Will etrailer Trailer Receiver Cargo Carrier Fit a 2005 Honda Pilot

Question:

I recently purchased a Curt 2inch trailer hitch from etrailer.com and have it installed on my 2005 Honda Pilot GREAT HITCH. I want to purchase a cargo carrier for travel and have a few questions about this particular item: 1. Will the rise on these new models help with a little more ground clearance cause any problems with opening the back hatch when carrier is down? 2. Does the slightly longer stem on this model cause more flex when loaded in the down position? By flex I mean vertical movement since the body of the carrier is farther away from the connection point. 3. When in the folded position, will this carrier hit the bumper or even worse the back gate or windshield? Is there a lot of movement of the carrier when in the folded position? This may be when driving on the highway or possibly uneven grounding or a pot hole or two that are impossible to avoid. Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing back from the experts ! And yes, I say that with all seriousness .... .your customer service is second to none!

asked by: Joe

Expert Reply:

The slight rise in the shank for the etrailer cargo carrier # e98874 should not cause any problems with opening the rear hatch on your 2005 Honda Pilot. The cargo loaded on it though, depending on how tall, would be the limiting factor. However, this carrier has a tilting feature that allows it to tilt away from the vehicle so you can get to your rear doors.

The longer a shank is on an accessory the more movement there will be the further away from the hitch you get. With that said you probably would not notice much difference between this carrier and all of the others we carry regarding movement.

To determine if there will be a fit issue when folded up you will need to look at the distance from the hitch pin hole to the nearest part of the carrier when folded up. On this carrier it is 9-1/2 inches. On your 2005 Pilot the measurement from the center of the pin hole to the rear bumper is 4 or 5 inches. So no worries about interference with the vehicle when the carrier is folded up or down.

There isn't enough space between the shank and receiver for the carrier to move that much and hit the vehicle. Plus you can limit movement by adding an anti-rattle device such as the Hitch Immobilizer, # BX88224. Or you could use a locking hitch pin and anti-rattle device in one, # e99047.

expert reply by: Michael H