Front rack difficulties - any advice?

[plancashire]

The plastic in the assembly is the weakest link. Even though it's not located between the rack and the dropout, It nevertheless limits how tight the bolt can be torqued to clamp the rack to the dropout, because they are all sharing the same clamping force of the bolt. Either immediately or over time the plastic may deform or crack at the torque needed to reliably secure the rack to the dropout. I'd say this is quite a high likelihood.

Add a thin nut between the rack and the mudguard stay, which must be outside the rack, away from the frame. Tighten the whole lot as tight as you can, then give the nut an extra tighten against the rack. Use Loctite. Your mudguard stays will be a nut width further out. So what.

[roubaixtuesday]

Skewer replaced, rack fitted.

[Cowsham]

The problem is caused be the forks.
They're straight! The rack was designed for forks with the curve at the bottom.
I had the same problem once and the allen bolt skewer solved it.
Also don't mount it to the same fixing as the mudguard fixing, IT WILL COME LOOSE! & if something jams the front wheel you WILL come off the bike.
DAHIK

I think you're right. I would make a simple bracket ie just a flat strip of metal with a hole either end and drop the whole rack down about an inch by cutting another hole in the top fixing plate. This way you can fit the original skewer back.

[Barrowman]

Have you tried putting the racks on the opposite sides ? Start with the bottom fixing and work your way up.
Or do a paper and pencil plan of the one side and try it on the other side.

[foxyrider]

Have you tried putting the racks on the opposite sides ? Start with the bottom fixing and work your way up.
Or do a paper and pencil plan of the one side and try it on the other side.

wouldn't work because of the brace

[roubaixtuesday]

Have you tried putting the racks on the opposite sides ? Start with the bottom fixing and work your way up.
Or do a paper and pencil plan of the one side and try it on the other side.

I'm very happy with it now.