Best value hitch platform bike rack?

[alfajores]

Also a good option. I'm probably going to be moving around a decent amount in the next few years (just out of college, perhaps going to grad school on the west coast) so I'm willing to pay to have a good setup for the future
The hitch and rack setup is probably going to cost as much as the DH bike that started all of this haha

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At that rate, just set up for the hitch rack and haul them with you. That is what I did and the cost to bike-flight 2 bikes 3 times would be $450 in today's dollars.

Also, just get a mag to help you install the thing. Plenty of folks in Nevada all over the state.

[Dromond]

I have had two different 2” ecohitch receivers on two different Subarus for hitch racks and they have been great. It’s the way to go. As others have said, the hitch racks sway too much on 1.25” receivers

[S.B.]

At that rate, just set up for the hitch rack and haul them with you. That is what I did and the cost to bike-flight 2 bikes 3 times would be $450 in today's dollars.

Also, just get a mag to help you install the thing. Plenty of folks in Nevada all over the state.

I was quoted $600 to install the EcoHitch receiver because the bumper needs to come off, crazy...
If anyone near Reno would be willing to help that would be amazing, but otherwise I think it makes more sense to just ship for now

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[adrenalated]

I was quoted $600 to install the EcoHitch receiver because the bumper needs to come off, crazy...
If anyone near Reno would be willing to help that would be amazing, but otherwise I think it makes more sense to just ship for now

Bumper skin had to come off on my Bolt too. It wasn't hard and didn't require much in the way of tools. Ecohitch has a an overview video. etrailer has a video for the Curt hitch and the process for the Ecohitch is likely really similar.
On our Forester I had to drop the mufflers and that was way more of a pain in the ass.

[S.B.]

Bumper skin had to come off on my Bolt too. It wasn't hard and didn't require much in the way of tools. Ecohitch has a an overview video. etrailer has a video for the Curt hitch and the process for the Ecohitch is likely really similar.
On our Forester I had to drop the mufflers and that was way more of a pain in the ass.

The overview video of installation looked like it took the tech 20mins, which is why I was a bit shocked by the EcoHitch installer saying all bumper-off installs are $600.

https://youtu.be/wfp81_vz3EA


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[El Chupacabra]

I was quoted $600 to install the EcoHitch receiver because the bumper needs to come off, crazy...
If anyone near Reno would be willing to help that would be amazing, but otherwise I think it makes more sense to just ship for now

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I'm near Reno, Mt Rose highway area. I'll help you if you want to DIY the hitch install.

Can you post a link to the installation instructions for the exact hitch you're looking to install?

[S.B.]

I'm near Reno, Mt Rose highway area. I'll help you if you want to DIY the hitch install.

Can you post a link to the installation instructions for the exact hitch you're looking to install?

Thanks! I'm working on getting a copy of the instruction manual from the manufacturer. I posted the link to the overview video above if that is helpful

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[El Chupacabra]

Looks like it's this hitch - is that right?
https://www.etrailer.com/p-306-X7311.html

https://torkliftcentral.com/2015-201...a-gli-ecohitch

[S.B.]

Looks like it's this hitch - is that right?
https://www.etrailer.com/p-306-X7311.html

https://torkliftcentral.com/2015-201...a-gli-ecohitch

Yes it is. I'll send you a PM

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[frorider]

Yes it is. I'll send you a PM

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Props to Chup

The e trailer video instructions are great. Yes I had to pull off the bumper assembly on my Alltrack but it was no biggie. Having a second person helping really helps the reassembly though. I went for the 1.25” receiver since it nestles in the bumper opening with no cutting (and keeps the rack nice and high). Having owned rigs with 2 and 1.25, obviously the 2” is preferable but if the 1.25” is the lighter / more factory looking solution, it’s fine IME if you have 2 mtbs on a 1up rack. If you take viagra and dye your gray hairs though, you’re a target market for emtbs in which case 2” is the way to go

[J. Barron DeJong]

Props to Chup

The e trailer video instructions are great. Yes I had to pull off the bumper assembly on my Alltrack but it was no biggie. Having a second person helping really helps the reassembly though. I went for the 1.25” receiver since it nestles in the bumper opening with no cutting (and keeps the rack nice and high). Having owned rigs with 2 and 1.25, obviously the 2” is preferable but if the 1.25” is the lighter / more factory looking solution, it’s fine IME if you have 2 mtbs on a 1up rack. If you take viagra and dye your gray hairs though, you’re a target market for emtbs in which case 2” is the way to go

Just want to clarify that my concern with two bikes on a 1up with a 1.25 hitch had nothing to do with the rack itself, but that the weight was causing the hitch to ‘sag’ and and the amount of up/down movement of the hitch over any sort of bump was concerning. I think the issue on the CX-3 is the strength/stiffness of the hitch mounting points, so other cars could be better in that regard.

I use the same 1.25 1up rack on the van with the 2” adapter in place and it seems very solid with two bikes.

[alfajores]

Looks like it's this hitch - is that right?
https://www.etrailer.com/p-306-X7311.html

https://torkliftcentral.com/2015-201...a-gli-ecohitch

I am expecting to see you on the cover of the paper. Generous volunteer agrees to help install trailer hitch, gets kidnapped and turned into a speed suit for next ski season...

[Mustonen]

I said upthread: my 1.25” doesn’t sag. All movement is in the rack itself, and it’s all the kind of controlled limited movement you’d expect and want to see.

[adrenalated]

Again, I don't think the recommendation against a 1.25" hitch has anything to do with the 1.25" tube or what rack you attach to it. It has to do with most 1.25" hitches not being built sturdy enough for the amount of leverage that's applied to it once you attach a heavy-ish rack and a couple bikes.

Here's the 1.25" hitch that I took off my Bolt. Look at how the plate where it attaches to the car is bent down. That plate started out flat.



The mounting plates bending that much dropped the back of the hitch ~6" out at the back end of the rack.

The 2" Ecohitch had gussets in that spot and was MUCH stronger.

Edit: thanks TGR for rotating my photo incorrectly.

[J. Barron DeJong]

Again, I don't think the recommendation against a 1.25" hitch has anything to do with the 1.25" tube or what rack you attach to it. It has to do with most 1.25" hitches not being built sturdy enough for the amount of leverage that's applied to it once you attach a heavy-ish rack and a couple bikes.

Right.

My guess is that a car that has both 2” and 1.25” hitch options would be more likely to have a 1.25” work without issue. A car that only has 1.25” options is probably going to be more likely to run into issues, because the frame, mounting configuration, etc. weren’t designed around the expectation of a heavier tongue/trailer load.


Edit:

Audi A4 1.25” hitch:





CX-3 1.25” hitch:



CX-3 is mounted with two bolts, and then has a rinky-dink torque arm to keep it from sagging under tongue load.

[Mustonen]

Well that’s illuminating.

[singlesline]

Sounds like the answer is to buy an ecohitch and not a cheapo Curt (at least if that Curt is Class 1)

In addition to 1-1/4 vs 2" there are different classes of hitch. Class 1 only needs to be rated for something like 1-200lbs of tongue weight.

That picture of the Bolt hitch looks like it is this Curt Class 1: https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hit...leID=202151562 which is only rated for 100lbs. Put a couple of bikes on the end of a lever arm and it is no surprise that it bent.

The ecohitch for the Bolt is Class 2 and rated for 300lbs. I suspect Torklift also just overbuilds them because they know they are more likely to be used for bike/cargo racks than actual towing on small cars). For the same reason they tend to make both 2" and 1-1/4" ecohitch products in Class 2 even though class 2 only requires 1-1/4

Shame there's no ecohitch for the CX3, but at least both the Curt and the Drawtite are rated to 200lbs not 100. Honestly, it might be worth reaching out to Torklift... See this page: https://torkliftcentral.com/coming-soon If you happen to be able to get to the Kent, WA area, they might be willing to let you be a test-dummy for a CX3 model.

[El Chupacabra]

I am expecting to see you on the cover of the paper. Generous volunteer agrees to help install trailer hitch, gets kidnapped and turned into a speed suit for next ski season...

Positive thoughts!

I think we're set for installing the hitch - SB ordered it to ship to my house, and we'll get it bolted on around July 26. I have all the tools we're going to need.

[S.B.]

Positive thoughts!

I think we're set for installing the hitch - SB ordered it to ship to my house, and we'll get it bolted on around July 26. I have all the tools we're going to need.

Ordered the 2' EcoHitch, going to read through this thread soon to try to decide which rack to get to go with it.
I was going to get a Yakima on prodeal, but have since read reviews on the HoldUp Evo and they're generally negative.
It seems I can get for around the same price:
New Thule T2 Pro X on prodeal
Barely used Kuat NV 2.0 on FB
Used 1Up Super Duty on FB

I haven't been able to find any quality racks used for less than $400 in the Reno area

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[Core Shot]

It’s hard to beat the pro deal. My son hooked us up with the Thule. Nice rig. Kuat is more nicer but not at retail.

I’m Surprised they even sell a 2” kit for a non frame mount. You know some moron is going to try to haul heavy shit with that.

[Mustonen]

It’s hard to beat the pro deal. My son hooked us up with the Thule. Nice rig. Kuat is more nicer but not at retail.

I’m Surprised they even sell a 2” kit for a non frame mount. You know some moron is going to try to haul heavy shit with that.

They certainly make them hard to find. I gave up on replacing the hitch on my car with a 2”, which I wanted so I could future proof my hitch mount accessories. I get the moron-proofing, I guess, but annoyed that there were no reasonable options.

[El Chupacabra]

SB has a burly hitch and a new bike rack. Hitch install was pretty smooth, the etrailer video was very helpful. I think the rack assembly took longer - there are some defective bits in the Yakima brackets holding the wheel trays together, but Yakima ought to warranty those little parts.

[snowaddict91]

FKNA. Nice work.

[S.B.]

^huge thanks El Chup for all the help!

It's kind of annoying to need to get a part from Yakima for a brand new rack, but it works as is. I went with the the StageTwo instead of the HoldUp Evo because some reviews had complained about quality on the Evo, but it seems like it might just be a Yakima issue.

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[El Chupacabra]

Happy to help out!