I’ve got a swing-away rack for the hitch when carrying multiple bikes, but when it’s just me, I’d like to just open the rear panel, throw the bike over the tailgate, and head down the road. Is this a problem? Does the panel get blown down onto the bike? Does it prematurely kill the panel struts? Gracias for feedback.
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Also interested in this. I have a v1 and I don’t think I want to drive with the back panel up especially with the reports of panels failing. However, the v2 has quick (ish) release panels so once I get the fix/upgrade I will be pulling the back panel off to shuttle with tailgate pad. This has honestly been the biggest thing I have missed since getting the GFC
I do it all the time. Bikes, kayaks and lumber all hang out the back over the tailgate. I’ve been doing it for a while no issues. If the struts wear out someday I’ll replace them. Sometimes I tie the rear panel down but usually not.
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I use a small bungie cord on each rear latch when I carry lumber or kayaks that stick out the back and rest atop the shut tailgate. It pulls the rear door down to the point where it stays a little before horizontal. I’ve used it while driving up to 50ish mph but wouldn’t feel comfortable going any faster.
So veering sightly off topic, has anyone mounted a simple fork mount to the rear track extrusion and hung your bike vertically like the big kids sometimes do on with Sprinters? Looking for a cheap/simple (dirtbag) solution.
Does the rear panel close with the tailgate pad?
Yes it does but only for 2nd gen.
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I have thought about doing hooks for bikes on the extrusion, but then i’d need something on the bottom, and for me the goal would be not having something in my way down low.
I get that, but thought I would just strap the rear wheel to the bumper to stablize it. My fear is whether tthe alluminum tracks are tough enough to take the weight/torque.
I have a mall crawler painted rear bumper so I didn’t want to do that 
You could ask GFC, but people put some crazy heavy awnings on there.
Yeah my awning is like 80lbs, that’s like 2 e-bikes.
With the awnings that weight is spread out over at least two of the anything brackets, each of which has 4 t-nuts in two levels of track. I stand to reason that a bike should be fine so long as your spread the weight out over 4 t-nuts and two levels of track, also try to keep the dynamic factor down.
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Sounds like good advise. Thanks. I’ll follow up if and when it gets done. Install 5/14.
Does anyone know if you can buy struts that will lock out?
THIS is a great idea. Sounds like jedgar’s next product…
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You can. I think there are multiple options