Determining Which Bike Racks Are Compatible with Recessed Curt Hitch C12225 on 1998 Buick Regal  

Question:

Expert Reply:

The Curt Trailer Hitch Receiver # C12225 referenced in your question is confirmed to fit your 1998 Buick Regal but the receiver portion will sit pretty recessed behind the rear bumper. This means when picking out a bike rack it is important to note the bumper clearance dimension for the particular rack you are looking at. This is indicated by the distance from the hitch pin hole on the shank to the closest part of the bike rack.

If you already have the hitch installed I recommend taking a quick measurement from the center of the hitch pin hole to the outermost edge of the rear bumper. You will just need to make sure that the above-mentioned clearance measurement on the rack is larger than the hitch pin hole to bumper measurement on your Buick to ensure there won't be any interference issues.

Also note that for this hitch Curt does require that a stabilizing strap # 18050 be used with any non-trailer loads like a bike rack or cargo carrier. I have attached a short video demonstration on the strap so you can see exactly how they are used.

A bike rack I really like that also features a generous bumper clearance dimension is the Yakima RidgeBack 4 Bike Rack # Y02458. This rack will fit the 1-1/4 inch receiver opening on the Curt hitch and there is a distance of 11-1/2 inches from the center of the hitch pin hole to the back of the upright bar. As long as the measurement you take on your Buick is less than this number this rack will work perfectly. It can handle 4 bikes with a total weight of 150 pounds and can be tilted away from the vehicle to allow for easy rear cargo access.

I have attached a short video demonstration on this rack that you can check out as well. I have also included a link that will take you to our selection of hitch-mounted bike racks that you can look through.

expert reply by: Chris R

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