BaltimoreBill

Hi,

I currently have an older Rocky Mounts tandem rack that is designed to be used with either round or square bars, and it does not fit on my Thule Xsporter. I just got off the phone with Thule and was surprised to hear that they do not have a solution for a tandem rack on the Xsporter! Even their own tandem carrier does not work with this rack!

Does anyone have a solution? If I have to, I'm thinking of taking my current tandem rack to a machine shop and having them weld on two tabs so it can work with the rack. Do any of you have the Xsporter and put a tandem rack on it? Would love some ideas!

Thanks!

DKMcK 

Have you called Rocky Mounts? They may have a solution. The rack on my VW looks similar to the Xporter in that it has a slot at the top and I made a fitting to mount my Rocky Mounts Tandem rack. I was able to use a steel plate that fit inside the bar, drilled and tapped it for a 6M bolt. It works great. I can send a pic if you want.

Dwight

BaltimoreBill

I called Rocky Mount probably a year ago and they had not solution. I'd love to see how you modified your rack....just what I was looking for!

DKMcK 

For each of the 4 bolt holes on the rack I have a bolt and a steel plate. I attach them loosely as seen on the picture. I then slice them into the slot on the rack bar to the position I want it then tighten the bolts. It is a very secure fit.

I believe I got these plates already drilled and threaded from Rocky Mounts but it has been several years. Any plate will do as long as its wider than the slot on the bar so it cannot pop out. I made some for my last rack as the purchased ones were too large. Drill and thread the holes on the plate for the bolt to tighten into.

BaltimoreBill

Ah....I see! You have the newer aluminum rack and it has the "ears" on both sides of the tube that you can mount bolts through. My rack is older and is made of steel and does not have those tabs. It just attaches to the round or square bars through a large "U" bolt that is place over the square bike carrier tube and down over the rack.

Looks like I'm going to have to find someone to weld a steel plate on the bottom of my carrier so that I can do what you did.

Thanks for sharing the pictures!