Review on 🚚 CURT 18145 48 x 20-Inch Basket Hitch Cargo Carrier: Ultimate 500 lbs Capacity Black Steel Solution (+1-1/4" & 2-In Adapter Shank) by Andy Mitts

My wife and I drive compact cars and we needed something to add extra space for our camping gear. We installed this on her 2008 Mazda 3. This truck was more difficult to assemble than necessary as the instructions were not detailed enough. I assembled everything except the shank and when I tried to position the shank for the bolt it didn't fit. A few days later I took it apart again and found through trial and error that I had attached the bottom of the basket the wrong way round. There were no clues in the directions to the right above. Bad directions are the main reason I rate 3 stars. We took it on a 1200 mile trip and it didn't rumble at all. It is inserted into a curt hitch, which can help ensure a perfect fit. Two Rubbermaid bags fit inside. I've seen other reviews showing that I have to be careful not to let the exhaust get into the cargo. I tried to forestall that by putting aluminum trim around the lip and bottom to deflect the exhaust. I failed when, halfway through our ride, we realized the blinking had stopped and the Rubbermaid was melting. I think installing a hitch can solve this problem, but be aware that if your hitch is flush with the exhaust, you must do something to protect your cargo. The tribe is strong. I weigh over 200 kilos. And I could jump on it once it was hooked without bending it. I would recommend this product if only the assembly instructions were more detailed and helpful. This is a great product but the instructions caused a lot of frustration.