Cargo Carrier Recommendations for 2004 Honda CR-V

Question:

I have a 2004 Honda ex CR-Vis there any cargo carrier youd recommend? I have a two inch trailer hitch receiver. There are so many on the market, most of them with decent reviews. Im new enough to this that I dont know what questions to ask or what features to look for. Folding would be nice, but Im not sure its mandatory for my needs. Also, can you tell me what people do to make their license plate visible? I assume its illegal to drive with the plate obscured. Do you sell something for dealing with that issue?

asked by: Anita S

Expert Reply:

When you choose a cargo carrier for your 2004 CR-V, you will want one that has a shank long enough so that the basket clears the rear-mounted spare tire. When we installed a 2 inch receiver on that generation CR-V, we found that the distance from the hitch pin hole in the receiver to the rear-most portion of the back bumper was 9 inches. You will want to measure that distance on your vehicle to confirm how much clearance is needed.

The following are a few carriers I checked and their clearance distance between the hitch pin hole and the closest portion of the basket. If the clearance distance for the carrier shank is longer than the measurement you took on your vehicle, the carrier will fit. I have also listed the size of the basket or cargo tray.

Pro Series # 63153- 12-3/4 inches clearances, 24 x 60 inches
Curt # C18151- 19 inches clearance, 20 x 59
Pro Series # PS1040100 -12 inches clearance, 32 x 48
etrailer # e98874 has 19-1/2" of clearance 24 X 60 inches

I really like the # 63151 and the # e98874 because they allow plenty of clearance and they allow the use of a carrier light kit like # 20174 for an incandescent kit or # 98174LED for an LED kit. The lamp kit allows your carrier to be much more visible at night. The 59502 is fairly heavy, but it is the best looking carrier we offer, in my opinion.

The lamp kit would plug into a trailer connector. If your CR-V does not have one, it can be added using part # 118336.

The legality of having the license plate blocked will vary depending on the area you are traveling in. In my experience, it is usually not an issue because the carrier is not a permanent installation.

You could use a quick install option like the # Y02713. If you wanted to light the plate, you would use a lighted bracket like # LPL55CB.

I have linked you to some product demonstration videos and an FAQ article that you might find helpful.