Anyone have experience w/ the Thule "Wheel On"

Bill,
if you decide to go that way, let me know and I'll part with mine (unused) for say, some DFH 90. 😉

Had it down my basement for years and never got it on. Don't have much regard for the trunk of my company auto. 🙄
 
I used to own their older design. I never had problems but know someone who did have wheel come off while on the highway.

My only concern with mine was the wheel coming off and the wheel spinning or oscillating in the wind. I resolved both concerns by using a toe strap to tie the wheel to the rack.

This deisgn looks significantly better. The wheel will slide down until the tire hits the base. This will keep it from spinning. Also the ends of the fork have hooks to retain even a loose wheel. I wouldn't hesitate to use this product.
 
BiknBen said:
I used to own their older design. I never had problems but know someone who did have wheel come off while on the highway.

My only concern with mine was the wheel coming off and the wheel spinning or oscillating in the wind. I resolved both concerns by using a toe strap to tie the wheel to the rack.

This deisgn looks significantly better. The wheel will slide down until the tire hits the base. This will keep it from spinning. Also the ends of the fork have hooks to retain even a loose wheel. I wouldn't hesitate to use this product.
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Thanks!
 
The only problem I've had was caused by my own negligence. Just have to make sure that you get it clamped on there properly with the QR. I have mine on top of my XTerra, so its easy to overlook that it's in there crooked. Also, when it's crooked it still feels like its like its tight when you clamp the QR, but its just a matter of time before it will come loose. luckily, my buddy was following me and I only lost the QR nut before he called me to save the wheel from bouncing down the turnpike.
 
BShow said:
The only problem I've had was caused by my own negligence. Just have to make sure that you get it clamped on there properly with the QR. I have mine on top of my XTerra, so its easy to overlook that it's in there crooked. Also, when it's crooked it still feels like its like its tight when you clamp the QR, but its just a matter of time before it will come loose. luckily, my buddy was following me and I only lost the QR nut before he called me to save the wheel from bouncing down the turnpike.
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Saw one wobbling back and forth like crazy on the top of a car last year, I guess it hadn't been locked down tightly - we were too far away on an exit ramp to flag the driver down. If the driver was lucky enough to keep it on the car, I bet he still had to have it trued.
 
kimrey said:
Saw one wobbling back and forth like crazy on the top of a car last year, I guess it hadn't been locked down tightly.
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That is what I was referring to as oscillating. The wheel wiggles back and forth due to the wind passing through it. I could occasionally hear what I'd call a vibration that I attributed to that. This was not caused by the wheel being loose. Although, it could certainly cause the wheel to come loose. I thought it was more of a nuisance than a problem.
 
BiknBen said:
That is what I was referring to as oscillating. The wheel wiggles back and forth due to the wind passing through it. I could occasionally hear what I'd call a vibration that I attributed to that. This was not caused by the wheel being loose. Although, it could certainly cause the wheel to come loose. I thought it was more of a nuisance than a problem.
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The way this thing was oscillating (car was doing 70+) it looked like it would sheer the spokes. Does it not affect the wheel?

I ask because I have considered getting one myself.
 
kimrey said:
The way this thing was oscillating (car was doing 70+) it looked like it would sheer the spokes. Does it not affect the wheel?

I ask because I have considered getting one myself.
Click to expand...

I guess the wheel could be damamged in an extreme case. The wiggling is not the wheel or spokes. It is the mount holding the wheel. I bet the mount would fail before the wheel was damaged.

In my experience, the wiggling was at least partially due to the fork mount not being firmly attached to the crossbar. When it happend to me, I'd tighten the bolts holding the mount to the crossbar and the problem would lessen or stop.
 
Bill -

Thule model # 545 if you're still interested.

Just tried to fit it over a 29er wheel and it SHOULD work for you.

No hooks.
 
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