Why choose a 2" hitch over a smaller one?

Do you guys have any good links to where you can purchase one?

 

Your warranty may be an issue. Toyota states that you should not tow anything with the Prius. However, having stated that, there are several on this board who have a similar set-up. I'm sure they will chime in.

... Brad

 

Curt Hitch:

Curt Class I Trailer Hitch Receiver with Drawbar 11468 : Trailer hitch bike rack and trailer hitches - etrailer.com

Installation help:

How To Install a Trailer Hitch on a Toyota Prius (for a Bike Rack) | eHow.com

Prius Hitch (note old design installed first)

Good luck. I have this hitch, and couldn't be more pleased.

... Brad

 

IF the hitches are both made to the same standards and properly braced, the 2" -should- allow less rocking side to side with a bike hitch. But if you just use electrical tape to wrap the 1 1/4" insert used with a Curt hitch so it is not loose it will be just as tight as the 2". This is a technique I've used for years to stop the hitch from rattling. It's inexpensive and effective.

As implied and stated above some of these posts are confusing the size of the receiver with the class rating. The Coastal hitch is NOT a class 3 unit, even though it's a 2". From what I've heard on this forum it's lucky if it could be rated a class 1!

I think I may build my own, braced as Daryl did back to the "jack point" near the rear axle. See your owners manual to understand what I'm talking about, or Daryl's site (Prius).

I want to carry my mountain bike, and the front wheel is not easily removed, so it needs to stay outside.

 

Difficulty braking and possible tail sway. 50lbs of tongue weight is OK but the trailer has momentum regardless.

 

I towed a steel trailor with a rather large trench digger. I estimate the digger was 600 to 800lbs.. if not more.

I'm assuming i was pulling 1250lbs +

It really isn't all that bad. Next time, I'll use a ball mount. since these traitors were designed to be towed behind trucks, the lip is raised... so i was almost dragging the mid trailer.. and i had extreme tongue weight

Tomorrow i tow a rototiller...

btw.. the car was still "quick".. and the brakes worked well. very solid

 

Yeah!! Once I get the spare cash, I'll be grabing a hitch and buying the trailer. I'll take a couple pictures tomorrow to see the "Look" of everything.

 

Yup!

... Brad

 

It looks like the Curt model is a class 1. Thule site recommends only a two bike carrier for a class 1. Can anybody recommend a three bike carier that can be used on a class 1 hitch?

 

Here is the trailer that I'm thinking of getting. I talked with the dealer, and they say that the actual weight is 850 pounds... So then, after my work on it , it'll be just over 1100 pounds. WOOHOO!!! Now to earn some money...

The Steaks

 

I just removed the CoastalTech 2" receiver from my Prius and installed the Curt 1.25" model bought from U-haul today. At first, I though I would get more use from the CoastalTech unit. Overall, it is way too flimsy. I haul a Gary Fisher Fat Possum and a Trek EX7 bike on a Hollywood Sport Rack 2. The CoastalTech would bob more than I am comfortable. The receiver tube portion is only held together with four welds. Plus, it has dropped about two inches down at the end of the sport rack from when I first installed it on the car. The last thing I want to see in the rear view mirror is $3000 worth of bikes turning into sparks when the welds give out from fatigue.

I will find out how well it works this weekend.

 

When towing, you want 10% of the trailer's weight on the hitch. This will give you approximately 60% of the weight forward of the axles. You need that. If you do not, the trailer will rock too much and also "walk" on the axis of the axle. If you have ever a small trailer being towed that was moving side to side behind the vehicle, that is a sign of poor weight distribution within the trailer. A trailer that is over 2000lbs total weight is not advised at all. If that trailer gets to oscillating, it will have enough energy to whip the rear of the car around.

If you want to tow that amount of weight, rent a truck.

 

It depends on what your bike rack uses for a mounting pin. The one I use actually screws into the rack bar, allowing it to be tightened into the receiver.

There are several makers to copy the style of the Hollywood rack I have, including this one for $139.99: XPORT Flatbed 2-Bike Hitch Rack @ Performance Bicycle

You can go from putting the rack on the car and loaded with a couple of bikes in less than 5 minutes, with mounting and unmounting of bikes in less than a minute since you do not remove anything from the bike.

 

Acutual weight will be around 1000 pounds. See my last post to see exactly what I'll be pulling. Any other thoughts or comments?

The Steaks

 

Wow. Yet another bad review of the Coastal stuff. How are these guys still in business?

... Brad

 

all of my accessaries are for a 2" hitch,
I know not to tow any large items!
I also like that I don't have to destroy the insides of my Prius.

 

Are there any 2" receiver hitch options for a Prius other than Coastal?
I like the design of the Yakima Swingdaddy to carry 4 bikes and it requires a 2" hitch.

Plus does anyone know if other 4 bike racks (that do not swing out of the way) would allow enough clearance to open the hatch without removing the bikes and/or rack?

 

Ok, Here is my take.
1. I installed the 2" hitch from Coastal on my 07. I chose the 2" so that if I wanted to use a cargo platform it would be less likely to wobble (rotate) due to the increased leverage of the bigger reciever. Works great!.
2. I also built a special trailer for my Prius. It is based upon an aluminum jet ski trailer made by Triton. The base trailer weighs only 135lbs and is beautifully made. I put a platform and box sides on it using everything I learned in Soapbox Derby for streamlining. It has an extreme v-nose and tows like it is not there. I use it to transport my bikes, scooters, and motorcycles or lumber. Makes our Prius much more useful.
3. We added an 08 to the fleet. It will get the same hitch. I have found the hitch to be easy to install and have had no problems due to flexing.
4. Both our Prius's now also have Webasto sunroofs. We love them.

 

As a test right before I took off the Coastal 2" receiver, I put my bike rack in it, with the 2" adapter, tightened it down, then stood on the junction point. I had my wife measure the separation between the rear skirt to the receiver. It flexed under my 180lbs weight plus the 20lbs of the rack more than an inch downward with some really weird noises. This is to simulate a maximum tongue weight for their "rating". I repeated this with the Curt resulting in less than a 1/4" movement with no noises. After this test, the Coastal showed stresses at the four welds holding the receiver tube to the crossbar. At least I got some money back from the coastal in the way of recycled steel.

I did test out the new rack/hitch setup. With everything tightened, there is no bouncing around or extra movement through the rack as experienced with the Coastal. I wonder if it was the one I purchased because the Coastal did not come with loops for connecting towing safety chains like the U-haul/Curt. I think it is illegal and irresponsible to tow any vehicle without using safety chains/cables.

 

Spur, would appreciate it if you could post pics of your trailer and setup as well as the sunroof.