A hitch carrier turns your setup into a lever arm (cantilever load). Hitch ratings (like the ~350 lb tongue weight) are measured close to the hitch pin / ball (~8–10”). A hitch carrier puts the bike 18–30+ inches back? That multiplies the effective load on the hitch and crossmember.
Assume...
I put together a simple mountain bike mount inside my 2-door using the factory floor tie-down points. Figured I’d share the parts list in case anyone wants to build something similar. The bike is an XL 27.5 Santa Cruz Chameleon with a dropper post. The passenger seat is all the way back and...