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Opinion on Hitch Hauler/Carrier

  1. #1
    Posting Freak Karate.Snoopy's Avatar
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    Opinion on Hitch Hauler/Carrier

    Lack of garage space prompted me to look into Hitch Hauler/Carrier. Something like this

    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NP82M1T..._OPRtFb9RY3MJT

    I have seen only a handful of these at track days however
    Other than having a sturdy rusty free frame, what are your opinions on this.

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  2. #2
    Lifer jimmycapp's Avatar
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    Re: Opinion on Hitch Hauler/Carrier

    They’re great depending on what vehicle you put them on. My little dirt bike hauler would bottom out my old Jeep Cherokee. Lot of tongue weight , 2 feet out.

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  3. #3
    Posting Freak Karate.Snoopy's Avatar
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    Re: Opinion on Hitch Hauler/Carrier

    Quote Originally Posted by jimmycapp View Post
    They’re great depending on what vehicle you put them on. My little dirt bike hauler would bottom out my old Jeep Cherokee. Lot of tongue weight , 2 feet out.
    Looking to haul a bike under 400 lbs on a Lexus RX330

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  4. #4
    Lifer jasnmar's Avatar
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    Re: Opinion on Hitch Hauler/Carrier

    The thoughts of putting a #400 bike on one of these is terrifying to me.

    From a 5 star Amazon review
    Opinion on  Hitch Hauler/Carrier-failure-png

    While this looks like a disaster, it's actually much worse than it appears.

    A normal hitch rating is based on the tow vehicle and the vehicle being towed experiencing different road conditions at the same time. ETA: I don't expect that you can get more than a class III hitch for that vehicle, which is rated at #600 tongue weight. I've never seen a spec for at what point tongue weight is measured (there probably is one), but it isn't where that motorcycle is riding.
    In the case of one of these "hitch carriers" the road conditions of the "towing vehicle" are amplified by the distance from the rear wheel.

    This scares me.

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    Last edited by jasnmar; 09-01-20 at 07:09 PM.

  5. #5
    Angry Gumball RandyO's Avatar
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    Re: Opinion on Hitch Hauler/Carrier

    100% tongue weight, maybe a dirtbike on a Suburban

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  6. #6
    Lifer 01xj's Avatar
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    Re: Opinion on Hitch Hauler/Carrier

    Quote Originally Posted by Karate.Snoopy View Post
    Looking to haul a bike under 400 lbs on a Lexus RX330
    Look up what the tongue weight of your vehicle is. Calculate the weight of the carrier plus the bike, add a few lbs for fuel and fluids. Remember the weight will be pushing straight down, so going past your rates capacity is going to be dicey.

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  7. #7
    Lifer
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    Re: Opinion on Hitch Hauler/Carrier

    Quote Originally Posted by 01xj View Post
    Look up what the tongue weight of your vehicle is. Calculate the weight of the carrier plus the bike, add a few lbs for fuel and fluids. Remember the weight will be pushing straight down, so going past your rates capacity is going to be dicey.
    It's been mentioned already, but definitely don't forget to account for the weight being further out than a ball would be.

    I've seen quite a few dirtbikes on them, and that looks like it works fine. They wobble a bit, and the lighter duty trays sag. Never heard anything bad about them besides the tongue weight considerations. But you're looking at twice the weight, and on a lighter duty unibody vehicle. I'll be surprised if it officially specs that kinda weight, and even if you like to assume there's a wide margin of error, it's still a lot of weight hanging off the back. Swap the bike for a sumo?

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  8. #8
    Lifer
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    Re: Opinion on Hitch Hauler/Carrier

    I agree with the comments. I think it will be dicey. Maybe, for a very light dirt bike. Again, depends on vehicle - a Grand Cherokee or 4 Runner would be much better at this than a Lexus RX330. The Lexus is a very comfortable and softly suspended cross over SUV.

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  9. #9
    Banned Rambunctous's Avatar
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    Re: Opinion on Hitch Hauler/Carrier

    Just run two ties downs up to the roof rack and it isn't going anywhere.

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  10. #10
    Senior Member bassomatic's Avatar
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    Re: Opinion on Hitch Hauler/Carrier

    I'm not a physicist, but I'd guess that the allowable numbers might not fully account for the extra levering effect from a moving vehicle over bumpy roads. I saw a fairly big bike sagging off the back of a van a couple weeks ago. It looked like disaster waiting to happen.

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  11. #11
    Banned G21forme's Avatar
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    Re: Opinion on Hitch Hauler/Carrier

    Quote Originally Posted by bassomatic View Post
    I'm not a physicist, but I'd guess that the allowable numbers might not fully account for the extra levering effect from a moving vehicle over bumpy roads. I saw a fairly big bike sagging off the back of a van a couple weeks ago. It looked like disaster waiting to happen.
    It's called a moment load iirc. I have a hitch basket for camping that sags a bit and I thought about your idea but wasn't sure how sturdy the bars on my subaru are because they are designed to hold shit on top not pulling back. Not a physicist but was worried about breaking stuff.

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  12. #12
    Lifer OneCheekRider's Avatar
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    Re: Opinion on Hitch Hauler/Carrier

    I've been using this for 8 years or so:
    https://www.discountramps.com/smc-60...er/p/SMC-600R/

    The key is to have a quality anti-sway device like this (I use my electric impact to tighten):
    https://www.amazon.com/StowAway-Tigh...motive&sr=1-35

    As stated above, check both vehicle and hitch capacities. I've used my carrier with a Jeep Liberty and a Jeep Cherokee without issue. I will say that my current Jeep Grand Cherokee with air-suspension handles it considerably better. I have two trailers but if it's a smaller bike (<500lbs) I grab this almost every time.

    oh, and I added an amazon truck-bed LED strip with built in brake, running, and turn signals for visibility.

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    Last edited by OneCheekRider; 09-02-20 at 07:45 PM.

  13. #13

    Re: Opinion on Hitch Hauler/Carrier

    Just get Chips single rail trailer and call it a day.

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  14. #14
    Wizard loudbeard's Avatar
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    Re: Opinion on Hitch Hauler/Carrier

    I did a bit of digging around and have not found an aftermarket hitch (Curt, Reese, etc) for an RX330 that is rated for more than 350 lbs tongue weight. As the other guys have mentioned, a hitch carrier places the load out further than where you'd have a trailer ball.

    I wouldn't do it. If space were a concern, folding trailer.

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  15. #15
    Posting Freak caddydaddy's Avatar
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    Re: Opinion on Hitch Hauler/Carrier

    I had one for my dirtbike. I wouldn't put anything much heavier than that on it. I now have a folding trailer for the dirt bikes.

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  16. #16
    Senior Member bassomatic's Avatar
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    Re: Opinion on Hitch Hauler/Carrier

    Quote Originally Posted by tsorfas View Post
    Just get Chips single rail trailer and call it a day.
    I laughed out loud.... she is a beauty.

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  17. #17
    Banned Rambunctous's Avatar
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    Re: Opinion on Hitch Hauler/Carrier

    Maybe I will be posting up a hot setup. Diesel pickup with a Lance slide in that tows a Pace enclosed trailer optioned to the max. All extra mint. All you need is a helmet and a bike.

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  18. #18
    Backwoods lobster boy number9's Avatar
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    Re: Opinion on Hitch Hauler/Carrier

    I wouldn't put anything heavier than a dirt bike on anything lighter-duty than a body-on-frame truck.

    Hanging 350lbs (or more!) 12-18" rearwards off the trailer hitch on a unibody car does not seem to be a recipe for good times.

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  19. #19
    Lifer JohnnyV's Avatar
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    Re: Opinion on Hitch Hauler/Carrier

    Quote Originally Posted by number9 View Post
    I wouldn't put anything heavier than a dirt bike on anything lighter-duty than a body-on-frame truck.

    Hanging 350lbs (or more!) 12-18" rearwards off the trailer hitch on a unibody car does not seem to be a recipe for good times.
    Yep, I put an EX500 on one plugged into a Land Rover Discovery. Took so much weight off the front end that it was straight up horrifying to drive, 0/10 would not recommend

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  20. #20
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    Re: Opinion on Hitch Hauler/Carrier

    Rocky Mountain sells Switch Hauler. Weight limit is 350. I use it for KTM 250 SXF on SUV with no issues ever in the last 5 years. This thing is SOLID. Can’t put street bike on it though as they are usually over 350

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  21. #21
    Backwoods lobster boy number9's Avatar
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    Re: Opinion on Hitch Hauler/Carrier

    Quote Originally Posted by Momoney7878 View Post
    Rocky Mountain sells Switch Hauler. Weight limit is 350. I use it for KTM 250 SXF on SUV with no issues ever in the last 5 years. This thing is SOLID. Can’t put street bike on it though as they are usually over 350
    Lots of people look at the weight limit of the hauler itself. Far fewer people look at the weight limit of the tongue...

    I took this picture at Wareham in 2018:

    Opinion on  Hitch Hauler/Carrier-img_3543-jpg

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  22. #22
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    Re: Opinion on Hitch Hauler/Carrier

    Hahaha PRIUS! Of course. The Switch Hauler works with a class 3 hitch which is 600 lbs tongue weight limit.

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  23. #23
    Lifer
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    Re: Opinion on Hitch Hauler/Carrier

    Quote Originally Posted by Momoney7878 View Post
    The Switch Hauler works with a class 3 hitch which is 600 lbs tongue weight limit.
    You can put a Class 3 600lb hitch on that Prius, but that doesn't mean you can now put 600lb to it. The vehicle also has it's own weight limits no matter what hitch is installed.

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  24. #24
    Backwoods lobster boy number9's Avatar
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    Re: Opinion on Hitch Hauler/Carrier

    Quote Originally Posted by aldend123 View Post
    You can put a Class 3 600lb hitch on that Prius, but that doesn't mean you can now put 600lb to it. The vehicle also has it's own weight limits no matter what hitch is installed.
    This. The hitch limit on my Curt hitch is about 150lbs more than the tongue weight limit from Subaru...

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  25. #25
    Your Father csmutty's Avatar
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    Re: Opinion on Hitch Hauler/Carrier

    Quote Originally Posted by JohnnyV View Post
    Yep, I put an EX500 on one plugged into a Land Rover Discovery. Took so much weight off the front end that it was straight up horrifying to drive, 0/10 would not recommend
    When hauling the EX500 is equally as sketchy as riding it.

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