Securing T6 Bike Rack ??

[Canary Bird]

On getting the T6 bike rack a couple days ago, I was surprised by how beefy & strong it feels, but equally surprised how easy it was to dismount so much of it to steal. I have seen other threads about securing the VW bike rack, but not specific to the new T6 rack.

The T6 appears to have improved by having security bolts with their special key at the 4 points it secures to the van - that is great - it is hard to steal the frame! (see photo of key & attachment points) However, about everything else can be attached - my main fears are 1.) the entire rails being stolen or someone just popping of the plastic ends to the rails and taking the piece that secures the wheels to the rail.

I have tried to use my leftover Thule securing hardware, but it doesn't match. I am going to go to VW tomorrow to ask them what solutions they have, but I am the only person I know that has ever ordered the VW rack in Tenerife and not at all hopeful (everyone here does FIAMMA and I went with Thule on my T5).

1.) Any ideas to secure the bike rails to the frame? Some sort of security nut/end?
~ I may take rails off for visibility when I figure out which ones I need for bikes & which ones for the Thule box.

2.) Any ideas about securing the plastic ends that secure the plastic wheel holders on the rails?
~ I thought about super gluing the plastic piece on the end, but then I can't take off the plastic wheel holders which I need to take off when I put a Thule box on it.
~ I am thinking to leave off plastic rail end pieces at the end permanently & just put them on for esthetics when I have the Thule case on.
~ I am thinking to just slide the plastic wheel holders onto the rails when I use them.

3.!!) And did I mention that the rack stick at least 6 inches farther past the van than the Thule Rack, which means the rack hits my parking space wall, before the trailer hitch ball hits the pad on the wall - I need to find a tire for the wall!

GRATEFUL FOR ANY IDEAS & HELP!!

 

[inthemidnighthour]

Would you happen to know if a t5 bike rack fits a t 6 as looking to upgrade vehicle and one thing we noticed this morning, the t6 racks seems a lot deeper than our existing one , again space is tight in our garage
Thanks Dave and Lisa

 

[Tactical]

Would you happen to know if a t5 bike rack fits a t 6

It doesn't fit. The T6 has a differently shaped rear door.

 

[Canary Bird]

David & Lisa, If by deeper, you mean it sticks out far from the back door, a resounding yes! Probably great for loading things on it, but horrible for parking in a short parking spot with a wall at the back!

 

[Canary Bird]

I have discovered that the track the bolts pass through on the railing piece, is too narrow for a larger bolt .. id est, a bolt that works with Thule locking knobs. However, Fiamma selling locking knobs that should work as I tested them at a caravan store in Tenerife -BUT he was selling them individually for 20Euros for one knob! Here is a cheaper route ... http://www.wilmond.co.uk/anti-theft-knob-for-fiamma-carry-bike.html

 

[Monkeytree]

I'd be more concerned that anyone with an Allen key the same as the t6 one ( which I think is a fairly common tool) could just loosen the two bolts and lift the whole rack off the back, with or without the bikes on it. Has anyone come up with a solution for the t5 or t6 rack that would cover up or replace the bolts with some sort of locking bolt perhaps, so the bike rack couldn't be undone easily?

 

[calikev]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/-/272346922833?

 

[Monkeytree]

Those are what the t6 has as standard. They're probably better than the t5 option but any discerning thief would / could carry one of those keys as they are fairly common. I was thinking more a bolt with a key lock on it, or somehow cover up the bolt with a padlock or similar? If I've got bikes on it I'll probably lock them and the rack to the towing point on the van with a cable / chain, but more concerned at the moment about my nice shiny rack being nicked!

 

[Stuart]

It doesn't fit. The T6 has a differently shaped rear door.

You can get a T5 rack which fits the T6 tailgate. There's a thread somewhere on here about it...

 

[Stuart]

I'd be more concerned that anyone with an Allen key the same as the t6 one ( which I think is a fairly common tool) could just loosen the two bolts and lift the whole rack off the back, with or without the bikes on it. Has anyone come up with a solution for the t5 or t6 rack that would cover up or replace the bolts with some sort of locking bolt perhaps, so the bike rack couldn't be undone easily?

I was surprised VW didn't put the bolt on the inside so you could only remove the rack by opening the tailgate. Perhaps there just isn't space but it would seem a good solution.

 

[Monkeytree]

Yep that would be the obvious solution but they haven't!

I was surprised VW didn't put the bolt on the inside so you could only remove the rack by opening the tailgate. Perhaps there just isn't space but it would seem a good solution.

 

[Monkeytree]

Speaking to the dealer today they cannot order the t5 rack for the t6 at the moment / any more, no idea why.

 

[Stuart]

Maybe worth trying SMG as they were able to order them when other dealers claimed they couldn't.

Obviously if SMG are your dealer then ignore this suggestion

 

[Monkeytree]

Yes it was smg that told me this!

 

[jackelliemolly]

Re t6 rack being nicked -also my concern - i was reassured by my dealer showing me at collection the frame cant be removed unless the back door is open. Someone could of course break it off and destroy the holding bits but not sure its the sort of thing opportunist thieves go for. Especially if the have to wait 6 months for a spare part from a vw dealer to make it sellable again!

 

[Max-Felix]

Posted this on the other current bike rack topic - I would never rely on any of the locking mechanisms on any of these bike racks - even the worst thief with the most basic tools would defeat them in seconds. Make sure if you have bikes you don't want to lose and you leave it out of site that you loop all the bikes through the frames and the rack together with a Sold Secure grade of preferably 12mm hardened chain and suitable padlock and cover them with a (preferably grotty looking) tarpaulin or similar.

At least in this way a lazy thief is denied the temptation and it is a huge effort to try and lift/remove/put in van a monstrous lump consisting of four bikes all locked together with the rack weighing maybe 60kg +

A 12mm Sold Secure Gold 1.2m to 1.5m chain and lock will cost maybe £75 but will need usually power tools, nosie and time to defeat

 

[jackelliemolly]

Agree about chaining up also when leaving unattended. Not convinced about the clamp locks as sometimes they don't seem to lock properly and with chunky bars on bike doesnt grip round also. Also why i d bolted the outside two. If you cant get the outside one off the rest arent going anywhere. But i will chain the wheels also as they are quick release.

 

[hirsty]

I too ignore the rack locks & wrap a big ass motorcycle chain around all bikes & rack.

You can't deter every possibility, but you'd have to be Geoff Capes to lift the whole rack off with two bikes on it - seems unlikely.

 

[Amarillo]

I too ignore the rack locks & wrap a big ass motorcycle chain around all bikes & rack.

I don't ignore the rack locks, I use them, but I also lock the bikes together and then lock the bikes to the rack with a big chain and decent D locks. It is always worth using two different types of locks as different tools are needed to break different locks.

 

[hirsty]

Agreed - huge D Lock around the downtubes too.

 

[Amarillo]

Agreed - huge D Locck around the downtubes too

Small D locks are more secure as there's less purchase. No need to go around the downtube either; lock the rear wheel somewhere within the rear triangle and the rear wheel cannot be removed from the frame without cutting through the wheel which would not be easy, especially if the bike is on a rack.

Two rear wheels locked to each other, through the rear triangle similar to the above, will secure both rear wheels and both frames to each other, as well as both rear wheels to both frames. Front wheels, saddles, etc., can be removed or secured separately, and of course, one or more frames secured to the rack.

 

[Steve Murphy]

i have replaced the origional bolts that connect the fittings to the tube with shear head bolts, there should be no reason to dismantle the bike rack and i replaced the fitting bolts with M8 coach bolts and square hole washers and fitted Thule lockers!

 

[Moose]

I had the T6 bike rack fitted and on the 2nd weekend it was left on my drive whilst away some tried to undo the thumb screws which hold the wheel tracks in place but my neighbour disturbed him and he run off.
My dealer Beadles ( Dartford ) agreed to take the rack back with a full refund.
I now have the T5 style rack fitted which I purchased via a well known VW California rental company in south London its been adapted to fit the T6 by VW.
No issues so far so very happy.

 

[mkbutters]

i have replaced the origional bolts that connect the fittings to the tube with shear head bolts, there should be no reason to dismantle the bike rack and i replaced the fitting bolts with M8 coach bolts and square hole washers and fitted Thule lockers!

Hi Steve... WOuld you have a picture of exactly what you did to yours plusesizes of the M8 bolts (I'm not very technical) !

 

[Aubisque]

As an aside and has been noted, the T6 (Quasimodo) rack does stick out a lot further than the T5 rack (Kylie), so if garage length is an issue the T5 design for T6 is the one to go for. It should still be available from VW off the shelf and not require modification.