Allen Sports MT2 Bike Rack Instructions

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⚠️ WARNING

Bikes or rack falling in road can cause serious accidents resulting in bodily injury—do not use rack on any vehicle on which it cannot be properly mounted as described in this instruction sheet.

• Rack must be completely set up to safely transport bicycles.
• Top hooks must be completely hooked over solid metal edges at top/front of trunk lid or rear door—never hook to rain gutters, roof racks, vertical glass, rubber or plastic moldings.
• Never use on the front of the vehicle. Mount rack only with the bottom foot on a rigid surface of the car (never on glass), and with the bottom foot fully extended.
• Maximum capacity of the rack is 2 Bicycles (MAX CAPACITY: 70 LB) - no tandems, mopeds, or recumbents.
• Bikes must be securely tied to the rack. Use bike tie-downs, or additional straps if necessary.
• Car tail lights must remain visible. Drive conservatively, especially over bumps. Never use off-road. Remove rack from vehicle when not in use.
• Do not use if any part of the rack is damaged, worn, or missing. Contact R. A. Allen Co., Inc. for replacement parts.

? CAUTION

Use Allen MT2 only in accordance with local motor vehicle and traffic regulations.

• To avoid damage to the rear door or trunk, do not open trunk or rear door when hooks or rack are in place.
• Install rack and load bicycles only at a safe distance away from moving traffic.
• Only rubber feet and rack should come into contact with the car.
• Make sure that all of the rack and bicycles are kept at a safe distance from road and hot exhaust.
• Remove rack from the car when not in use.

A. Setting Up Rack

Note: To return the rack to a folded position, reverse these steps.

1. Start with the rack in a folded position.
2. Rotate tie-downs and fully extend the bottom foot.
3. Rotate both top feet down by 90 degrees to open, fully engaging pins.
4. Rotate carry arms into an upright position, fully engaging pop-up pins.
5. Release the pop-up pins on the front feet and extend the carry arms, making certain that the pop-up pins fully engage when the arms are in the extended position.

Diagram Description: Visuals show the sequence of unfolding the rack, extending feet, and positioning carry arms.

B. Before Installing Rack

• Make sure that contact surfaces between the car and rubber feet are thoroughly clean and free of dirt. Rack pads will pick up dirt and sand if placed on the ground before installation.
• Make sure that all buckles are threaded correctly.
• Tie a half-hitch knot below the buckle for safety once the top strap length is set.
• Inspect all straps to make sure that they are not worn or damaged in any way.

C. Installing Rack on Vehicle

1. Top hooks must be completely hooked over metal edges at the top of the trunk, rear door, or hatchback. Never hook to rain gutters, roof racks, vertical glass, or plastic moldings. Open the trunk/hatch slightly for easiest attachment of hooks. Make sure that hooks do not bind when the trunk/hatch is opened, as binding hooks will damage the vehicle.
2. Set the length of the top straps to position the rack with its carry arms inclined slightly upwards, and high enough to keep bikes away from the road and exhaust.
3. Once the length of the top straps is set, the bottom foot assembly should be held against the vehicle in its completely open position. It is important that the bottom rubber pads are installed on the vehicle in a location where there is proper support. The bottom feet should never be installed on glass.
4. Completely hook bottom hooks to a metal edge below the bumper, or at the bottom of the trunk/rear door. If there is no metal edge below the bumper, see Alternate Method for Bottom Hook Attachment on the next page.
5. Completely tighten bottom straps by pulling on the free end of the strap until the elastic portion of the strap is fully stretched.
6. Once the bottom strap is in place, install the left and right side straps. The side straps have small metal hooks labeled "Side Straps". Attach these hooks to the left and right side of the trunk/rear door. Once the hooks are in place, completely tighten the straps by pulling on the free end of the straps.

Securing Top Hooks on Vehicles Without Adequate Clearance: Carefully place top hooks just inside the top edge of the rear trunk/hatch. Carefully close the rear trunk/hatch on the top straps extending from the top hooks, making certain that hooks or buckles do not bind between the frame and the rear door. With the rear door closed, pull top straps to bring hooks tight against the inside of the vehicle. Rethread top straps as shown in Section B and mount the rack on the vehicle.

Diagram Description: Visuals show the MT2 rack mounted on the rear of a sedan and an SUV, illustrating typical hook and strap placements.

D. Alternate Method #1 for Bottom Strap

Use if there is no metal edge below the bumper for attachment of hooks.

1. Remove the bottom strap from the bottom strap bracket and thread it through the slot in the spine cover. Attach the hook to the lower edge of the trunk/rear hatch. Tighten the bottom strap.

Diagram Description: Shows the bottom strap hook attached to the lower edge of a trunk lid.

E. Alternate Method #2 for Bottom Strap

Use if there is no metal edge below the bumper for attachment of hooks.

1. Before installing the rack on the vehicle, remove the bottom straps. Open the trunk slightly and place the bottom hooks just inside the trunk/hatch. Carefully close the trunk on the bottom strap. Pull the straps to bring the hooks against the inside of the trunk. Mount the rack onto the car as described in Section C. Rethread bottom straps and tighten.

Diagram Description: Shows bottom hooks placed inside the trunk opening, with the trunk lid partially closed on the straps.

F. Loading Bicycles on Rack

1. Remove all loose items from bicycles (pumps, bags, etc.) and check that all quick-release hubs are tight.
2. Load the first bicycle into the first tie-down position (the one closest to the vehicle) with its chain and gears facing away from the rack. Make sure that bicycles do not come into contact with the vehicle.
3. Load subsequent bicycles in alternating directions. For best weight distribution, load the heaviest bicycles first, with lighter bicycles on the outside. Add padding between bicycle contact points, if necessary.
4. After bicycles are loaded, check that the entire rack is secure and that the rack is firmly in place. Vision out of the rear window may be restricted—use side mirrors accordingly when backing up.

Special Note on Installing Women's Style Frames: Place one carry arm under the front top tube. With the other carry arm, rotate the tie-down cradle and place it in the space behind the seat tube and below the rear down-stay. The Allen 900B Adaptor Bar is also recommended for this application.

G. Securing Bikes to Rack

All bikes must be securely tied to the rack. Use individual tie-down straps, or additional straps if necessary.

1. Place the bicycle in the cradle.
2. Thread straps.
3. Pull strap tight.

Important: Secure the front wheel of the inside bicycle with excess bottom strap, or additional straps, to prevent the wheel from coming into contact with the vehicle.

Diagram Description: Shows a bicycle positioned in one of the rack's cradles. It then shows how to thread the integrated tie-down straps through the bicycle frame and finally pulling the straps tight to secure the bike.

Allen Lifetime Warranty

If an Allen bike rack is found to have a defect in workmanship or material over the lifetime of the original purchaser, Allen will repair or replace the rack free of charge. The warranty does not cover damage or wear which occurs as a result of day-to-day use or general wear and tear.

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R. A. ALLEN CO., INC. - ALLEN SPORTS USA
60 Thoreau St. - #161
Concord, MA 01742, USA
Email: customerservice@allensportsusa.com
Website: www.allensportsusa.com

©2015 R. A. Allen Co., Inc., All Rights Reserved. V.3.15