SpaceMaker – the swivel adapter for the trailer hitch

Thursday, 03 September 2026 00:00
Written by Portal Editor

SpaceMaker – Anyone who drives a station wagon equipped with a trailer hitch and a bike rack knows this truly annoying problem: You’ve secured the bikes to the rack, only to realize there are other items that need to be loaded into the cargo area.

So, you have to take the bikes off, open the tailgate to load the remaining items, close the tailgate, and then re-secure the bikes to the rack. It is a problem that frequently causes stress for owners of panel vans and camper vans, too.

Kilian Waldschmidt, running a workshop in Switzerland, examines a commercially available rack and reflects: the swivel adapter is far too heavy almost all existing solutions place more weight on the hitch than is strictly necessary. The solution seems obvious, yet the core issue lies elsewhere: it needs to work with the bike rack you already own. Existing adapters previously required vehicle modifications before they could even be installed. Yet, every car already has the perfect interface: the trailer hitch.

At that moment, the idea turned into a clear objective: no modifications, no extra parts, no time spent in the workshop. Simply mount and clamp it on compatible with any trailer hitch and the bike rack you already own. Developed in Switzerland and manufactured by Alu Line in Germany, where this vision is being technically realized.

The swivel adapter for your trailer hitch

Fortunately, there is the SpaceMaker, built by AluLine; it sits between the trailer hitch and the bike rack, allowing you to swing the entire assembly 90 degrees to the side with a single movement. The bikes stay right where they are. While not a brand-new trade show sensation, it was recently rediscovered at the AluLine booth. How the SpaceMaker works

The SpaceMaker attaches to the 50 mm tow ball and is secured with a hex bolt. A second ball is located on the extension arm, allowing the bike carrier to be mounted as usual. The integrated power cable connects the vehicle and carrier directly, eliminating the need for additional adapters or extensions.

Your existing setup remains unchanged; the SpaceMaker simply adds a pivoting function.

Features

90° pivoting function: full access to the rear of the vehicle while the carrier is mounted
65 kg load capacity: suitable for two e-bikes
Selectable pivot direction: right (passenger side) or left (driver side)
Integrated power cable: direct connection between vehicle and carrier; no additional adapter required
Lockable: built-in theft protection for the SpaceMaker
Made of high-strength, wear-resistant steel
Weight: 13.9 kg
CE-certified: no separate approval required
Compatible with almost all tow-ball-mounted carriers for up to 2 bikes

Compatibility & Requirements

Minimum technical requirements:

Steel tow bar with 50 mm ball
Minimum towing capacity: 2,000 kg
Minimum clearance between top of ball and bottom edge of tailgate: 40 mm
Suitable for detachable tow bars (exception: round mounting socket with horizontal insertion and locking pin)

Not compatible with: