Yeah I found that jamming a washer in between the pull down mechanism and the big bolt that holds it together, actually gets rid of a lot of the sway movement. There's still play forward and back, but none horizontally.
I have this rack. I pretty much agree with everything you said. My main complaint is how much movement there is at the pivot point. I would still recommend this rack, especially if you can get it on-sale somewhere. Its a lot of bang for the buck.
Great review. I own this bike rack and your observations are 100% consistent with my experience. I love the rack. While not perfect, the slight weaknesses are quibbles as the rack has never let me down. BTW, I simply keep small required tools in my vehicle when I plan to mount or dismount the rack.
I’m about to buy two e-bikes. One will likely be a gazelle or something similar and the other will likely be a gravel or road bike with drop bars. What are your thoughts on a 1 1/4 hitch rack. This one? Another? Thx