Hitch for skis and bike?
01-08-19, 10:59 AM
#1
Intermediate
Thread Starter
Hitch for skis and bike?
1996 Lexus LS400
So I know I made a post a few years ago about this but I am wondering if this setup will work. It seems like I can only put a 1.25" hitch on the LS400. A lot of ski and bike racks are 2" so I am wondering if I got a hitch for the LS400 and got this adapter ( ) I will be able to put a ski or bike rack on it? Also how secure do you think it will be? Also, the drive to a ski resort will be around 3 hours.
Thanks
So I know I made a post a few years ago about this but I am wondering if this setup will work. It seems like I can only put a 1.25" hitch on the LS400. A lot of ski and bike racks are 2" so I am wondering if I got a hitch for the LS400 and got this adapter ( ) I will be able to put a ski or bike rack on it? Also how secure do you think it will be? Also, the drive to a ski resort will be around 3 hours.
Thanks
01-08-19, 01:53 PM
#2
Bikes and ski stuff will be no problem at all for a 1.25" hitch. As far as wobble goes, you can carefully shim it and use a screw rather than a locking pin in the hole, if that is a concern. I know I always cringe when I see stuff bouncing around on other peoples' racks due to looseness.
I don't know how things work for roof racks on the '96, but I have Yakima racks and a rocket box on my '91. A rocket box beats everything for skiing, since you can just throw all the stuff in there, lock it, drive it, park it, and nobody knows if it's empty or loaded with $$$ ski/snowboard equipment. Keeps all the slush + dirt out of the car too.
I won't be surprised if Yakima tells you a rack is impossible, but that might be just because you need parts built in 1992, that should not work for '96 but do, etc. All I know for sure is that my setup for my '91 works great.
I don't know how things work for roof racks on the '96, but I have Yakima racks and a rocket box on my '91. A rocket box beats everything for skiing, since you can just throw all the stuff in there, lock it, drive it, park it, and nobody knows if it's empty or loaded with $$$ ski/snowboard equipment. Keeps all the slush + dirt out of the car too.
I won't be surprised if Yakima tells you a rack is impossible, but that might be just because you need parts built in 1992, that should not work for '96 but do, etc. All I know for sure is that my setup for my '91 works great.
01-09-19, 10:29 PM
#3
Intermediate
Thread Starter
Bikes and ski stuff will be no problem at all for a 1.25" hitch. As far as wobble goes, you can carefully shim it and use a screw rather than a locking pin in the hole, if that is a concern. I know I always cringe when I see stuff bouncing around on other peoples' racks due to looseness.
I don't know how things work for roof racks on the '96, but I have Yakima racks and a rocket box on my '91. A rocket box beats everything for skiing, since you can just throw all the stuff in there, lock it, drive it, park it, and nobody knows if it's empty or loaded with $$$ ski/snowboard equipment. Keeps all the slush + dirt out of the car too.
I won't be surprised if Yakima tells you a rack is impossible, but that might be just because you need parts built in 1992, that should not work for '96 but do, etc. All I know for sure is that my setup for my '91 works great.
I don't know how things work for roof racks on the '96, but I have Yakima racks and a rocket box on my '91. A rocket box beats everything for skiing, since you can just throw all the stuff in there, lock it, drive it, park it, and nobody knows if it's empty or loaded with $$$ ski/snowboard equipment. Keeps all the slush + dirt out of the car too.
I won't be surprised if Yakima tells you a rack is impossible, but that might be just because you need parts built in 1992, that should not work for '96 but do, etc. All I know for sure is that my setup for my '91 works great.
Thanks
01-10-19, 11:59 AM
#4
Lead Lap
I had previously thought that the 48" Yakima cross bars I used on the Honda would be too short for the LS but they were plenty long enough with several inches to spare on both sides.
That said, I hate roof ski racks due to the wind roar they create but I was driving 12 to 15 hours just to get to the slopes where I would ski for up to two weeks at a time.
Yes, you would need an adapter to make a 2" hitch rack fit into a 1.25" receiver. You might have to use bolts or anti-rattle pins to reduce wobbling which could be severe. The 1.25" receiver hitches on both my 90 and 00 LS400's had plenty of wobble and clanking noise while using a bike rack made for a 1.25" receiver.
If we were still skiing - I retired after ruining a perfectly good helmet at Aspen in a crash I don't remember - I'd get a ski holder adapter for my receiver mounted bike rack. Google "ski adapter for bike rack" to see examples.
Maybe I should sell my Yakima roof/ski rack system since I haven't been using it but its replacement cost is $500+ and there's a chance I might use it again.
Edit: LOL, I just realized that I extensively replied to your 2015 thread about this! You sure are taking your time.
Last edited by Kansas; 01-10-19 at 12:03 PM.
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oldskewel (01-10-19)
01-10-19, 04:56 PM
#5
LOL I replied to that 2015 thread too.
Glad you made the point about how something that is supposedly not compatible will actually work. Those clips need to grab onto the roof securely enough to hold the rack on, and they need to do that while allowing the door to close without damaging the door frame. I can see where Yakima would rather declare something incompatible than to say use at your own risk since it would be a tight fit.
I have very little wind noise on my racks - I leave them on pretty much all the time, for convenience. I have the wind deflector thing though, and took some time when I first installed everything to get it all set up and aligned to promote smooth airflow.
Glad you made the point about how something that is supposedly not compatible will actually work. Those clips need to grab onto the roof securely enough to hold the rack on, and they need to do that while allowing the door to close without damaging the door frame. I can see where Yakima would rather declare something incompatible than to say use at your own risk since it would be a tight fit.
I have very little wind noise on my racks - I leave them on pretty much all the time, for convenience. I have the wind deflector thing though, and took some time when I first installed everything to get it all set up and aligned to promote smooth airflow.
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Kansas (01-11-19)
01-21-19, 05:51 PM
#6
Intermediate
Thread Starter
You might not find a roof rack that its manufacturer says will fit your 96 LS400 but some roof racks meant for other cars might fit. The same Yakima roof/ski rack I used on my little Honda CRX Si "ski car" in the late 1980's fit my 2000 LS400 quite well. The following post shows me test fitting it to my 00 LS without the ski holders mounted on the cross bars: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...ml#post6066545
I had previously thought that the 48" Yakima cross bars I used on the Honda would be too short for the LS but they were plenty long enough with several inches to spare on both sides.
That said, I hate roof ski racks due to the wind roar they create but I was driving 12 to 15 hours just to get to the slopes where I would ski for up to two weeks at a time.
Yes, you would need an adapter to make a 2" hitch rack fit into a 1.25" receiver. You might have to use bolts or anti-rattle pins to reduce wobbling which could be severe. The 1.25" receiver hitches on both my 90 and 00 LS400's had plenty of wobble and clanking noise while using a bike rack made for a 1.25" receiver.
If we were still skiing - I retired after ruining a perfectly good helmet at Aspen in a crash I don't remember - I'd get a ski holder adapter for my receiver mounted bike rack. Google "ski adapter for bike rack" to see examples.
Maybe I should sell my Yakima roof/ski rack system since I haven't been using it but its replacement cost is $500+ and there's a chance I might use it again.
Edit: LOL, I just realized that I extensively replied to your 2015 thread about this! You sure are taking your time.
I had previously thought that the 48" Yakima cross bars I used on the Honda would be too short for the LS but they were plenty long enough with several inches to spare on both sides.
That said, I hate roof ski racks due to the wind roar they create but I was driving 12 to 15 hours just to get to the slopes where I would ski for up to two weeks at a time.
Yes, you would need an adapter to make a 2" hitch rack fit into a 1.25" receiver. You might have to use bolts or anti-rattle pins to reduce wobbling which could be severe. The 1.25" receiver hitches on both my 90 and 00 LS400's had plenty of wobble and clanking noise while using a bike rack made for a 1.25" receiver.
If we were still skiing - I retired after ruining a perfectly good helmet at Aspen in a crash I don't remember - I'd get a ski holder adapter for my receiver mounted bike rack. Google "ski adapter for bike rack" to see examples.
Maybe I should sell my Yakima roof/ski rack system since I haven't been using it but its replacement cost is $500+ and there's a chance I might use it again.
Edit: LOL, I just realized that I extensively replied to your 2015 thread about this! You sure are taking your time.
https://www.rackattack.com/base-roof...kima-q75-clip/
Was not in the US so found this on Amazon:
Keys for the rack:
https://www.rackattack.com/other-pro...ack-sks-cores/
Cross bars:
https://www.rackattack.com/base-roof...ch-cross-bars/
Q Tower:
https://www.rackattack.com/base-roof...kima-q-towers/
I found information here about the clips: https://us.lexusownersclub.com/forum...nk-roof-racks/
01-21-19, 09:39 PM
#7
Be careful. Are you thinking the Q75 clips will work based on that thread, which has this comment at the root of the theory?: "Perhaps a roof rack designed for the LS430 would work. Here's what I found on http://www.rackattack.com/ when I looked for a Yakama rack for an 01 LS430"
So it's a total guess. If you want to take a leap on that one, I'd recommend first buying a single clip (or something easily returnable) and seeing if that fits, before buying the rest of the stuff.
As I mentioned, I used an extender to allow wider rack spacing. Due to the way the windows are, the actual max span from front to back, will give you pretty close rack spacing. I used to carry windsurfers up there as well as the rocketbox, so I wanted wide spacing for stability. That extender system is very solid.
So it's a total guess. If you want to take a leap on that one, I'd recommend first buying a single clip (or something easily returnable) and seeing if that fits, before buying the rest of the stuff.
As I mentioned, I used an extender to allow wider rack spacing. Due to the way the windows are, the actual max span from front to back, will give you pretty close rack spacing. I used to carry windsurfers up there as well as the rocketbox, so I wanted wide spacing for stability. That extender system is very solid.
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