Clearance Differences for 2-Inch and 1-1/4 Inch Versions of Kuat Beta 2 Rack on 2013 Subaru Forester

Question

Question:

Hi, I was about to order a Kuat Beta rack to mate with the 2inch Curt hitch I am having installed this weekend on our 2013 Forester 2.5X. The closest relevant fit video I could find shows the 1-1/4inch version of the Alpha mating to the OEM hitch on a 2010 Forester. Kuats fit documents show them having very similar profiles in most respects. As far as I can tell from Kuats fit documentation, there is 3inch more length between the hitch pin hole on the 1-1/4inch version than. Since there was only 4-1/2inch clearance for the 1-1/4inch version, Im concerned that that means there would only be 1inch clearance on the 2inch version not enough! Am I right about that, and if so, is the 2inch hitch version of the Kuat Alpha and Beta are not recommended for use with a 2009-2013 Forester? Thanks!!!

asked by: Aaron X

0

Expert Reply:

You are correct that there are different hitch-pin-hole-to-upright clearance distances between the two versions of the Kuat Beta 2 bike carrier. The measurement that is the most meaningful to ensuring a proper fit is the distance from the center of the hitch pin hole to the nearest part of the carrier.

In the cases of the Kuat Beta 2, part # B202-2, and # B202-114, this clearance distance varies depending on whether the carrier cradle arms are in the up position (as when carrying bikes) or in the down (storage) position. The storage position provides less clearance on both racks.

I checked the specs on the engineering drawings on the Kuat Fit Guide pages. For the 2-inch version, part # B202-2, Kuat specifies a minimum clearance from hitch pin hole to the nearest part of the carrier of 6-1/8 inches when the cradle arms are down in the storage position, and 7-1/2 inches when the cradle arms are extended.

The version for 1-1/4-inch Class I and Class II hitch receivers, part # B202-114, is specified by Kuat as having a minimum clearance from hitch pin hole to the nearest part of the carrier of 7-5/8 inches when the cradle arms are down in the storage position, and 8-1/2 inches when the cradle arms are extended.

Since you do not have the hitch installed on your Forester, your best bet may be to wait until you have the hitch on the vehicle and can measure how much clearance from the hitch pin hole you actually need.

The FAQ article I have linked includes a table of both 2-inch and 1-1/4-inch hitch-mount bike racks; the table is sorted in order of the amount of clearance from the hitch pin hole to the nearest edge of each rack. For example, the Curt # C18085 2-Bike tilting rack, provides 12.5-inches clearance from the center of the hitch pin hole to the nearest part of the carrier. (Note that one of the bikes mounts within this space.) Many other racks offer more clearance than the Kuat. Once you know your actual clearance requirement you will have the information you need to select a compatible rack.

I have also linked an article concerning how to select a hitch-mounted bike rack that best meets your needs.

expert reply by: Adam R

0

Answer 1

The difference between the Class II and Class III hitches has to do with their Gross Trailer Weight (GTW), their Tongue Weight (TW), and their Hitch Receiver Size. Class II trailer hitch receivers have a 1-1/4 inch receiver and can be rated up to…

view full answer...

Answer 2

A 4-Way trailer connector has the basic lighting functions only; running lights, left turn signal and brake lights, right turn signal and brake lights, and ground. A 7-Way has these functions and a 12 volt circuit, a circuit for electric trailer…

view full answer...

Answer 3

Either the Kuat Tranfer 1 #KU64FR or the RockyMounts MonoRail Solo 1 #RKY10007 would handle the bikes you describe easily. Both would hold the bikes by the tires, so the fact that the rack won't come into contact with the frame will work well…

view full answer...

Answer 4

The best hitch for a 2024 Subaru Outback is the etrailer item #e25TR. This hitch is custom fit and bolts to your Subaru with included hardware. This is a class III hitch with a 2" receiver, that has a 3,500 lbs towing capacity and a 350 lbs…

view full answer...

Answer 5

You could leave off installing the outside wheel clamp of the RockyMounts WestSlope bike rack part #RKY10222 but you can't shorten the frame of the rack where the wheel mounts are. For a bike rack with a smaller footprint that can carry up to two…

view full answer...

Answer 6

Aside from a slight change in the appearance of the crossbar (the WingBar Evo has some boxed edges as opposed to the completely smooth front of the AeroBlade) the biggest differences are the rubber strip on top of the crossbar and the weight…

view full answer...

Answer 7

I recommend the Thule WingBar Evo roof rack for your 2024 Subaru Outback Wilderness. For this you will need the Crossbars #TH711320 and Feet #TH710401. I prefer this system as the crossbars use a 2-piece channel seal which allows you to easily add…

view full answer...

Answer 8

The fat tire straps for the Kuat NV 2.0 #BA22B can only accommodate tires up to 5" so the 6-1/2" tires won't work with this bike rack. Since none of the bike racks are going to be able to fit those tires, I recommend the etrailer…

view full answer...