This is a typical Yakima product: well designed, well engineered, and extremely well built. The swing away feature allows me to climb into my truck bed/camper shell without removing the bike. Swinging the rack out and back is EXTREMELY easy, and the rack, when installed properly, is very stable.
The "speed knob" for tightening the rack into the hitch receiver gets VERY difficult to turn as the anti-rattle wedge approaches desired fit to avoid rack rattle and "play". I use (and recommend) a "strap Wrench" to further tighten and loosen the speed knob, and I simultaneously rock the rack up and down for the anti-rattle wedge to seat fully.
Also, the rack is VERY heavy and installing and removing it can be very difficult. I took a wooden "furniture dolly" with casters, and modified it to act as a "cart" to receive and store the rack in my garage. I wish I could post photos here!
My Toyota Tacoma is heavy duty, but I expect installing this very heavy rack on a much lighter vehicle might weigh the back end of the car down, causing the front end of the car to rise, which can affect steering and handling.
2000 Toyota Tacoma
