Have you noticed any distortion within the front rim of your bike? Or a flat tire after a drive even though you had the tire filled up before your journey? Well, that could be because you placed the bike rack near the exhaust.
Exhaust gas could get too hot. A damaged rim could be dangerous for your safety, especially if you are using carbon wheels. It could cause you to crash while riding.
Even though there haven’t been any warnings in the bike racks manuals, you need to be aware of this and protect your bike.
Avoiding Tire and Wheel Damage from Bike Rack Behind Exhaust
Avoiding tire and wheel damage from the bike rack behind the exhaust is one way you can protect your bike. Here are all the ways you can do that.
- Divert the Rack Away from the Exhaust
The first step is diverting your rack further away from the exhaust. Placing your bike’s wheel on the direct line of fire will damage your wheel. You need to extend the rack further away from the exhaust using a hitch extension.
As you know, different vehicle models have the exhaust located in different locations. So not all racks will hang directly on the vehicle’s exhaust. According to Russ Fogle, a Rocky Mounts Lead Product Engineer, this makes it harder for designers to design racks that will directly avoid exhaust.
A good way of solving this is by using an extender. A hitch extension will move your pinhole eight inches from its location that’s avoiding the exhaust.
The extension is also considered a riser or a swing away that creates distance between the exhaust and the rack. A good example of a riser is Kuat Hi-Lo. Place the riser between the receiver and bike rack to change its position.
- Get the Right Rack for Your Vehicle
Choosing the wrong rack for your vehicle model means a lot of things can go wrong. Using a trunk rack will put your bike front wheel directly on the line of fire, especially if you have a small vehicle.
You need to go for a rack that will hold your bike higher from the exhaust pipe.
Most people who have this kind of problem use either trunk-mounted bike racks or racks that hang over the tailgate.
The following tips will also help you avoid damage from the exhaust gas:
- Avoid leaving your bike hanging for too long on the rack.
- Avoid leaning your bike on or near the exhaust pipes.
- If you are using a trunk rack or a rack hanging over the tailgate, make sure you use straps for the trunk and tail pads for the tailgate.
Keep in mind that exhaust heat is not the only heat that can damage the wheels, be wary of other forms of heat such as space heaters.
Final Word
Avoiding tire and wheel damage from the bike rack behind the exhaust is something you seriously need to consider. Hot exhaust gas can easily damage the wheel and rim of your bike rack when you hang it near the exhaust pipe.
Even a short drive can cause serious damage when left directly in the line of fire. This is why you should consider all the ways to protect your bike.
Trying to change your rack and using a hitch extender will solve your problem. Good luck.
