PEIFamily Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 How much clearance would I need "above" the smart car for loading, etc? I am ordering my steel for the bed and thinking about putting a front rack between the truck wings to carry the bicycles. I am doing 3 & 6 " channel iron to allow me to store my ramps under the bed with the overall bed height of 6" inches to make room for the smart ramps (5.25") From the bed height to the top of the truck I have about 107".. the smart is 61" I believe, so if I left about 66" that be enough clearance for loading? That would allow me to be able to build a rack that extends out over the smart roof and protect the bicycles behind the cab fairings. All would be connected to the BED and not the cab. I was thinking 2x2(3/16) tubing on this frame about 14" wide with the platform at top.. This would hide both rails between the truck wings. This is just a rough drawing to show what I mean.. Any reasons why this would not work? I was thinking as an after thought of skinning it in and making it into a drom, but if I did that, it would need to be bolted on so I have access to the back of the cab if needed for shocks/bags, etc.. Feedback? Thanks 2006 Volvo 670 singled long 2011 Heartland Sundance 3300CK 2006 Smart passion 2001 F350 DRW CREWCAB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickS Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 With a couple of pins and gas struts you could make a "Phoenix Bike Carrier" that swivels down to the ground. Rick & Carey,Excel W41GKE Wild Cargo Toyhauler Volvo 730, D13, I-shift, 500/1850Brabus Smart Car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PEIFamily Posted March 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 That could be handy lol 2006 Volvo 670 singled long 2011 Heartland Sundance 3300CK 2006 Smart passion 2001 F350 DRW CREWCAB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickeieio Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 With a couple of pins and gas struts you could make a "Phoenix Bike Carrier" that swivels down to the ground. At first I thought you were being a smart aleck, but upon further head scratching.......... I bet if Phoenix and "the Old Goat" got their head(s) together, they could come up with a simple parallelogram that would be smart ramps, then lift above the car to become a bike rack. Or motorcycle rack, or ????? KW T-680, POPEMOBILE Newmar X-Aire, VATICAN Lots of old motorcycles, Moto Guzzi Griso and Spyder F3 currently in the front row Young enough to play in the dirt as a retired farmer. contact me at rickeieio1@comcast.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PEIFamily Posted March 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 My thoughts on this was that I could still build a 5ft drom box AND still make use of the space above the drombox. Wifey suggested doing a bike rack platform that has the bars for holding bike wheels, then just doing a few braces up higher to chain or ratchet strap too. This would double as a bit of a headache rack on the truck too as well as framing for a drom box. 2006 Volvo 670 singled long 2011 Heartland Sundance 3300CK 2006 Smart passion 2001 F350 DRW CREWCAB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdickinson Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 I'm mounting the bike racks on the pin box. The unit will tip down. Yakima Ridgeback 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PEIFamily Posted May 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 I'm mounting the bike racks on the pin box. The unit will tip down. Yakima Ridgeback 2. Yep, have about 10,000 miles on my pinbox bike rack.. Works great. 2006 Volvo 670 singled long 2011 Heartland Sundance 3300CK 2006 Smart passion 2001 F350 DRW CREWCAB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big5er Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 Just make sure that you keep "height" in mind. Don't want the bikes sticking up too high. MY PEOPLE SKILLS ARE JUST FINE.~It's my tolerance to idiots that needs work.~ 2005 Volvo 780 VED12 465hp / Freedomline transmission singled mid position / Bed by Larry Herrin2018 customed Mobile Suites 40KSSB3 2014 smart Fortwo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdickinson Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 Roughly 7 ft to work with...it might be an issue if it was a Penny Farthing bike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big5er Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 Roughly 7 ft to work with...it might be an issue if it was a Penny Farthing bike. Roger, his question was "How much clearance would I need "above" the smart car for loading, etc?" "Above" the smart car will not leave 7 ft of clearance. MY PEOPLE SKILLS ARE JUST FINE.~It's my tolerance to idiots that needs work.~ 2005 Volvo 780 VED12 465hp / Freedomline transmission singled mid position / Bed by Larry Herrin2018 customed Mobile Suites 40KSSB3 2014 smart Fortwo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dollytrolley Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 When we're "on dental Probation" in Yuma early last winter we observed a chap with a older DP MH that had a cool "flat horizontal bike rack" that allowed two peddle bikes and a Honda 250 dual sport to pivot 270 degrees from the top of the MH to a vertical position at the pass side of the motorhome. I chatted with the fellow and he said it worked very well but you had to make sure the motorcycle was configured so as not leak gas, oil, or brake fluid when laid flat on the roof rack. The pivot device was a 40:1 gearbox from Granger and he used a cordless drill to operate the device....... It was real simple and seemed robust. I did not have my phone on me that day so I did not get a image but just imagine a flat roof rack that pivots 270deg down on the front or back of the Smartcar and then you unstrap the bike and ride off.........you see everything under the Yuma sun in the winter and if you miss something.........Quartz is just 95 miles North...... Cheers 97 Freightshaker Century Cummins M11-370 / 1350 /10 spd / 3:08 /tandem/ 20ft Garage/ 30 ft Curtis Dune toybox with a removable horse-haul-module to transport Dolly-The-Painthorse to horse camps and trail heads all over the Western U S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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