Thule T2 User manual

9490-A T2 Instruction Manual

Page 1 of 12

Transport T

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Hitch Mount Bicycle Rack

Assembl

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Key Features

• Fits 20”-29” wheels

• Carries up to 60lbs per tray with a 2” hitch and 160lbs total with a 3

rd

& 4

th

bike add-on

• Carries up to 60lbs per tray with a 1-¼” hitch and 100lbs total (2 Bike Max)

• Carries bikes with wheelbases up to 48”

**Please read and understand the warnings on page 9 before use.

For customer service contact

Thule at 800-238-2388

Congratulations on your purchase of a truly

innovative and quick-loading bike rack!

2” or 1 ¼” Hitch Base

(

Includes two anti-wobble

bolts for maximum stability

Only one bolt on 1 ¼”

)

RQL Support Arm

(

Provides maximum security)

Adjustable brackets

(

Reduces bike interference

by allowing adjustment of

pitch and offset)

Innovative Rear Wheel

Lock Down

(

Securely holds any size

tires)

Front Wheel Cradle

(Easily accommodates

20”-29” wheels

and any tire size.)

4-Bar linkage Folding

Mechanism

(Solid mechanism

prevents rack sway )

1

s

t

Position

Bike Tray

Figure A.

Support Arm

Wingnuts

(Easily adjustable

support arm resistance

)

Backbone

(Main frame for the

rack)

Handle

(Used to fold the rack up

and fold the rack down)

2

n

d

Position

Bike Tray

9490-A T2 Instruction Manual

Page 2 of 12

Transport T

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To prepare your rack for installation…

Fig A-1

Fig A-2

Out of the box:

1. To prepare your rack for installation, remove the bolt, nut and washer from the rear linkage

bars using a ¾” wrench(see Fig A-1).

2. Swing the hitch base 180 degrees and line up the bushings in the middle hole with the rear

linkage bars(Fig A-2).

3. Replace the bolt, nut and washer and tighten(Fig A-2).

Tools Required for Assembly:

6mm Allen Wrench (included), ¾” wrench and a 15/16” wrench. NOTE: All fasteners are

pre-installed for easy assembly.

2. Middle hole

1. Bolt, Nut and washer to

remove

2. Rear linkage Bars

2. Hitch Base

3. Replace Bolt,

nut and washer.

9490-A T2 Instruction Manual

Page 3 of 12

Transport T

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Hitch Mount Bicycle Rack

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Assembly Instructions:

Assembly is Complete!

C) Tighten top hitch bolt with a ¾”

wrench to 40ft-lbs

.

B) Side Anti-wobble

Hitch Bolt

A) Insert hitch base into vehicle’s hitch receiver.

Fig. B.

NOTE: Assembly can be done off the vehicle

if desired. Proceed to Step 2.

C) Top Anti-wobble Hitch Bolt

B) Tighten side hitch bolt with a

15/16” wrench to 80ft-lbs for a 2”

Hitch 40ft-lbs for a 1-¼” Hitch

.

A) Slide the first bike tray oriented with the front wheel

cradle on the driver’s side of the vehicle onto the

backbone of the rack

.

B) Position the tray so that the bracket lines up with the white

line on the bottom of the decal(

Fig C.) and center the tray so the

center line on the side of the tray shows through the cutout in the

bracket

. Fig D.

C) Tighten all 4 bolts with the 6mm

allen wrench until the lower bracket

wings touch the bottom of the spar

tube.

See Fig. D These fasteners

must be tight and should be

periodically checked with rack use.

D) Repeat A-C with second bike

tray oriented with the front wheel

cradle on the passengers side.

Line the bracket up with the other

end of the decal

(Fig C.) and

center it with the centerline mark.

Fig. D.

Figure C. - View from bottom of the rack stowed.

A) Insert the two plastic caps into the holes at the

end of the spar tube

. Fig F.

Note: This prevents water from getting

inside the spar tube.

* Be sure to tighten bolts

equally to ensure a level

carrying platform.

Figure D.

B) Orange

line on

decal

.

Figure B.

D) Orange

line on

decal

.

Figure F.

Vehicle Hitch

Receive

r

Hitch Base

9490-A T2 Instruction Manual

Page 4 of 12

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Loading your Bicycle:

A) Rotate the support arm forward. You

should feel some resistance at first and then

the arm should rotate freely. While grabbing

the grip assembly on the support arm,

depress the green trigger and slide the hook

to the end of the support arm.

A) Place bike in first tray nearest the vehicle with front

wheel in the wheel cradle and rear wheel in the rear

wheel lock down.

B) While holding on to the bike with one hand rotate

the support arm up until it sits within 1” of the brake or

fork.

Fig H.

A) Move the rear wheel lock down under the

rear axle of your bicycle

. Fig J.

B) Thread the anchor end of the ratcheting strap

through the spokes and secure the anchor in the lock

down. Use the lower position for road tires and the

upper for deeper rims or mountain bike tires

. Fig L.

C) Ratchet the arm tightly against the wheel. You

should hear a minimum of 2 clicks

. Fig I.

NOTE: If you notice any bike interference with the

vehicle, please see page 5 for fit tips and

accessories.

D) Tighten the ratcheting strap against the rim by

pulling up on the silver buckle

. Fig K.

Fi

g

ure J.

Fi

g

ure K.

E) To Release the rear wheel strap, lift the green

button and pull the strap until it is loose enough to

remove the anchor

. Fig K.

Note: Larger Rim Straps are available for

very deep rims. Please see accessories on

page 8 for more information.

NOTE: The slack can quickly be taken out of

the strap by pushing or pulling the strap

through the buckle.

B) Upper position

B) Lower position

Fi

g

ure L.

Grip Assembly

Green Trigger Latch

Fi

g

ure G.

Figure H.

Figure I.

D)

E)

9490-A T2 Instruction Manual

Page 5 of 12

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Folding your Bike Rack:

A) Once your bike is loaded shake the bike

to make sure the support arm is seated

correctly

.

WARNING: The support arm v-notch

must be firmly seated against the tire

and brake, or fork. Failure to seat the

support arm securely may result in bike

instability. Always shake your bike after

loading to ensure the hook arm is fully

seated.

A) To fold your bike rack up against your

vehicle, pull the green latch handle at the

base of the rack while gently lifting the rack

to release the latch bar.

Fig N.

B) Once the square latch bar is released,

lift the rack up until the latch bar snaps into

place on top of the quadrant

. Fig N.

C) If you notice any interference with

the vehicle please refer to Fit Tips on

page 5 for solutions

.

A) To drop your rack down, remove the

safety pull pin first

(Fig O.) and then pull

the latch handle to release the square

bar

. (Fig N.) The rack can then be

lowered to the ground for access to the

back of the vehicle

.

A) Latch bar

B) Quadrant Latch Bar Slot

A) Safety pull pin

Fi

g

ure M.

Fi

g

u

r

e O.

Fi

g

ure N.

9490-A T2 Instruction Manual

Page 6 of 12

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Rack Maintenance and Care

1) 4-Bar Link Folding Mechanism

• Periodically tighten bolts in 4 bar link on the

hitch base to ensure a stable connection.(

Fig

P

.) You should feel some resistance when

folding the rack up and down.

2) Hitch Receiver Connection

• Make sure to check and tighten the anti-

wobble hitch bolts periodically to ensure a

stable connection. (

See Fig B, pg 2.)

3) Support Arm Rotation Friction

• Check and tighten the plastic wingnuts (See

Fig A., pg 1)

at the base of the support arm.

The arm should rotate easily, but should not

fall under its own weight. The arm should

snap into place when stowed and should

require some effort to rotate the arm up

.

4) Cleaning your rack

• Frequently clean the rack of dirt and road grime including wiping down the teeth on

the support arm while extended. It is especially important to clean road salt from

the rack as this can promote rust over time.

Fit Tips

1) Bike Interference with each other or with the car.

A.

Pitch – Distance between bikes

• To adjust pitch, loosen all 4 bracket bolts and slide

the tray in or out. Re-tighten bolts to secure tray

.

(See Step 2 on pg. 2.)

B. Offset – Side to Side Distance

• To adjust offset, loosen all 4 bracket bolts and slide

tray left or right. Re-tighten bolts to secure tray

. (See

Step 2 on pg. 2 for directions on tightening bracket bolts.)

Note: Do not slide tray past offset limit

marks on either side of the bracket or

failure may occur. See Fig D. pg 2.

2) For ground clearance issues see Accessories on page 9.

3) Retrofitting your rack to another hitch size – 1 ¼” or 2”

• Swap out the hitch base with the other size by removing the bottom two hitch bolts seen

in fig P at the top of the page. For part numbers on hitch assemblies see Accessories on

page 6&7

. Call your dealer to purchase the proper part.

A) Pitch

B) Offset

Figure P.

1) 4-Bar Link Bolts

Figure Q.

9490-A T2 Instruction Manual

Page 7 of 12

Transport T

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Part Number Description Image

Use

260123 2” Hitch extension

Provides 9-½” of extension.

Allows clearance for spare tires

mounted on the rear of a car or

if hitch receiver is not mounted

flush with the bumper. Note:

This may make rack more

vulnerable to contacting the

pavement when encountering

road irregularities.

Use ONLY with Sportworks

racks.

260125

1 ¼” Hitch Extension

Provides 7-3/8” of extension.

Allows clearance for spare tires

mounted on the rear of a car or

if hitch receiver is not mounted

flush with the bumper. Note:

This may make rack more

vulnerable to contacting the

pavement when encountering

road irregularities.

Use ONLY with Sportworks

racks.

260113 2” Riser Extension

Hitch base mounts directly into

the riser extension. It provides

9-1/3” of extension and 5 ¼” of

rise.

Use ONLY with Sportworks

racks.

260126 2” High Rise Hitch Base

Replaces hitch base that comes

with the rack. See pg 5 for

mounting instructions. Adds 6” of

rise. Reuses all the existing

hardware. Does not increase

extension. Best solution for

ground clearance issues.

260103 2” Hitch Base

Use this part to convert your rack

from a 1-1/4” to a 2” hitch size.

9490-A T2 Instruction Manual

Page 8 of 12

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Hitch Mount Bicycle Rack

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Part Number Description Image

Use

260104 1 ¼” Hitch Base

Use this part to convert

your rack from a 2” to a

1-1/4” hitch size.

See 1-1/4” load limits

on page 10.

260102 3

rd

Bike Add-On

Attaches directly to the

Transport T2 2-bike rack to

carry a third bike.

For use with a 2” Hitch

only.

260150

3

rd

Bike Folding

Connector

Use this connector

between the 2

nd

and 3

rd

position bike trays to

allow the 3

rd

and 4

th

trays

to fold against the first

two trays to eliminate

obstruction of view when

rack is stowed.

Fold only when rack is

up.

260202 4

th

Bike Add-On

Attaches directly on the 3

rd

bike add-on to carry a 4

th

bike.

For use on a 2” Hitch only.

260133

Universal Recumbent

Add-On

Attaches directly to Transport

T2 2-Bike Rack. Carries any

recumbent with up to a

maximum wheelbase of 63”.

For use on a 2” Hitch only.

9490-A T2 Instruction Manual

Page 9 of 12

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Part Number Description Image Use

253106 2” Locking Bolt

Lock your rack to your vehicle.

Comes with two keys.

Replaces the side anti-wobble

hitch bolt.

253105

2” Locking Bolt and

Cable

Lock your rack to your vehicle

and your bike to the rack.

Comes with two keys. Cable

is a 13 foot 10-gauge cable.

253108 11/4” Locking Bolt

Lock your rack to your vehicle.

Comes with two keys.

Replaces the side anti-wobble

hitch bolt.

253107

11/4” Locking Bolt and

Cable

Lock your rack to your vehicle

and your bike to the rack.

Comes with two keys. Cable

is a 13 foot 10-gauge cable.

260215

Large Rear Wheel Lock

Down Strap

Use in place of the rear wheel

lock down ratchet strap with a

rim and tire combination

deeper than 4.5”.

**The Transport T2 is a modular rack and can be configured to carry a combination of

recumbent and upright bicycles. Please contact your dealer or Sportworks Northwest, Inc.

for information on custom configurations and additional accessories.

9490-A T2 Instruction Manual

Page 10 of 12

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9490-A T2 Instruction Manual

Page 11 of 12

Transport T

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Hitch Mount Bicycle Rack

Assembl

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&

Use

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• The hook arm V-notch must be firmly seated against the tire and the bike frame. Each time the rack is loaded, the bike

should be shaken to insure positive hook seating. If the shake test feels at all loose, pull the ratchet grip to the next tooth

and re-shake to test. Failure to seat the hook arm securely may result in bike instability. Damage to the rack, bike or

vehicle may result.

• The bicycle must be properly assembled and ready-to-ride to be safely carried.

• The bicycle tires must be properly inflated. Loss of air after the ratchet has been set may result in bike instability. Damage

to the rack, bike or vehicle may result.

• Use this rack only with bicycle tires having a tread width of 3.0” or less.

•

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• Sportworks cannot control the design, manufacture, or installation process for hitch adapters. We therefore limit our

liability to our product. We cannot be held liable for damage to bicycles or vehicles due to failures of adaptors converting

a 1 ¼” hitch receiver to a 2” hitch receiver and vice versa. We recommend purchasing the proper hitch base found on

page 6 and 7 in the accessories section of this manual.

• Sportworks cannot control the design, manufacture, or installation process for hitch receivers. We therefore limit our

liability to our product. We cannot be held liable for damage to bicycles or vehicles due to hitch receiver failures.

• Sportworks racks are not for use on 5

th

wheels or trailers of any kind.

For accessories, replacement parts, or warranty issues, please contact your dealer or:

THULE, INC.

42 Silvermine Road

Seymour, CT 06483

800-238-2388

www.thule.com

9490-A T2 Instruction Manual

Page 12 of 12

Transport T

2

Hitch Mount Bicycle Rack

Assembl

y

&

Use

W

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r

a

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This warranty stated below is a LIMITED WARRANTY under the definition thereof set forth in the Magnuson-Moss

Warranty Federal Trade Commission Improvement Act, USC S2301-12

Limited Warranty: Sportworks products (Product) are warranted to the original purchaser to be free from defects in

material and workmanship for a period of ONE YEAR and will be replaced without charge upon inspection by Sportworks

at the factory disclosing no misuse or alteration which, in the judgment of the manufacturer, has affected the condition of

or operation of the product. This is the extent of liability under this warranty and, upon the expiration of the applicable

warranty period, all such liability shall terminate.

Warranty Exclusions: We do not warrant Product against normal wear and tear, unauthorized modification or

alterations, improper use, improper maintenance, accident, misuse, negligence, damage, or if the Product is used for a

purpose for which it was not designed. In addition, this Product is not warranted for use on any commercial and/or “for

hire” vehicle. This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary from state to

state. Except as expressly stated in the Warranty, we shall not be liable for direct, indirect, incidental or other types of

damages arising out of, or resulting from the use of the Product. This Warranty is in lieu of all other warranties, express or

implied including, not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose (some states do

not allow the exclusion of limitation or incidental or consequential damages or allow limitations on the duration of an

implied warranty, so the above exclusions may not apply to you.)

Sportworks products are designed and assembled in the USA.

No portion of this document may be reproduced without the express written consent of Sportworks Northwest, Inc.

THULE, INC.

42 Silvermine Road

Seymour, CT 06483

800-238-2388

www.thule.com

Thule T2 User manual

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