Hi all,

I’ve just acquired an oldish Thule towbar rack, but it didn’t come with instructions. Looking at Google images I’m 99% certain it’s a Thule 903, which was apparently very popular and I assumed finding the instructions in PDF form would be a cakewalk. Anyway, I was wrong.

I’ve had a bit of a play with the rack, and I understand that the lever clamps down. I can see what the long screw bit does, but not really why I need to use this. Also there is some mention online of adjusting a disc somewhere but I don’t know what that means and whether I need to do it.

So, can anyone tell me how to fit, adjust and tilt the rack?

Or even better, locate the instructions!

Any help appreciated!

The disc is one half of the clamp that tightens up on the ball of your tow bar. There is an allen bolt to lock it in place, undo that and the ring can be screwed in or out to adjust the grip on the tow bar. When you push the lever down to lock it it should be fairly stiff, and whan locked you should be able to grap the rack and pull it about with it slipping on the tow bar.
The screw bit is the tilt ability.
You need that unscrewed fully, and the lever raised, to drop the rack onto the tow bar ball. Then while supporting the rack in a horizontal posiition, screw in the the adjusting knob at the back, then push down the lever to lock in place.

Thanks

So a bit of an update, I found some instructions which sort of help. https://www.libble.de/thule-euroclassic-pro-902/p/579771/

I’m still not completely clear on what function the screw does. It seems like the clamp (if properly adjusted as you describe) is secure then the screw thing is a bit superfluous (and inhibits tilting the rack). Is it just a safety net in case the clamp fails?

It makes it easier to clamp the rack in the right position. With the screw done up as far as it will go the rack can’t move up and down, so it can only move in two planes instead of three. Best thing to do is try it and see!