Carrying 3 Bikes on a 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan with a 1-1/4 Inch Trailer Hitch Receiver

Published 07/14/2017

Question:

I have a 2014 Tiguan with an installed 1 1/4 hitch. I need to carry at least 3 bikes and read that with the 1 1/4 hitch the maximum is 2 bikes. Is there a way around this such as also getting a 2 inch extension?

asked by: Peter W

Helpful Expert Reply:

You are limited to 2 bikes on a Class I trailer hitch receiver but not a Class II. If you have a Class II receiver on the Tiguan you can carry 3 bikes as long as you're still within the weight capacity of the hitch. We only carry Class II and Class III hitches for your VW so it's likely you have a Class II. Check the hitch, owner's manual, or with Volkswagen to find the hitch Class and capacities is the first step.

If you find out it's a Class I hitch, or a Class II that isn't rated high enough to support the bike rack and all 3 bikes you cannot safely change this. Adding a hitch extender actually decreases the weight capacity of the hitch receiver by 50 percent so it'll hurt more than help.

If the factory hitch just won't work out for either reason you can replace it with the Class III receiver like # e98906. But there isn't a way to increase the capacity of a hitch.

Another option is to look into a roof rack to carry the some or all of the bikes. I've linked our selection that fits your Tigaun.

expert reply by: Charles S