Can anyone help? I have a Toyota Hiace Campervan with a plate step at the rear, (Photo attached ). I want to carry a bike which weighs 29 kgs. I'm a bit geriatric and as I'm only 152 cm tall, would find it hard to lift that weight up onto a conventional bike rack. I don't really want to carry it inside the van (run it up a ramp ) Any ideas?

Pauline,i think that you will have your answer fromDave.O.Abike that heavy would be a prob to most people.It is a push bike?.You are asking the right people here on the Forum,stay safe and happy travels to you and your bike.Cheers.Ibbo.

I have seen a ramp set up for push bikes and scooters or small postie type bikes. The configuration was on a motor home and on a camper van. The bumper is a track - another piece of flat or track steel drops down at an easy angle from the position the present upright bars are on the current bumper, to one side up which the bike is loaded. There's a block at the opposite end to the ramp which stops the bike going off the other end. The ramp was hinged to the track, then clipped to vertical on the other to act as a block. On another set up like this the ramp was laid down on the track next to the bike somehow. The width of the handle bars would have to be taken into consideration. I've only seen these examples, I haven't actually built them. I use a pushy rack anchored to a tow tongue on the bumper behind the van. You blokes will know how to construct this or have lots of other ideas.

yep exactly as chris described is the way to go, have a word with a bike shop or repco or someone who deals with bikes/cars accesories, I have seen them you already have a hole in your rear step, this outfit would bolt straight in to that, I can only assume that the step/bumper setup is bolted on in the same configuration as a drawbar in which case it will easily hold the bike if you cant find a suitable arrangement then go and see a metal fabrication firm about construction, or if you have a freind who knows his/her way around a welder and a angle grinder you could easily knock it up yourselves if you like I could make up a couple of drawings to give you an idea of what it looks like let me know if you wish that

Just hope you are going to duplicate your tail light system to the rear of the bike ?
The law states that tail,stop,& indicators must not be obstructed by the use of a bike rack.

I lodged a complaint about this matter with a local MP & that was the reply via the
roads & traffic  authority .Also bike racks should be removed when not in use .

A broken , missing or not working light is a defect & invites a ticket .
I fail to see the difference between this & lights covered by bike tyres
that can.t be seen .

If i was to rear end a car due to not being able to see  stop &/or indicators due to bikes i am in the wrong , through no fault of my own & wear the fine .
 
This is a safety issue that is not being address  as needed .

Guru, I would appreciate a diagram of what could be constructed. I could pay a welder to construct it. It would need to swing away when not mobile so that I can open the rear door (upwards). Have looked at the 'Fiamma' rack, but it would be too wide for the step of the van
Cheers
Pauline

as soon as I get off this header tonight I will do a few scratchings for you! Pauline, it would be simple affair we quite often take two bikes with us and as yet have had no trouble with the rear lights but I guess that would depend on the policeman at the time, ours doesnt seem to obstruct the lights or numberplates because the rear of the camper is a lot wider and higher than a normal vehicle I guess but saying that I then invite the inevitable, I will be pulled the very next time we take them out, you mark my words, what I might do is to put them on the back of the camper and go and see our local constabulary and see what they reckon we have been through adelaide and melbourne and the outskirts of sydney, we had a copper er sorry an officer follow us on the melbourne expressway for about 4 miles and didnt pull us up

I vaguely remember seeing an arrangement where the bikes were mounted vertically.

That might deal with the tail light problem.

Can't remember where it was, but it was a long time ago.

It all seems to depend on the copper on the day .
Iv,e spoken to many of them at my former work place [ we have them in every day or so relating to stolen & damaged cars ]  .

Some dont seem to care , others will have you if the rack is over loaded
eg. 3 bikes on a 2bike rack . they are more interested in the number plate visibility
rather than the saftey factor .

At the same time they advised to be careful of the copper in the next town.
where,s the consistancy in that .

I just hope i,m never involved with an incident where this is a factor ,
there will be a stong argument over it.

I have the reply letters from the minister for roads & saftey at the time.

yep I think it is way open to interpretation, number plates seem to be a sticky point, I would have one on the outside!

Hi Pauline, If you Google Vehicle Bike Racks, and click on the first [NOT YELLOW] site, you'll find info. on different makes etc. Scroll down past the initial stuff. Cheers, xina.

Thanks Xina
Have looked through most of the sites, but will do so again
Cheers
Pauline

Thanks Rolly. Don't know how that would go with my bike as it is petrol-assisted ? enable petrol to leak?
Cheers
Pauline

Hi Pauline. I have a rack that I made so I can carry my postie bike around on the back of my hilux 4wd. It has a fold down ramp which I drive my bike up to be tid down . it involves no lifting, and its great to have transport once you set up camp somewhere. If you want, I can send you some pics.H vae you got a towbar? Give us a bell if you want more help.Bill

Hi Bil12. I'd appreciate a few photos to see what you mean. My tow ball fits into the step-plate at the rear of the van. I have a normal bike rack that would fit on that, but I would have to lift the bike up onto it - impossible. Your idea sounds good - would it allow me to swing it out of the way so that I can lift up the rear door?
Cheers
Pauline

ok. I will take some pics, today,14/12/09

Hi. Don,t have a rear door , so don,t know if yours will open , but I am sureyou can modify it to miss.I have a hayman reese towbar , and the bike rack sits in the square towbar reciever. you also bolt it to the back of the van for more support.enclosed are some pics I took. I hope this helps you. To carry a push bike , the rack would not have to be so strong. Bill

oh hell Pauline, I've been getting home so late I forgot about you If you follow Bill's plans as above and substitute the square tube (haymen reese fitment adapter) and replace that with a suitable straight section of steel (2" x 3/8") with a 50mm hole drilled into it then it will fit yours, use the 50mm hole that you already have in your step to bolt the new system on to it! if you then make another "upright" at the other end of the rack to clamp the front wheel on as well as the rear "ramp" then I think it would be fine if you make the front one fold down the same as the rear one then clearance for your rear door would not be a problem! you will not need the two struts as shown in Bills design as your bike is a lot lighter if you can find an old steel bedframe and salvage the angle iron off that to make the ramp then that would be ample and cheap sometimes an old steel bed can be purchased from an op shop for $5

Hi Bill. Thanks for going to so much trouble. After a lot of deliberations I've decided to wheel the bike up a ramp and tie down inside the van. It will solve some of the problems such as number plate and rear light vision - also keep the bike out of the weather while traveling. I'm going to give it a try and see how it works out and won't cost anything if it doesn't work out. I'll then need to have a rethink
Cheers
Pauline

Hi. No worries. I enjoy doing things like this. I built my own camper. While I some times curse and say nasty things while crawling around under 4wds and things, its good fun in the long run. See you on the track. Bill