Modular cargo carrier swings away with gear loaded for cargo area access. Swap the cargo carrier for a bike rack or ski carrier without removing the base from your vehicle, or add a 2nd tier to carry 2 accessories (all sold separately).
Features:
Specs:
Notes:
This modular cargo carrier holds large, bulky gear using your vehicle's hitch receiver. It also swings away, while fully loaded, for rear cargo area access. But the EXO system is more than just a swing away cargo carrier, it's the ultimate gear-carrying rig! You can easily swap the cargo carrier for a bike rack or ski carrier (sold separately) without removing the base unit from your vehicle. You can also add a second level to pair the cargo carrier with a bike rack, a ski rack, or a second cargo carrier (all sold separately). Lastly, because you can carry so much gear on the back of your vehicle, it frees up space on your roof to carry even more gear.
The cargo carrier lets you haul coolers, luggage, firewood, and other large, bulky gear. It's easy to detach the from the base unit so you can carry your gear to the campsite in one trip. You can also attach it to a wheel kit (Y97VR - sold separately) to convert the carrier into a wagon.
The hinged arm on the base lets you swing the unit away from your vehicle. This provides full access to your vehicle's rear cargo area and eliminates the need to remove your gear or the carrier when you're unloading your vehicle or letting your dog hop in or out of the back.
To open the hinged arm, simply rotate the release knob counterclockwise until it's unscrewed from the arm, pull out on the spring pin, and swing the rack away from the rear of your vehicle. The arm will lock in place when it's fully extended, so your hands are free to open your hatch and remove cargo.
To close the base, just pull the release lever at the hinge and swing the extended arm back into position. Once you hear the spring pin lock into place, rotate the knob clockwise until it's tight.
To install the EXO system, simply slide the shank on the base unit into your 2" hitch receiver, insert the threaded hitch pin, and tighten it down with the included 24-mm wrench. The threaded hitch pin also reduces noise and movement in your hitch.
Dual arms on the base have tracks with cleats and SpeedKnobs that secure EXO accessories. To swap the carrier for a different accessory, undo the latches on the sides of the arms, rotate the SpeedKnobs to allow the cleats inside the tracks to free the carrier, and remove it. Next, put the new accessory in the tracks, rotate the SpeedKnobs so the cleats secure it, then close each latch.
This EXO system includes 5 SKS locks to secure the system and the carrier. A lock secures the base to your vehicle's hitch receiver and locks in the arms secure the cargo carrier. Because the cargo carrier doesn't use a lock, this EXO configuration will come with 2 extra lock cores.
Because the EXO System is modular you can swap out the cargo carrier for a bike rack, ski rack, or accessory. You can also add a second tier and another accessory for whatever adventure you have planned. The various configurations are outlined below.
The DoubleUp 2-bike rack (Y24VR - sold separately) has ratcheting hooks that grab your bikes firmly by the front wheel - not the frame. It's perfect for carrying nearly any bike, including bikes with carbon frames, disc brakes, thru axles, or full suspensions.
The SnowBank (Y57VR - sold separately) is perfect for your ski trip. It carries up to 5 pairs of skis or 4 snowboards. It has an expanding hinge that accommodates thick skis and large buttons that let you access your skis even if you're wearing gloves.
The GearLocker enclosed cargo carrier (Y44VR - sold separately) has 10 cu ft of storage space for carrying helmets, clothes, and other gear. It keeps your gear secure, dry, and away from prying eyes. It also has built-in handles, so it's easy for you to tote all your gear to the campsite in a single trip. Collapsible totes with removable dividers (Y64VR - sold separately) keep your gear organized in the carrier.
To transform the system into a 2-tier carrier you will need the TopShelf (Y94VR - sold separately). It attaches to the base unit and holds 1 accessory. With the base rack swung away, you can swing the TopShelf back 180 degrees, with your accessories and gear still attached. This will provide unfettered access to your gear on the lower level.
For your biking adventure you can pair the cargo carrier with a bike rack. You can also swap the cargo carrier for an enclosed cargo carrier. On a 2-tier system the bike rack will need to be installed on the top tier to have room to mount your bikes. Using the bike rack on the top level reduces its weight capacity to 40 lbs per bike.
For your skiing adventure you can pair a ski carrier with an enclosed cargo carrier or a cargo carrier to transport all your gear to the slopes.
If you just want to carry gear, you can add a second cargo carrier. You can outfit the system with an enclosed cargo carrier and a cargo carrier, 2 enclosed cargo carriers, or 2 cargo carriers.
Note: The cargo carrier has a weight capacity of 250 lbs when it's installed on the single-tier system. If you install it on a 2-tier system, it can carry 110 lbs on the bottom tier or 80 lbs on the top tier. Similarly, the enclosed cargo carrier's weight capacity changes based on where it's installed. When utilized on the bottom tier, either alone or in a two-tier system, its weight capacity is 100 lbs. Installed on the top tier, it's weight capacity is 80 lbs.
The BackDeck camping table (Y84VR - sold separately) is perfect for use at the campsite. It lets you prep meals, lay out your gear, and even mix drinks at the end of the day. Simply remove the top accessory and replace it with the table once you get to the campsite.
Alternate Instructions
Average Customer Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars (244 Customer Reviews)
Modular cargo carrier swings away with gear loaded for cargo area access. Swap the cargo carrier for a bike rack or ski carrier without removing the base from your vehicle, or add a 2nd tier to carry 2 accessories (all sold separately).
The cargo swing away carrier works great on our van. We use it for ice chests, wood, storage bins, etc. it swings easily out of the way from the van double doors.
Everything fit with no problems. My brother suggested mounting the hitch first to the hanging brackets to bare the weight and then attach to the main frame. Then tighten all bolts to spec. Worked like a charm.
Shipping was well packaged and arrived in a timely manner. Instructions could use more detail, especially in terms of aligning screws when re-inserting to join carrier together. Otherwise, easy to put together & use.
Came on scheduled delivery date. Went together easily and functions well. The construction is very rugged and the whole assembly is put together nicely. I am happy with this product and would recommend purchasing it. My experience with Etrailer was above average, they are very prompt and helpful.
Great service… Again! This team has it down!
This is a solid capable workhorse. It has a big toolbox and a water jug in the basket rack. All my camping is in there. Going now is fast and easy.
Exactly what we hoped for. Easy to install and works perfectly. The customer service was also great. They sent a video link as soon as it arrived, with installation instructions.
well worth the money
Well made! Great fit! Easy to install!
Review from a similar EXO in Hitch Cargo Carrier
We use this for extra storage in our class B campervan. I'm able to store all the bulky items that don't fit inside the van like chairs, mats, and our grill. I like that it doesn't block the license plate or taillights and still allows access to the Thule bike rack. The SwingBase allows both doors to open for full access into the rear of the van.
David - 08/16/2023Review from a similar EXO in Hitch Cargo Carrier
Very easy to install. Total installation time (not counting taking photos and opening boxes) was approximately 15 minutes. The only issue I encountered was the left handle on the lower rack had a broken piece inside the locking pin assembly. Other than that, everything was quick and smooth for a single person job. This will greatly assist my business by allowing more room for passenger comfort on long trips to and from airports with a large party. Looking forward to putting this to use.
Jenny N - 04/21/2022 Joe - 04/15/2023Review from a similar EXO in Hitch Cargo Carrier
Product meets all expectations. etrailer quickly replaced a broken Knob Assembly which was damaged during shipping. Vehicle is an Airstream Interstate 24GT. The swing assembly does restrict the Sprinter's right barn door from opening completely, but not a significant issue. We did add our own rear turn signal lights and license plate holder since the factory rear lights restricted ground clearance.
Review from a similar EXO in Hitch Cargo Carrier
Installed on 2017 Transit 350HD.
First order on etrailer and the experience was great; really fast shipping and great communication. I was surprised to see it picked and shipped so quick so late in the day, especially for how big this is. It comes in 4 boxes; one giant one and 3 moderately huge ones.
The Yakima EXO system is top notch, great construction. Excellent fit and finish, and pretty easy to assemble. Read the instructions and follow each step and you'll have no issues. I have a bad back and was able to assemble myself, the heaviest part is the swing away hitch - if you can lift about 40-50 pounds it is going to be easy to assemble without any help. I went slow and it only took me about 30-45 minutes.
Tips - the bike rack portion it's not super clear that the rails should not be tight when you put the upper bike rack on. Just set everything in place and it will make getting the bolts through easier.
Pros - it's as advertised. Super sturdy, no shaking/rocking, easy to use. The people who designed this system should be high fiving themselves, it's great.
Cons - none really other than one minor customer experience gripe - you're given enough lock centers to re-key multiple Yakima EXO accessories, I think 4 are included...but it does not come with a master key for removing the lock center. You'll need to buy this separately or do like I did and make your own. Considering they put the effort into including replacement lock centers and give you every tool you'd need, it's a weird oversight.
That being said once you replace the lock center on the cargo carrier you only need 1 key for all of the locks on the system which is awesome.
Ford Transit specific issue I ran into:
When the swing away is open there is a safety latch that holds it open so it will not fall closed on you. This gets in the way of the passenger door opening. But if you remove this (at your risk) you can open the passenger door fully and if you rotate the upper shelf you can even open the door entirely against the side of the van. Also it will 100% block your camera and license plate if it's door mounted.
Absolutely stoked on this system. The cargo box is awesome with internal tie downs and taking it apart to store it in the garage only takes a minute or two. I love how easy the cargo box indexes in place. Every aspect of it has been super satisfying to play with.
Review from a similar EXO in Hitch Cargo Carrier
Unfortunately we can’t open rear of 2018 expedition with the top box in place. One of the knob locking pins is/was broken in shipping. I also wish all of the items were keyed the same. This whole setup is 5 keys. I’ll probably call a locksmith and have them all re-keyed if possible.
Review from a similar EXO in Hitch Cargo Carrier
This is the perfect setup for family road trips when you need a little extra dry storage. I mounted this on my Rivian R1S and saw no change in range, as opposed to a roof mount system. I only wish Yakima would incorporate a full-size spare mount for the EXO. Also had a favorable experience with etrailer customer service, as one of the locking pins arrived damaged. They were quick to get a replacement part to me at no cost. I couldn't be happier with the EXO or etrailer. I know that sounds corny, but it's true.
Review from a similar EXO in Hitch Cargo Carrier
Couldn’t love this more, adds all of the extra space needed. Locks integrated throughout make very easy to secure. Love that the cargo boxes can be removed individually, packed and returned to brackets. Two improvements which we would improve, locks are all keyed differently and would be a bit easier for us if they were keyed alike. Also, has a significant wobble once affixed to the hitch. We were able to fix temporarily with shims, and will be ordering a hitch tightener for future use. Not sure if this is a universal issue or specific to our vehicle type.
Review from a similar EXO in Hitch Cargo Carrier
Great bike rack and cargo carrier. I use it on my camper van and it is very functional and creates a ton of extra storage. Swing away rack works extremely well!
Review from a similar EXO in Hitch Cargo Carrier
The unit is mounted on our class b RV and has performed flawlessly in the year that we’ve owned it. The swing away feature allows us to open the back doors. Next purchase will be the bike rack. 4 instead of 5 stars only because of no response by the Yakima support team to a question asked just after we purchased it. E-trailer was great to work with
Review from a similar EXO in Hitch Cargo Carrier
This thing is well built and Heavy! should work well for my needs. definitely have to load heavier things on the driver's side as it is off center and tilts to the passenger side when not loaded with gear. I also got the tabletop which now I realize is useless for my application. I am using this on my truck with a truck camper in the bed. this makes the table attachment shoulder high. wheels for the wheel kit at pneumatic and flat so I guess I will have to add air every time I intend on using them, I thought the description said they were solid wheels, but I must have read something wrong cause they are definitely phonematic.
Review from a similar EXO in Hitch Cargo Carrier
We love it! It is easy to put on and remove. It is easy to put on and remove. The EXO system has been great for us. It is meticulously designed and rugged. Very functional and we can travel with peace of mind that on our hitch.
Review from a similar EXO in Hitch Cargo Carrier
This rack works great. Yakima is top quality. Thank you to e trailer for making it easy to get.
Review from a similar EXO in Hitch Cargo Carrier
All of the Yakima items I bought from you are awesome!!! They are very good quality and are great to use. I bought the swing arm , the box , the table. I just went camping for first time this year. Everything worked great. Thanks
Review from a similar EXO in Hitch Cargo Carrier
Thanks etrailer
The unit arrived as projected,, 4 components all well packaged.
The instructions were easily followed and accurate
The quality of the construction was good with clean welds and good coating
One issue was no keys for the pin locks could be located
The design of the attachment is very easy to attach and detachment.
You can see the various coolers utilized, couple reasons
1. Larger coolers can’t be accessed, the smaller size allows for open top
Access, additionally these can be locked with cable thru handle to
Reduce possible theft.
I did find the upper tightening knob to be not as secure, as I felt better,
In putting a thru bolt and lock but in lue of
All in all pleased , we’ll see how it holds up under highway use
Jenny N - 03/22/2022
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