Trailer Hitch Cargo Carriers - Anybody use these?

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hazmatman
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Trailer Hitch Cargo Carriers - Anybody use these?

Post by hazmatman » Sat Jul 05, 2014 8:42 pm

Looking to get one for an upcoming trip. I am considering the ROLA 59502 Hitch Cargo Carrier. Looks like a very good heavy duty unit. It does not fold up or swing away, but I am not so much concerned about that.

We'll be using the wife's 4Runner, Class III hitch. I was considering getting a trailer, especially because I could use it for so many other things, but she will not drive if we're hauling a trailer. And I only need to move a couple hundred pounds outside of the Toyota: a small window AC unit, a couple floor fans, kayak vests & paddles.

Been surfing the net looking for info. Checking the off road boards to see what folks are using. Just wondering what other people experiences with these things might be.

BTW, roof storage is out of the question because (1) I am not humping that AC unit up on a roof rack and (2) the kayaks will be taking up the entire roof. I'd still love to get a good work trailer so I can put everything on it, but right now I have no room for a trailer on the homestead…at least no where that the wife would let me put it. ;)

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Re: Trailer Hitch Cargo Carriers - Anybody use these?

Post by toxicavenger » Sat Jul 05, 2014 9:17 pm

That is a cool rack but I have this small trailer from harbor freight that I can roll into my back yard http://www.harborfreight.com/870-lb-cap ... 42708.html

The only thing I have seen that I don't like about the trailer mounted racks in they tend the make the rear of the vehicle sag a lot.

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Re: Trailer Hitch Cargo Carriers - Anybody use these?

Post by CesarG » Sun Jul 06, 2014 1:09 am

That's a terrible idea. If you can't fit everything into your huge-ass 4Runner, you're packing too much or you're not packing correctly.

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Re: Trailer Hitch Cargo Carriers - Anybody use these?

Post by sukUbus » Sun Jul 06, 2014 2:03 am

Never used one but see them alot...
Think they are cool. More room inside. Easy to unload. Have to beware of rain and road grime getting on your stuff

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Trailer Hitch Cargo Carriers - Anybody use these?

Post by Seth » Sun Jul 06, 2014 5:39 am

I built one years ago. Built right they're extremely useful and keep nasty stuff outside the car. It does effect the ride some (think of the leverage of adding 500# to your back bumper), but otherwise there's no downside.

I added a basket to the front of my trailer a couple of weeks ago for our trip to nags head.

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Re: Trailer Hitch Cargo Carriers - Anybody use these?

Post by justsellbrgs » Sun Jul 06, 2014 6:24 am

i use a Sherpak.... soft side works well.... bikes are on a hitch mounted carrier.

all this on a Sienna..
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Re: Trailer Hitch Cargo Carriers - Anybody use these?

Post by hazmatman » Sun Jul 06, 2014 7:42 am

Well considering I will need to use it in less than 30 days, building a trailer from scratch is out of the question and I did look at that very Harbor Freight Trailer. Unfortunately I am going to have to buy my way out of this small problem with a hitch mounted carrier, too many other things stacking up ahead of the trip, including a probable funeral.

I also don't like the rear end sag I see on vehicles with hitch carriers. Transferring too much weight to the rear can have dire handling consequences out on the highway. The only weighty item that will be on it will be a small window AC unit.

BTW Cesar, I will always have room for your dismembered body inside my car. I would never disrespect your remains by placing them in a cargo carrier my friend. ;)

We do haul gear for more than just us. It's to help support a week long family reunion…and trust me, the inside of that SUV is packed. A 2500 BTU AC unit, 3 20in floor fans, kayak gear - paddles & all sizes of vests, linens, pillows, blankets, clothes, beach towels, food, etc. This was all before our new addition…when I could fold down both rear seats.
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Re: Trailer Hitch Cargo Carriers - Anybody use these?

Post by Billwilson » Sun Jul 06, 2014 7:47 am

I use one on my Lexus SUV
Carry firewood every Wednesday night for a beach barbecue.
Brought home concrete blocks from the building supply store

I like it

I've been rear-ended twice when it was empty

Consider getting those fiberglass reflective rods for the corners

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Re: Trailer Hitch Cargo Carriers - Anybody use these?

Post by hazmatman » Sun Jul 06, 2014 7:56 am

I settled on the ROLA model after looking at many others when I was reading some posts on an FJCruiser forum. This model has a nice LED light kit that is made to fit it, and one of the members listed the number & types of vehicles that had rear-ended his ROLA rack and lost :lol: Hadn't even scratched the finish. A little reflective tape on the corners and sides will help as well.

And as long as I don't block the backup camera, maybe I can manage not to back into things with it. ;)

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Re: Trailer Hitch Cargo Carriers - Anybody use these?

Post by hazmatman » Tue Jul 15, 2014 9:02 am

So after much (read: little) more consideration, I ordered and have now received the ROLA hitch mounted cargo carrier. Just showed up last night. Will assemble this weekend.
RolaHitchCarrier.jpg
I also found a local person selling a Yakima Rack & Roll trailer at a steep discount.

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:grin: I can use all my current Yakima accessories.
:grin: Independent coil-over shocks, so no buckboard suspension like most boat trailers.
:grin: I can load everything at waist height, instead of heaving a 80lb tandem kayak over my head to roof mount it.
:grin: Uses standard motorcycle tires.
:grin: Breaks down, folds up to fit along the wall in the garage, and even has little roller blade wheels mounted at the tail end of the frame so you can roll the dissassembled frame around.
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Re: Trailer Hitch Cargo Carriers - Anybody use these?

Post by andrema » Tue Jul 15, 2014 9:08 am

Thule is the way to go IMO

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Re: Trailer Hitch Cargo Carriers - Anybody use these?

Post by Seth » Tue Jul 15, 2014 10:26 am

The Yakima trailer is only rated to 250#. I have a buddy that has has one. It's cool as hell but light duty.

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Re: Trailer Hitch Cargo Carriers - Anybody use these?

Post by hazmatman » Tue Jul 15, 2014 1:47 pm

True, the Yakima R&R is not a heavy lifter. It does not have much of a load rating, but if I can deal this woman down, it is a quality solution for a specific need: SAVING MY BACK.

All I need to load is three kayaks: Perception Tribes, a 13.5' tandem and two 11.5' solo SOT boats.
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That's maybe 170lbs, tops [MFG spec = (46x2) + 67 = 159lbs US, add in a little water & sand]. So there is additional fudge room so I could also toss on bikes as the wee one grows, or a cargo carrier for the vests, paddles and such. And it is wicked cool looking...if I can get it at a good price.

This would move all the boats off the roof, where I could put a cargo box because I accept that my life going forward is as a luggage porter for two women. But the amenity I get in exchange for the higher price and lower load rating is, besides saving my back, the Yakima R&R is extremely lightweight. The wife can easily move it herself, loaded or unloaded, with a vehicle or not.
IKnowThisIsMyFuture.jpg
I also have a Perception Synchro, which is only a foot and half longer than the tandem Tribe and only weighs 8lbs more, but OMG she is a beast to hoist on the roof by myself.
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Oh and Thule can suck my ass. ;) I try to buy American when I can find quality, and I have had Yakima equipment for almost 30 years. I have never been disappointed. But let's not let this devolve into a Thule v. Yakima thing, that's like Nikon v. Canon, Coke v. Pepsi, Ferrari v. Lamborghini...because we all know, Pepsi and Canon are better, you'd take a Ferrari if you could, and Yakima kicks ass. :stir:

But in the end, once you have invested enough in a system, you rarely change over. I have Yakima racks for three different vehicles, 4 bike rails, 3 baskets, 3 sets of kayak saddles, all with locks, etc, etc. I like the round bars, they are just stronger.
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Re: Trailer Hitch Cargo Carriers - Anybody use these?

Post by Seth » Tue Jul 15, 2014 2:13 pm

Don't get me wrong, it's a rad trailer. It just has a capacity issue. They make an extension for it as well but I think that decreases the capacity even further.

You should see it stored. Takes up almost zero space.

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Re: Trailer Hitch Cargo Carriers - Anybody use these?

Post by CGSshorty » Tue Jul 15, 2014 2:51 pm

That little Yak trailer is awesome.
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Re: Trailer Hitch Cargo Carriers - Anybody use these?

Post by hazmatman » Tue Jul 15, 2014 3:43 pm

I think the best you can do, even with both the extended tongue and some HD coilovers is in the 300-350lb range - and that's pushing it IMO. It is NOT a work trailer by any stretch of the imagination.

But like I said, if I can drive a good deal from this woman, it fills a niche in my "operations", saves my back, lets me mount a roof box for lots of light stuff, and the wife can very easily put this equipment into play. Hell, give my daughter a few years and she'll be able to hitch it up...which in a few years, I might need her help ;)

My real issue is bulk, not weight. So the combination of the Yak trailer and one of two cargo boxes, will easily field all the toys, clothing, linens, GOLF CLUBS, etc so I can place the few heavier weight objects (the small window AC, and the fan units) in the rear of 4Runner directly over the rear axle.

Note how evenly loaded the truck is in this pic...
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...I was only able to do that because we folded down both rear seats and got the bulk of the weight between the axles. With the wee one seated in the back, and the need to have a changing area right there, both rear seats will be UP for this trip. So even though the hitch mounted carrier will be packed with light weight gear, I have moved most of the weight to slightly (or more) behind the rear axle...so she will squat some.

The only other choice is...ditch one, some or all of the kayaks and just run a roof box for momma's crap :crybaby: That would be very disappointing.
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Re: Trailer Hitch Cargo Carriers - Anybody use these?

Post by Seth » Tue Jul 15, 2014 3:55 pm

It's a solid solution...especially for boats.

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Re: Trailer Hitch Cargo Carriers - Anybody use these?

Post by demer03 » Tue Jul 15, 2014 4:03 pm

Yeah, I had one. My brother owned a company who made them early on. They started even making for uhaul. Some states have issues with license plate visibility. My only issue was I got rear ended several times because people didn't see it close up. That's a bone jarring bump.

Abandoned it.

Find another solution.
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Re: Trailer Hitch Cargo Carriers - Anybody use these?

Post by hazmatman » Tue Jul 15, 2014 4:17 pm

Later, I will work on a proper trailer for my other toys...because the only way I'll get to take them anywhere for a while...will be to trailer them.

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I CONvinced momma to follow me down South in her SUV while I rode the Harley...ONCE...she ain't falling for that ever again. I think my Dad CONvinced my Mother to do the same thing ONCE. After that, the only bikes that went on vacation with us had to fit on the back of the station wagon.

So he got a hitch carrier and put a Yamaha 175 on the back of the Ford Country Squire Wagon. I think he got away with that...ONCE.

:roll:


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Re: Trailer Hitch Cargo Carriers - Anybody use these?

Post by hazmatman » Thu Jul 17, 2014 10:34 am

Well, the woman changed her mind about selling the trailer. Seems her little CRV with a roof rack just bit the dust, so now she needs the trailer so her car can drag her boats around. If I had only found her ad a week earlier. Anyhow, guess I will go shopping for a roof cargo box as well. I believe I can wedge one inbetween two kayaks and just leave one behind...especially if I get longer bars.

I should be able to fit the two solo boats and 24" wide cargo box on the roof if I go from 58" bars to 66" bars. I might even have a set of 66" bars in the garage. My boats sit upright at about a 75 degree angle (Yakima Bowdowns), not quite as vertical as the these photos (Kayak Stackers). A 78" R&R trailer would have held it all, but it was not meant to be I guess.

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Still trying to figure out how to kit out the little one's vehicle...
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Re: Trailer Hitch Cargo Carriers - Anybody use these?

Post by toxicavenger » Thu Jul 17, 2014 7:21 pm

If won't use the roof carrier a ton to justify buying one some places rent them. Or check on craigslist

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Re: Trailer Hitch Cargo Carriers - Anybody use these?

Post by hazmatman » Sun Jul 20, 2014 1:52 pm

I went ahead and bit the bullet…Yakima Skybox 16 Carbonite. We are gonna need the cargo space down the road anyway.

Should look just about like this on our Gen 4 4Runner, except of course our Toyota is white.

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If I can slide this out to one side, over the Yakima RailGrabs, with 66" bars I should still be able to mount a one kayak. I will not go down without a fight. Between the Skybox and the Rola Hitch Carrier, we should have plenty of room inside the passenger compartment for…passengers. ;)
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Re: Trailer Hitch Cargo Carriers - Anybody use these?

Post by CGSshorty » Sun Jul 20, 2014 8:22 pm

I've been considering one of those for the Explorer. Do they have any negative effect on handling or produce tons if wind noise?
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Re: Trailer Hitch Cargo Carriers - Anybody use these?

Post by toxicavenger » Sun Jul 20, 2014 8:28 pm

CGSshorty wrote:I've been considering one of those for the Explorer. Do they have any negative effect on handling or produce tons if wind noise?
A cargo box by itself can be noisy but if you put on a wind fairing on the racks then that will stop almost all of the noise up top. I drove my last car almost 3 years with a cargo carrier on it.

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Re: Trailer Hitch Cargo Carriers - Anybody use these?

Post by hazmatman » Mon Jul 21, 2014 4:49 am

The surface of this model, the Carbonite, is all dimpled like a golf ball. Supposedly makes it more aerodynamic, quieter. I also have a small fairing I can attach to the rack underneath. I'll let you know.
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