Trailer hitch cargo carrier - recommendations (1 Viewer)

[acruisinf]

I think this is the right forum for this ask…but not sure
Has anyone found a well-made trailer hitch cargo carrier? I suspect all of the ones listed on Amazon are cheap Chinese products and the other end of the spectrum is a Pakmule for $800…

I would like to find one that will hold up with several hundred pounds of gear and not have me worrying every mile if it’s going to snap.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[e9999]

that would depend in part on how many hundreds of pounds is "several hundred pounds", whether this will be asphalt or dirt, and how easily you worry...

 

[acruisinf]

that would depend in part on how many hundreds of pounds is "several hundred pounds", whether this will be asphalt or dirt, and how easily you worry...

Let’s call it a max of 200-250lbs, variable based on if/how successful I am through hunting season…
90% asphalt, 10% dirt, but not legit off-roading; tame fire roads at worst.

 

[Gretsch]

I have something like this which has served me very well over the years. Mine isn't a Curt but is very similar to the design and build of it. Mine doesn't flip up like this one. Someone took the flip up bit off of mine and made it solid. Mine is all steel (no aluminum games), but is fairly heavy as a result. Have had many people run into the back of it with their car not seeing it. Its handled multiple hits from all sides and doesn't even have a scratch on it. I'd like to see someone break it. HTH:

60" x 20" Black Steel Tray Cargo Carrier (Folding 2" Shank, 500 lbs.)

Even with the roomiest of vehicles, packing the car for a long trip can quickly turn into a frustrating game of Tetris. CURT cargo carriers are a simple yet effective solution for maximizing the storage area of your vehicle. The advantage of a hitch-mounted cargo carrier is that it can be...

www.curtmfg.com

Edit: Heres a shot of it I found when I was using it to haul stuff behind my Jeep:

 

[e9999]

well, with 250 lbs and mostly asphalt, you can probably get by with a low to medium quality unit as far as it keeping together. Personally, I would go medium quality or better just because of the potential liability. So, for me that would mean a brand name like Curt etc rather than Harbor Freight or Northerntool generic chinese stuff. But I suspect that even those latter ones would do fine, just look then for a reasonable design and keep an eye on things as far as it loosening up. TBH building something like that sturdy enough is not exactly rocket science.

 

[ntsqd]

I used an HF tray to chase Vegas to Reno one year in my '91 Suburban. I didn't want the 11 gallon fuel jug (~70 lbs), the racer's spare (~80 lbs), or the floor jack (~50 lbs) inside. I bolted the kit together, and then welded all of the joints making the bolts superfluous. I expected it to last just that one race and I ended up using it several more times to both chase races and to haul carp on camping trips into remote to very remote areas and it never had a failure. I recycled it when I sold the Sub. They are cheap enough, sadly, that unless you plan to make a lot of mods to one that you can likely afford to replace one when it's used up.

 

[Exiled]

I used to carry one of those cheap bolt-together trays (did it for a few years), but finally got tired of the janky construction, tendency to tilt to one side and general "sloppiness". My use is very similar to yours, carrying a 70QT or 100QT heavy cooler loaded with ice and venison/hog meat.

I ended up buying one of the heavy duty all-welded ones (forget the brand but I can get it). It's heavier but so sturdy, no movement whatsoever. Last year we brought a 100QT cooler loaded to the gills with nilgai meat and ice on a 7 hour drive (6.5 on asphalt), no issues whatoever. They're worth the added weight/hassle vs. the cheap ones in my opinion...

 

[e9999]

It's probably one of those attachments where a slop-removing device would help. I have a bolt-on one but I also welded a couple of beads on a hitch stem and then ground to match the receiver. Only fits well in one receiver, likely, but nice to do if you use the same vehicle most of the time.