The hitch-mount accessory market is booming -- mostly fueled by car, truck and SUV owners who will never tow.
We’ve all sat at a red light and noticed the Mini Cooper or Hyundai Kona with a trailer hitch receiver and thought, “Now what are they possibly towing with all 17 pound-feet of torque that thing can muster?” The answer is, probably nothing.
Owners of cars and SUVs with active lifestyles have started to realize just how useful a hitch-receiver can be for mounting everything from bike racks to cargo carriers. Add one to an ordinary crossover, and you’ll be amazed how you keep finding more useful products that wouldn’t attach to the vehicle any other way.
DIY vs Professional Installation
It seems like just about every new car for sale today has either an OEM or aftermarket hitch available for it. (Yes, you can get a bolt-on hitch for a Miata -- we checked.)
Obviously, the easiest way to get a hitch receiver is to simply order your car equipped with one before you buy it. If it isn’t factory installed, many manufacturers offer port installation. If the car is already at the dealership, most service departments will install them before the sale and just roll the cost into the vehicle’s purchase price.
Pricing can vary quite a bit from dealership to dealership, depending on the market you are in, as well as what type of vehicle you drive. If the cost is too high for your budget, consider checking out U-Haul, the number one installer of trailer hitches in the United States. To save on labor costs altogether, you can purchase a hitch receiver online (preferably one built specifically for your vehicle) and install it yourself.
Installation is fairly straightforward but may require you to trim or cut plastic, lower part of the exhaust, or remove the rear bumper. Additionally, an extra pair of hands will be necessary to position the hitch and attach the hardware – some trailer hitches can weigh up to 50 lbs. or more.
Pro-Tip: Go ahead and remove the visible highpoints in the rubberized undercoating before starting the install. This is one of those things that once you wrangle the receiver through the bumper and get the brackets above the exhaust, you don’t want to take it back off to adjust something.
Picking the Right Trailer Hitch for Your Vehicle
When you start shopping for hitches, you will be confronted with a variety of options. First and most important, what class of hitch do you want/need?
The Class Rating of a hitch indicates the amount of weight it can tow and how much it can support in a downward direction, also referred to as tongue weight. The Class Rating will also determine the size of the hitch receiver.
It’s extremely important to note, the class of hitch does not determine a vehicle’s tow rating. That is given by the vehicle’s manufacturer after a series of tests developed by the Society of Automotive Engineers, referred to as SAE J2807. (So, no - finding a way to bolt a Class 5 hitch to your Corolla does not mean it can suddenly tow 16,000 lbs.)
Weigh Your Options
When picking an appropriate hitch for your vehicle, a good place to start is by considering what it is you expect to accomplish. If your initial motivation is wanting a bike rack, then think about how many bikes you need to safely carry. Also, what types of bikes are they? Some models weigh more than others.
Let’s assume you want to safely carry five mountain bikes. Here at Parts Via, we live by the adage, “It’s better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.” That means, when calculating the weight of the bikes, aim higher than you think. A typical mountain bike weighs between 28 and 32 pounds, so let’s assume 35 pounds per bike (175 lbs. total), plus 100 pounds for the rack.
If most of the bike racks you’re interested in require a 2-inch hitch receiver, then it’s wise to look for a Class 3 hitch. While a Class 2 hitch is rated up to 350-pounds of tongue weight, and can support the planned 275 pounds just fine, a Class 3 hitch is rated at 600 pounds, offering a huge safety margin.
Do Your Homework
Another major consideration when shopping for a hitch receiver is style. There are hitches that allow the receiver to be completely hidden when not in use, while others position it below the body, so no trimming is necessary. Still, others place it in a factory position, which does sometimes require trimming of the rear valence.
Additionally, read every customer review you can find! Specifically, you should seek out reviews that pertain to your exact vehicle application. A manufacturer might make a great hitch for a Jeep, but its application for a Ford Escape might be disappointing. A few minutes of research can save days of headaches.
Best Cargo Management Accessories for Trailer Hitches
Bike Racks
As mentioned already, bike racks are a common trailer hitch accessory. Designed to securely transport bicycles on a vehicle, they’re a popular accessory for cyclists who want to transport their bikes conveniently and efficiently while traveling or exploring new destinations.
Bike racks come in various styles, and there are multiple installation options to accommodate different vehicle types and bike sizes. Simple hanging types generally have two rails that suspend the bike by its top tube, while platform types hold the bikes by their wheels from below, positioning them across the width of the car. Wheel basket types also carry the bikes by their wheels, but position the bikes vertically, lined up along the back of the vehicle.
The rail type is generally the least expensive, but also the least secure. The bikes tend to swing, which can damage them or the vehicle. Platform types are the go-to for most serious cyclists, as they are extremely secure, easy to load and (usually) easily expandable. The hanging types are the newest style and are some of the most expensive and most secure. However, they can be difficult to load and the bikes will stick up quite a bit higher than the roof of smaller crossovers and certainly cars.
No matter what type you pick, though -- if you have a hatchback, get a rack that tilts out of the way in order to get access to the trunk.
Cargo Carriers
But, why stop at bike racks? For most people, the next obvious step is a cargo carrier.
These range from simple platforms that mount in the hitch receiver all the way up to watertight, insulated and lockable boxes. Use these as a camping cooler or even just to keep your 20-lb. box of Pizza Rolls frozen on the way home from Costco.
There are even cargo carriers that function as wagons. Load it up, mount it to the hitch, and raise it up with the integrated screw jack. When you get to where you’re going, lower it down, and roll all your stuff to wherever you’re going. These are ideal for trips to the amusement park or days at the beach.
Camping & Tailgating Accessories
If chillin’ and grillin’ are more your thing, try hitch-mounted hammocks or a BBQ grill. (Yes, you can choose between charcoal or gas.)
There are also tables, benches, umbrellas and a stand that holds up to a 60” TV. How about 800-watt LED work lights that telescope up to eight feet in height? (Though, it seems like you would either have to be filming a lot of camping influencer videos or burying a lot of bodies in the middle of nowhere at night to need these.)
There’s even a camping toilet, which sadly doesn’t include an attached magazine rack.
Step Up
For many people, loading up a roof rack without a capable step ladder and impressive upper body strength is more than a chore – it’s downright impractical. Additionally, roof racks can be a pain to install, especially on vehicles without fixed rails. The measuring, positioning and tightening just right. By comparison, with a hitch receiver, you slide it in, secure the pin and go.
Another thing to consider is aerodynamics. Driving around every day with a one-foot-tall rugged storage basket on top of your SUV may score you some overlander-scene points, but it’s killing your fuel economy. It’s also creating tons of wind noise and, when it is loaded up, is literally the worst place you can add weight to a vehicle.
A hitch-mounted carrier creates less wind resistance and drag, resulting in improved aerodynamics and reduced fuel consumption. The cargo carrier is positioned at the rear of the vehicle, where it causes minimal disruption to the airflow, and lower to the ground, where it helps maintain the vehicle's center of gravity and stability.
Lastly, the weight distribution of the cargo on a hitch-mounted carrier is more balanced, minimizing the impact on the vehicle's handling and fuel economy.
That said, hitch-mounted systems are not perfect.
While you won’t lose overhead clearance (and can safely enter garages and drive-thru lanes without destroying your roof-top cargo), a hitch-mounted rack will make your vehicle a few feet longer. Not only that, but you also lose departure angle. So, if you have a rack on the back of a normal car, use extra caution leaving steep driveways.
Depending on the vehicle, whatever accessory you put on the back of your car could also block your taillights, your license plate, and even your rear-view camera and parking sensors.
Another drawback is that most hitch-mount racks are uni-taskers. You have to choose between bikes, cargo or kayaks, but only one thing. With a roof rack, you can carry a couple of bikes and a kayak, for example, at the same time.
In our opinion, a hitch-mount carrying system is often a safer and superior choice, but it all depends on how you use your vehicle, where you take it and what you bring along for the ride. So, be sure to consider your constraints and then start weighing your options. And don’t forget to explore the vast range of hitch-mounted accessories available right here at PartsVia.com.