When this thread first began, I had queried the group for assistance in a carrier for my CX. Evidently they weren't in use, since no one seemed to know much more than I did - meaning we were in pitiful shape on the subject! After much hit and miss research, I bought the Rola carrier, and the Rola waterproof bag. FYI, Rola is an Australian company - and evidently very well thought of by users of its product line, which is extensive.
When studying the various designs, I was disappointed to find that all carriers seem to have one common malady (to me). They all bring your load nearly to street level, and depending on exhaust design, place the load right in front of exhausting gas. If your load isn't permeated with the stench, its beaten up by rocks, sand, water, or whatever the wheel can find to throw at it. Neither of them was an acceptable condition to me.
A final consideration was that every carrier I could find a report on exhibited a tendency to shake, rattle, roll, and rock around. That was also unacceptable.
To get the load off the ground, I decided to try a used 7 inch riser made locally to carry an electric wheel chair carrier with powered chair. The riser brings the carrier several inches above the exhaust, and makes it much easier to load. In the case of the Rola, and some other carriers I saw, there's a couple of inches of rise in the shank of the carrier itself - which gets the carrier backbone up 9 inches higher than hitch-height, using my riser, and then the actual platform about another inch or so higher. Overall the 10-11 inch difference in height really improves serviceability, and appearance.
To eliminate the shake and rocking, I elected to use double anti-rattle devices at each of the two junctions. Where the riser comes out of the hitch, we installed a anti-rattle lock, and to eliminate vertical movement, installed a Curt device with bolt, and lock nut. Together they completely stabilize the mounting.
The Rola bag is limp, and to me that makes it more difficult to load. To solve that problem, I went to a big box, and got PVC pipe and fittings to make an internal cage for the bag. It was easy, and I can tap it apart and store the sections in the bag secured to the carrier when its not being used. The frame was built around the smaller of the two bag configurations, since I knew if the bag had to be used in the expanded mode, the contents would hold the bag shape beyond the PVC frame. Truthfully, a second consideration was my unwillingness to have a half filled floppy bag detracting from the vehicle. The concept of the carrier and bag is sufficient detraction without looking like a hobo in the process.
I got my bag at a discount because the tie down straps were missing. Went to a sporting goods store and bought 1 inch straps with plastic snaps, and wound up with a better strap.
I am going to try and upload some photos over the next couple of responses. Hopefully if anyone else is in the market for a carrier these will help.
When studying the various designs, I was disappointed to find that all carriers seem to have one common malady (to me). They all bring your load nearly to street level, and depending on exhaust design, place the load right in front of exhausting gas. If your load isn't permeated with the stench, its beaten up by rocks, sand, water, or whatever the wheel can find to throw at it. Neither of them was an acceptable condition to me.
A final consideration was that every carrier I could find a report on exhibited a tendency to shake, rattle, roll, and rock around. That was also unacceptable.
To get the load off the ground, I decided to try a used 7 inch riser made locally to carry an electric wheel chair carrier with powered chair. The riser brings the carrier several inches above the exhaust, and makes it much easier to load. In the case of the Rola, and some other carriers I saw, there's a couple of inches of rise in the shank of the carrier itself - which gets the carrier backbone up 9 inches higher than hitch-height, using my riser, and then the actual platform about another inch or so higher. Overall the 10-11 inch difference in height really improves serviceability, and appearance.
To eliminate the shake and rocking, I elected to use double anti-rattle devices at each of the two junctions. Where the riser comes out of the hitch, we installed a anti-rattle lock, and to eliminate vertical movement, installed a Curt device with bolt, and lock nut. Together they completely stabilize the mounting.
The Rola bag is limp, and to me that makes it more difficult to load. To solve that problem, I went to a big box, and got PVC pipe and fittings to make an internal cage for the bag. It was easy, and I can tap it apart and store the sections in the bag secured to the carrier when its not being used. The frame was built around the smaller of the two bag configurations, since I knew if the bag had to be used in the expanded mode, the contents would hold the bag shape beyond the PVC frame. Truthfully, a second consideration was my unwillingness to have a half filled floppy bag detracting from the vehicle. The concept of the carrier and bag is sufficient detraction without looking like a hobo in the process.
I got my bag at a discount because the tie down straps were missing. Went to a sporting goods store and bought 1 inch straps with plastic snaps, and wound up with a better strap.
I am going to try and upload some photos over the next couple of responses. Hopefully if anyone else is in the market for a carrier these will help.
Last edited:
