17x46 Curt Cargo Carrier for 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches - Steel - 500 lbs

My first impression was not so good. The box arrived by UPS with two tears. Fortunately, the parts were rubbed but not damaged. Things went well until I counted out the pieces and found myself short 6*35 bolts,washers,and lock nuts. Another issue was the fit of the adapter for 2" receiver. I attempted to fit it to a new hitch 2". It was a no-go without the application of a dead blow hammer. These items are not the end of the world by any means but they kind of reduce the good feeling you get with new equipment. 3.5 stars at the most. 473178

Bought to use on a 2016 Subaru Forester. I like the overall size. It's not as wide or wider than the Forester and I can still easily access the rear hatch. With the anti-rattle bolt, it is really stable. Now the reason for the 4 stars and not 5. I added some additional reflective tape on the side corners because at night, in a dark parking lot, it is not easy to see. But what is really annoying is the carrier is at the same height as the exhaust tip. I thought that if there was an issue with this there would be something in the reviews (which there was no mention of this being a possible issue). On a trip from southwest Ohio to Minneapolis I learned the hard way that this is a serious issue. The exhaust gasses melted a hole in the cargo bag I was using to protect gifts from the elements. Thankfully the condensation that built up in the bag kept the cardboard box the bag melted to from possibly igniting. Things were damp, but not ruined. For many vehicles, you will need an adapter to raise the carrier up and away from the exhaust. You could use a turn-down exhaust tip, but this may just make the hot gasses hit your cargo from a different angle. The second time I used with a Curt adapter with rubbermaid tubs and had no issues. 464179

I wanted a small trailer for my 1 1/4" hitch on my Prius V to fit two Rubbermaid Roughneck Trash Barrels for trips to the town Transfer Station. The 17.5" aprox depth of the basket of this trailer fits the bottom of the barrels just right. I judged that a 60" wide would not fit three barrels anyway and that might be too heavy a load, so the 47" x 17.5" inside dimension of this was best. The attached photos show two barrels in the trailer. Some have complained that the assembly instructions are lacking. Here are some tips: The bottom platform pieces should be placed so that the tubing is flush at the central rails, the flat rails with 4 holes that bolt to the center 1 1/4" square tube are a bit wider than the square tubing that make up the bottom platform and the extra lip should point down so you have a nice flush platform in the bottom of the tray where you will be putting stuff. If you have those pieces upside down, you would have a little ridge sticking up on each side of the central square tube and that would not work well as well as the bottom of the tray, and the "T" connectors would not fit correctly. Group the fasteners and you will have three bunches (manufacturer had the nut/bolt/washers assembled together in my shipment) A) 18 small diameter bolts/nuts/washers - those are for the flat A shaped braces which hold the bottom platform halves to the top railing halves. B) 8 medium diameter bolts/nuts/washers - those are for the fore and aft "T" connectors C) 4 large diameter bolts/nuts/washers - those hold the left half and right half of the platform together. Using the smallest bolts, fasten the "A" braces to the bottom platform halves, then bolt to the top platform halves, leave them loose with about 1/8" of play. Now you have two half assemblies of the bottom tray. Place the middle 1 1/4" square "hitch" piece between the two half assemblies and line them up but do not put the 4 big bolts in yet. Put the two "T" connectors at the back and hitch side. The "T" connector with the reflector goes at the back, and the reflector points toward traffic. The other one goes on the hitch side. Loosely bolt the "T" connectors using the 8 medium bolts and then fasten the two sides together snugly with the 4 big bolts. Then tighten all other fasteners. A ratchet and metric sockets and an adjustable wrench to hold the nut while tightening the bolt head is much handier than two wrenches. 429557

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The 20X48 Curt cargo carrier is very well made. I bought it because the etrailer.com video convinced me that with the use of the locking pin, loaded on my 1-1/4" hitch, the carrier would not do a lot of moving and shaking when traveling. The cargo carrier lives up to this claim however I do have one gripe: This carrier is not actually 20X48"; the interior dimension is really 17-1/2X46". I had previously bought an aluminum 20X60" carrier from my local Northern Tool but I returned it because I had to use a 2" hitch adapter and it made the cargo carrrier very unstable, however, the actual inside dimensions where as advertised: 20X60! 22876

I was looking for a basket style hitch carrier that was not too big. Most carriers I saw were 60 inches long. This one is 48 inches and was just what I was looking for. I like everything about this carrier: the looks, style, size and weight. I will be using it to carry beach equipment during our summer vacations to the Outer Banks, NC. The assembly instruction page leaves alot to be desired as there is one picture trying to explain how to completely assemble the carrier. You can figure it out, but will take some time and multiple looks at the one diagram. It took me about 1.5 hours to assemble. Some other facts for those of you looking for a hitch carrier to use on a Jeep Wrangler. I have a 2013 Wrangler Unlimited with the factory installed trailer towing package & 2 inch receiver. You have to use a hitch extender with this particular carrier in order to clear the rear mounted spare tire. The JK Wranglers need approx. 12 inches out from the center of the hitch pin hole. Also, you will not be able to fully open the tailgate as the tire will hit the carrier. If you went with a flat carrier (not the basket style of this Curt one), you most likely would be able to open the tailgate and clear a flat carrier. Troop, the customer service rep who assisted me with my order was fantastic. 85560

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You can check out truck bed tool box manufacturers. There are some cargo carriers out there that have matching boxes, but this is not one of them. However, with the inside dimensions on the carrier, it can be pretty easy to find an aluminum or molded ABS plastic box that will fit. Part DZ6535P from DeeZee would fint inside this Curt carrier.

-- Patrick B - 12/26/2013

Required a light weight cargo carrier but was unsure of what model & make. Called Etrailer and friendly, helpful and knowledgable CSR Cathy T assisted me. Carrier is exactly what i require and arrived on time in new condition. 476057

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I am extremely happy with my purchase. I bought this for a cross-country family move. At such a reasonable price, I was surprised at how heavy and sturdy this carrier was. Assembly was quite easy, with directions I could understand. Now that I've moved, I'm looking forward to future uses on fishing trips and tailgating at college football games!! 401513

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by: Erin03/26/2018

This basket is TOUGH! It holds a huge 6p tent, a 2p tent, a 60 pound deep cycle battery, a bag of tools, and an air mattress when we tent camp around the country. This basket has seen about 8,000 miles across 24 states. It's scraped the ground over 100 times and the bolts got tweaked. I sawed them off and replaced them with round headed bolts upside down so it will skid on the round head instead of the ground catching the threads and bending the bolts. I seriously cannot believe this basket is still intact! It's been through absolute hell and it's held up. It's due for a painting and she'll be like new. On my 2011 Yaris, it blocks the license plate so I could potentially be giving a bored cop a reason to pull me over. Sometimes I zip tie my license plate to the basket when I'm in a bigger city. At night, I use one of those 12 volt license plate lights and connect that to my battery in the basket. This was a great investment and I'm damn glad to have it. 489371

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The basket took a BEATING and it took it like a champ. I ended up selling it on [used item site] when I upgraded vehicles to a very happy customer.

Erin S - 04/08/2019

fantastic item. works great . weight capacity is underestimated. easy to instal . i recommend this on any vehicle for extra carrying space 900380

Kind of a pain putting it together but nice shelve 875606

by: 09/06/2020

875153

This is a well designed and sturdy carrier at a reasonable price. As other reviewers have mentioned, the assembly instructions contain an annoying sequence error--the center connection tubes must be attached to the platform halves BEFORE the halves are bolted to the center shank. There is really no excuse for Curt not to reprint correct instructions. 863350

Instructions were incorrect, but I figured it out in the end. 852346

by: Bill S07/27/2020

Very Good Quality. I have used many times on Camping and fishing trips. Has held up well. 851479

by: Jim A07/19/2020

Carrier was easy to assemble and worked perfectly. No wobble when attached to receiver and solidly built. But no response to my multiple queries about the rebate I was supposed to get. Very disappointed in that. 845726

by: Gerald07/16/2020

This is a great product to haul extra cargo on any vehicle. I have a ford escape and I use it all the time traveling or just going to town to put extras on. I have two totes that fit perflectly in the carrier and are water proof, so it is easy to haul anything. Service at E trailer is awesome. 844280

by: Chaz195207/09/2020

Purchased this rack for extra storage on our family's annual trip to the Outer Banks, NC. About a 600 mile trip, one way. Assembly was straightforward and went fairly smoothly. First time doing anything like this, so I took my time and spent about an hour (maybe a little more) working on it. Included instructions were clear and easy to follow. Assembled rack was really sturdy and seemed quite strong. Our Honda CR-V has a 1.25" hitch, so I did not need the included adapter. At each overnight stop I double-checked all nuts and bolts for tightness. A couple needed tweaking, but nothing major. So we loaded the cargo carrier with two large Rubbermaid bins (side by side) and three folding sand chairs on top, two folding camp chairs along the front and a kite tote bag. (Included photo shows a test fit, not actual trip packing) I used two ratchet straps and a couple of bungee cords to secure everything down. This really freed up storage inside the two cars we take on the trip. Honestly noticed no difference in the handling of the car or gas mileage. I did add some additional auto reflective tape on the front and side "railings" of the carrier. I felt these made the rack a bit more visible on the interstate. No items on the carrier shifted at any point of our trip. Overall, I am pleased with this carrier. Very positive experience with it from start to finish. I would definitely buy it again and would look at other Curt products in the future. Great product at a good price. 830507

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by: Mike A07/03/2020

It's been good so far after a year. I use it on my jeep wrangler JK 2 door for extra storage when I need it. I would say when assembling be careful not to over tighten as the screws will push into the metal and sink into it if you over tighten. Also make sure you get an anti-rattle hitch adapter to prevent shaking and swaying. Other than that so far so good, recommend it, especially if you have a jeep, the width is perfect. Oh and I also use a drop hitch adapter so I can open the tailgate of the jeep without taking this off; it might be a good idea to get one too. My Setup: Jeep Wrangler JK 2-Door - 3" Lift Blue Ox Towbar Drop or Rise Receiver - 6" Drop - 6" Rise Roadmaster Quiet Hitch for 2" Trailer Hitches 17x46 Curt Cargo Carrier for 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches 2" Anti-Rattle HitchLock 826470

by: Knighthawk06/30/2020

Easy to understand instructions. Maybe 20 minutes total build time. Sturdy design. I use the Curt Stretchable Cargo Net to tie down load. I use it monthly on my RDX. No issues. Would purchases again. 825094

by: Billie Margraves06/28/2020

it was everything that you claimed it to be. 827806

All in all a good cargo carrier. I'm happy that every single fastener used a nylon lock nut. I'm using the 1 1/4" hitch. The one thing If I was using a 2", I'd be disappointed by the plastic receiver adapter. Maybe it works fine, but I'd have my doubts. The car is a Chevy Bolt EV, using the beefy and highly recommended Draw-Tite hitch. Don't bother with any other hitch, they bend or are insane to install. My only issue is that, unsurprisingly, it rides low, and scrapes when I leave my driveway, and it's not even that bad a driveway. One nice thing with the electric is that there's no hot exhaust to melt your cargo! The range / fuel economy hit is almost certainly better than a roof box, and it's way more accessible. 822987

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by: M. Nosrati06/13/2020

It is a great product. 814851

by: Steve06/11/2020

carries.....coolers surfboards lawnmowers beach chairs umbrellas kayaks paddles bikes lumber screens table saw trim potting soil plants trees water softener salt guitars trombones tree stands.....but makes a lousy camper and can't keep an elephant from rolling your vehicle. 812114

I have received my cargo rack and have it assembled and have it installed in the trailer receiver. As it had no assembly instructions with the package, I was grateful for the detailed photo on the outside of the box.. Perhaps instructions might be in order for more complicated items, but I'm sure the guys in shipping are psychic and know when it would be a waist of time to include something that would never be followed in the first place' After assembly and installation I was pleased with how strong and solid it was. Good work on your part 804882

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by: Mike W05/29/2020

This works great with my new Etrailer h itch. 804878