Utilitrack Yakima bicycle mount

[Optimist]

Thank You rvandam.
Simple, clean, inexpensive… count me in!
Bought two locking Yakima fork locks just in time for a bike weekend vacation.

[beach-bum]

Thank you rvandam. Sweet!

[bestatchess]

Originally Posted by rvandam

The only downside I see so far is that the bike's handlebars are higher than the cab roof, which may cause wind noise. Otherwise looks pretty good, I think. Total cost for the three bike mounts: about $60

What if you get a piece of unistrut (or superstrut or whatever) and mount it transversely between the rails on the bed floor, and then attach the block head bike mounts to the transverse strut? Similar to this concept:

http://www.titantalk.com/attachment....achmentid=1695

but you don't need to drill holes in the bed if you have the utilitrack as you can also use your cone nut concept to secure the transverse piece of strut.

That would keep the bars below the cab roof, right? I was thinking about that as a concept for mounting bikes inside of a shell.

[Gig'em]

I did this little add-on today, and it was as easy as you made it out to be. Thanks for sharing your great idea.

[rvandam]

Originally Posted by bestatchess

What if you get a piece of unistrut....
That would keep the bars below the cab roof, right? I was thinking about that as a concept for mounting bikes inside of a shell.

Yes, that would probably work for keeping the bikes inside the shell. Ski_freak can probably help you with finding the right C-channel for mounting the blockheads on.

[dave]

any of you guys tried putting bikes in the cabs?

is it easier with the king cab doors or with more room in the crew cabs?

[motoman]

Originally Posted by dave

any of you guys tried putting bikes in the cabs?

is it easier with the king cab doors or with more room in the crew cabs?

I have put mine in the cab, it fits preety easily with the KC.

[Cienfuegos]

Originally Posted by motoman

Gero,

Yup, 1st time I went to home depot, they had no clue. 2nd time I was determined. First guy in electrical didnt have a clue. I waited for another guy, he took me right to the cone nuts.

Rvandam - did you pull the plastic off before inserting in the track?

AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nobody knows where the cone nuts are or what they are. (3 hardware stores later) But finally after reading the rest of this thread I now know where to get them. Im going to take a picture of the ones you posted.

Thanks

[Slickshoes]

Awesome thread! Just got back from home depot and apparently my HD didn't have the same "cone nuts", but did have 1/4" "spring nuts", which work awesome. Still in the same Superstrut/Unistrut area of the electrical department, but these have a tapped plate with a 1.5" spring on the back. The spring holds the plate in place so screwing into it is super simple and the thing looks as if it was built for the Utili-track rails.

And just to keep everything in one place, anyone come up with a good way to mount the front tires in the bed? I know lots of people seem to either keep them in the cab, or just bungie them into the bed, but I was just wondering if anyone's come up with a slick, solid way to mount them next to the bikes?

[Yeti77]

Originally Posted by rvandam

Another member had posted pictures of his non-utilitrack bike rack, which he mounted on a C-channel, then on the bed floor.

Since I have the Utilitracks, I decided to see if I could mount them on those.

I used the following materials:
- 1/4" cone-nuts (available at local Home Depot)
- 1/4" bolts and washers
- Yakima Blockhead bike mount (ordered online for $16 at sportsrack.com)

The mounting couldn't have been simpler:
- insert bolts and washers into Blockhead
- insert cone nuts in utilitrack channel
- attach Blockhead to cone nuts

Now simply remove front wheel and attach bike to Blockhead.

The only downside I see so far is that the bike's handlebars are higher than the cab roof, which may cause wind noise. Otherwise looks pretty good, I think. Total cost for the three bike mounts: about $60

Awesome, went to Home Depot, found the parts and did this today. Works like a dream!! Highly recomended!!

[Clancy]

Originally Posted by Yeti77

Awesome, went to Home Depot, found the parts and did this today. Works like a dream!! Highly recomended!!

This was my first "mod" too - I bought a bunch of extra cone nuts and stainless hardware too cause I just know I'll find an ubercool application for it yet...

[Gig'em]

Originally Posted by Clint

I saw floor style bike stands in Costco the other day. They are chrome and the type you'd lock your bike to at school, the mall etc with the tubular hoops to hold the wheel. They hold 2 bikes each. I was thinking if I buy two of them and attach them to the utilitracks in the bed floor, I could put our 4 bikes in them and using the cleats to strap the bikes down securely. What do you think of this idea?

Clint

Yeah, go for it. Sounds like a pretty good idea to me. Take some pictures and let us know how it works.

[FloridaTitan]

Very nice suggestion RV. Thanks

[NDJollyMon]

You guys are abosolute....geniuses!

Can you tell me exactly how long the 1/4" bolts need to be???

Thanks!

[Yeti77]

I used one inch long ones. Just need my new RockyMounts to show up so I can take off the old Bike Tights I have mounted there now.