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I recieved this in 1 day...I don't know how it arrived so quickly. It comes in two pieces. You only need to attach 4 small and three large bolts and you are ready to go. Be sure to get a hitch pin ( sold seperately) I went to Home Depot for mine. This carrier is nice cause it is extra large, very sturdy, but not overly akward to attach. I store mine on 2 recycling bins so that I can easily slide it a bit to adjust for attaching to the hitch. You need a torque wrench ( or a friend who has one ) to secure the 11 bolts. Very simple assembly. This one is the larger size and I'm glad I chose it cause as you will find that in practical use you can haul many more items. I bought wratcheting straps, but the "octopus-style" bungee cords seem to work best for my uses unless you really have a top-heavy or tippy item. I also like the fact that with this one you can add lights...the cutouts are built in the frame. You dont need them for day errands but if I were driving long distance or night travel I would go for the lights. The frame seems very sturdy and I have kept it outside uncovered for several months now. There is the start of rusting at the bolt heads, but I suppose that is to be expected. Perhaps you could spray rustoleum on them as a preventitive. I also notice that there is a very light rust tinge along only one support bar where the steel mesh lies over and must be welded to it. If I could, I would store it in a shed or garage. The hitch bar has a rise to it and I wouldn't
buy one without the rise feature as it adds necessary clearance. Mine has had zero problems over gradings and culverts. For 125 dollars delivered, it is well worth the price for saving me and my forester the aggravation of loading messy/bulky/stinky items into my car and adding lots of cargo carring capacity.
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I will keep this short because my title sums up my overall sentiment.Pros...
+ Solid construction
+ Design allows for good distance between carrier & bumper
Easy access to rear tailgate (SUV)
Plenty of clearance to open tailgate vertically
+ Assembly was straight forward, but allow for extra time
Follow directions; use a torque wrench for peace of mind
+ Impact to fuel economy was relatively minimal.
Hwy MPG was 17.8, vs 19.4, with ~200# load secured in rainproof duffle
Cons (minor)...
+ Packaging could use a redesign; incurred minor chips and scratches fixed with rustoleum
One of two zip ties holding arm broke allowing for it to swing in transit
The two corner supports need to be sturdy cardboard or foam, and need to be adhered
+ Item is bulky.
Practice putting it on & removing it a few times before your first use
Separate note on:
Assembly... Take time to consider how you will orient the arm. It is designed with a slight arc to allow for additional clearance, if you need it. Generally, car or minivan hitches will be lower to the ground than a hitch on a SUV or truck.
Recommended purchases... Consider the following (I bought these; added peace of mind and increase my overall satisfaction of the carrier):
Rola 59102 Expandable Hitch Tray Cargo Bag
Master Lock 1480DAT Stainless Steel Receiver Lock for 5/8' Receiver Hole
Grizzly Gear Large 36" x 60" Cargo Net with 16 Durable Nylon Hooks Stretches to 60" x 90"
Best Deals for Pro Series 63153 60" x 24" Hitch Mounted Cargo Carrier (Black)
Good:This unit is bigger than the others. It is 24" wide, when most are 20". I like the extra space for holding those plastic boxes.
Arrived fast
Seems strong enough, looks good enough
Weighs 60lb. Easy to carry by rails with one person and lots of space. For tight areas, may be better with two people.
Not so good:
Shipping box, as others have said, seems inadequate. My UPS guy apologized and said I might want to inspect the package. I told him it's OK, the thing is strong metal, won't be broken but will be scratched. No big deal, since it's not fragile, but it should be better.
Assembly:
Very easy, I thought. BUT, you are asked to provide a torque wrench and not just any torque wrench. I have two, and one only goes up to 45 ft-lbs. Only my heavy-duty torque wrench can handle the 75 ft-lbs required by the 3 big bolts of this carrier. However, my thinking is that you could use a regular ratchet/wrench if you are a strong 175lb+ man and just tighten it as hard as you can. (You assume the risk if your bolts don't hold, of course.) Better to do it right at some point, or swing by any mechanic once you have it basically built but you could use it right away, and fix the torque later.
13mm and 19mm wrenches/sockets needed.
Honest reviews on Pro Series 63153 60" x 24" Hitch Mounted Cargo Carrier (Black)
After much research, I finally opted for this hitch carrier and I and so happy with my choice. Unlike the cheaper models, this carrier is extremely well built and sturdy. Very heavy too. I would not suggest this item for someone who is petite and does not have help to slide it in your receiver, because even for a large man, it is heavy and takes some finesse to do it alone. There were several comments about torque wrench, and you really dont need one. Just tighten up the bolts as tight as possible and you will be fine. Also, the size of this model beats the others by far. My suggestion, spend the extra 40 bucks and buy this model.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Pro Series 63153 60" x 24" Hitch Mounted Cargo Carrier (Black)
I use this to cart our big cooler around and still have room for the kids and the dog in our SUV. It was easy to assemble. Took me about 15 minutes with my 6 year old helping to get it together and pop it onto the truck for the first time. Good size and stability.I typically have two full coolers, a 150 quart marine cooler and an 80 quart cooler, on this along with miscellaneous camping bits like chairs and an easy-up. We've used is several times, and all welds and bolts are intact.
It was worth the money for me.
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