Can a Hitch Extender be Used with Thule T2 Bike Rack and Curt Hitch on a 2016 Toyota Sienna

Question:

I bought the C13105 hitch for my 2016 Sienna, went in great, easier then expected. I had it installed in about 30 minutes, great video beforehand. I also bought a Thule T2 platform bike rack. The rack wound up being too tight against the back of the car and does not have the clearance to fold up. Is it safe to use a hitch extender? I also think an extender with a rise would be good because the hitch seems rather low on the vehicle. What products would you recommend to fix this and are they safe to use?

asked by: Shaun R

Expert Reply:

You can use a hitch extender such as # C45791 with the Thule T2 bike rack and Curt hitch # C13105 on your 2016 Toyota Sienna. However, the use of an extender will reduce the tongue weight capacity of the hitch by 50 percent. So instead of a tongue weight capacity of 350 pounds it will be limited to 175 pounds. But it would certainly be fine if you only used the extender when the rack is folded up.

To extend the rack out further and raise it up you can use high/low adapter # RM-048-6 which will add 6 inches of height.

expert reply by: Michael H