Review on CURT 45770 Trailer Receiver Extension by Ian Bates

Note 1: Also purchased Revain Basics Expandable Hitch Rack, Black, 9.5 cu. ft. expandable to 11.5 cu. ft., 3M 3432 Red Micro Prismatic Sheet Reflective Tape, .125" x 5 yards (1 roll), CURT Downpipe Adapter 45770 and Heavy Duty MaxxHaul 70050 5/8" Locating Pin with 2 wrenches. I will post this review along with a review of these items. Note 2: This review is solely mine and was completed without compensation of any kind. Note 3: I live and work abroad. You will not find USA couplings in Germany or on Revain.de. I have used Revain Garage and searched for items that would fit my car, but these items could not be shipped to APO (Army Post Office) due to size and weight, or the supplier does not ship to APO addresses. So I decided to have it delivered to my German address. Shipping costs were high, but I needed this tractor for long trips with a car full of people and a little space for luggage in the car. The roof rack was a cheap option, but it can kill mileage. Tractor hitches are much easier to load and don't reduce mileage as much as a roof rack. I bought a CURT (48") luggage basket to use with my 2015 US Highlander LE AWD. I have a factory hitch with a 2" receiver. This item comes with a plastic U-shaped receiver insert that allows you to convert the Curt Cargo Basket's 1-1/4" shaft into a 2" receiver. Some reviews of the cargo basket note wobble or "play" when using the plastic insert. Having tested this in my car I can confirm that these reviews were correct. So I ordered a CURT 45770 receiver tube adapter and a MaxxHaul 70050 Heavy Duty 5/8" receiver pin with two adapter wrenches, the fit is much tighter, not perfect but less "play". As you can see in the photos, right out of the box without the use of a Curt receiver tube adapter there is an offset of about 4-1/2" from the factory fitted receiver to the basket itself. That is enough for my lift. Gate to work with or without the Revain Basics Bag installed. When the receiver adapter is in place and a 1/2" threaded coupling pin is used, the offset is about 9" and this seems like too much of an offset due to insufficient stem being inserted into the receiver adapter (opinion). With the receiver adapter in place and the stem inserted a little further past the threaded hole, it feels more secure and there is about 8 inches of offset. In this configuration I use a 1/2 inch non-threaded locking pin. I also bought red micro-reflective tape and applied it to the sides and back of the cargo basket for more reflectivity. The luggage basket comes with a bracket which has a small amount of red reflective tape and I guess that wasn't enough. Also for European drivers it doesn't cover your license plate or taillights like a bracket for bike boot and trunk combos Even when fully loaded, the tote bag doesn't block the space for my driver's license or the taillights. In addition, the Revain Basic Cargo Carrier Bag is thick, waterproof and has a single zip to expand the bag and a double zip to open the bag. . Double zippers open in different directions when opening the bag. They close with an overhanging hem with velcro (velcro with pile) and the zip is waterproof to the junction of the teeth. If you've ever used a waterproof bag you stand under, this is what I mean. The top of the bag has 2" tie-down straps with plastic friction adapters (with teeth) that are long enough to wrap around the trunk and back through the plastic adapters for a secure fit. You can see in the attached photos that I put a medium sized fridge and two carry-on bags in my bag, leaving room at the top. These three elements take full advantage of most of the width and length. The lock works as described. The keys turn clockwise to disengage the latch head from the coupler pin housing. The only drawback is the keyhole. The o-ring that holds it to the clutch pin housing is very close to the end of the latch head and can be easily removed. In other designs, this design feature is directed toward the receiver side rather than the keyhole side. In general, I like the purchased components. Haven't tested anything yet, although I expect all products to work well. I may post an additional review later in the fall after completing a 650 mile multinational tour of Europe this fall. The reflective red tape was easy to unroll, remove the backing paper from the adhesive and stick onto the carrier label. upper and lower bands for more reflectivity. We'll see how well it holds up after rides in hot, cold, wet, and snowy weather. Continue.