ChaseW
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Chase
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2018
- Threads
- 3
- Messages
- 50
- Reaction score
- 293
- Location
- Greensboro, North Carolina
- Vehicle(s)
- '22 Wrangler 392 XR
- Thread starter
- #1
Hello All,
First actual post here on the forum, and my first Jeep ever! I recently picked up a Bright White JLUR and am closing in on the 3000-mile mark today, loving it so far, although quite a change from what I am used to.
My objective with this thread is thorough information on the Hitch Receiver setup I chose (after lots of existing guidance from the JLForums community) and the Bike Rack I chose, as well as feedback on both. A lot of this information has been posted throughout the forum, but I felt like it would be additionally helpful to consolidate this information into one thread, and possibly offer some additional insight to any wondering.
After my lots of research and lurking the JL Forums, I have arrived at a good setup that works well, and hopefully some other members here will find this information useful.
I am an avid mountain-biker and thus now need a hitch rack, as I previously used roof racks. I have always preferred a “tray-style” Hitch Rack, primarily because it better accommodates the variety of bikes I own, and wider variety of bikes, period. Also, with many of the complex frame designs (particularly with full suspension bikes), wheel sizes, tire widths, materials, and other factors, I know this will be my best solution. There are other quality racks out there that are rear tire/lug mounted, which have the benefit of less-hindered access to the rear of the Jeep, but I do not find those to accommodate my needs as well as the “tray-style” racks, as I have frequently run into fit issues, weird mounting positions, etc, as it relates to the bikes I ride and group of riders I ride with.
I worked in the cycling industry for about 4 years, and have long advocated for Thule, and have always used Thule products. I have had their hitch racks, roof racks, trunk racks, the works. They have always been high quality, have clean and simple integration with various automotive makes and models, and cannot recommend them enough. Since it’s been a while since I have had a hitch rack (instead using roof rack on my VWs), I researched, looked at, played with, and studied all the hitch racks on the market, and kept coming back to Thule and 1UP for a myriad of common reasons. I went with the 1UP Super Duty 2" Hitch Rack to try something new, but also because this rack is all business. Some people have commented that it’s not as “clean” or “finished” looking as some of the larger brands like Thule, Yakima, Kuat, which to a degree, I would agree with. However, the workmanship, quality of materials, security, and operation of the 1UP is about as top-notch as I have ever seen. Another factor in choosing this rack is that the rear clearance and departure angle seemed to be superior to the other racks, if one is going off-road. So, hopefully, this rack is here to stay.
Hitch Receiver and Hardware:
My JLUR has the standard Plastic Bumpers as opposed to the Steel Bumpers, and does not have the Trailer Tow and HD Electrical Group, so I had to install a receiver. For this, I purchased and installed the following:
- Mopar Trailer Hitch Receiver Assembly (Part # 68251844AB). I purchased this from my local Jeep dealer for $75, and it was delivered next day. For anyone looking at this, keep in mind that it does NOT come with any hardware. Mopar does sell a hardware kit separately, or you can go to your local Fastenal or similar fastener store. The bolts are a specialty size (more on this below), and are not usually sold at Lowes, Home Depot, or regular hardware stores. I got mine from Fastenal locally, but an automotive fastener, online store, specialty fastener store is likely your best bet.
- U-Haul 8” Hitch Receiver Extension (Part # ADAPTER6). $35. Also picked up at my local U-Haul store. I called around to a few and all 3 stores in the city had them, so they are readily available. This adapter has a 3,000-lb tow rating and 300-lb tongue weight rating, both of which are more than adequate for me.
- U-Haul Anti-Rattle Receiver Locking Hitch Pin (Part # 13144). $18. This is manufactured by Trimax, which has been shown here and there on the forums. It’s a quality pin that does a great job eliminating sway, rattling, and looseness in the receiver. It’s a breeze to install and works great.
Important Note: If you plan to use one of these locking/anti-rattle hitch pins, make sure that you get a Hitch Extender that is hollow all the way through. I previously purchased a Curt extender, but there is no good method to secure it from wobbling/rattling. The hole for the hitch pin will only accommodate a smooth hitch pin, as opposed to a threaded pin/bolt.
Below is the Curt 8" Extension:
Below is the U-Haul 8" Extension that I ended up using:
Below is how the Trimax Locking Hitch Pin Installing in the U-Haul Hitch Extension. This creates the ability to use threaded hitch pin to tightly fasten the extension to the receiver:
HARDWARE:
@BWWJL here on the forum gets all the credit for the hardware specs needed, which I found in a thread he posted on the JLForums. So @BWWJL, thank you! My bumper has some sort of steel bracket behind it, with welded nuts on it. Because of this, I needed only the following:
- Metric hex bolts, Zinc plated class 8.8 steel, 12mm x 1.5mm x 120mm, 4 pieces. $10. Picked these up from the local Fastenal store. As previously stated, you will likely not find these at your standard hardware store. I also used Locking Washers, but did not need Nuts, as a bracket (described below) and the hitch receiver have welded Nuts already mounted to them.
Installation:
Installation totaled 20 minutes with adjustable wrench, basic socket set, and deep socket (18mm if I recall correctly). I did not torque these per instructions but will do so once I have access to a torque wrench.
The Mopar Hitch receiver comes with instructions, so if you have one of these, refer those for installation. They are straight forward, except for these two bolts holding on some random bracket/brace behind the plastic bumper.
If your Jeep has these two bolts, then the instructions call for you to remove the entire bumper to gain access to this bracket, as one side of the hitch receiver is to mount between the bracket and the frame rail. This is idiotic, and the bolts to remove the bumper per the instructions are next to impossible to access without proprietary wrenches or a significant amount of disassembly, including removal of the rear fender liners.
I found that if you remove the two lower screws from the bumper (as specified in the instructions) and gently use a wrench to pry against the plastic bumper, you can easily bend the plastic (without stretching it or breaking it) and situate the hitch receiver correctly. Picture below to hopefully communicate this accurately…
Finished Product and Use/Review:
Here’s what the finished product looks like. It looks great and works great. Hitch Receiver and Hardware is excellent and is extremely sturdy and tight. Practically no wobble or rattle at all.
The first use of the rack is excellent. There is 4” of clearance between the rack and the spare tire when the rack is in the "storage" position.
Without bikes on it, the racks lowers enough for the rear gate to open completely, with just a hair of contact from the rear tire to the inner tray. It’s almost indiscernible.
Rear Gate Open with Rack in "operating" position:
Rear Gate Fully Open with Rack Lowered:
The rear camera of course is hindered, but not to the point of annoyance. What is annoying, however, is that the rear parking sensors are now on constantly in review. If anyone knows how to turn off the sensors, please let me know, as I cannot seem to locate it in the owner’s manual.
1UP Review and Feedback:
Positive:
- Excellent Build Quality - As mentioned, it's not as clean-looking at some of the others, but the quality is all there
- Clearance/Departure angle if using off road
- Clearance to open rear gate
- Bike security when loaded
- Minimal movement
- Good clearance to open rear gate
Negative:
- Operation of rack not as intuitive as others
- Loading and unloading not as quick or easy as others
- Need to uninstall and reinstall wheel "cradle" to accommodate all wheel sizes
The bikes are rock solid when loaded, with minimal movement. Loading and unloading is fairly straight forward, but it's just not as easy as Thule. The slide levers and locking mechanism are secure, but definitely less intuitive and more cumbersome to use than some of the other racks. The ground clearance and departure angle of the 1UP is definitely superior to the other options, so if you plan on going deep into the woods with the bikes, this can definitely be a plus. The tilt lever is still easily accessed, but not as good as Thule, which is located front and center on the outside of the rack for easy tilting. 1UP now makes an accessory to relocate this lever similar to Thule, but I am going to live without it for now. While I have not used the rack much so far, I am overall pleased with it, even with the shortcomings. It's definitely a quality rack worthy of all the praise it has received, but I think 1UP can spend some time working on refining a few things that make it's operation a little more intuitive. I am very pleased with the setup and for anyone that chooses to go with any of these items, I am confident you will be happy with it all. Happy Trails!
First actual post here on the forum, and my first Jeep ever! I recently picked up a Bright White JLUR and am closing in on the 3000-mile mark today, loving it so far, although quite a change from what I am used to.
My objective with this thread is thorough information on the Hitch Receiver setup I chose (after lots of existing guidance from the JLForums community) and the Bike Rack I chose, as well as feedback on both. A lot of this information has been posted throughout the forum, but I felt like it would be additionally helpful to consolidate this information into one thread, and possibly offer some additional insight to any wondering.
After my lots of research and lurking the JL Forums, I have arrived at a good setup that works well, and hopefully some other members here will find this information useful.
I am an avid mountain-biker and thus now need a hitch rack, as I previously used roof racks. I have always preferred a “tray-style” Hitch Rack, primarily because it better accommodates the variety of bikes I own, and wider variety of bikes, period. Also, with many of the complex frame designs (particularly with full suspension bikes), wheel sizes, tire widths, materials, and other factors, I know this will be my best solution. There are other quality racks out there that are rear tire/lug mounted, which have the benefit of less-hindered access to the rear of the Jeep, but I do not find those to accommodate my needs as well as the “tray-style” racks, as I have frequently run into fit issues, weird mounting positions, etc, as it relates to the bikes I ride and group of riders I ride with.
I worked in the cycling industry for about 4 years, and have long advocated for Thule, and have always used Thule products. I have had their hitch racks, roof racks, trunk racks, the works. They have always been high quality, have clean and simple integration with various automotive makes and models, and cannot recommend them enough. Since it’s been a while since I have had a hitch rack (instead using roof rack on my VWs), I researched, looked at, played with, and studied all the hitch racks on the market, and kept coming back to Thule and 1UP for a myriad of common reasons. I went with the 1UP Super Duty 2" Hitch Rack to try something new, but also because this rack is all business. Some people have commented that it’s not as “clean” or “finished” looking as some of the larger brands like Thule, Yakima, Kuat, which to a degree, I would agree with. However, the workmanship, quality of materials, security, and operation of the 1UP is about as top-notch as I have ever seen. Another factor in choosing this rack is that the rear clearance and departure angle seemed to be superior to the other racks, if one is going off-road. So, hopefully, this rack is here to stay.
Hitch Receiver and Hardware:
My JLUR has the standard Plastic Bumpers as opposed to the Steel Bumpers, and does not have the Trailer Tow and HD Electrical Group, so I had to install a receiver. For this, I purchased and installed the following:
- Mopar Trailer Hitch Receiver Assembly (Part # 68251844AB). I purchased this from my local Jeep dealer for $75, and it was delivered next day. For anyone looking at this, keep in mind that it does NOT come with any hardware. Mopar does sell a hardware kit separately, or you can go to your local Fastenal or similar fastener store. The bolts are a specialty size (more on this below), and are not usually sold at Lowes, Home Depot, or regular hardware stores. I got mine from Fastenal locally, but an automotive fastener, online store, specialty fastener store is likely your best bet.
- U-Haul 8” Hitch Receiver Extension (Part # ADAPTER6). $35. Also picked up at my local U-Haul store. I called around to a few and all 3 stores in the city had them, so they are readily available. This adapter has a 3,000-lb tow rating and 300-lb tongue weight rating, both of which are more than adequate for me.
- U-Haul Anti-Rattle Receiver Locking Hitch Pin (Part # 13144). $18. This is manufactured by Trimax, which has been shown here and there on the forums. It’s a quality pin that does a great job eliminating sway, rattling, and looseness in the receiver. It’s a breeze to install and works great.
Important Note: If you plan to use one of these locking/anti-rattle hitch pins, make sure that you get a Hitch Extender that is hollow all the way through. I previously purchased a Curt extender, but there is no good method to secure it from wobbling/rattling. The hole for the hitch pin will only accommodate a smooth hitch pin, as opposed to a threaded pin/bolt.
Below is the Curt 8" Extension:
Below is the U-Haul 8" Extension that I ended up using:
Below is how the Trimax Locking Hitch Pin Installing in the U-Haul Hitch Extension. This creates the ability to use threaded hitch pin to tightly fasten the extension to the receiver:
HARDWARE:
@BWWJL here on the forum gets all the credit for the hardware specs needed, which I found in a thread he posted on the JLForums. So @BWWJL, thank you! My bumper has some sort of steel bracket behind it, with welded nuts on it. Because of this, I needed only the following:
- Metric hex bolts, Zinc plated class 8.8 steel, 12mm x 1.5mm x 120mm, 4 pieces. $10. Picked these up from the local Fastenal store. As previously stated, you will likely not find these at your standard hardware store. I also used Locking Washers, but did not need Nuts, as a bracket (described below) and the hitch receiver have welded Nuts already mounted to them.
Installation:
Installation totaled 20 minutes with adjustable wrench, basic socket set, and deep socket (18mm if I recall correctly). I did not torque these per instructions but will do so once I have access to a torque wrench.
The Mopar Hitch receiver comes with instructions, so if you have one of these, refer those for installation. They are straight forward, except for these two bolts holding on some random bracket/brace behind the plastic bumper.
If your Jeep has these two bolts, then the instructions call for you to remove the entire bumper to gain access to this bracket, as one side of the hitch receiver is to mount between the bracket and the frame rail. This is idiotic, and the bolts to remove the bumper per the instructions are next to impossible to access without proprietary wrenches or a significant amount of disassembly, including removal of the rear fender liners.
I found that if you remove the two lower screws from the bumper (as specified in the instructions) and gently use a wrench to pry against the plastic bumper, you can easily bend the plastic (without stretching it or breaking it) and situate the hitch receiver correctly. Picture below to hopefully communicate this accurately…
Finished Product and Use/Review:
Here’s what the finished product looks like. It looks great and works great. Hitch Receiver and Hardware is excellent and is extremely sturdy and tight. Practically no wobble or rattle at all.
The first use of the rack is excellent. There is 4” of clearance between the rack and the spare tire when the rack is in the "storage" position.
Without bikes on it, the racks lowers enough for the rear gate to open completely, with just a hair of contact from the rear tire to the inner tray. It’s almost indiscernible.
Rear Gate Open with Rack in "operating" position:
Rear Gate Fully Open with Rack Lowered:
The rear camera of course is hindered, but not to the point of annoyance. What is annoying, however, is that the rear parking sensors are now on constantly in review. If anyone knows how to turn off the sensors, please let me know, as I cannot seem to locate it in the owner’s manual.
1UP Review and Feedback:
Positive:
- Excellent Build Quality - As mentioned, it's not as clean-looking at some of the others, but the quality is all there
- Clearance/Departure angle if using off road
- Clearance to open rear gate
- Bike security when loaded
- Minimal movement
- Good clearance to open rear gate
Negative:
- Operation of rack not as intuitive as others
- Loading and unloading not as quick or easy as others
- Need to uninstall and reinstall wheel "cradle" to accommodate all wheel sizes
The bikes are rock solid when loaded, with minimal movement. Loading and unloading is fairly straight forward, but it's just not as easy as Thule. The slide levers and locking mechanism are secure, but definitely less intuitive and more cumbersome to use than some of the other racks. The ground clearance and departure angle of the 1UP is definitely superior to the other options, so if you plan on going deep into the woods with the bikes, this can definitely be a plus. The tilt lever is still easily accessed, but not as good as Thule, which is located front and center on the outside of the rack for easy tilting. 1UP now makes an accessory to relocate this lever similar to Thule, but I am going to live without it for now. While I have not used the rack much so far, I am overall pleased with it, even with the shortcomings. It's definitely a quality rack worthy of all the praise it has received, but I think 1UP can spend some time working on refining a few things that make it's operation a little more intuitive. I am very pleased with the setup and for anyone that chooses to go with any of these items, I am confident you will be happy with it all. Happy Trails!
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