A 1-1/4 Inch to 2 Inch Adapter Will Not Fit on a Class I Trailer Hitch

Expert Reply:

A Class I trailer hitch has a little tab pressed into the receiver behind the hitch pin hole. This is so that an accessory designed for a Class II hitch cannot be installed. The reason for this is safety. A Class I hitch can easily be overloaded and the tab prevents items that should not be used from being used. I have included a link to an FAQ article on the hitch Classes for you.

A Class I trailer hitch can only carry 2 bikes maximum. The reason for this is the hitch is not designed to handle the weight of a third bike (or more) that far away from the receiver. So it is not the weight of the bikes, it is how far they will be from the receiver that produces too much torque and will damage the vehicle.

Adding an adapter will also reduce the tongue weight capacity of the trailer hitch by 50 percent. On Class I trailer hitch, tongue weight capacity would be reduced to 100 pounds and the extra length of the adapter would put extra torque on the receiver.

There are 2 options you have to remedy the situation. First, you could keep the hitch you have and use a bike rack designed for a Class I hitch, like the Swagman Trailhead, # S63360. Or, you could put a higher Class trailer hitch on your CR-V and use your 2 inch bike rack.

Depending on the year of your Honda CR-V, there could be Class I, II, and III trailer hitches available.

expert reply by: Michael H