Using Car Pod Cargo Carrier on Front Mounted Hitch of 2015 Toyota Tacoma
Updated 05/03/2016 | Published 05/01/2016 >
Products Featured in This Question
Question:
I will be pulling a small camper trailer...so would want to use the cargo carrier on the front....I have seen it done on vehicles passing by. Do you recommend it? Or do you have something else you recommend? Will have a front hitch added if you think that would work.
asked by: Mary K
Expert Reply:
It would initially seem that a front mounted cargo carrier is a good idea, but it's not a practice I recommend for three pretty good reasons.
• Having the carrier at the front restricts airflow into the radiator, which could cause the engine to overheat.
Which would be bad.
• The carrier can interfere with the truck's headlights. Which would also be bad.
• The carrier can interfere with the driver's vision of the road, leading to an unsafe situation. Which could be
really bad.
I'd recommend installing a roof rack and a cargo basket, this way the cargo will be up out of the way and not interfering with the driver's vision. The roof rack would consist of the following parts:
For the Access Cab:
Rhino Rack 2500 Series Crossbar, part # RRVA137B-2
Leg Kit, part # RRRLKVA
Vehicle specific clamp kit, part # DK046
For the Double Cab:
Rhino Rack 2500 Series Crossbar, part # RRVA137B-2
Leg Kit, part # RRRLKVA
Vehicle specific clamp kit, part # DK174
With the roof rack in place, you'll need a roof basket. The Yakima # Y07138 OffGrid would be an excellent choice, as you can see in the video I've linked for you. I'd also recommend a cargo bag like the # RL100S20 from Rightline.
This might seem like quite a bit of equipment, but it's actually about the same amount of money as the combined cost of the front hitch and the Car Pod carrier you'd asked about.
I've linked to a product demonstration video for the OffGrid roof cargo basket.
Product Page this Question was Asked From
24x48-3/4 Carpod Walled, Folding Cargo Carrier - 2" Hitches - w/ Lid, Bag, Rise Shank - 450 lbs
- Hitch Cargo Carrier
- Enclosed Carrier
- Folding Carrier
- Hitch Mount
- 450 lbs
- Fits 2 Inch Hitch
- 48 Inch Long
- Cargo
- Steel
- Carpod
more information >
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