Fiamma bike rack question

[ewenmaclean]

Hello,

this is a bit of a weird question, but I wondered if anyone else had experienced the same. My fiamma bike rack (the one designed for the t3), which has been fine and attached to the van, often with the bikes on it, seems to have elongated - the tabs at the bottom only just catch the bottom of the tailgate, and if you pull on it, you can just take it off.

The only explanation I can see is that the metal has become fatigued with the weight and I need to fabricate some sort of thingemybob to extend the tabs....

Anyone experienced this or have any suggestions?

thanks a lot

Ewen

[mickcorr]

I have a spare old rack going free if you want it........unable to offer any suggestions as to the elongation problem, however.

Mick.

[tonytech]

Has the rack dropped on the bolts at the top?
Rather than extending the bottom tabs, can you move the rack up a bit?

T

[ewenmaclean]

Hi Mick and Tony,

thanks a lot for your offers of help and suggestions. I will investigate the bolts at the top again - thanks for that advice. I have relatives in Conwy Mick, so if I'm still stuck and I'm down there visiting I may well take you up on that! Thanks a lot.

We did the Drumochter pass and back the other day and took the bikes in the van - it is not a feasible long-term solution!

Thanks again

Ewen

[mickcorr]

Ewen,
I also commute a lot to Glasgow. I am away working at the moment but expect to be in North Wales in about three weeks and then back to Glasgow..........if you are interested I will dig it out and bring it up.
Cheers,
Mick

[AdrianC]

We seem to have developed this same problem.

The rack (second hand off the bay of fleas) used to fit snugly, but now the bottom's "sagged" somehow. We've had one incident where the lower rubber blocks have rotated around the edge of the tailgate - fortunately, the mount brackets tagged onto one of the numberplate lights and held it secure, but the whole rack's just a little too flexibly attached for my liking at the mo. It can't quite be just unhooked, but it's not far off. It can be "swung" a few inches side-to-side, too. The bigger hassle is that it won't currently allow me to open the number-plate service flap, so I need to unload the bikes and open the tailgate to check oil/coolant.

Any thoughts? I'm wondering if it's some movement in the bolted section half-way up the vertical legs, presumably to allow it to be dismantled for packaging. If so, then I wonder if a ratchet strap around the two crossmembers and just snugged up will help?

Thoughts? I haven't got a ratchet strap handy, else I'd just give it a go.

[MartinR]

Hi
This is my first post though I,ve enjoyed browsing for some time.
I run an '86 DG Holdsworth pop top and am based in the Aldershot area.
As you will see from the text we're a bit VW camper mad - had them for almost 30 years now, and for most of that time one each!

Had a similar but more extreme problem on my wife's t4. Drove slowly ('bout 5MPH) over a speed bump in Calais and the whole rack with two bikes hopped off the back. The bottom clamps haven't got clearance between door and bumper to escape so the flex allowed the top hooks to come adrift.

Bought new set of clamps but found fit to still be sloppy so bit the bullet and bought a new rack (had 10 years use out of the old one). Comparison between old and new showed that the angles on the vertical components had opened effectively increasing the height of the rack.

Don't need that happening again so have bolted down the top clamps using rivnuts so that even if it hops it's going to hold on.

Having said that the rack on my T25 has been in use for some 15 years, when kids were young carrying 3 bikes and the canvas for an awning loaded on.

Regards

Martin

[AdrianC]

Bought new set of clamps but found fit to still be sloppy so bit the bullet and bought a new rack (had 10 years use out of the old one). Comparison between old and new showed that the angles on the vertical components had opened effectively increasing the height of the rack.

Have to admit, I feared that might be the case. This one was bought used, and we've had closing on 25k km out of it on this trip, with two (not light) mountain bikes on, with a lot of rough roads. Might see what some of the local back-street-metal-bashers can do with it.