Frame cracking from bike racks on hitch?

[TheRock]

Platform Bike Rack, it's the Kuat Transfer V2.

I'll go with the hitch rack not the platform for our 4 bikes.

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[bbulkow]

From the manual (4 times at least):

Note:Your vehicle is not designed for trailer towing. Never tow a trailer with your vehicle.

Note: Your vehicle is not designed for trailer towing. Never tow a trailer with your vehicle.

Note: Your vehicle is not designed for trailer towing. Never tow a trailer with your vehicle.

Then there is one with a warning sign in front of it, and the text - WARNING: Your vehicle is not approved for trailer towing. Never tow a trailer with your vehicle.

But.... The question is about using a hitch as a bike carrier. Those are only about TRAILERS

 

[bbulkow]

I called this place to get a quote on a tow hitch and they refused to give me a quote because they said they had 2 customers frames crack when carrying bikes.

This is the first time I've heard of this and have been on this forum and Reddit for some time.

Is this a real concern or is it something else, maybe the particular hitch they install or they just don't want to install on an EV and that's how they made me go away lol?

Does anyone here live in the East Bay area near Concord and have a place they recommend to do the installation?

This is the place I called... Mobile Living: https://share.google/TnKmHkv1oB5V1XR3H

As a moderately avid biker, it was a key purchase requirement to fit two bikes in the back with the seats folded down without disassembly, which the mache does.

Adding something to the outside will decrease range too.

Add the hassle of removing the license plate for every use. Friend of mine was pulled over for this "pretext stop" last week. Even with the warning it's a hassle.

Why add a hitch rack and risk frame compromise, again?

 

[TheRock]

It's good for your situation but what do you do with a family of 4, you install a hitch with a hitch rack (not the platform type).

 

[Mach1E]

It's good for your situation but what do you do with a family of 4, you install a hitch with a hitch rack (not the platform type).

You get a different car that can handle it.

 

[phalcomb]

Honestly, I'd just skip it and find another solution. I know if sucks, it's advertised as a SUV but lacks the durability for a hitch. I don't think the type of rack will matter, and with 4 bikes you'll definitely end up with a bent frame.

I'll go with the hitch rack not the platform for our 4 bikes.

You get a different car that can handle it.

 

[mkhuffman]

I noticed something when looking at the various hitch options on etrailer.com. The EcoHitch is the only one that appears to have additional brackets to take the load off of the ones bolted into the bumper.

I am trying to remember if my EcoHitch had those brackets, but I think it did. It seems to me that design has a much better chance keeping the bumper from getting damaged.

I am willing to bet the UHaul one is designed just like the Curt one (below), and all the rest of them besides EcoHitch. There is a reason EcoHitch costs more. Maybe you get what you pay for?

 

[Bayviews88]

For those of you still doubting take a look at these photos after one year of having the hitch installed just carrying a bike or two on occasion. Rack 50lbs, bikes ~30 each. It’s all peaches and cream when it’s first installed, just give it a year. I’m in the throws of an insurance claim with UHaul right now who installed a “certified” solution and supposedly worked with Ford to develop said solution. My advice? Skip the hitch and get a roof rack or possibly a different vehicle if you need to carry bikes. Love my Mach-E otherwise.

Wow. What hitch brand (Curt, Torklift, etc.) and style did you use here?

 

[Bayviews88]

Honestly, I'd just skip it and find another solution. I know if sucks, it's advertised as a SUV but lacks the durability for a hitch. I don't think the type of rack will matter, and with 4 bikes you'll definitely end up with a bent frame.

I REALLY hope @Ford Motor Company is hearing this feedback from Mach-E owners and incorporating changes for the 2027(?) model refresh. I’m hoping the a model refresh has a proper hitch at least for bike rack use, a restored size frunk that can fit a 22”‘ suitcase again, and an improved ADAS (Level 3 -> Level 4). I could live w/current Lv 3, but other automakers are moving to Lv4 for late ‘20s model year vehicles.
Otherwise, I would sadly need to move to another EV brand without these features after my Options plan ends in a year.

 

[SteveMach-ee]

I noticed something when looking at the various hitch options on etrailer.com. The EcoHitch is the only one that appears to have additional brackets to take the load off of the ones bolted into the bumper.

I am trying to remember if my EcoHitch had those brackets, but I think it did. It seems to me that design has a much better chance keeping the bumper from getting damaged.

I am willing to bet the UHaul one is designed just like the Curt one (below), and all the rest of them besides EcoHitch. There is a reason EcoHitch costs more. Maybe you get what you pay for?

The SS EchoHItch I installed last October has the extra brackets. It seemed like a very robust design and I did followed the torque specs. That said, my use case is a small trailer for local light yard debris or up to two 25lb lightweight XC mountain bikes (Cannondale Scalpel).

 

[phalcomb]

It was a Curt rebranded by UHaul.

Wow. What hitch brand (Curt, Torklift, etc.) and style did you use here?

 

[phalcomb]

Definitely wasn’t an attempt to cheap out, my first call was to my local Ford dealer, they suggested I pick a 3rd party hitch installer, so I checked UHaul’s site went through the vehicle picker and all that and landed on this solution designed for the Mach-E.

If a shop sells a solution I’m expecting it to work, if it doesn’t work then a refund, if it causes property damage then compensation. I don’t think that’s an unreasonable, unheard of, or crazy ask.

I noticed something when looking at the various hitch options on etrailer.com. The EcoHitch is the only one that appears to have additional brackets to take the load off of the ones bolted into the bumper.

I am trying to remember if my EcoHitch had those brackets, but I think it did. It seems to me that design has a much better chance keeping the bumper from getting damaged.

I am willing to bet the UHaul one is designed just like the Curt one (below), and all the rest of them besides EcoHitch. There is a reason EcoHitch costs more. Maybe you get what you pay for?

 

[mkhuffman]

Definitely wasn’t an attempt to cheap out, my first call was to my local Ford dealer, they suggested I pick a 3rd party hitch installer, so I checked UHaul’s site went through the vehicle picker and all that and landed on this solution designed for the Mach-E.

If a shop sells a solution I’m expecting it to work, if it doesn’t work then a refund, if it causes property damage then compensation. I don’t think that’s an unreasonable, unheard of, or crazy ask.

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply you intentionally took the cheapest path. I was just pointing out the EcoHitch costs more, and it is probably worth the extra cost. Some people will take the cheapest path and then maybe regret it.

I agree with you regarding UHaul. They should carry the EcoHitch one, or one designed like it.

 

[Bayviews88]

It was a Curt rebranded by UHaul.

I have the Curt hitch and have used in the past with a two-bike platform rack. I was told the Curt model was similar to the EcoHitch for my use case of carrying 1-2 road bikes on a platform rack. Now I wonder if I should upgrade the rack to a better model like EcoHitch, or just remove the Curt rack without a replacement.

 

[Ford Motor Company]

I REALLY hope @Ford Motor Company is hearing this feedback from Mach-E owners and incorporating changes for the 2027(?) model refresh. I’m hoping the a model refresh has a proper hitch at least for bike rack use, a restored size frunk that can fit a 22”‘ suitcase again, and an improved ADAS (Level 3 -> Level 4). I could live w/current Lv 3, but other automakers are moving to Lv4 for late ‘20s model year vehicles.
Otherwise, I would sadly need to move to another EV brand without these features after my Options plan ends in a year.

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