitch and this is probably safer, as most hitches are very easy to remove, even those with a locking pin on them."
"If you are seeing reviews where people complain about the rack, it may be that they had the older design and the red button was less reliable than the gray metal hooks, which seem quite robust."
"I finally figured out that if you clamp together the area the button resides in it makes the arms fit more tightly on the bar of the bike rack and so you have to press the button in more to release it and this worked."
Swagman XC Cross-Country 2-Bike Hitch Mount Rack (1/1/4 and 2-Inch Receiver) (Click to Compare Deals)
Quick
"When assembling it I put all four wheel loops on and both hooks, but since I don't anticipate putting another bike onto it I eventually took the other two wheel loops and one ratcheting hook off and stashed them with the hitch adapter hardware... Not only as a backup for holding the bike onto the carrier and in place but the bike lock cables are good to have on the whole thing in case you need to stop somewhere where your vehicle/bike is out of eye-shot... Also, after playing around with a few hitch-mounted bike carriers and other hitch-mounted things I would recommend getting a hitch-mounted device that has the factory-fitted screw-in hitch pin, rather than a generic smooth hitch pin that might allow the unit to move around in the hitch receiver."
"- The 2" adapter plates are metal and were already bolted on (previous reviews made it seem like Swagman upgraded from plastic to metal at some point)... - Purchase a $6 combination Master lock to make sure the hooks cannot be removed while the bike is mounted during gas station or other stops... For now just using one set of bike hoops and hook, on the outside (not beween the rack's vertical bar and the vehicle)."
"Again, there are a couple of screws that end up on the UNDERSIDE of the rack (specifically at the end of each horizontal arm to prevent the wheel wells from sliding completely off the frame)... It takes a 3/4" wrench/socket to get it screwed all the way in (not included, and not even noted in the instructions - I'm seriously considering buying a single dedicated 3/4" ratcheting wrench to keep in my vehicle just for this purpose). Finally, I'm in the camp that says "buy cheap, buy twice" so I bit the bullet and also bought the Anti-Wobble hitch pin and lock with cable to secure my bikes and prevent theft of bikes or entire rack."
"Put your bike's wheels in the holders and slide the arms... Be careful with the arms though as the release will catch your skin and pinch you nicely... You can lock both the tie downs and the bolt on the hitch with a smaller padlock."
"It is also very easy to adjust the wheel holders by undoing their bolt down mechanism and sliding it over to where you need it... On a side note, I have yet to figure out a good way to lock bikes on this rack, other than running cables through the tow bar/hitch ears. Technically I am locking the bikes I transport to the tow bar, not to the hitch and this is probably safer, as most hitches are very easy to remove, even those with a locking pin on them."
"If you are seeing reviews where people complain about the rack, it may be that they had the older design and the red button was less reliable than the gray metal hooks, which seem quite robust... Have to wonder if they inserted the "universal foot" right side up, which would raise the bikes a little, as opposed to upside down, which would lower the bikes and potentially put the tires near the exhaust... One thing that was more convenient with the Thule T2 is the ability to lower the rack with the bikes on (it leans back away from the vehicle) so you can access the trunk / back of SUV."
"I have a Land Rover Discovery II and I will say the spare tire comes out about 2 inches to much so I couldn't load two bikes but I have purchased and extender for this... I tried the recommended lock (master lock 141t) and while its the exact right size for the hole you can still press the button in enough that it releases grip before it hits the lock so putting a lock in there does nothing... I finally figured out that if you clamp together the area the button resides in it makes the arms fit more tightly on the bar of the bike rack and so you have to press the button in more to release it and this worked."
Less Quick
"But even with extra padding and protection it would leave a few micro-scratches sometimes, and I was never too keen on attaching something to the back of my car with a bunch of straps, and then hanging something off that something with more straps and driving along at highway speeds... But even cable that has the plastic/metal mesh covering over it can get pinched or pulled when you are putting the bike on, taking it off, or just from the movement of the bike on the carrier if it's not secured tightly... When assembling it I put all four wheel loops on and both hooks, but since I don't anticipate putting another bike onto it I eventually took the other two wheel loops and one ratcheting hook off and stashed them with the hitch adapter hardware... Though I always take a bike lock/cable and once I have the bike off the carrier I fold the carrier up, and secure the it by stringing the bike cable through the wheel loops and around the rest of the folded up carrier and down through the hitch's chain loops and take the top ratcheting hook off and storeit in the car - that way everything is locked to everything else and is safe. With the Swagman XC2 carrier most any bike is going to fit it because the wheels go into the adjustable wheel loops, so even two-wheeled recumbents should fit as well as bikes without a horizontal top bar like mountain bikes and women's bikes... Not only as a backup for holding the bike onto the carrier and in place but the bike lock cables are good to have on the whole thing in case you need to stop somewhere where your vehicle/bike is out of eye-shot... Also, after playing around with a few hitch-mounted bike carriers and other hitch-mounted things I would recommend getting a hitch-mounted device that has the factory-fitted screw-in hitch pin, rather than a generic smooth hitch pin that might allow the unit to move around in the hitch receiver."
"- The 2" adapter plates are metal and were already bolted on (previous reviews made it seem like Swagman upgraded from plastic to metal at some point)... You're doing it wrong if there is any movement, since the bolt tightens the arm against the inside of the receiver... Unless you have a hand on the vertical bar, I don't see how you can pinch your hand... If you clamp it tight enough, yes it will take both hands to unclick - but a tight hold on your bike is the whole point. - The three points of contact and the bike's weight resting on it's tires means it is easier to mount, faster to mount, and much more stable and secure than other racks... - Purchase a $6 combination Master lock to make sure the hooks cannot be removed while the bike is mounted during gas station or other stops... For now just using one set of bike hoops and hook, on the outside (not beween the rack's vertical bar and the vehicle)."
"One tip: set all the parts and little bolts/screws in little piles and then make sure everything is accounted for when you assemble it... " But only when I went back to my little pile of screws, and then to the poorly diagramed instructions, did I realize that there are two large hex bolts that insert in the BOTTOM of the rack to stabilize the entire frame... Again, there are a couple of screws that end up on the UNDERSIDE of the rack (specifically at the end of each horizontal arm to prevent the wheel wells from sliding completely off the frame)... The unit comes with two hex wrenches, but I found them to be too short to have any torque, so I pulled out my Harbor Freight specials and they did the job perfectly... It takes a 3/4" wrench/socket to get it screwed all the way in (not included, and not even noted in the instructions - I'm seriously considering buying a single dedicated 3/4" ratcheting wrench to keep in my vehicle just for this purpose). Finally, I'm in the camp that says "buy cheap, buy twice" so I bit the bullet and also bought the Anti-Wobble hitch pin and lock with cable to secure my bikes and prevent theft of bikes or entire rack... I did not even use the standard pin when attaching to the hitch, but I can testify that with the anti-wobble pin securing the unit, THIS RACK IS SOLID."
"At first I thought the bolt used to keep the rack from rocking around on the hitch was going to be a hassle... Put your bike's wheels in the holders and slide the arms... Be careful with the arms though as the release will catch your skin and pinch you nicely... You can lock both the tie downs and the bolt on the hitch with a smaller padlock... UPDATE: Now that I have owned this rack for over 2 years, I can give a long term update... When I drive down the road, the ratchets no longer hold the bikes top bar... The right side has dropped about an inch from when it was new, and the left side has dropped about a half inch."
"You will not lose any fuel economy with this rack if your roof line coincides with the height of the bikes you are transporting... I never used it with the Lexus as there was plenty of clearance to open the trunk with the bike rack mounted on the car... I was ready to get another rack, but saw the pin at the bottom of the pole and here I am, a happy owner!... It is also very easy to adjust the wheel holders by undoing their bolt down mechanism and sliding it over to where you need it... If you run into an issue with the tie down hooks not reaching properly, try flipping one of the bikes and mount it facing in the opposite direction... On a side note, I have yet to figure out a good way to lock bikes on this rack, other than running cables through the tow bar/hitch ears. Technically I am locking the bikes I transport to the tow bar, not to the hitch and this is probably safer, as most hitches are very easy to remove, even those with a locking pin on them."
"If you are seeing reviews where people complain about the rack, it may be that they had the older design and the red button was less reliable than the gray metal hooks, which seem quite robust... 4) TIRES: Some reviewers have said (and the instructions warn about this) that their tires were ruined by the exhaust from their vehicle. Have to wonder if they inserted the "universal foot" right side up, which would raise the bikes a little, as opposed to upside down, which would lower the bikes and potentially put the tires near the exhaust... So some of the people who come here to vent, maybe instead call the company and make sure you are using the rack correctly... There is no discussion of washers, eg, and no washers on the exploded diagram, so I had to unscrew the wheel holder tray screw things (black plastic Xs) and put the washers on and screw them back on. It may be obvious to most to use the washers, but again I follow instructions and most of the time I end up reading them to my husband while he corrects whatever he just did by making it up... One thing that was more convenient with the Thule T2 is the ability to lower the rack with the bikes on (it leans back away from the vehicle) so you can access the trunk / back of SUV."
"I have a Land Rover Discovery II and I will say the spare tire comes out about 2 inches to much so I couldn't load two bikes but I have purchased and extender for this... I will keep on eye on the rubber parts of the arm to see how they wear but that can be cheap and easy to take care of... I tried the recommended lock (master lock 141t) and while its the exact right size for the hole you can still press the button in enough that it releases grip before it hits the lock so putting a lock in there does nothing. So I had some spare locks that were to big for the hole and decided I would drill out the hole for them (say another user did this on mtb... I finally figured out that if you clamp together the area the button resides in it makes the arms fit more tightly on the bar of the bike rack and so you have to press the button in more to release it and this worked. Somewhat a design flaw I would think and maybe I got a bad set of arms but by looking at them nothing seemed bent until I did it on purpose. I would think they could design the button to be pressed in more (say 50%) before it release grip on the arm but as my came you only had to press in maybe 5% -10% of the way not its more like 25% after bending it."
