Hitch Pin To Bumper Clearance of Curt C13146 Class III Hitch Installed on 2020 Honda Pilot

Question:

Hi, I recently ordered a Curt #C13146 hitch and Im looking at bike racks. Do I have to be concerned about any clearance issues, i.e., should the rack be a minimum length from the receiver to clear the back of my Pilot, or all bike racks made with this in mind already? Thanks

asked by: Nelson W

Expert Reply:

That's a great question.

When we installed a Curt # C13146 Class III hitch on a 2020 Honda Pilot, we found that the hitch pin hole in the receiver was only recessed under the vehicle to the point where the center pin hole to furthest rearward point of the bumper distance was only 4-1/2 inches which isn't a big deal at all, and would be compatible with just about any bike rack.

You don't mention what type of bikes you have or how many you want to carry, but I can see that you looked at the Swagman XC, part # S64650, so I'll proceed under the assumption that this is the rack you were interested in.

The XC has a hitch pin hole to closest edge of wheel hoop distance of 10 inches, which would be plenty of clearance between the rear bumper of your Pilot and the nearest bike. The rack is very easy to use and weighs only 25 lbs, so it'd be a great choice for most bikes. The only two types of bikes it won't work really well with are those with carbon fiber frames and womens bikes with step through frames.

For a carbon fiber framed bike, you'd want something that holds the bike by the tires and not the frame, such as the RockyMounts MonoRail, part # RKY10003 which would also offer plenty of bumper clearance.

For bikes with step-through frames, the Swagman # S64650 would work just fine with the addition of a frame adapter like part # HRBA-PRO. A frame adapter attaches to the bike and spans the distance between the seat post tube and the handlebar stem, which provides a secure and level place for the bike rack to attach.