thanks guys...20 years ago I was driving a Volvo with a towing hitch and roof rails and I used a Thule tow ball fixing bike rack, I only carried a light mountain bike and the rack worked great because I could run a strap from the rack through the roof rails to take the weight..
I still have the Thule rack and If I could figure out a way to take the weight
I would have a towbar fitted to this car.
I've just thought of this...what if I bought 2 straps with those dumbbell things on the end,... the dumbbells 'd go inside the tail gate and the straps 'd fix to the rack to take the weight.....do you think that would work ?
...that bit about the bike being too high is a valid point, I'd much rather use the towball rack...thinking about it further, I've got the straps, I could make the dumbbells I've even got some special buckles I'm sure I could fix to the rack.
......Do you see this working ?