Hitch-mounted Cargo Carrier

[Gunny]

http://www.discountramps.com/?CID=P... - Keywords&utm_term=+ramps&utm_content=Ramps

They have the best selection I have found and the sales folks try and help. I am in no way associated with them but have bought several items.

 

[highdesertranger]

Gunny, x2 on discount ramps. I bought my ramps from them. great company. highdesertranger

 

[VanGuy6678]

Here's the link to the carrier that both Bob and I are using:

https://www.stowaway2.com/hitch-frames

They aren't cheap as compared to something you can get from HF but they are very, very well built.

We each bought only the frame (well I bought the hitch lock too) and then added our own boxes. You can buy  a complete box and hitch from them and they look wonderful - I've seen them up close in person, but they are kinda expensive IMO.

I added the same Husky Tradesman box that Bob already had on his fixed carrier. It's about $70 at Home Depot. After I had it all mounted, I found much nicer ones made of diamond plate at Tractor Supply. The Husky box is deep enough that everything is three layers deep in it and it doesn't take all the widthwise space that I have available on the back of the van. The diamond plate one I saw was shallower but longer so I wouldn't always be digging for stuff in the box and I'd be able to strap my 10'x10 shade canopy on the top.

Thx!!

 

[[email protected]]

If I am to live out of a car, it would be a great advantage to haul some of my stuff outside of the vehicle.

I looked into a roof-top carrier, but I don't want to reduce my gas mileage.

I considered pulling a tiny trailer, but don't want the hassle.

What about a hitch-mounted cargo carrier? Do any of you have experience with one of those? If I were to get an extremely aerodynamic vehicle like a Prius, I wonder if it would reduce my gas mileage.

Hello, I am also traveling in a car, well a small Chevy HHR SUV, and have considered a hitch for extra cargo space.  I finally chose a car top carrier.  I found a used one for $40.00.  It is a Sears brand.  Although I have not been in a Sears store for over 40 years.  It is light enough for me to get it up on the roof by myself (I am 70) and large enough to hold about 150 lbs of gear, tent w/poles, toilet bucket for when I am not in the tent, etc. and the bulkier items that would take up considerable space inside the vehicle.   I chose this because of the drag issue that was mentioned.  I want to go where I want without have to watch out for not tearing the rear end off the car.  I hope this helps you.  To me, the few lbs I could carry (you have to consider the weight of the container you pack the items in as well, was not worth the trade-off.

 

[RamblinRogue]

If by Class 1 you mean those silly 1 1/4 " receivers, they make adapters to bump them up to 2 ".

http://www.amazon.com/Hitch-Adapter...1-6&keywords=class+1+to+class+3+hitch+adapter

Just make sure you keep the weight down to what the Class 1 is rated for.

Regards
John

Hey, John, those "silly" 1 1/4" receivers are all that some small cars can handle and those adaptors add so much length to the receiver that it's even sillier than just buying things designed for the car. I know; I tried the adaptors. What a joke they were.

 

[EmpathWanders]

Hey, John, those "silly" 1 1/4" receivers are all that some small cars can handle and those adaptors add so much length to the receiver that it's even sillier than just buying things designed for the car. I know; I tried the adaptors. What a joke they were.

 I agree. I dwell in a 2013 Honda Fit and my first buildout I added one of these adapters to gain some vertical real estate. The weight of the hitch mounted cargo platform caused the rear end to sag and I was constantly scraping on every slight incline. It just made things worse in my opinion, as well as my friend who is an otr trucker. He cringed everytime he saw that setup. I swapped it out for a 'vintage' sears branded rooftop mounted cargo pod. I bolted it to my thule rack. No way any state trooper is giving me a hard time for that!