CURT 18100 60 x 20-Inch Aluminum Tray Hitch Cargo Carrier, 500 lbs Capacity, 2-in Folding Shank

This was installed on my 4th generation Toyota 4Runner. I am very pleased with this product now after I modified it. Having learned from other reviewers I immediately bolted a 1/2 inch piece of plywood to the bottom. This made a huge difference and made it a lot sturdier. I also used a hitch stabilizer I bought from Amazon (CZC AUTO Hitch Tightener) Without these modifications I would have to rate this product at 3 stars, but with it it is a solid 5. You must put down plywood like I did if you want to carry anything heavier than sleeping bags and empty coolers on it. Otherwise the bottom will sag and it will tilt from side to side. I also put reflective stickers on it just for added safety. I picked this product because of how light it is. Steel ones I tried before are sturdier out of the box but are very heavy and difficult (for me) to lift without help from another person. This aluminum one I can easily install and remove even with plywood bottom. Together with the cost of plywood and stickers it is still much cheaper and much lighter than most steel ones of the same size and quality. I like that it folds up, when not in use and rides very snug and sturdy (with the stabilizer mentioned above). Folded up it blocks the tailgate, of course but folding it up and down is very easy with a single pin.I drove with this hitch carrier empty and folded up from California to Arkansas (over 3600 miles). In Arkansas I loaded it up with very heavy coolers (just over 500 lb which is the stated limit for this carrier) and made it all the way to California. You absolutely must spread the load evenly and strap it very well. Strapping is easy as there are many holes strategically positioned all around. Straps also easily hook on to the bottom if you cannot reach a hole. Loaded with coolers I could still open and close the back gate of my 4Runner clearing it by fraction of an inch. Although I tried to even it out, my load was a wee bit heavier on one side and the carrier started tilting a little bit to that end by the middle of my drive (in Albuquerque NM) as you can see on the picture. I remedied that problem by rearranging my coolers and it evened itself out. It is worth noting, that hitched to 4th generation 4Runner this hitch positions itself exactly in front of the exhaust pipe on the right. As a result hot exhaust melted the plastic cover off a corner of one cheap cooler positioned directly in front of it and very slightly charred the plywood after 1,800 miles of driving. A different type of cooler I positioned on that end for the second leg of my trip survived intact.Driving with this carrier was easy, I forgot it was even there. No rattle. When backing up, it blocks the rear view camera on my 4Runner a little, but I could still see over the top. Folded down, no issues. I drove with it all over the woods, on and off road, in mud rocks and sticks. I carried game out of the woods. I cleaned game on it. Big men sat and stood on it with no problems. I used and abused it in every way and it performed admirably with no wear other than few scratches and stains. Aluminum appears to be of good quality, construction is solid and design is practical. Dimensions turned out to be perfect for my 4Runner and probably will work with any mid size truck SUV or van. Assembly was reasonably easy for one person (me) to accomplish in under an hour and one beer.

I bought this with Amazon Prime next day shipping as I needed it for 300 mile each way trip to go fishing. Got it on time, so shipping was good. Overall I like the carrier, but it has a few issues with being wobbly that other carriers might have as well. I installed this on my 2007 Dodge Nitro R/T.I did a modification to shorten up the 2" steel tubing by 1.5". It is much more stable now. I basically pushed the 2" tubing tight to the weld for the folding mechanism, then marked it with a marker and used a drill bit that was the same size as the pin I used. 5/8" I believe. I then just reamed out the hole enough to get the pin to go all the way through without to much trouble. This made a world of difference right here, much, much more tighter. I can still open the door with my 100 quart cooler as long as cooler is centered on the carrier. It's tight but does open. Smaller coolers probably wouldn't have much trouble at all opening the back door on my Nitro. A lot of the play came from the 2" tubing that slides in to my hitch just not going in very far. That was the first opportunity for play to be introduced. The second is since this is a folding carrier, it relies on a second pin. Which creates even more wobbliness--but that I don't think can be helped, at least not without making the carrier much more expensive. This carrier can be used without the folding mechanism, and be much tighter in the process, but it will come at the cost of being really close to your bumper. I could of used it this way as well without any issue, but other vehicles(namely cars), it probably wouldn't work to well on. I have posted some pretty good pictures of what I did, and of it on my vehicle, so take a look to get a better idea.I would buy this product again, and do the same thing I stated above. I'd give it 3.5 stars, but that's not an option. 5 stars if they would at least make the carrier a bit more stable. That would make it 5 stars at this price point($116 shipped). Everything is aluminum except for the 2" steel tubing, and the little flat bars that you have to bolt on underneath. It makes it much lighter, yet still sturdy(ish) lol. I am not sure if all carriers have the wobbly issue, or if it's just this model. I willing to bet most do until you get up there in price. The instructions were really just an exploded parts diagram, nothing more. I will post pic's later of the adapter I made to make this in to a pretty slick 2 bike platform carrier when I get a chance. I used 2 of the Delta Bike Hitch Pro 2 Locking Fork Mounts that are also on Amazon Prime.

This is a nice way to add some carrying capacity to your SUV or pickup. It is for 2" receivers only. This was advertised as a used item, but was actually just an open box item (never used or unpacked). The price was 25% less than new, plus free shipping--DEAL!Pros: Assembled easily (electric impact wrench really helped, Very light. Very Strong. The lightweight design actually gives you more carrying capacity (check your receiver specs). Since my factory hitch supports a 300 lb tongue weight, I can actually carry about 270 lbs of gear on this carrier. The carrier frame and grate is aluminum, while the reinforcement bars and folding mechanism are steel. Handy for carrying a mower, tiller, or coolers and such, and keeping the mud and such out of the truck.Cons: My 09 RAV4 Sport factory receiver is not very long, so you can't fold it to the upright position. This doesn't bother me, but may bother other users. It was kind of floppy in the receiver, so I did what others have done to fix the issue--I inserted the carrier all the way into the receiver, marked the hole, and drilled another 5/8" hole in the carrier. Removes much of the horizontal and vertical play, and your cargo rides much more securely. I did use a drill press to make sure the holes were properly aligned.Summary: This carrier has proven to be a great value, and gives more "utility" to my SUV.

Relatively lightweight, being aluminum. Some of these things are quite heavy - Originally bought a steel carrier, and it was so heavy that I decided not to even install. This one is like night and day - light yet sturdy build. that won't rust! So check the specs before you buy a carrier - and consider spending a bit more for a good aluminum one! Performs well on the road also - Very happy with this purchase.

This was a great price, solid construction and good quality. I can’t imagine how heavy a steel one would be. I was worried about the strength of aluminum but for my use this seems more than adequate.

Easy to setup Won’t rust

Delivery fast . Quality product - like expectation , absolutely reasonable for that money . Recommend.

I’ve read reviews that it’s not sturdy but I don’t find that at all very happy with it

The benefit of the lighter aluminum carrier was defeated by the flimsiness of the unit. The specs show it can carry 500 lbs, however the total weight of both bikes was under 100 lbs and the welded mesh broke away in certain spots from the frame. The carrier dropped about 2” on each end giving a bowed effect to the carrier. If purchasing, strengthen the floor with 3/8” plywood by fastening the plywood over the mesh and attaching to the frame with bolts. If using as a bike carrier, in addition to the plywood structure, use 6”x 19” supports under the carrier frame to secure the tire racks. Overall we should have purchased the steel carrier.