Best Way to Carry Bikes While Towing with a 2004 Chevy Suburban 1500

Updated 11/05/2018 | Published 11/03/2018

Products Featured in This Question

Kuat Beta Bike Rack for 2 Bikes - 2" Hitches - Tilting

(295)

$349.00

Curt Front Mount Trailer Hitch Receiver - Custom Fit - 2"

(194)

$282.94

Curt Multipurpose Ball Mount with 2" Receiver for Bike Racks and Cargo Carriers - 7,500 lbs

(232)

$70.92

Question:

I have a 2004 Chevy suburban 1500 LT and a kayak trailer with a long tounge. Would this hitch and the The Curt Dual Ball Mount part # D210 work for this? My concern is there is a dip in the road at the end of my driveway and Im worried about the hitch and the The Curt Dual Ball Mount part # D210 binding when the back of the truck goes down in the dip.

asked by: Warren

Expert Reply:

There are actually a few concerns with the Curt Multipurpose Ball Mount part # D210 that you need to be aware of. The first as you mentioned is clearance and the other two are tongue weight capacity and rise/drop. The clearance issue is going to be a bit tricky to try and predict as to whether or not an issue will occur because it all really depends on the angle of the incline.

This ball mount has a 2-1/4" drop. If you compare that to the ball mount you are using now to back the trailer down and out of the driveway it should give you a good idea of any potential issues you would run into. Also, with the fixed ball mount height you need to make sure this is going to allow for your tow vehicle to pull the trailer level. The last issue is tongue weight capacity. This ball mount is considered an adapter so it will reduce the tongue weight capacity of your hitch/vehicle by 50%. This might not be as big of an issue as the above two but is something you need to keep in mind. Unfortunately, there is no way for me to know whether or not you will have any binding issues with the ball mount and trailer as there are just too many factors at play.

The best option I can offer you would be to place the bikes on a bike rack with a front mount trailer hitch like the Curt Front Mount Trailer Hitch Receiver part # 31302. This should then allow for you to use the Kuat Beta 2 Bike Rack part # B202-2 without any issues. It is also a custom fit so no drilling into the frame is required. This option will also easily allow you to maneuver your trailer while the bike rack is not attached.

I have attached review videos for you as well.

expert reply by: Conner L