Roof rack and cargo box, roof bag or hitch cargo carrier

A cargo carrier, especially one on top, will kill your fuel economy on the highway. It's all in the coefficient of drag. In town it might not do much. Coastal Tech sells a hitch ball designed to hold a bike rack, but I don't know if it will hold the weight of anything more than a bicycle or two.

 

I just bought and installed a Curt 1.25" hitch last weekend, and I tested it with a 20"x48" cargo platform. I also bought a soft "rain proof" Rola cargo bag.

The cargo platform is heavy, but is raised 4" or so from the hitch, so it worked well. I carried a lawnmower and a storage tote on it last weekend. It was a short trip, so I'm not sure of the effect on mileage yet. I will test the setup on a long trip to NY in July.

 

Our Prius Is Not Made To Haul Things/items Around Town,
It Is A Hybrid Designed For Ultimate Fuel Economy And That Is It.

...yes I'm Shouting, So You Will Listen.

 

ski.dive, what are you talking about? First of all, fuel economy was not the only goal of the Prius engineers. Low emissions were important too, and safety, and comfort (to an extent).

Secondly, it makes sense to use a cargo carrier on a Prius, if your only other option is to rent/buy a larger vehicle for a specific trip.

Thirdly, the Prius does very well hauling things around. I can fit a lot inside my Prius -- but my upcoming trip will require just a bit more space for reasons I don't care to explain, so a cargo bag makes good sense.

 

What kind of cargo carrier did you get? Any pix? I've been searching, but have yet to pull the trigger. ThanX!!!

... Brad

 

I got this one: 20x48 Cargo Carrier Fits 1-1/4" Trailer Hitch Receiver Hitch 6500 : Trailer hitch bike rack and trailer hitches - etrailer.com

It's fore/aft adjustable ,and raised a bit to improve ground clearance. I also got the Rola bag like at Rola Expandable Cargo Bag, 9.5 to 11.5 cubic feet 59102 : Trailer hitch bike rack and trailer hitches - etrailer.com and I will try them out on July 11 for a 360 mile trip. The setup looks good, though I guess it will block my license plate. No pics yet.

 

ThanX for the links and info!

That cargo carrier is one of the two I was considering. Please post a pic when you get it set up! Also, please let the group know how it performed on your trip.

ThanX again!!!!

... Brad

 

Just don't put TOO much back there. The rear suspension just isn't up to the task. Neither is the hitch for that matter. Small loads, short distances should be fine, however. I put my cargo on the roof and "kill my mileage" down to about 40 for the few miles that I carry stuff.

Wow. Well, there's no way for the Prius to give me Ultimate Fuel Economy if I can't haul stuff with it. That's the only time I use it, really! As my full-on SUV. Otherwise, I suffer along with my non-ultimate-fuel-economy car... the one that uses ZERO gasoline, and costs me nothing to fill up.

The Prius IS our gas guzzler.

 

What do you guys think is the better option for hauling some cargo over long distances, like 500 miles? We really want to get rid of our jeep and get a second Prius but we take road trips from SF to San Diego with our three french bulldogs, two large suitcases, folding crates and various other bags and such. It all barely fits in our Liberty now.

I'm thinking it would be doable with a Prius if we could put our two large suitcases either on the roof with a rack or on a trailer hitch. I don't care about losing some mileage, that's a given, it's still going to be better then our Jeep. What I'm most concerned about is safety.

 

Sorry to revive an old thread but it still seems a relevant discussion -- how did the cargo carrier/bag work out?

And darelldd -- when you say don't put TOO much off the rear, what would you consider TOO much? You may recall we had a long discussion last year about hitch-mounted bike racks, and that's a similar kind of situation.

 

One definition of too much junk in the trunk is when the headlights are illuminating the tree tops instead of the road. I've done this without a hitch carrier, which I think would be even more problematic.

 

Here is a solution for the Prius: attaches to the liftgate, fits behind, is aerodynamically shaped to improve air flow, complimenting the boat tail.

 

That's an interesting solution. How easy is it to work with? For example, does the liftgate open and close with it on? Is it simple to attach and detach? Does it rub off the paint on the car (like my old trunk-mount bike rack did)?

Also -- it looks like this completely obscures the license plate?

Oh, I see. mikel09 works for the company.

 

I am looking for a bike rack as well but in looking at this info I noticed this fine print regarding the 20x48 in. hitch carrier when used as bike rack...

"When using on 1-1/4" carrier (# 6500), due to the length of the carrier (48"), only childrens bikes (20" tires or less) can be carried."

Any other ideas out there?

 

I like my paint job too much.

... Brad

 

I can see that the location is more aerodynamic than a bag on the roof, but it's still exactly the wrong place to put any significant weight. The further back the weight is carried, the worse the effects on handling.

 

For more info on the suitability of the Aero Pack soft bag, go here:

http://priuschat.com/forums/prius-modifications/60696-soft-pack-mounts-hatch-glass.html

You pays your money and takes your chances.

 

Seems like the answer to a lot of questions about occasional cargo carrying can be answered by a small, light cargo trailer. (Like a motorcycle would tow)

Better than carrying empty cargo space like an SUV -- add cargo space only when needed.

Best,
Chris

 

Do not discount how much the Prius will hold inside, I routinely carry 4 18 gallon tubs of electronics (Network gear, Tools, PC parts, and Wires)and a Werner MT-17 ladder inside leaving room for 2 passengers, without impairing my sight lines.

http://www.amazon.com/Werner-MT-17-300-Pound-Telescoping-Multiladder/dp/B0000VYDHK

[edit] Oops, I did not expect it to show a picture.