Hi All-

First-time poster, happy to finally join the motoring world!

I just bought 2 OEM "Touring Cycle Holders" for my wife's '08 MCS. They don't look exactly like the ones pictured here; the (bike) wheel retainers and mounting brackets are different.

We have a base rack installed. Both holders arrived configured for the passenger side (i.e. jaws facing toward the right-hand side).

After reversing one of the holders for the driver's side (i.e. jaws facing to the left when viewed from top) this holder now sits forward of the front rack rail, while the other sits behind it. Is this normal?

I've attached a picture. Has anyone else installed 2 Touring Bike Holders and encountered this problem? Am I following the reversing directions incorrectly?

Thanks,
[medic]Dave

 

For the fork-mount solution swapping them was a mirror image. Wish I could be more help :(

 

After driving with these Touring Bike Holders installed for a few days, we're noticing a very persistent and loud whistling. In addition to whether anyone else has figured out how to install the driver's side rack without the forward offset, I'm curious if anyone else has encountered this noise and knows how to get rid of it??

 

If I'm understanding your question, I think you can adjust the offset between the two holders by adjusting the distance between your crossbars. The bike tray or "holder" mounts to one cross bar but essentially rests on the other crossbar (albeit with a fastener u-bolt or other device). So, where it "rests" on the second crossbar is adjustable.

I had the whistling sound on mine as well. For me, there were two problems: The end caps on my crossbars were missing, which was causing a severe whistling at moderate speed (like blowing air across the top of a coke bottle). I replaced the end caps and it cut out 80% of the noise. A fairing across your front crossbar should eliminate most of the rest of the noise.

I hope this helps...

 

I have all the issues. ALL the issues. So the comments here are right on the money.

For one thing, the instructions DO say to cut the top rubber I don't what you would call that piece, an inverted astrigal? ANyway, cut to fit the trays so there would be no gap for the air to catch once that was done. I haven't done so yet, because I want to ensure the trays are in the right place ont he cross bars, aligned perpendicular and well reachable. But I will.

I ordered a fairing as well, and it will arrive tomorrow.

Lastly, on the matter of the tray being reversed on the driver's side, I noted a clone of my Countryman in a lot nearby with same rails and trays as I, and the OP, have. They simply installed them facing forward. What you lose is the easy access to the lock and tumbler toggle on the driver's side. But you can still reach it. And now your bikes both face forward. I haven't done this myself yet. I don't know that I CARE which orientation the bike sits. As far as adjusting the location of the wheel and clamp assemblies on the tray itself, te rear wheel assembly certainly slides fore and aft to reach the precise location of the rear crossbar. Not sure yet about the front but will check it out.

Good to see I'm not the only one surprised at the whistling and noise, and that my planned solutions match what was posted here...

 

Hi Medicdave,

i've the same set up due to the flip... but i've seen people using the clamp which allows them to be equal.

 

Last night: switched orientation on the drivers side tray, and added a Thule fairing. Aside from ravaging the plastidip on the cross bar (previous owner) the one conflict was the fairings outer clamps conflict with the tray locations. So I moved the trays inboard about 3" each. I think that'll be ok unless two flat bar 29ers are being carried, in which a tray would need to be flipped. The more obvious conflict is the fairing rests on the sunroof so when you operate it you push up and out from under the fairings feet. Then when closing it pulls the rubber pads from the fairing off. So ill try replacing those with some black electrical tape.