Clarity - Any ideas on a bike Rack?

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No problem @Tomrl . To answer your other question, I already had mudflaps before doing the install and actually had to remove them too pull the bumper BUT (as I recall... and it has been 1.5 years since I installed my mud flaps) part of the process to install the mudflaps is to partially remove the bumper, so you could save having to do that twice if you do it with the hitch. On the other hand, I think it was only the front couple clips that needed pulled for the mud flaps, so it isn't THAT much of a pain if you do decide to do it in the future.
 
KentuckyKen said:
I got the 2” (free since I was an early beta tester) just because I already had a 2” hitch mount bike rack. Also I already had a 2” anti-wiggle collar that I tighten down to prevent any back and forth rocking.
Just get whatever size fits what you already have so you save $ from not ordering new stuff.
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You were an early beta tester but haven't installed it yet? I think we'd have heard from you if you had. Send it down my way so I can put it to use.
 
Steven B said:
You were an early beta tester but haven't installed it yet? I think we'd have heard from you if you had. Send it down my way so I can put it to use.
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Mea culpa.
I can’t get my friend to come help me and I can’t do it alone with my back. You have spurred me to just bite the bullet and pay my mechanic to do it.
LOL. The box has been in my LR so long I don’t even notice it any more. Will try to do better.
 
KentuckyKen said:
Mea culpa.
I can’t get my friend to come help me and I can’t do it alone with my back. You have spurred me to just bite the bullet and pay my mechanic to do it.
LOL. The box has been in my LR so long I don’t even notice it any more. Will try to do better.
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While he's in there, see if he can find an easy place to splice into the electrical wiring. That's one of my remaining concerns before I acquire a hitch.
 
Steven B said:
While he's in there, see if he can find an easy place to splice into the electrical wiring. That's one of my remaining concerns before I acquire a hitch.
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Will do. I was already planning on taking a pix of the wiring harness that goes to the rear lights so I could take it to my dealer’s parts counter and hopefully find out what other Honda it fits. Then use that info to order a T harness to hook up the trailer hitch lighting harness since no hitch company lists the Clarity. That way there’s no splices and every thing is plug n play.
 
Great install and look. But I gotta ask, what’s holding the hitch up while you took the first picture? I don’t see any bolts.
 
Steven B said:
I see little brackets in the center of the top three oval cutouts.

Is this the 2" or 1 1/4"? I can't estimate from the pics.
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1 1/4", The instructions are very good but it would be nice if they specified the tools needed, which are:

1/2" drive breaker bar w/ 6" extension, 14MM and 19mm sockets
1/4" drive w/ 2" extension, 8mm socket
5mm hex wrench
Phillips screw driver and trim clip tool

It's nicer to be able to get the job going without multiple trips for that tool you forgot. Also, the crash bar is only made from some sort of composite, so now with the hitch mounted as well it seems much better protected against rear end collisions.
 
Tomrl said:
1 1/4", The instructions are very good but it would be nice if they specified the tools needed, which are:

1/2" drive breaker bar w/ 6" extension, 14MM and 19mm sockets
1/4" drive w/ 2" extension, 8mm socket
5mm hex wrench
Phillips screw driver and trim clip tool

It's nicer to be able to get the job going without multiple trips for that tool you forgot. Also, the crash bar is only made from some sort of composite, so now with the hitch mounted as well it seems much better protected against rear end collisions.
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1) Someone else had a list of tools needed but don't recall them specifying socket sizes, so thanks.
2) Your spin is "much better protected". The negative aspect of this hitch being present is that rear end collisions when the hitch is impacted will now more directly transfer energy into the vehicle frame which is a more costly repair and can potentially transfer more energy into the seats of the passengers.
 
Zombie thread, but I just ordered a 2” TorkLift hitch. We want to be able to carry a bike or bikes with us when we travel. Nice to know a tandem without wheels might fit (we have an old Burley).

Will let you guys know how the install goes.

Probably upthread, but can somebody point me to a good, basic bike rack or a link to that topic?
 
[QUOTE="Also, the crash bar is only made from some sort of composite,"[/QUOTE]
Honda was very proud of their use of plastics in Clarity:
• World’s first Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer/Plastic (GFRP) rear bumper beam.
• Bolt-on resin composite front bulkhead assembly.
 

Attachments

Got the hitch delivered.

Darn that thing is heavy!

Installation looks pretty straightforward, but the images in the install instructions are pretty rough.

Any chance someone within maybe 100 miles or so of Knoxville, TN has done the install and would be available for an assist?
 
Fast Eddie B said:
Probably upthread, but can somebody point me to a good, basic bike rack or a link to that topic?
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You may be able to find mention of specific racks here and there if you look thru the entire thread, but nearly all the discussion has been about finding a proper trailer hitch on which to install a bike rack of your choice. Once Torklift started making one (or two, of different sizes) specifically for the Clarity, and successful installations were reported for that hitch, that pretty much ended the discussion.

I suggest you Google forum discussions (not specific to this website) of trailer hitch bike racks, without reference to the Clarity. Once you get the proper hitch, common sense suggests to me that it doesn't matter much what the model of car is that the rack is installed upon. However, at the risk of pointing out the obvious, do make sure the rack has the right sized bracket (or whatever it's called) to insert into the trailer hitch receiver.
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Thanks. In the interest of economy, I think I’m going to fabricate a bike rack using a Harbor Freight hitch carrier I already own. Bought a front fork clamp for that end, probably just come up with a channel to drop the rear wheel into. I’ll post pictures when I get around to that project.

As an aside, I was kinda shocked at how expensive top line bike carriers are.
 
Just got a new Clarity plug in hybrid and like it so far but the bike rack problem was a bummer until I found this thread. I already have a Thule bike rack, it's 8 years old but they're expensive so I'll keep it. Looking for a 1-1/4" hitch. Struck out at U-haul and Honda but I called Torklift and Nick was really helpful. Went to torkliftcentral.com to find installer near me. Waiting for installation price. I'll let you know how this goes.
 
Carolyn said:
Just got a new Clarity plug in hybrid and like it so far but the bike rack problem was a bummer until I found this thread. I already have a Thule bike rack, it's 8 years old but they're expensive so I'll keep it. Looking for a 1-1/4" hitch. Struck out at U-haul and Honda but I called Torklift and Nick was really helpful. Went to torkliftcentral.com to find installer near me. Waiting for installation price. I'll let you know how this goes.
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Which hitch did you go with?
 
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