Is it possible to use a tailgate pad and hitch mount rack at the same time? I'd like to carry up to 5 or 6 mountain bikes on my truck. I have a hitch mount rack for 2, but need to find a way to carry at least 3 more bikes to take the whole family biking. Does anyone have experience using both and tailgate pad, and a hitch mount rack at the same time? I'm not sure if it will fit or not, and would like to have some more confidence that it will work before I buy one. That way hopefully I won't have to go through a painful return process if the experiment is a failure.
You have a truck with an open utility bed?  You can put at lease half a dozen bikes in there, the problem is getting the bikes to not damage each other.   Some people build racks inside the bed to hold bikes, alternate front and rear facing, and then hold them down with rope or a strap.
The tailgate covers are more for getting bikes out quicker when shuttling up a climb where the riders won't/can't ride up.
The other problem is how do you intend to carry five people in a ute - is it a double cab with only a token-gesture load bed ?  If so, the smaller kids bikes can go in the bed and the two biggest bikes can go in the towball hitched rack.