I just got my retrofit hitch receiver installed last weekend. I’ve been looking at hitch mounted cargo carriers, but they seem like they’d interfere with the back hatch. Has anyone used one? I was thinking about mounting a steel truck bed tool box in it to secure my gear. Also, how badly does it screw up the approach angles? I got the retrofit hitch kit to help with this. I found this pre-made hitch tool box. It’s a little small, but I could use it for recovery gear. https://www.shophornetoutdoors.com/...DNt11w52EfayhrChNKnegd5nR5iICCfBoCG38QAvD_BwE
It looks like it will be very close on the tailgate, on Hornet's website it states the most it can extend from the hitch pin is 8", and then it sits on top of it's extension, so it's going to be 6" out, then 12.5" up from the top of the receiver tube. Assuming all the measurements on the website are accurate and are ofthe outside of the box, the arc of the tailgate is going to hit the box but just barely. Even if it does clear, you'd have to pop the tailgate then lift it from the right or left side, cause your hand certainly isn't going to fit if you stay in the center of the hatch on the button. Might be able to add a short hitch extension to resolve that. It is going to interfere with the departure angle, but not a lot, unless you are regularly driving off ledges 18" high, I don't think you'll notice. I drive off 18" ledges pretty regularly on the trails I run though, so YMMV. I think the biggest concern is if it has seal on the lid or not, there is a vortex of air that spins around the back of any vehicle with a tall straight back, and as you run down the road in the rain, water is going to be spinning up the rear face of that tool box, and under the edges of the lid, if it's not got a seal on that lid, things inside the box are going to get wet..
