Class IV hitch for Motorcycle Carrier

[dscott25]

I have a 2011 4Runner (SR5 Mag. gray) that came with the standard class III hitch. I've searched the internet and cannot find a class IV hitch for a 5th gen (or even a class III for a 5th gen). Anyone know where I can find a class IV? I'm wanting to attach a double dirtbike carrier. Both bikes plus ramp weigh aprx. 600-650lbs. The stock hitch only has a 500lb tongue weight capacity. Anyone have a motorcycle carrier hitch that you use? which one? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[Qjake]

I have a 2011 4Runner (SR5 Mag. gray) that came with the standard class III hitch. I've searched the internet and cannot find a class IV hitch for a 5th gen (or even a class III for a 5th gen). Anyone know where I can find a class IV? I'm wanting to attach a double dirtbike carrier. Both bikes plus ramp weigh aprx. 600-650lbs. The stock hitch only has a 500lb tongue weight capacity. Anyone have a motorcycle carrier hitch that you use? which one? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

I'm thinking that it's the 4Runner rated at 500lbs tongue weight and not the hitch itself but to answer your question, no haven't seen a class IV.

That seems like alot of weight to have hanging off the back of your truck. You will definitely need airbags to overcome the sag it will surely cause, though they are fairly cheap. Have you considered a trailer??

Good luck with your search :

PS. Got a pic of said bike carrier?

 

[bugslayer]

I have a 2011 4Runner (SR5 Mag. gray) that came with the standard class III hitch. I've searched the internet and cannot find a class IV hitch for a 5th gen (or even a class III for a 5th gen). Anyone know where I can find a class IV? I'm wanting to attach a double dirtbike carrier. Both bikes plus ramp weigh aprx. 600-650lbs. The stock hitch only has a 500lb tongue weight capacity. Anyone have a motorcycle carrier hitch that you use? which one? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

The stock hitch should be able to tow your rig with no worries. The tongue weight is usually about 10% of the total weight of what you're towing.

Hope this helps.

 

[My 4R]

Bug, he doesn't have a trailer, the entire 650# will be on the hitch. Its not rated for that weight, would it work? maybe......

 

[dscott25]

The two carriers I'm thinking about are the Aluminum Rage powersports AMC 600-2 or the Versahaul double carrier. I dont want a trailer due to the room it would take up in my garage. My 2011 Tacoma that i sold to get the 4runner had a much smaller engine, but a class IV hitch and higher towing capacity (I'm assuming this has something to do with the frame and not the vehicle?)

Anyone on here ever use a motorcycle carrier? A single carrier. If so how did it work?
Thanks

 

[rickwol]

I'm sure what's pictured in the above pics would work but you really would need to install some airbags for added support. I don't know much about dirt bikes but those pictured to me look awful small. I'm wondering if there would be a problem (depending on the size of the bikes) with blocking your tail lights once the bikes are up there. The one downside of this is that you definitely need 2 people to get the bike(s) on an and off. This may sound crazy but I know that I once saw a Titan with a dirt bike mounted on the front of the vehicle. I wonder how legal that is.

 

[1engineer]

Something to consider:
1. While you think you will only be adding 650 lbs to the hitch you will really be adding as much as 1500 lbs or so. Why you say?

When pulling a trailer, you can have as much as 500 lbs tongue weight and that's fine. When you go over a bump or a hole the load increases on the hitch due to dynamic forces caused by acceleration of mass and gravity. When pulling a trailer this load is shared by both the 4Runner and trailer. also the forces are dampened somewhat by the lack of "bounce" because of the truck and trailer hitting the bump at different times.

Now with your rig, you will already be overloading the max tongue weight by 150 lbs. If that was a static weight, you would probably be fine. What will happen to that weight when you hit a big bump or pothole? The that 650 lbs can quickly turn into as much as 1500 lbs (roughly 2.5 times static weight) due again to acceleration of mass and that stupid force called gravity. That in turn will cause a bending moment on your hitch. Maybe nothing will happen, or maybe your dirt bikes will be sliding behind your 4Runner. I am not being a naysayer just something to think about. If it were me I would buy a cheap foldable trailer from JC Whitney for the same price as your hitch carrier. No problems then and it folds flat against the wall.

 

[Reata]

U-Haull has a great bike trailer and it is only $15 a day. How many days could you rent one before buying either the trailer suggested above or the hitch mounted rack you originally posted about? No Maintenance, no tires, no hub greasing, no weight concerns, no lighting issues, etc....

 

[philsey]

something to consider:
1. While you think you will only be adding 650 lbs to the hitch you will really be adding as much as 1500 lbs or so. Why you say?

When pulling a trailer, you can have as much as 500 lbs tongue weight and that's fine. When you go over a bump or a hole the load increases on the hitch due to dynamic forces caused by acceleration of mass and gravity. When pulling a trailer this load is shared by both the 4runner and trailer. Also the forces are dampened somewhat by the lack of "bounce" because of the truck and trailer hitting the bump at different times.

Now with your rig, you will already be overloading the max tongue weight by 150 lbs. If that was a static weight, you would probably be fine. What will happen to that weight when you hit a big bump or pothole? The that 650 lbs can quickly turn into as much as 1500 lbs (roughly 2.5 times static weight) due again to acceleration of mass and that stupid force called gravity. That in turn will cause a bending moment on your hitch. Maybe nothing will happen, or maybe your dirt bikes will be sliding behind your 4runner. I am not being a naysayer just something to think about. If it were me i would buy a cheap foldable trailer from jc whitney for the same price as your hitch carrier. No problems then and it folds flat against the wall.

bazinga!

 

[ClockWork]

Something to consider:
1. While you think you will only be adding 650 lbs to the hitch you will really be adding as much as 1500 lbs or so. Why you say?

When pulling a trailer, you can have as much as 500 lbs tongue weight and that's fine. When you go over a bump or a hole the load increases on the hitch due to dynamic forces caused by acceleration of mass and gravity. When pulling a trailer this load is shared by both the 4Runner and trailer. also the forces are dampened somewhat by the lack of "bounce" because of the truck and trailer hitting the bump at different times.

Now with your rig, you will already be overloading the max tongue weight by 150 lbs. If that was a static weight, you would probably be fine. What will happen to that weight when you hit a big bump or pothole? The that 650 lbs can quickly turn into as much as 1500 lbs (roughly 2.5 times static weight) due again to acceleration of mass and that stupid force called gravity. That in turn will cause a bending moment on your hitch. Maybe nothing will happen, or maybe your dirt bikes will be sliding behind your 4Runner. I am not being a naysayer just something to think about. If it were me I would buy a cheap foldable trailer from JC Whitney for the same price as your hitch carrier. No problems then and it folds flat against the wall.

Let's not forget that the moment arm is inherently larger as well, Mr. Engineer.

 

[1engineer]

I would have said something but everytime I mention anything about moments, a glazed look suddenly appears on my audience and they check their watch because I mentioned moments.

 

[UtahSooner]

I would have said something but everytime I mention anything about moments, a glazed look suddenly appears on my audience and they check their watch because I mentioned moments.

Ha! Talk of calculating eigenvectors always gets the same response for me...

For what it's worth, I saw a Corolla with a rack+motorcycle on it's hitch driving down the road today. "A hitch on a Corolla? And it was hauling a motorcycle?" you say? Exactly. Wish I had my camera handy at the time!

Don't even need a slide rule to figure out that's a bad idea...

 

[Jtraskell]

Something to consider:
due again to acceleration of mass and that stupid force called gravity.

Hey, I play golf. Stop messing with gravity. I love gravity. It is the ONLY way my ball makes it into the hole!

 

[bugslayer]

Bug, he doesn't have a trailer, the entire 650# will be on the hitch. Its not rated for that weight, would it work? maybe......

Got it!

thanks for the photos dscott

 

[philsey]

@OP. This exact subject has been discussed, in detail, with identical results; ie "not a good idea".

The 5G 4R has a Class III hitch for a reason. The vehicle is designed to safely tow 5000# which assumes ~10% tongue weight of a trailer.

There is no Class IV hitch for the same reason.

Neither the suspension, nor the brakes, nor the attachment points of the hitch were designed for your task. Two bikes implies at least one passenger and gear, adding further weight.

If you were to be involved in an accident, loaded beyond the mfgr's specs, I think you could be asking for a liability issue. I don't know nothin' 'bout no 'moments', but I do get leverage, and I sure wouldn't want 650# swinging away 2' off my hitch.

 

[ClockWork]

Should have bought a 4th gen V8 which had a maximum tounge weight of 1030lbs. (Yes, there is a sticker that says that). No I would never do it.

 

[dscott25]

Thanks for the replys everyone. I think I will have to get a single carrier. I can get an aluminum one that weighs about 50 lbs. My bike's curb weight is about 230. So thats about 280 lbs, well under the 500 lb max.

 

[dscott25]

After several months of reasearch, I finally decided on the steel Versahaul. These pics are w/out airbags. Havent driven it on the hwy yet though. Looks kinda of scary, but I havent found any review of where the carrier and or bike fell off. Has anyone else used a hitch carrier?

 

[Qjake]

Nope never used a hitch carrier, always either put em in the truck bed or trailered my bikes.

Honestly that doesn't look scary to me, looks like the Runner is holding up the weight just fine. Speaking of weight what'd you get for a total? Airbags are pretty cheap so if your looking for piece of mind they are probably a good idea.

Glad to see you ditched the idea of a double carrier that would have definitely been scary!

 

[tlflow]

Seen a bunch of these at the tracks around Houston, look like they work fine. Several were toting 450s.