I recently purchased and am installing a Swagman XTC hitch bike rack. Until this latest purchase, I have always used a Sarris bike rack positioned on the trunk of my car.

I have a very minor, somewhat embarrassing question regarding this particular hitch bike rack. A number of pins with retractable ball bearings are used that can be inserted and removed, depending on the desired position of the various posts. I'm having difficulty pushing and removing the pins in the holes, without, I believe, damaging, the retraceable ball bearing. Do I simply need to use more force.

Thank you,

New to the forum

They might just be tight due to being new, but do the balls push if you press them with your fingers or other tool? If not, try a couple of drops of lube to see if that will loosen them up a bit. And welcome to the forum.

Like jaxgtr said, lube the little ball bearings and they'll get easier with use. My Swagman rack's pins need re-lubing 2 or 3 times during the summer depending on much rain we get.
John

I have used an XTC since 2015! One caution. Never get lazy and skip the pin on the center post/

I did that once, and the center post flipped down while I was on the freeway. Both bikes went horizontal and were only held in the rack by the rubber straps around the tires where they sat on the rails, There was also a chain looped around the frames that saved me, but the handlebars were just a few inches off the ground. Whew. Could have been bad.

After 9 years, there's a little rust on the rack.