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A hitch cargo carrier mounts by sliding its shank into a 2-inch Class III or IV receiver and locking it in place with the hitch pin and clip.
For the full breakdown, see our best Cargo Hitch Carrier guide.
A carrier that isn’t pinned down doesn’t fail gently — it shifts, sways, and hammers the hitch at highway speed. The standard procedure for how to attach a cargo carrier to a hitch is the same across brands: slide the shank into the receiver, line up the holes, pin it, clip it, then snug the support hardware. The sequence below follows the printed installation manuals that ship with the most common US carriers, with the checks that matter before you load a single bag.
Which Hitch Receiver Do You Need?
You need a 2-inch x 2-inch Class III or Class IV receiver rated for the carrier plus whatever you plan to haul. The carriers these manuals cover are built for that 2-inch opening, and the hitch has to be installed properly and certified for the load.
- Shank size must match exactly. Separate 1-1/4-inch shank models exist, and they fit only a matching 1-1/4-inch receiver.
- Respect the weight rating.
- Confirm the hitch install. At least one manual requires the hitch to be installed by a qualified service technician and certified for the carrier and its contents.
- Plan for two people. Every manual checked calls for a helper: the empty carrier is heavy and awkward to hold while you line up the holes.