Interested in this rack but want to make sure the clips will not chip the paint. Also, does the bottoms legs damage the bumper in any way?
324341
The feet must be kept clean. I did get some scratches because the feet got dirt on them. Don't set it on the ground before putting it on the car. Otherwise, it's fine. The clips are not a problem.
791412
It could scratch the finish if it slides at all. The bottom is all hard plastic. Much safer than metal. I wouold recommend putting a pad under it even a very thin one. This stand is great for tires without flaring knobs that are wide. I use it for such a bike, but didn't work with the bike I bought it for.
1692923
I found this to be true. The fix is to use a hex wrench to over tightening the quick release which makes it useless but the rack won't sway.
335928
The tower has a thick rubber pad which does surprisingly little damage to the car's paint finish. My problem was the attaching clip which hooks into the gap between the door and the frame. The clips were regularly popping out, which resulted in my cargo box bouncing around with the Q towers leaving multiple dents in my car's roof. Also, the clips themselves scratched the paint inside the gap. Major damage which will cost me much more to fix than the price of the towers. However, I put Yakima Tracks on my Tacoma and it works perfectly. I wish I had mounted these on my Nissan.
1540957
Mine is actually mounted on the bottom rear bumper frame. I've only used it on bike racks.
786610
Only issue that I can see, might be if a kayak / canoe, etc. is extending over the rear hatch. I have a Yakima roof rack, no problem.
1193210
There are two metal pieces that hang onto the sides of the bike rack. In the middle there are two plastic alligator like clips that will attach onto the rack as well. I am very happy with my purchase and have not had any trouble with the plastic parts.
1447349
I had a similar problem with low profile tires. I could not find a good place to attach them. My bumpers are plastic and not sturdy enough to hold them. I think they are meant for older cars with medal bumpers.
62622
There are bumper like things that you nail in. So far there really strong, but no feet. It also has three pieces that don't connect to each other. Making it easy to change styles when you want.
1837120
I don't have this problem, but it may be that you need to put something like a sheet of rubber between the base of the rack and your bumper, if you have a metal to metal contact issue. You need something that will greatly increase the friction between the two.
532970
Sorry, no mounting points on bottom. Just 4 bumpers to stand on. Good luck!
961659
The clips are coated in an epoxy based paint which is thick and offers some cushioning / protection; I use a small piece of cloth to further protect my car. This is pretty much the same with any bike rack but the Saris does have some of the widest and best quality clips as compared to others. As for the rubber feet these are very well cushioned and shaped, I have not had any damage from these.
45632
I bought my bike rack from Ferman--works great. It has two wheel slots for each bike (holds two bikes) and an upper stabilizing bar for each bike. There are sliding clips to hold the wheels in place and sliding clips on the stabilizing bar. Both the rack and the bikes have locks. The rack slides right into two circular holes on the bumper. Very easy once you do it a few times.
1746351
The only issue I had with this, was the screws on each of the sides. At first they would hit my factory roof rack bars when I would go over a bump. I placed a small piece of electrical tape over the screw and the problem was solved. The item may be wider than your factory rack so you may not have that issue.
474764
The rack seems to be protected with a hard (baked-on?) finish that will fade a little when left out in the elements. This appears to be normal wear and tear. I noticed some very minor rust forming where the front and back parts are joined to each other, but this can be fixed with rustoleum paint or WD40. Overall, I don't consider the rust as an "issue", but if you leave it mounted to your roof outdoors year around, it can and should be inspected and touched-up every once in awhile, especially if you live near salt water or in harsher climates.
1558166
I've traveled all over the country with this rack (last road trip 7000 mi). I share your concern, but agree with the other answers that it's fairly secure. Just in case, however, I do attach a steel cable to a tow point located on the frame of my Prius under the bumper which is then run up through the rack... Just as added security. You could store it in the car- it folds up small enough- but I wouldn't.
595625
Sports smith or Rouge fitness has the cheapest. Just Google bumper plate racks. Those companies should pop right up. Hope that helps.E