Bike rack puts bike's wheels too close to exhaust?

dls_1946

I've a 2008 Santa Fe Limited, soon to be fitted with a Curt trailer hitch for the attachment of a hitch-mount type bike rack, such as the Thule T2 or the Yakima HookUp. These platform style bike racks put the loaded bikes' wheels at about the spacing of the two twin exhausts under the rear bumper, somewhere around 12" behind and possibly at the same level or a few inches higher. I wonder if anyone out there with a similar bike rack setup can comment on whether this puts the bike wheels too close to the exhaust pipes? I ask this because I learned the hard way with a trunk-mount bike rack that put my bike's front tire about 6" directly behind the exhaust of my Toyota Camry, and got only about an hour's drive on the freeway before the tire was overheated from the exhaust heat and exploded. I realize that there are other, non-platform style, bike racks that may well hold the loaded bikes higher up off the ground and away from the exhaust outlets, but I really hope to use one of the platform style racks that are much easier to load the bikes on.

Thanks for any comments...

dls_1946

Well, apparently this topic wasn't of much interest, but it seems only right to bring closure to it now. The Curt hitch (model 13538) fit fine on my 2008 Santa Fe Limited, the Thule T2 (model 916) bike rack works fine, and the bikes mounted on this rack sit sufficiently above and behind the Santa Fe's twin exhausts as to not be affected by the exhaust heat.

tidester

Thanks, dls! Now the info will be here for the next person looking for it.

tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper

edmunds28

THANK YOU for posting this question and answer. Very good point and too bad you had to have a blow out on your bike tire. I just bought a Sonata 2009 and was thinking the hitch bike mount system is the best way to go. However, I will be out there checking my exhaust pipe and distance to bike tires. Thanks again.