No matter how big your vehicle is, you will eventually run into the problem of storage space.
Whether you are going on a cross-country road trip or merely moving to a new home across town, extra storage can be the difference between a rental truck and a single trip down the street.
What are some of the best ways to increase storage in your vehicle?
We’re glad that you asked. Today we are talking about hitch-mounted cargo boxes.
Contents
What is a hitch-mounted cargo box?
Driving down the highway, you’ve no doubt seen cargo box carriers attached to the back-end of cars. They are typically large and durable boxes that allow for excess storage. Sometimes they are directly connected to the receiver hitch. Other times these cargo carriers are latched down inside a separate cargo carrier. There is a fundamental difference between the two options, and we’ll break them down in a quick summation.
Best Cargo Boxes on the Market.
We decided to dig deep and find some of the best options available. We took into account: price, storage capacity, brand name, and durability. While these are our favorite cargo boxes, they are far from the only ones out there.
1, StowAway Carriers Max Cargo Box – SwingAway Frame.
We get our list started with one of our favorite options on the market. This hitch-mounted cargo box is designed in an elite fashion to take advantage of a swing away frame. The swing-away frame, which we pointed out above, gives you rear access to your vehicle by simply using the frame to move the box out of the way.
This cargo box fits into a 2″ hitch receiver, and it can carry up to 200 lbs of storage. Just make sure that the tongue weight on your receiver hitch is rated for at least 300 pounds of weight. You have 16 cubic feet of storage space, which allows for plenty of room to pile in luggage, bags, boxes, or odds and ends. This is the largest hitch-mounted cargo box we could find. StowAway Carriers hit it out of the park with this cargo box.
2. 47″ Waterproof Hitch Cargo Carrier Rack Bag by MaxxHaul.
We are closing our list with the most affordable option around the MaxxHaul 70209 Cargo Carrier Rack Bag. This hitch-mounted cargo box comes built out of flexible waterproof PVC nylon rather than the hard plastic in the options we had listed above. You get the cargo tray that mounts off of the back 2″ hitch receiver, and you have an assortment of lashes to keep the bag latched down. You don’t have easy rear entry access, but if you are willing to push the bag around then, you’ll be able to get to what you need. This cargo carrier is 47″ x 20″, which means that you will have plenty of space to load up whatever it is you need to haul around. You can get a pair of excellent padlocks to run through the zippers if you are worried about someone digging through your stuff.
Cargo Carriers
You can find various cargo carriers that are not beholden to actually mounted-style cargo boxes. These carriers are essentially trays that fit into your receiving hitch. They tend to be made of either steel or aluminum with an actual weight of 50 pounds at the top end. Cargo carrier trays come in either the fold-up or fixed shank variety. You can also mount them on your roof.
Selecting a hitch-mounted cargo box.
Alright, selecting a hitch-mounted cargo box should be pretty simple right? So what can be complicated about picking a big storage box to latch on to the back of your car? Well, as it turns out, there are quite a few things that you’d be better served remembering. So we’ll break down some key components to consider when purchasing your first mounted cargo box.
Carrying Capacity
When looking for a hitch-mounted cargo box, the first consideration you make is just what you can put into it. This means that you’ll have to prioritize what goes into the box. The majority of cargo boxes are going to be rated anywhere from 150 lbs to 250 lbs. Does that sound like enough space for you? Cargo boxes are designed to be compact to fit tightly against the back of your vehicle. If you have a spare tire, you might need a hitch extender.
Mounting Style
We’re focusing on receiver hitch-mounted cargo boxes in this article. This means that everything we talk about will be focused on being affixed to the back of your car. Still, you have some options within the hitch receiver subset. There are cargo boxes that fit flush against the back of your vehicle, thus negating your ability for rear entry access. Other cargo boxes come mounted on a long arm that can be folded out, thus giving you entry to the back of the vehicle — these are called swing away frames. Swingaway frames may cost more, but they are much more flexible.
Weather Resistance
The majority of cargo boxes are going to be completely weatherproofed for travel throughout the year. Therefore, the significant benefit for mounted cargo boxes in comparison to carrier trays is the weatherproof factor. Still, it is worth double-checking your potential options’ durability if you plan to travel in some adverse conditions.
Security
A key aspect of your hitch-mounted cargo box will be directly related to just how secure it is. You probably aren’t always going to be driving and unloading your stuff immediately. Therefore, knowing that your cargo box is safe and secure is an important aspect. Many of these cargo carriers come with excellent lock slots that allow you to pick the best security you can afford.
Rear Entry Access
We touched upon the swing away and fixed frames above, but we’ll go into more detail here. If you have a vehicle that mandates rear entry access, then you’ll want to opt for the swing away frame. If you can’t afford or don’t like the swing-away options, consider cargo boxes that are made to be removed at a moment’s notice. This way, you don’t have to always fight with your car’s back-end when all you need is to get into the trunk.
Final Thoughts
Feel free to supplement our advice with your own research to develop something perfect for your needs.
