Rear Hitch Carrier Strength

milowag

New member
My 2009 Forester doesn't have enough space for all the stuff I need for a 6 week camping trip from WV to the Dempster Highway and Denali, so I'm trying to learn whether a hitch-mounted carrier can take the strain of the 920 mile round trip gravel Dempster. Or do I need to get a small trailer? I have a class II hitch.

If I can avoid a trailer, it will make the encounters with the big cities more bearable. But if the hitch or carrier will break on the Dempster ....

Any knowledge/experience/advice appreciated.
 

ramsport59

Observer
I built my own hitch rack. 5' wide, 30" deep with 2" .25 wall tube for the receiver out the full 30" of the rack, 1.5" angle for the perimeter and steel mess for the floor. I know its solid and wont fall apart. I've used it on every rig I owned in the last 10yrs and had as much as 700lb worth of 1 ton axles on it. I'd build one before buying one. If your not talking about alot of weight on it you might get away with buying one, but I'd still weld it solid instead of bolting it together.

Rick
 

milowag

New member
Rick,

Unfortunately a bullet proof rig like yours won't do for me. The Forester has a 200 pound weight limit on the hitch. Right now, I'm thinking I'd be putting lighter weight stuff (tent, tarp, poles, gas can?) out back and spare tire(s) up top (which has a 150 pond weight limit). It's the price I pay for having a vehicle suitable for the 95% of the time I'm not on vacation.

Don
 

pcjeeper

Observer
I think your bigger issue will be the torque on the hitch itself imposed by the bouncing of the carrier over the rougher terrain. I worked for a shop installing hitches for a bit and we'd see bent hitches on Subis caused by bike carriers and such when the vehicle had been bouncing around forest service roads etc. Seemed like this was more likely the larger and or further out the load was from the hitch. The class II hitches on those foresters just usually aren't up for a heavy load. If you can source a class III hitch for your Forester, you'd definitely be better off.
 

milowag

New member
Thanks, pcjeeper,

This is exactly the information I wanted to know. I have a class II Curt, but I haven't installed it yet. I could return it for a class III. I got it from etrailer, which has both.
 

pcjeeper

Observer
My suggestion is class III. I don't even know of any hitch carriers that will work out-of-the-bl with the smaller 1-1/4" receiver of a class II hitch. Good luck on your trip.
 

redthies

Renaissance Redneck
I have also fabbed my own hitch carrier, and will be making another in the next few months. What Rick said about welding up a bolt together store bought model is sound advice. You will want the 2" class III receiver for sure. If you stay light and weld the rack up, you should be ok. You could also have a heavier wall unit made out of aluminum if cash is not an issue.
 

milowag

New member
Thanks, pcjeeper and redthies, for your comments. Etrailer has several hitch carriers for class I +/or II hitches, and at least one, a Draw Tight model,is welded. But based on comments here and on SubaruForester.org, I'm going to rethink my packing list and try really hard to make do with a rooftop carrier. If I have to get a hitch carrier, I'll get a class III hitch first.

Don
 

colodak

Adventurer
I have a class IV factory receiver on my Dakota and a bolt together carrier that I can use with it. Been used twice for cross country trips Colorado to Ohio and back (yes I realize that's pavement) without problem. Check the load rating for both the hitch and the carrier and make sure they are compatible. Just as hitches come in different weight ratings, so do some of these carriers. The one I bought is rated for 500 lbs, I've seen some rated to 750 lbs and I've seen some only rated to 150 lbs.
 

Rattlesnake Joe

New member
Think about a BIG cargo bag in the roof rack loaded up with lite weight bulky items. Put the heavy items in the back of the vehicles cargo area. In the future trade in your car camping equipment for backpacking equipment, downsize to get better gas mileage and have more room inside.
 
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Martinjmpr

Wiffleball Batter
I would go with a rooftop carrier or even a cargo box. Keep the light-but-bulky stuff there (tent, tarp, spare clothes) or better yet, figure out how to do without them (one thing I do when I travel is to deliberately not pack enough t-shirts. That way as I travel I have an incentive to buy shirts from the places I've gone.)

Besides the problems you've mentioned with a rear carrier, think about how it will prevent you from using the tailgate and also make it more likely that you'll drag/bang that carrier on the ground at RR crossings, ditches, etc.
 

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