Trailer Hitch Mount Cargo Carrier Recommendation for a 2011 Cadillac SRX

Question:

Which hitch cargo carrier would work best on the back of my 2011 Cadillac SRX? Does it tilt enough to open rear hatch? Does exhaust pipes endanger the carrier

asked by: Pete

Expert Reply:

We have many hitch mount cargo carriers that will work well with your 2011 Cadillac SRX. Before we can select the correct carrier for you, we will want to know the size of your trailer hitch receiver. There are Class II trailer hitches with a 1-1/4 inch receiver and Class III trailer hitches with a 2 inch receiver available for your SRX. I have attached a photo showing how to measure your trailer hitch receiver to determine the size.

The next factor to consider is bumper clearance. To determine this, you will want to measure the distance from the center of the hitch pin hole on your trailer hitch to the rearmost point of your bumper. We have installed a Class III hitch from Hidden Hitch on a 2011 SRX and found this measurement was 3-1/2 inches, but it could vary based on the Class and brand of your trailer hitch. I have also attached a photo showing how to take this dimension.

One cargo carrier that I think may work well for you is the etrailer 24x60 Cargo Carrier, # e98874. This is a folding carrier that allows you to fold the carrier up when not in use. When the carrier is folded, it offers 9-1/2 inches of clearance from the center of the hitch pin hole to the closest part of the carrier. Again, I recommend measuring on your vehicle to verify the fit. This carrier will work with the Class III trailer hitches. This carrier also offers a rise of 2-inches above the receiver for better exhaust clearance. This carrier also has a tilting feature which tilts forward when it is loaded to you can get to the back of your vehicle if needed.

If you have a Class II hitch, then I would recommend the Pro Series 20x47 Fixed Carrier, # 63155. At this time there are no folding cargo carriers for Class II trailer hitches, but this carrier does offer 6-1/4 inches of clearance from the center of the hitch pin hole on the receiver. This carrier has a shank with a 3 inch rise to give the carrier better clearance from the exhaust.

I have attached review videos of both of the cargo carriers for you to check out. You will be able to open your rear hatch with any of our open hitch mounted cargo carriers when they are empty, but you may find it difficult with any type of load on the carrier. These carriers do not have the ability to tilt away from the vehicle.

We do have one enclosed cargo carrier, the Thule Transporter, # TH665C, that can tilt away from the vehicle, but, due to the plastic construction, I do not typically recommend this carrier for vehicles with exhaust that exits straight back. The heat could damage the carrier. The metal carriers that I recommended will stand up better to the heat, but I would recommend loading your cargo with the exhaust heat in mind. You would not want to place any items that could melt directly behind the exhaust pipes. We typically recommend keeping items about 8 inches away from the tail pipe. The etrailer carrier that I mentioned will have 19-1/2 inches of clearance from the hitch pin hole and the Pro Series carrier will have 11 inches of clearance when they are folded down. That should give you and idea of where the carriers will sit once they are installed.