In further preparation for my drive from Portland, OR to Anchorage, AK this August I purchased the following;


Curt Hitch 1-1/4" - C12080
Curt Wiring - C56011
Pro Series Cargo Carrier - 63155
eTrailer.com LED Light Kit - 98174LED


Was a difficult decision between a 2" and 1-1/4" hitch, I chose the 1-1/4 because I already had a bike carrier that was that size and I did not plan on ever towing anything requiring a 2" with this car.


Hitch - Install was really easy, instructions say 20min, took me 30 with my g/f (holding ~38lb's over your head and putting nuts on at the same time gets tiring).


I originally wanted a Hidden Hitch because the receiver is recessed slightly more than the Curt but they were out of stock at the time. The Curt does not stick out past the bumper, but I would have liked it to be recessed a little more.


Wiring - Was a breeze, it is all plug an play although there is a single green wire that goes from the driver side to the passenger side that for me, and where I wanted to mount the wiring box was 8" too short, so I cut it and extended the wire.


Basket - came in 3 pieces, assembly was easy, space between it and the car is good. Should be able to open the door with most of the items I plan to put on it (gas cans, full spare tire). Fit into the curt receiver is snug and it does not bounce around much at all.


It also has great ground clearance, putting the bottom of it above the bottom of the bumper (3" lift from hitch)


Light kit - Also another easy install, I choose LED over the normal incandescent because it is brighter, and because, well, it is LED


Only thing I do not care for on the lighting is, I wish it could have been hidden a little better but it is not possible to route it though any of the cross bars underneath because the connecters are just big enough to not fit.


Over all, I think these were great additions and will come in handy for camping and long road trips.

 

Wow, that kind of appendage hanging off the back is scary to me. Just remember the hitch can't support more than 150#.

 

Tongue weight capacity also depends on other loads inside the vehicle such as rear seat passengers. However I read on several sites such as Edmund's and US News containing vehicle specifications that the 2017 CX-5 max tongue weight is 200 lbs.