Yakima Swingdaddy Rack -
Carry your bikes with the king of swing! Yakima SwingDaddy hitch rack lets you access your vehicle without taking bikes off the rack.
Imported.
Fit:
- 4-bike capacity; fits 2 in. receiver hitches; designed for Class II hitches and higher
- Narrower arms fit wide variety of frames
- Fits all types of bicycles; dual-arm design eliminates the need for top-tube adapters on most bikes
- Yakima's most stable strapping and cradle design facilitates fit of "non-standard" bike frames.
Padding:
- Yakima's SwingDaddy carries up four bikes safely cradled on adjustable, fully padded arms.
- Padded arms feature fully adjustable, anti-sway cradles for superior protection and stability, eliminating bike-to-bike contact
Insulation:
- Large, easy-to-grip triggers to fold down arms and mast
- Intuitive levers with anti-pinch trigger covers makes operating a simple endeavor; arms fold down for easy storage
- TriggerFinger technology lets you fold arms down with the press of a button
- The arms fold down when not in use and swing out to allow access to the back of your vehicle.
Straps:
- Improved strapping for better stability
Features:
- SwingAway technology allows easy rear-of-vehicle access, even when this 4 bike hitch carrier is fully loaded
- With the Yakima SwingDaddy hitch mount you can effortlessly pivot the bikes to the side of the vehicle for instant rear access.
- Covers on moving parts prevent pinching and give a nice clean appearance.
- Sliding SwitchBlade anti-sway cradles eliminate bike-to-bike contact and improve ease of loading
- New RocSteady hitch tongue for greater stability
- Large covers to reduce risk of pinching
- Premium metallic powdercoat finish
- Includes built in cable lock to secure up to four bikes, integrated into the mast and a built in bottle opener.
- Extremely stable with a premium automotive finish for solid performance and good looks.
- HitchLock included to lock your 4 bike hitch carrier safely to your vehicle
Northern River Supply
Load up to four bikes on this rack and head out for a riot in the wild. The Yakima SwingDaddy gives fully padded protection and folds out to clear the rear of your car. It's one swinging deal.Mountains Plus Outdoor Gear
Jump, jive & wail all the way to your destination with our premier hitch mount. It's designed for families who treat their bikes (almost) as well as their children, racers, and pretty much anyone who demands the best things in life. It carries up to 4 bikes, offers awesome bike protection features and it swings completely out of your way - fully loaded - when you need to access the back of your vehicle.
Features:
Jenson USA
The SwingDaddy carries up to 4 bikes while still offering great bike protection features, and it swings completely out of your way, fully loaded, when you need to access the back of your vehicle.
Average Price History:
| Activity: | Cycling |
|---|---|
| Attachment: | Attaches to 2" hitch |
| Capacity: | 4 bikes up to 30 lbs each |
| Hitch receiver (in.): | 2 inches |
| Locking: | Yes |
| Number of bikes: | 4 |
| Rear liftgate access: | Yes |
| Weight: | 42 pounds |
Compare specifications to related products.
Similar Products:
 | Yakima Swing Daddy Bike Rack (8002422) | $479.00 |
 | Yakima SwingDaddy Bike Rack Hitch-Mast Style Bike Rack | $383.99 |
Yakima Swingdaddy Rack Reviews:
Positive Reviews:
Swing it!
Great product! I own a Toyota Tacoma w/ a tall camper shell and a slightly raised suspension. I used a roof rack on my truck for a long time. Loading/unloading bikes on the roof was difficult and required some creative climbing techniques. Plus, while on the roof, the bikes took a beating on rough roads, like wicked swinging that drew gasps from onlookers. I needed something easy, secure, and that wouldn't block me from getting into the back of the truck. Other hitch racks that folded straight down didn't allow the assess I needed and they were hard to lift back up into place with bikes still loaded. They also prevented my dogs from being able to jump up or down from the back of the truck.
I was reluctant to spend the extra $$, but the Swing Daddy is well worth it. It is easy to load/unload. It swings open and closed easily, making access to the truck bed a snap without having to unload bikes (other people's complaints about this must be due to damage to their rack, or they've got some dang heavy bikes). Plus it adds another barrier to would-be thieves who would like to check out the back of my camper shell (which has a busted lock).
A few drawbacks:
1. It holds medium-large bikes much better than small ones. Although fitting 4 adult-sized bikes on this rack would be a display of some serious talent. It fits 2 great, 3 ok, I'm scared to try 4.
2. The rear shock on some full suspension bikes interferes with the supports. My wife's bike requires some puzzle solving skills to load.
3. My biggest beef: The hitch bolt continually becomes loose on rough 4x4 roads (even with locking washer). I have to keep a crescent wrench handy and retighten it regularly (a trip to the hardware store might solve this).
Tip: Don't rely on the cable lock for true security. Back it up with some chain or thicker cable or an angry dog. The built-in lock is great for quick trips into the store, but not for leaving your bike unattended for long periods.
Also, I use bungee cords to secure the front tires of my bikes. Otherwise there's a whole other kind of swinging from this daddy.
I was reluctant to spend the extra $$, but the Swing Daddy is well worth it. It is easy to load/unload. It swings open and closed easily, making access to the truck bed a snap without having to unload bikes (other people's complaints about this must be due to damage to their rack, or they've got some dang heavy bikes). Plus it adds another barrier to would-be thieves who would like to check out the back of my camper shell (which has a busted lock).
A few drawbacks:
1. It holds medium-large bikes much better than small ones. Although fitting 4 adult-sized bikes on this rack would be a display of some serious talent. It fits 2 great, 3 ok, I'm scared to try 4.
2. The rear shock on some full suspension bikes interferes with the supports. My wife's bike requires some puzzle solving skills to load.
3. My biggest beef: The hitch bolt continually becomes loose on rough 4x4 roads (even with locking washer). I have to keep a crescent wrench handy and retighten it regularly (a trip to the hardware store might solve this).
Tip: Don't rely on the cable lock for true security. Back it up with some chain or thicker cable or an angry dog. The built-in lock is great for quick trips into the store, but not for leaving your bike unattended for long periods.
Also, I use bungee cords to secure the front tires of my bikes. Otherwise there's a whole other kind of swinging from this daddy.
Product works great for SUV!
Great product - fits great with our SUV and easy access to trunk/ back. Fits family bikes and secures them well - parked in several places with all the bikes and no issues! You will need some strength to lift up the bikes onto the the rack and a little positioning - but that is what husbands are for :) Only con of the product was it blocks our license on our SUV and we did get a 'fix it ticket' because of that. Not a way to install without blocking the license though :(. If you are going to get it - look online for some discounts, just give yourself plenty of time for shipping. Needed it urgently - went to the REI on Reseda/ Devonshire. Floor staff avoided us like the plague - we look like amatures and had our kids with us. We had to walk in front of an available employee to get him to even make eye contact and he kept looking at our kids, who of course were making sounds and being kids, as if they were aliens. Its next to a gym, so most of the customers acted like they were 'professional athletes' so not so much a family place. Moms - Get it online and save yourself the judgement stares!!
Does exactly what we need.
We used a Yakima Bighorn swing down hitch rack for several years before upgrading to this rack. Since upgrading last year, we are super happy with this as it makes getting into the back of our vehicles pretty easy. We use this rack on a 2011 Subaru Outback and a Ford F-150. It works great on both and lets us access the back of the vehicles to get the dogs and gear in and out with relative ease. Before we had to either remove the bikes or tip the rack down which was a major pain and hard on the bikes. I have seen some complain about the multiple steps required to swing this out, but personally think that it is pretty easy, especially considering the alternative. I have noticed that on long road trips, the hitch bolt does tend to work itself loose a little creating wobble. I carry a box end wrench that fits the bolt and when we stop for gas I just do the standard vehicle check and walk around and tighten the bolt if needed. We are very happy with this rack and it does exactly what we need it to.
Great Rack
I spent a lot of time researching racks and was hesitent to get this one because of the higher price. My wife actually talked me into spending the extra money on this because of the fact that we have kids and often need to repack or throw things in the back last minute. I have used this rack one time so far and I am so glad I went with this one.
First off it was very easy to install. I like the fact that you bolt it on instead of a pin. the unit is solid with no movement once it is on. I packed 4 adult mens bikes on the rack and it was a little tight but it worked. 2 were drop handle road bikes and two were straight bar comfort bikes. I would be easier if they were all road bikes. The anti-sway straps worked great and even though it was tight the bikes did not rub.
This rack was worth the extra money compared to some of the other racks. Very happy with the purchase.
First off it was very easy to install. I like the fact that you bolt it on instead of a pin. the unit is solid with no movement once it is on. I packed 4 adult mens bikes on the rack and it was a little tight but it worked. 2 were drop handle road bikes and two were straight bar comfort bikes. I would be easier if they were all road bikes. The anti-sway straps worked great and even though it was tight the bikes did not rub.
This rack was worth the extra money compared to some of the other racks. Very happy with the purchase.
The swing out feature works great!
Originally we weren't sure we wanted to spend the extra dollars to get a hitch rack with the swing out feature. After using it, we're glad we got that feature. It made accessing the back of our minivan much easier. Everything works smoothly, no creaky mechanism, exactly as advertised.
Negatives were relatively minor. The stowable lock cable wouldn't retract into the storage hole all the way. Not a big issue, we leave the cable out and lock it to the bike carrier arms for storage. Hope the lock cable storage hole doesn't trap rain and rust out the rack from within. Also, the wrenches that come with the rack aren't very good quality. Use your socket wrench instead.
Overall, easy to install, generally good quality parts, holds bike very securely. It's overkill for the level of our usage but I'd recommend it to anyone who will use their hitch rack often.
Negatives were relatively minor. The stowable lock cable wouldn't retract into the storage hole all the way. Not a big issue, we leave the cable out and lock it to the bike carrier arms for storage. Hope the lock cable storage hole doesn't trap rain and rust out the rack from within. Also, the wrenches that come with the rack aren't very good quality. Use your socket wrench instead.
Overall, easy to install, generally good quality parts, holds bike very securely. It's overkill for the level of our usage but I'd recommend it to anyone who will use their hitch rack often.
As advertised--the king of swing (racks)
We use this for family outings. Standard bikes are a breeze but with my angled, "thick" tubes of my Trek 6000, they make it a bit more difficult to mount.
I use the Yakima Top Tube for the Trek 6000 and for the ease of use and no PITA factor, go with one of these.
The kids bikes are the most difficult but they work out with a little effort.
If you have a standard triangular frame, it will be a snap to mount and unmount
After you use the "swing-away" function, you'll never go back.
I even do swing out the rack just for fun!!
My 9 year old can swing the rack with the bikes easily.
It's either this Yakima or the Thule Revolver.
Oh, did I mention it has dual bottle openers?
I use the Yakima Top Tube for the Trek 6000 and for the ease of use and no PITA factor, go with one of these.
The kids bikes are the most difficult but they work out with a little effort.
If you have a standard triangular frame, it will be a snap to mount and unmount
After you use the "swing-away" function, you'll never go back.
I even do swing out the rack just for fun!!
My 9 year old can swing the rack with the bikes easily.
It's either this Yakima or the Thule Revolver.
Oh, did I mention it has dual bottle openers?
Great product, great website, comedy for free
This bike trailer kicks ass ! I love being able to access the back of the minivan while all our gear remains loaded, a real lifesaver when traveling with kids. Also very easy to load and unload. The only downside is that the rubber straps have left some marks on our bikes from sunfading or something like that. I don't particularly care what the finish on the bikes looks like, and I doubt that most people do, but if it mattered to you I would put a washcloth or some other protective material between the straps and the bike frames. This was my first time shopping from moosejaw, and it was a great experience. Aside from having the lowest price around cheaper than any local merchant could
Holy Cow, it works!
Bought this for a family trip across the States into Canada and back. Carried 3 full size Mountain bikes (27' to 30'), and 1 smaller bike (24' frame), without issue. Getting into the back of the mini-van without having to remove the bikes was a HUGE bonus! Recommend going slower than normal over speed bumps - not that it won't handle it, but the bikes do bounce, and it just looks a bit disconcerting. The locking mechanism is also handy, and with augmented locks (U-lock on last two bikes), felt very secure leaving the bikes in the hotel parking lots.
Would recommend this bike rack to anyone who needs to open a tailgate (mini-van, SUV, hatchback, etc.).
Would recommend this bike rack to anyone who needs to open a tailgate (mini-van, SUV, hatchback, etc.).
This rack DOES fit Toyota 4Runners
If you have difficulties installing this rack or any other rack into the receiver hitch of a Toyota 4-Runner, as noted in is review, there is an easy solution. Toyota mounts the spare tire for the 4-Runner directly behind the hitch. Sometimes the tire is positioned too close to the hitch. Simply loosen the spare tire as you would if you need to use the spare. The spare dangles from a chain and can be reposition then tightened back up. You'll have plenty of room to insert the rack into the receiver hitch fully. Too bad someone's misunderstanding of their vehicle and low rating can wrongly influence others purchasing decisions
Love the Yakima SwingDaddy Hitch Rack
We borrowed this rack from a friend to try it out before buying it. Like mfreedman above, we have a couple of bikes that do not have the triangular frame. However, we used the Yakima Top Tube Extender which worked quite well. We had four bikes on the rack and loved the swing out feature. The bikes were very stable. It's a little bit like fitting a puzzle together to make all four bikes fit securely, but overall, it's a great rack. We wrapped parts of the frames with some rubber tubing to prevent scratching. The bottle opener is quite handy as well. We're buying our own rack now.
Negative Reviews:
Great for family without young children
We wanted a swing-type rack to carry 4 bikes so that we could open the hatch of our Subaru Outback without unloading all the bikes. The Swing Daddy fits that bill. It does not, however, fit my son's 16" Trek Float. The anti-sway cradles are too large to fit through the openings in the frame. Yakima suggested their "TUBETOP" adapter bar. Even at its shortest setting, though, the TUBETOP is too long to fit between the handlebar and seat post. I hate to think what parents of even younger kids with 12" bikes must go through!
While on the phone with Yakima support to try to find a solution, they told me that even my hybrid mountain bike, with its slightly slanted frame, needs a TUBETOP. Anything with more than a 5-degree slope between wheels when on the rack, could put more weight on one side of the rack than the other, they said. But when I tried the TUBETOP on my hybrid, the Swing Daddy's anti-sway cradle came in contact with the release lever for the seat post. If that lever loosened and the seat dropped on the highway, the bike would hit the pavement!
We liked the fact that the Swing Daddy weighs in around 42 pounds, about 14 less pounds to carry downstairs than the Thule Apex Swing. But since we can't use it for at least one of our bikes, I'm afraid this Swing Daddy's going back. We'll have to keep looking for a rack that's a little more adaptable.
While on the phone with Yakima support to try to find a solution, they told me that even my hybrid mountain bike, with its slightly slanted frame, needs a TUBETOP. Anything with more than a 5-degree slope between wheels when on the rack, could put more weight on one side of the rack than the other, they said. But when I tried the TUBETOP on my hybrid, the Swing Daddy's anti-sway cradle came in contact with the release lever for the seat post. If that lever loosened and the seat dropped on the highway, the bike would hit the pavement!
We liked the fact that the Swing Daddy weighs in around 42 pounds, about 14 less pounds to carry downstairs than the Thule Apex Swing. But since we can't use it for at least one of our bikes, I'm afraid this Swing Daddy's going back. We'll have to keep looking for a rack that's a little more adaptable.
Are you kidding me!!!
OK, this comment isn't about Yakima's innovative design, ease of use or the really cool features it possesses, like the bottle opener on the end of the support bar(that is pretty cool).
NO, this product comment is about the incredible short sightedness of design.
I own one of the most popular SUV's on the planet (Toyota 4Runner) and it has a spare tire mounted underneath the rear cargo space which happens to be close to the rear hitch. My factory trailer hitch mount fits perfectly (of course it would) and is acceptable to pull trailers & U-Hauls... but a bike a Yakima Swing Daddy bike rack? it does not line up and lock into place!
So, if you don't have a spare tire mounted underneath the cargo space OR if you have power tools which can cut through 1/8" steel ( which VOIDS the warranty), THIS MIGHT BE THE BIKE RACK FOR YOU!
I have had Yakima racks since the eary 1990's and have always thought them to be superior to all the other racks on the market but here they have come up short, WAY SHORT!
NO, this product comment is about the incredible short sightedness of design.
I own one of the most popular SUV's on the planet (Toyota 4Runner) and it has a spare tire mounted underneath the rear cargo space which happens to be close to the rear hitch. My factory trailer hitch mount fits perfectly (of course it would) and is acceptable to pull trailers & U-Hauls... but a bike a Yakima Swing Daddy bike rack? it does not line up and lock into place!
So, if you don't have a spare tire mounted underneath the cargo space OR if you have power tools which can cut through 1/8" steel ( which VOIDS the warranty), THIS MIGHT BE THE BIKE RACK FOR YOU!
I have had Yakima racks since the eary 1990's and have always thought them to be superior to all the other racks on the market but here they have come up short, WAY SHORT!
Doesn't fit the Jeep Wrangler
I really liked this rack, but unfortunately the rack will not fit my 2011 Jeep Wrangler Sport with the factory 17" spare wheel and tire.
The Yakima has a nice gentle U shaped bend as it comes out of the hitch receiver and goes vertical. (Think half of the letter U) Problem is that gentle bend contacts the tire, so you can't get the hitch far enough into the receiver to get the hitch pin in.
The Northeast region Yakima sales rep was actually in the Reading MA store and helped me test fit the rack. He snapped a pic of the fit issue so hopefully Yakima can make the receiver end of the rack about an inch / inch and half longer.
Ended up buying the Thule Revolver as it does not have the gentle U shaped bend, but rather a straight 90 degree welded piece of steel. (Think the letter L)
The Yakima has a nice gentle U shaped bend as it comes out of the hitch receiver and goes vertical. (Think half of the letter U) Problem is that gentle bend contacts the tire, so you can't get the hitch far enough into the receiver to get the hitch pin in.
The Northeast region Yakima sales rep was actually in the Reading MA store and helped me test fit the rack. He snapped a pic of the fit issue so hopefully Yakima can make the receiver end of the rack about an inch / inch and half longer.
Ended up buying the Thule Revolver as it does not have the gentle U shaped bend, but rather a straight 90 degree welded piece of steel. (Think the letter L)
Ruined our bikes
Our bikes would swing & slide back and forth slowly while driving down the highway causing the bikes to rub and hit each other resulting in the bikes literally sawing away at each other. All the way through through the paint and deep into the metal frames causing deep unrepairable damage.
I loved this rack when we first got it but the extensive damage over time to new expensive bikes made us more and more angry till we finally traded up to the rear mounted wheel track system such as the Thule 916XTR as they don't touch the frame.
But if you don't care about your bikes and just wanna carry junky old bikes the Swing Daddy rack is for you.
I loved this rack when we first got it but the extensive damage over time to new expensive bikes made us more and more angry till we finally traded up to the rear mounted wheel track system such as the Thule 916XTR as they don't touch the frame.
But if you don't care about your bikes and just wanna carry junky old bikes the Swing Daddy rack is for you.
Jeep Wrangler
I own a 2007 Jeep Wrangler and it does not fit with the swing away spare tire. Not only is the hitch insert too short, it is recommended not to be used with a hitch extender. Even if you decide to use a hitch extender, you still would not be able to open the swing away tailgate as the spare tire will also hit the top of the rack when extended. Thule fits fine and exchanged for the Thule Swing Away. Be careful with any swing away spare tire or tailgate.
Buy the less expensive model
Pretty easy to install, heavy construction, feels sturdy.
2 problems – when you swing the carrier to the side with bikes on it, it’s too heavy to secure again. You need to pull off all the bikes anyway, so buy a cheaper one!
Second problem is that with all the new frames on bikes, especially kids, some bikes will not securely fit on large support arms.
2 problems – when you swing the carrier to the side with bikes on it, it’s too heavy to secure again. You need to pull off all the bikes anyway, so buy a cheaper one!
Second problem is that with all the new frames on bikes, especially kids, some bikes will not securely fit on large support arms.
Mis-Advertised
Did not work with ANY of my four bikes. The ad says it works with all bikes. Really only designed for road bikes with standard triangle frame. My mountain bike, my wife's step-through, and my two boys bikes will not fit. Cost me two hours and cost my family a very disappointing afternoon and missed ride.
does not work on full suspension bikes
we have tried evryway possible and cannot get our full suspension bikes on the rack...great idea for older bikes but not ours
Neutral Reviews:
Really torn on this one
Okay, first off, let me say that, in concept, this is a really cool rack. With three kids and two dogs, access to the back of the SUV is critical. And it does work really well at swinging out of the way when you need access to something. The swing up arms and cable lock are also really slick.
However, it's the execution where the Swingdaddy really suffers. On our first one, the cable lock stopped retracting shortly after we got it, and then, about a year after owning it, the swing arm stopped swinging. Wouldn't go up, which makes it pretty dang useless as a bike rack. Yakima was extremely nice on the phone, and it was replaced with no issues under their generous lifetime warranty.
I've now had the second one for going on two years, and this one is now starting to have issues with the swingarm - they don't stay locked down, but are starting to swing back and forth. In addition, it's becoming almost impossible to screw the locking screw into the part that swings out. It was always difficult, but now it appears to be stripping out. There are always little specks of metal after I unscrew it (the first one didn't have this issue - it was really easy to screw and unscrew - it appears to be an alignment issue). It took me the better part of 10 minutes to screw it in yesterday, with my wife pushing on rack itself (I know, it sounds like a personal problem ;-) ). VERY frustrating.Long story short, I'll be calling Yakima tomorrow to see if they'll replace this one. I'm sure they'll be cool about it, but considering how much this product costs, I'm just really disappointed that it doesn't work better.
**UPDATE** Yakima said that REI handled warranty exchanges for them. Took it to my closest REI. They swapped it out no problem. Haven't taken it out of the box yet. Been too busy to bike in the last month or so, and, frankly, I'm a bit scared I'm gonna get another lemon.
However, it's the execution where the Swingdaddy really suffers. On our first one, the cable lock stopped retracting shortly after we got it, and then, about a year after owning it, the swing arm stopped swinging. Wouldn't go up, which makes it pretty dang useless as a bike rack. Yakima was extremely nice on the phone, and it was replaced with no issues under their generous lifetime warranty.
I've now had the second one for going on two years, and this one is now starting to have issues with the swingarm - they don't stay locked down, but are starting to swing back and forth. In addition, it's becoming almost impossible to screw the locking screw into the part that swings out. It was always difficult, but now it appears to be stripping out. There are always little specks of metal after I unscrew it (the first one didn't have this issue - it was really easy to screw and unscrew - it appears to be an alignment issue). It took me the better part of 10 minutes to screw it in yesterday, with my wife pushing on rack itself (I know, it sounds like a personal problem ;-) ). VERY frustrating.Long story short, I'll be calling Yakima tomorrow to see if they'll replace this one. I'm sure they'll be cool about it, but considering how much this product costs, I'm just really disappointed that it doesn't work better.
**UPDATE** Yakima said that REI handled warranty exchanges for them. Took it to my closest REI. They swapped it out no problem. Haven't taken it out of the box yet. Been too busy to bike in the last month or so, and, frankly, I'm a bit scared I'm gonna get another lemon.
Possible Design Issue
I've seen some instances where the bar that holds the bikes will not lock in the upright position (the position where it holds bikes). This is because a small metal piece (the thickness of a paper clip) used to pull the locking mechanism into lock position becomes unhooked from said locking mechanism (within main upright housing). Its easy to fix, but it would be nice if Yakima did more to secure the piece so this problem didn't occur (rendering a huge rack useless). So, my main gripe here is that while not a lot of people have this problem, some do and it can EASILY be reengineered to fix.
Otherwise, its a great rack.
Otherwise, its a great rack.
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