Can the etrailer Motorcycle Carrier be Used in Factory Hitch of 2017 Ford Escape

Question:

Motorcycle carrier e98873: Vehicle is 2017 Ford Escape with 2.0L, AWD. Has factory hitch. The hitch is class II but with a 2 inch receiver. The hitch has a 3500 pound tow capacity with a max 350 pound tongue weight. If the carrier weighs 58 pounds and the bike weighs right around 290-295 pounds fully loaded so I will be pretty close to 350 lbs. Will I be within the weight capacity with this load setup. Because of the length of the carrier support, does it add a higher tongue load to the hitch?

asked by: Matt

Expert Reply:

As long as you are under the capacity of the hitch and vehicle you are fine. If the weight of the # e98873 (58 pounds) plus the weight of your bike puts you at less than 350 lbs you are good to go! You could also look at a lighter carrier. The Ultra-Fab # UF48-979033 weighs 50 pounds so that would give you a bit more wiggle room.

expert reply by: Jameson C