Recommendations for a hitch rack

[TheBum]

I fly electric RC aircraft and as part of my field equipment, I carry a small generator. I've found that carrying it in the passenger compartment tends to really stink up the car, so I'd like to put it on a hitch rack on my 2012 Highlander.

Does anybody have recommendations for a hitch rack? It doesn't need to be huge. I'm assuming that the enclosed hitch boxes would not be vented enough, so I'd need an open rack. There's the added complication of the license tag display laws in Texas; I'm assuming most of the racks will ride low enough that the tag is visible over the top (with the generator on one side, other cargo on the other side for counterweight, and a gap in the middle)?

Thanks.

[earthltd]

Harbor Freight has a couple of hitch racks. I bought item #66983 and am making a box to fit my application. (Also drilling new holes to make it ride closer to the vehicle body.) $70 before the 20% off coupon. This one is tube steel, another is extruded aluminum.

[TheBum]

After some searching, I came across this one:

http://amzn.com/B000E28EOS

Does anybody have any experience with it?

I don't want one that goes the entire width of the vehicle. This one is only 48" wide, which shouldn't obstruct the tail lights if my measurements are correct, but still has plenty of area for my needs. I'd probably rig up a bright LED tag light to allow me to drive at night when the tag is mounted on the rack.


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[abimom]

I have this:

http://www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Cargo-...ola/59502.html

for the raised shank, plus I installed the trailer lights made for it.

Take a look at: http://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Hitc...nch_Hitch.aspx

Some of the others might also have the factory lights.

[bschurr]

I bought this super inexpensive and light duty hitch rack & it works for my limited needs (on both my HL & Jeep). Perhaps this will suit your application.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...2143_200442143

Good luck!

[TheBum]

Originally Posted by bschurr

I bought this super inexpensive and light duty hitch rack & it works for my limited needs (on both my HL & Jeep). Perhaps this will suit your application.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...2143_200442143

Good luck!

Thanks. Good find. That one would suffice quite nicely and is now on my short list.

[TheBum]

The local Northern Tool store had that rack in stock, so my wife picked one up on her way home from work. I haven't assembled it yet, but if it turns out not to work very well, at least I'm only out about $40.

[Florence52]

me to drive at night when the tag is mounted on the rack.

[Florence52]

Lovely!I like it !

[TheBum]

Originally Posted by Florence52

me to drive at night when the tag is mounted on the rack.

I think some of your post got lost.

I plan to rig up a tag frame with one or more bright white LEDs powered from the tow harness for night driving. I like the fact that this rack doesn't span past the tail lights so I don't have to worry about adding tail lights to it.

[TheBum]

As it turns out, there will be very little rigging required. I located a bolt-on LED strip that uses the regular tag mounting bolts and runs on 12V. I'll just have to adapt it to the tow harness.

Here's the one I just bought:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/12-LED-BOLT-...sories&vxp=mtr

[TheBum]

Here's my first use report:

Regarding the tag bracket, the rack sits low enough and the vehicle's plate mounting location is high enough that I didn't need to relocate the tag with the cargo I was carrying (a 1KW Honda generator being the tallest item). The rack is easily narrow enough not to obscure the tail lights, so there were no issues with street legality.

I made two trips with the rack this past weekend, 140 miles round trip on Saturday and about 28 miles round trip on Sunday. The rack worked as well as I could have hoped and I saw no reduction in gas mileage. The locking anti-rattle hitch pin worked a treat, preventing all side-to-side movement and only allowing the rack to pivot up and down a little over an inch as measured at the back of the rack. The load should have been sufficient to keep it from pivoting except maybe on big bumps.

My wife made a white nylon tarp that blends in quite nicely with the white vehicle and sewed a red washcloth diamond into the back of it to warn people coming up from the rear that the rack is there.

[bschurr]

^^ Glad it all worked out for you!
Sounds like your wife is pretty handy too - custom tarp with triangle insert!
Be safe & have a great holiday weekend