Hitch Carriers
The Best Hitch Cargo Carriers for an RV
The most important thing on this page is not a product. It is the warning that an RV's rear receiver is often rated far lower than it looks.
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Start with the warning, because it is the part that costs people money.
A receiver on the back of a motorhome or travel trailer is frequently not rated like a tow hitch on a car. Many are attached to a bumper rather than to the chassis, and many carry a low rated capacity — sometimes explicitly for a bike rack only. Overloading one does not usually fail dramatically; it bends the bumper, cracks the mounting, and you find out at the end of the trip.
The second issue is unique to RVs: rear overhang multiplies movement. A long motorhome’s rear receiver sits a long way behind the rear axle, so every bump is amplified by the lever arm. A load that would sit quietly on a car’s hitch works itself loose on an RV.
So before any product: find the rating plate on your receiver, and read your RV manufacturer’s documentation on rear cargo. If it says bike rack only, that is what it means.
Quick picks
Tap any row to jump to the full write-up below. Scores are our editorial judgment on published specifications — not a star rating, and not a product we claim to have tested.
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  MaxxHaul 70108 Aluminum CarrierAluminum keeps the empty weight down, which is exactly what you want when the receiver rating is the constraint. | Best for a low-rated receiver | 7.8 | |
| 2 | CURT 18153 Folding Cargo CarrierWhen the RV has a real frame-mounted receiver with a real rating, this is the basket to put in it. | Best if your receiver is chassis-mounted and properly rated | 8.4 | |
| 3 | Mockins Hitch Cargo CarrierComes with the waterproof bag and net you would otherwise buy separately, which suits gear that lives outside. | Cheapest way to carry camp gear | 7.4 | |
| 4 |  Rhino USA Ratchet Straps (1 in x 15 ft)Rear overhang shakes a load harder than a car ever will. Cheap straps are the failure point, not the carrier. | The part that actually fails on an RV | 8.2 |
Prices checked September 25, 2026. Product photographs are representative stock images, not the exact unit. Affiliate disclosure.
#1 · Best for a low-rated receiver
MaxxHaul 70108 Aluminum Carrier
Aluminum keeps the empty weight down, which is exactly what you want when the receiver rating is the constraint.
- Material
- Aluminum
- Weight
- Far lighter than steel equivalents
- Corrosion
- Does not rust
- Receiver
- 2-inch
What works
- The lightest reasonable option, so more of a low rating is usable cargo
- No rust — relevant on a vehicle that sits outside for months
- Easy to fit and remove single-handed
What doesn’t
- Costs more than steel
- Aluminum dents permanently where steel springs back
- Fixed shank
Our scoring
7.8overall
#2 · Best if your receiver is chassis-mounted and properly rated
CURT 18153 Folding Cargo Carrier
When the RV has a real frame-mounted receiver with a real rating, this is the basket to put in it.
- Basket
- 60 x 20 inches
- Material
- Steel
- Shank
- Folding, angled
- Receiver
- 2-inch
What works
- Folds flat against the RV when empty, which matters on a long vehicle
- Steel survives being left loaded and outdoors
- Large enough for the bulky things RV owners actually carry
What doesn’t
- Heavy — a real problem against a low receiver rating
- 60 inches is wide; check it does not extend past the RV's body line
Our scoring
8.4overall
#3 · Cheapest way to carry camp gear
Mockins Hitch Cargo Carrier
Comes with the waterproof bag and net you would otherwise buy separately, which suits gear that lives outside.
- Material
- Steel
- Bundle
- Bag, net and straps usually included
- Receiver
- 2-inch
- Use case
- Camp chairs, hoses, leveling blocks
What works
- One purchase covers carrier, weather protection and restraint
- Suits the dirty, bulky items you do not want inside the RV
- Cheap enough to treat as consumable
What doesn’t
- Bundled straps are not up to RV-scale vibration — replace them
- Heavy for what it is
- Fixed shank
Our scoring
7.4overall
#4 · The part that actually fails on an RV
Rhino USA Ratchet Straps (1 in x 15 ft)
Rear overhang shakes a load harder than a car ever will. Cheap straps are the failure point, not the carrier.
- Type
- Ratchet straps, four-pack
- Size
- 1 inch x 15 ft
- Stated break strength
- 1,823 lb
- Extras
- Soft loops included
What works
- Enough length to strap in every direction on a large carrier
- Soft loops protect anything with a painted or polished surface
- Four straps is the right number for an RV-scale load
What doesn’t
- Ratchets can over-tension soft items — use cam straps for those
- Webbing degrades in UV; store them inside between trips
Our scoring
8.2overall
Find your RV's rear receiver rating first
This is the single most important step, and it is not the same conversation as a car hitch.
- Look for a rating plate on or beside the receiver. It will state a maximum tongue weight and sometimes a specific restriction.
- Check what it is mounted to. A receiver welded to a bumper is not a chassis hitch, whatever it looks like.
- Read the RV manufacturer’s guidance. Many explicitly limit rear receivers to a bike rack, or to a low fixed weight.
- Subtract the carrier. Whatever the rating, the carrier’s own weight comes off it first.
If you cannot find a rating, treat that as a low rating rather than an unlimited one.
Why rear overhang changes everything
On a car, the hitch is close behind the rear axle. On a long motorhome it can be many feet behind it. That distance is a lever arm, and it multiplies every vertical movement the rear axle makes.
Practically: a load that rides quietly on a car will work itself loose on an RV over a few hundred miles. Straps that were tight when you left are slack by lunchtime. This is not a failure of the straps; it is the geometry.
The answer is more restraint than you think you need, checked more often than you think you need to. Strap in four directions. Fit an anti-rattle device. Stop after the first hour and re-tension, then at every fuel stop.
What belongs on an RV's rear carrier
The best case for a rear carrier on an RV is the dirty, bulky, low-value gear you do not want inside: leveling blocks, sewer hoses, a folding table, camp chairs, firewood.
What does not belong there: anything heavy, anything expensive, and anything that would be a hazard if it came off. The rear of an RV is the hardest-worked, least-supervised place on the vehicle, and it is behind you at all times.
Also check your length. Many states regulate total vehicle length, and a 20-inch carrier on an already-long motorhome can put you over. Check before a long interstate trip.
Common questions
Can I put a cargo carrier on an RV bumper hitch?
How much weight can an RV rear hitch carry?
Why do straps come loose on an RV carrier?
Sources
Not sure it fits your car?
Our vehicle pages carry the published roof load limit, the roof type by model year, and what actually mounts to it — cited, and honest about what the manufacturer does not publish.
Read next
The Best Hitch Cargo Carriers for SUVs
Hitch carriers for SUVs, ranked — plus the tongue weight figure that really decides your load.
Hitch Classes Explained
Classes, receiver sizes and tongue weight ratings — and why tongue weight is the number that matters.
The Best Ratchet Straps
Ratchet straps ranked, plus how to read a break strength figure properly.
How to Tie Down Cargo
Anchor points, strap direction, correct tension, tail management and the pre-drive checks.