Bike Rack For Rx400h

[fabben]

Hi

It's been a while since I last posted, I've been looking around the forum for bike rack options for my RX400h.

I don't want a rack on the roof, which seems to point me in the direction of a tow bar solution.

Ideally I would like a detachable tow bar fitted by Lexus but it seems that they only fit fixed tow bars.

I wouldn't be happy with a non Lexus solution in case a third party messed up the electronics.

And I don't like the thought of having a tow bar sticking permanently out the back.

Then I came across link Thurle Vehicle Guide

It mentions that the RX300 can use a clip-on rack, models 9104 or 9106.

Now I know it mentions the RX300 and not the RX400h but I'm sure that the back of both models is the same.

So have I found a really cheap solution? or is it to good to be true?

[vadre]

Hi

Looks to me like the bike racks you have identified are for the Mk 1 RX300.

I am suprised you say Lexus fit only a fixed towbar to the 400h. I have a detachable bar fitted by Lexus Hedge End to my Mk 2 RX300. I believe it's a Brink sourced unit.

Hi

It's been a while since I last posted, I've been looking around the forum for bike rack options for my RX400h.

I don't want a rack on the roof, which seems to point me in the direction of a tow bar solution.

Ideally I would like a detachable tow bar fitted by Lexus but it seems that they only fit fixed tow bars.

I wouldn't be happy with a non Lexus solution in case a third party messed up the electronics.

And I don't like the thought of having a tow bar sticking permanently out the back.

Then I came across link Thurle Vehicle Guide

It mentions that the RX300 can use a clip-on rack, models 9104 or 9106.

Now I know it mentions the RX300 and not the RX400h but I'm sure that the back of both models is the same.

So have I found a really cheap solution? or is it to good to be true?

[fabben]

Thanks for spotting my error Vadre, it saved me making a costly mistake.

Reading through the posts I got the impression that only fixed tow bars were fitted by Lexus.

But I'm pleased that that's not the case.

[Ian-Leeds]

As I understand it if you have a removable towbar fitted you lose your spare wheel.

[vadre]

Certainly not on the RX300. I can only assume that the 400h is the same.

[fabben]

I've been contacting a few Lexus dealers and fitting a removable tow bar is around the £1000 mark.

Seems very expensive to me but is that what I should expect to pay?

I also found a web site called "Just Tow" They will give a quote for the tow bar/car model combination.

But they're asking what type of electrics I want (I haven't a clue). Does it make any difference for bike racks?

The choices are;

1. 12n Single Electrics 2. 12n/12s Twin Electrics 3.13 Pin Electrics

Also has anyone every tried the "strap-on" bike racks. I know the plastic spoiler on the tail gate would get in the way.

But maybe there's a version were any straps would come away horizontally from the top of the tail gate (just a thought)

Fabben

[vadre]

Lexus Southampton ( Hedge End ) fitted my removable bar with 12N/12S electrics for £650.00. Worth a try there.

12N (black socket) and 12S (grey socket) are for caravan towing as is the new euro 13 pin socket. If you only need lighting for a board or a trailer, 12N single is fine.

[fabben]

Went to my local bike shop and asked if they could recommend any independent tow-bar fitters. They came up with two.

One of them will fit a tow-bar for £509 but a small hole has to be made in the bumper. But the spare wheel will still fit (I checked that)

The other will fit a tow-bar for £585 but this one requires no hole in the bumper.

So both these independents will fit for almost half of what a Lexus garage will charge (no surprise there).

But what did surprise me is that one of the independents actually does the work for one of the Lexus garages.

That's £400 for booking the car in and giving it a quick valet service on its return.

[gerbil]

I have an RX400h Sep 08 and bought a genuine Brink detachable (exact same that Lexus dealer said they would fit) from Towequipe :

Towequipe - UK's best value towbar store Item #72501158

Lexus Westfalia Detach Towbar RX300 RX400 03>>

Price: £297.13

Quantity: 1

Inventory SKU: 335305

plus £15 delivery next day.

I did buy the genuine Lexus trailer light board electric kit even though a cheapo kit came with the Brink just to avoid any splicing into looms etc as the car has to be returned in original condition etc:

It is the Rx400h 12N wiring kit - the part number should be:

PZ457-K2563-00

Towing hitch wiring kit 12N for

RX 400h - U38 - MMC 03/2005

which was about £90. Trickiest part was routing the 12v power supply wire for the 'relay computer' from behind the glovebox all the to the back of the boot. With hindsight would be tempted to just pick up off the boot cigar lighter (with appropriate rated in line fuse) but maybe that would mean so parking lights to the trailer if the ignition wasn't on although I did just that with my earlier Landcruiser and similar kit with no issues.

The brink fitting instructions are an exact match for the ones from the Lexus dealer. You should remove a very small arc of the bumper trim for a perfect fit but I didn't and it is fine - if you really look hard you can see a slight bulge but you'd really have to look !. Spare wheel is not affected.

You will have to cut away sections of the left and right plastic underbody trays at the rear to allow the side support bars to clear but that is up underneath the car either side of the spare wheel and you won't see the cuts. Also you will trim a hidden section of metal valance plate that sits behind the plastic bumper - again out of sight - plus trim down the polystyrene pad behind the plastic bumper.

I splashed out and bought the 'Rolls Royce' of 4 cycle carrier racks and it is perfect on a detachable towbar but they are expensive but amazing lightweight feat of engineering - especially the single handed 'slide away' action to slide the bikes away from the tailgate to allow opening etc :

Altera Strada 3 (AR2603) £245 plus 4th bike adapter (AR2611) £45 from www.roofbox.co.uk

but equally use a cheap and cheerful (£30) foldaway carrier for just 2 bikes from eBay which works fine on the detachable bar : seller was sjs_cycles but just search on eBay for "BIKE RACK 11412" and you should see them listed. Great to leave in the boot if you need to pick up someone and their bike from the train station etc !

Regards

Dave

Went to my local bike shop and asked if they could recommend any independent tow-bar fitters. They came up with two.

One of them will fit a tow-bar for £509 but a small hole has to be made in the bumper. But the spare wheel will still fit (I checked that)

The other will fit a tow-bar for £585 but this one requires no hole in the bumper.

So both these independents will fit for almost half of what a Lexus garage will charge (no surprise there).

But what did surprise me is that one of the independents actually does the work for one of the Lexus garages.

That's £400 for booking the car in and giving it a quick valet service on its return.

[john_t]

hi, like Dave I also have a Westfalia Detach Towbar RX300 RX400 03>> fitted that was supplied also from tow equipe. I used their recommended fitters and while they took a full 12hours it all worked fine at the end, it was their first 400 and probably there last lol. single electrics is fine for your bike rack. One off the reasons that the dealership is so expensive, according to the fitters that done mine, is that a secondry oil cooler for the gearbox is recommended if you are going to do serious heavy towing and that is part of the lexus fit. When the tow bar is stowed it is impossible to tell that you have one as the electrics also swivel up out of the way. It is a quality piece off kit and I would highly reccomend it as you don't want to spoil the look of the motor with an ugly tow ball sitting there when it is not being used. I use the thule euroclassic carrier which is also pretty good. Hope this helps you.

John

[T7RY B]

Just seen this link

[fabben]

Here's some pics or the Westfalia detachable towbar (model 335305) and my bike rack an Atera Strada 3

Below is the back of the RX400 with no towbar attached - note: no holes in the bumper

Next, remove the plastic cover and insert towbar until it clicks. The red circular thing on the end is the key used remove it.

nice focus on the tyre but I was trying to show the electrical connector which pivots downwards when required

On goes the bike rack

And on go the bikes

This is quite neat, the bike rack slides away on an arc. So instead of dropping down, and taking the whole weight of the bikes it's a fairly painless exercise. also there's plently of room to get to the boot.

The last one shows my two kids bikes in place. I managed to get them in the boot (once) but it was almost impossible. That's why I decided the time was right to get a bike rack. This prompted me to get a bike as well, which is what the third slot is for.

Hope you find the pictures useful

[steve haley]

Would just like to tag a recomnendation to this post

I fitted a westfalia & lexus electrics kit to my SEL a few months ago to tow glider trailers. Last week someone elses trailer blew one of the two fuses in the towing electrics loom and it took an hour to empty the boot, remove the liners and side so I could get to the fuse and replace it since Lexus have put so little cable on it that it couldnt be put anywhere accesible. Not one to be burned twice I have now extended the red & blue wires betwwen the fuses and the two boxes that the fuses are now sited behind the access panel for the rear NS lights. Would reccomend others do the same if fitting the lexus wiring kit.

BTW confusingly there was actually 3.5v across the brake and tail lights when on instead of 12v - I would have expected 12v or 0v and thought that the boxes had blown.

Stephen

[steve haley]

sorry clicked reply by mistake & cant delete