2014 CX-5 OEM Trailer Hitch

[Harrigan]

Hi folks. Just traded my 2004 Honda Element for a brand new CX-5 GT in Soul Red. Have already road tripped it... LOVE it. The vehicle came with the OEM hitch installed (and the notch in the bumper), and I'd like to mount a bike rack back there... but I'm having trouble nailing down the specs of the actual hitch. I've read conflicting things on this hitch being Class I or Class II -- all I know for sure is that it has a 1.25" receiver, but I'm unsure of the class rating, which is preventing me from deciding on buying a 2 or 4 bike rack.

Can anyone help clarify whether the current OEM hitch for the 2014s is Class I or II?

Thanks, happy to be a member of the family.

 

[rjdee]

I would expect it to be a Class II. Check this though, some class I hitches have a stop that prevent a longer receiver to be installed. Check to see if you have a stop in the receiver box.

 

[EagleRockCX5]

I have a 5 bike Yakima that fits on my OEM hitch just fine.

 

[Bho4779]

It is a class II...I decided to go with the aftermarket Curt Class III hitch, even though the hitch is rated for more than the CX-5 can tow. I went with the 2" receiver cause I already had the Thule T2 XT bike rack, and in order to use the 2 bike add-on extension, it requires the 2" version of the rack.
If I was only carrying 2 bikes, then I probably would have opted for the OEM hitch.

 

[Harrigan]

Thanks for all the replies, folks. Can't seem to find a part number on the hitch itself, on the one-page 'manual' that was included in my manual packet, in or on the small box containing the hitch (sans ball) itself, on the window sticker, etc. Rather frustrating.

Not sure about the stop -- there is 5.5" of travel / depth in the receiver. And my real worry is that while a Yakima or Thule 4-5 bike carrier with a 1.25" tongue might *fit*, it also might be too heavy if it is indeed a class I hitch...

 

[Harrigan]

@EagleRockCX5 -- I see in another post a pic of your car & hitch... and it does look exactly like mine. Have you actually had five bikes on there and it still felt secure?

 

[EagleRockCX5]

I've had 4 on it, 2 28lb mountain bikes and 2 full on downhill bikes, both 40+lbs, so the equivalent of 5 or more normal bikes and yeah, it was moving considerably more than when it's just my mtn bike or road bike, but didn't seem like it was going to come off or anything. I think these hitches are rated for 300lbs tongue weight and the racks are rated for it as well.

 

[paris1]

I've had 4 on it, 2 28lb mountain bikes and 2 full on downhill bikes, both 40+lbs, so the equivalent of 5 or more normal bikes and yeah, it was moving considerably more than when it's just my mtn bike or road bike, but didn't seem like it was going to come off or anything. I think these hitches are rated for 300lbs tongue weight and the racks are rated for it as well.

A class II hitch is rated at 150# tongue weight.

 

[rjdee]

I've had 4 on it, 2 28lb mountain bikes and 2 full on downhill bikes, both 40+lbs, so the equivalent of 5 or more normal bikes and yeah, it was moving considerably more than when it's just my mtn bike or road bike, but didn't seem like it was going to come off or anything. I think these hitches are rated for 300lbs tongue weight and the racks are rated for it as well.

FYI: Yakima DoubleDown 5 is rated at 125lb capacity. The DD4 bike is 120lbs. Now I regularly overload my racks and have seen much sketchier setups. It may have seemed fine when you had the bikes loaded the way you described since the weight ratings are a dynamic load rating. How you drive is the biggest factor but one emergency maneuver or big expansion joint at speed could mean a failure, bikes littering the highway, and the liability is on you. Also remember that the hitch is designed for loads positioned low and close to the bumper. The higher and further away from that point you get, the greater the leverage that load has.

 

[Harrigan]

I finally got the part number from my dealer -- mine is definitely a Class I hitch, meaning only 200lbs tongue weight... think I'll play it safe and get a two-bike rack. (Eyeballing the Thule Doubletrack, one of the racks that etrailer.com folks recommend.)

 

[BigPainRing]

I finally got the part number from my dealer -- mine is definitely a Class I hitch, meaning only 200lbs tongue weight... think I'll play it safe and get a two-bike rack. (Eyeballing the Thule Doubletrack, one of the racks that etrailer.com folks recommend.)

My 2014 CX5 Sport has the dealer installed receiver hitch and I use this 3 bike rack with no problems what so ever. http://www.thule.com/en-us/us/products/carriers-and-racks/bike-carriers/hitch-mounted-bike-carriers/thule-helium-aero-2-bike-9042-_-1680099

 

[EagleRockCX5]

FYI: Yakima DoubleDown 5 is rated at 125lb capacity. The DD4 bike is 120lbs. Now I regularly overload my racks and have seen much sketchier setups. It may have seemed fine when you had the bikes loaded the way you described since the weight ratings are a dynamic load rating. How you drive is the biggest factor but one emergency maneuver or big expansion joint at speed could mean a failure, bikes littering the highway, and the liability is on you. Also remember that the hitch is designed for loads positioned low and close to the bumper. The higher and further away from that point you get, the greater the leverage that load has.

All good points. I don't make a habit of having this many bikes on it, it's usually just mine or a multiple bikes for a very short distance when we do shuttle rides.

 

[Harrigan]

Hm. That Helium rack is about 25lbs lighter than the Doubletrack (~20lbs vs. ~45lbs). That's practically a bike right there... especially since the 2nd / 3rd bike in many cases will be my son's, and at 11 he's a while away from a full-size mountain bike.

Hmmmm.

Are you happy with the Helium, BigPainRing? Everything locks down nice and tight, not much swinging / swaying?

 

[Chris_Top_Her]

I've got this Rola bike rack

. Available in 2-4 bike variants and it has a swivel 2" or 1" adapter.

 

[CCR76]

The OEM hitch is heavier than the aftermarket hitches made for the CX-5 that call themselves Class 2 and I believe it is at least as strong if not stronger. It bolts to points on the frame that were designed for it. Mazda only refers to its hitch as Class 1 but that makes sense from a liability standpoint. If they called it a Class 2, that would imply, despite any disclaimers in the manual, that they were endorsing it for the maximum rating of Class 2 which is 3,500lbs/300-350lbs (trailer/tongue). They rate the vehicle itself for 2000lbs/200lbs so they just call the hitch a Class 1 and avoid confusion.

That said, I would not hang big swinging loads from any 1.25" receiver. It just doesn't look right. A couple hundred pounds on the end of a free-swinging three- or four-foot lever subjects the receiver to different stresses than a straight-down force of the same weight on a hitch ball less than a foot behind the receiver. Curt with its hitch racks supplies a horizontal strap to tie the top of the rack to the hatch or trunk lid, which addresses that concern. Personally I would be a little nervous hanging more than two bikes off the back without a strap. I would not worry about bending the hitch, but rather bending the Skyactivly lightweight unitized subframe it's bolted to. But then again I tend to worry a lot, and anything I make gets overbuilt. I see vehicles all the time with big racks hanging off of 1.25" receivers and have never yet seen one buckle from the stress.

Congratulations on your new CX-5 and welcome to the party!

 

[Harrigan]

Cool wheels, Chris_Top_Her. Also like the C-5 Galaxy reference. No comment on the distracting animated GIF...

CCR76 -- that explains the varying answers I was getting from the Mazda website, dealer and Internet research. Makes sense. Hadn't seen or considered the strap previously... might be a good idea if I head for a larger rack.

Edit: And thanks -- happy to be here. Loving the new CX-5 so far.

 

[BigPainRing]

Hm. That Helium rack is about 25lbs lighter than the Doubletrack (~20lbs vs. ~45lbs). That's practically a bike right there... especially since the 2nd / 3rd bike in many cases will be my son's, and at 11 he's a while away from a full-size mountain bike.

Hmmmm.

Are you happy with the Helium, BigPainRing? Everything locks down nice and tight, not much swinging / swaying?

Bikes lock down very solid if the anti-sway attachments are used and the rack does not wobble in the receiver hitch. The integral bike lock is very conveinient but kind of minimal theft protection.

 

[offcamber]

FWIW I ran a Thule T2 on my Mazda5 for 2 1/2 yrs. You not suppose to tow anything with the vehicle. The hitch was Mickey Mouse, about 2 feet long and attached at 3 points. Two at the bumper and a u-bolt that dropped from the tire well. I never had an issue or worry, even carrying 2 DH bikes from Fl. to WV, NC, TN and Ga. Other than being low and heading up some steep fire roads I would have to be careful it wouldn't scrap. I'm running the same 1.25 rack on the CX5 and couldn't be more confident. It's higher and attaches to the frame. Can't wait to head back to the mountains.
M5

CX5

As long as your not towing something huge the 1.25" will be fine.