2" Receiver Hitch in USA? Also: Wiring?
#71
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Good point, I'm a noob at this... So many things seemed the same on the wagon vs. the sedan, I assumed that wheels and offsets were the same, although I missed the biggest difference, which is its air suspension in the rear.
#72
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As I was checking out the box prices, most things now in Canada - on larger ticket items - are within 10% of the US dollar. I was shocked to find out the Thule 2100 goes for $950 CDN, whereas Amazon sells it for $620 US. What a joke! I would probably drive down just to get it! (I'm in Vancouver)
I see you can't mount the box all the way to the edge of a load bar and have it overhang the edge of a bar, as the footings would be in the way?
mount two bikes on the OUTSIDE of the driver's side tower?
.
.
I see you can't mount the box all the way to the edge of a load bar and have it overhang the edge of a bar, as the footings would be in the way?
mount two bikes on the OUTSIDE of the driver's side tower?
.
.
Bar width/fitting: it all depends on your factory rail to rail width, I wonder how wide the minivan is. I first used probably the 58" like you said, then I switched up, and I think it's to something like 62-64? I'll measure this week and give you some helpful shots.
I have put a bike mount on the outside of the foot, I have also shifted the box past the foot to the edge of the bar which allows putting two bikes within the box and other side bar mount.
I don't know why you think the mount gets in the way, it sits well below the bar such that the box can hop over it, then mount on the other side, straddling it. I did this with the 2100xt and all the Xt models would be the same underneath. I can look at my Spirit this week too in case there is some issue with it specifically. I have some photos too from the xc road trip I'll dig up. I used the Spirit then.
Oh, about the hitch, if you were making a trip through sometime, the shop I used could probably do the whole job in about 3-4 hours and I think they have wifi
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#73
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I will say I am not at all sure about the sedan offsets except for something like the 550 or rear wheel drive versions which are definitely different.
#74
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I'm planning to run 245/40/18 tires front and rear, so I'm concerned the rears will look odd/stretched on the 9" wide wheel (vs the 8" wide front).
#75
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That's the thing; I'd like to be able to rotate the tires. But then I think every BMW I've owned has at least had different offsets f/r, even if the tire size was the same.
I'm planning to run 245/40/18 tires front and rear, so I'm concerned the rears will look odd/stretched on the 9" wide wheel (vs the 8" wide front).
I'm planning to run 245/40/18 tires front and rear, so I'm concerned the rears will look odd/stretched on the 9" wide wheel (vs the 8" wide front).
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#76
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It's because I'm buying M5 replica wheels that are only sold in staggered sets. I guess if they don't really work properly I'll have to buy a second set and throw the four rears on ebay...
#77
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Bar width/fitting: it all depends on your factory rail to rail width, I wonder how wide the minivan is. I first used probably the 58" like you said, then I switched up, and I think it's to something like 62-64? I'll measure this week and give you some helpful shots.
I have put a bike mount on the outside of the foot, I have also shifted the box past the foot to the edge of the bar which allows putting two bikes within the box and other side bar mount.
I don't know why you think the mount gets in the way, it sits well below the bar such that the box can hop over it, then mount on the other side, straddling it. I did this with the 2100xt and all the Xt models would be the same underneath. I can look at my Spirit this week too in case there is some issue with it specifically. I have some photos too from the xc road trip I'll dig up. I used the Spirit then.
I have put a bike mount on the outside of the foot, I have also shifted the box past the foot to the edge of the bar which allows putting two bikes within the box and other side bar mount.
I don't know why you think the mount gets in the way, it sits well below the bar such that the box can hop over it, then mount on the other side, straddling it. I did this with the 2100xt and all the Xt models would be the same underneath. I can look at my Spirit this week too in case there is some issue with it specifically. I have some photos too from the xc road trip I'll dig up. I used the Spirit then.
For the bar size, they come in 50, 58 and 65. Do you think with a 50 inch bar, I should be able to put a box on (yours is 36" wide) plus two bikes? Or might the 50 not be wide enough?
With a 50" bar, it pretty much looks like it'll be even with the roof edge. But since the 58 is the same price, I wonder if getting larger (58) is safer up front? My only dilemma is I might end up lazy and leave the bars up even when I don't have a load, so didn't know how bothersome / an eyesore the 58" would be since they'd stick out like 6" per side.
How many minutes would you say it would take to take off the bars / feet once you've gotten good at it?
#78
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Thanks for the tip about REI, I'd forgotten about them! Looks like they give you 15% off when you sign up for a newsletter, so I might just go ahead and use that right away!
For the bar size, they come in 50, 58 and 65. Do you think with a 50 inch bar, I should be able to put a box on (yours is 36" wide) plus two bikes? Or might the 50 not be wide enough?
With a 50" bar, it pretty much looks like it'll be even with the roof edge. But since the 58 is the same price, I wonder if getting larger (58) is safer up front? My only dilemma is I might end up lazy and leave the bars up even when I don't have a load, so didn't know how bothersome / an eyesore the 58" would be since they'd stick out like 6" per side.
How many minutes would you say it would take to take off the bars / feet once you've gotten good at it?
For the bar size, they come in 50, 58 and 65. Do you think with a 50 inch bar, I should be able to put a box on (yours is 36" wide) plus two bikes? Or might the 50 not be wide enough?
With a 50" bar, it pretty much looks like it'll be even with the roof edge. But since the 58 is the same price, I wonder if getting larger (58) is safer up front? My only dilemma is I might end up lazy and leave the bars up even when I don't have a load, so didn't know how bothersome / an eyesore the 58" would be since they'd stick out like 6" per side.
How many minutes would you say it would take to take off the bars / feet once you've gotten good at it?
#79
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Haha, sometimes the obvious reasons are lost when your point of view is so practical....the "point" is for "looks"
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He answered it but I think he already has the tires too.
I think the tire will be just fine on the 9" rim but a 9.5" would be getting past the sensible limit. I don't recall the section/tread width on the 245/40 but my 245/45 look perfect on the 8.5" rims I have and stretching just another 1/4" on each side would probably be just fine.
The tire brand matter too though. Mine are Bridgestone which seem wider in section that a same spec tire but I really like the thick rim lip protection because I seem to be the one who curbs any wheel possible !
#80
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I'll reiterate, the Thule 450 foot has a wider range of fitting even when compared on the same bar. For example, on the Audi I wanted to use the 2100 box, which is a bit long for the Audi B7 Avant roofline (the B8 is a little longer I think) so I had to have the mount all the way forward right into the part where the rail starts to bend down and into the car roof and gets thicker as well.
The strap design of Thule allows a wide range of flexibility here whereas the Yakima grab style would not be able to hold well in that angle and over the tapering rail.