Best Type of Cargo Carrier for Transporting Clothing and Delicate Items

Question:

I have 2010 ml 350 blueteck diesel suv. 2 str exhaust on back. If I buy this cargo carier will heat from exhaust melt up my lagguage in it? Or damage it in any way? Is my clothes gonna smell like exhaust fume?

asked by: Nick

Expert Reply:

Any cargo carrier that is near a vehicle exhaust will be exposed to both heat and exhaust fumes, among other things, and it is certainly possible that some items could be damaged. There are a lot of variables here: outside temperature, how well-packed the items are and proximity to the actual exhaust tip. We recommend at least a foot but certainly more space is better.

We do offer enclosed carriers like the Yakima EXO Swing Away Enclosed Cargo Carrier - 2" Hitches - 10 cu ft - 100 lbs # Y62VR and others shown on the linked page that will provide much better protection for all of your belongings. An enclosed carrier also naturally provides protection from UV rays, rain, wind and road dirt, all of which could do harm to your clothing. You could even use the GearTotes for Yakima EXO GearLocker - Qty 2 # Y64VR to help you pack and organize your clothes.

However, you will need to determine if the exhaust is close enough to the carrier that the heat would damage the carrier.

The linked articles on cargo carriers may be of interest to you.

expert reply by: Adam R