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Bolt on 2" hitch for 2012 Prius Plug-in? Or else roof rack?

Discussion in 'Gen 1 Prius Plug-in 2012-2015' started by Eug, Jun 6, 2018.

  1. Eug

    Eug Swollen Member

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    I have a bike rack that uses a 2" hitch mount. I used it with my 2004 Prius until the Prius was totalled in a rear-ender.

    Yes, it was a 2" inch hitch that could not carry weights usually associated with 2" hitches, but it was perfect for bikes. I got the 2" specifically because of this, as I was told that the smaller hitch size can cause more issues in terms of sway for bike racks when they had 3 bikes loaded.

    The only thing I didn't like was the lesser rear clearance.

    Is it possible to find these bolt-on 2" hitches still for this car? Alternatively I could get one for our RAV4 Hybrid, but that's not actually my car.
     
  2. Eug

    Eug Swollen Member

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    Oops, wrong sub-forum. Mods, please move.
     
  3. RRxing

    RRxing Senior Member

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    Try eTrailer.com and enter your vehicle info.

    There may only be Class I hitches for your car, but they have a 200 lb. tongue weight limit, which should be more than enough for a bike rack. I recently purchased a Class III hitch from them for my wife's 2016 RAV4 (non-hybrid) and installation was simple. They had a video showing how to do it. Delivery only took a few days.

    Note that with a Class I hitch you may need to attach straps to the top of the hatch.

    P.S. - Just for my own information I looked for a hitch for my 2017 Prius and the installation video was a bit more complicated than for the RAV4.

    Good luck...
     
  4. Eug

    Eug Swollen Member

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    Thanks.

    Yes, I'm looking for a Class I hitch with a 2" mount. I had one of those with my 2004 Prius, because Coastaletech made one. It turns out etrailer.com does in fact carry one of these too, but they say it has an installation difficulty of 9/10, plus it's $295 with shipping to Canada an extra $104 too. Total ~$400 plus border fees. Ouch. :(

    So it looks like my best bet is with the RAV4, perhaps locally. etrailer.com has ones for about $120-150, but again with $110 shipping, and they're just for the regular RAV4. They don't mention any models specifically for the RAV4 hybrid (if it's any different).

    Either that or a roof rack.
     
  5. Eug

    Eug Swollen Member

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    Yep, locally there are no 2" hitches for the 2012 Prius Plug-in. Lots for the 2016 RAV4 Hybrid though.
     
  6. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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