You can do most of your accessory homework now. Here is what to settle during the presale period, and what should wait for final EcoHitch specifications.

If you have ordered, or are considering, the Chevrolet Trax EcoHitch during presale, you do not have to wait for the box to arrive to start planning your bike rack or cargo carrier. Most of the accessory work can be done now.

What should wait is the final compatibility decision. Hitch design and specifications may vary. Confirmed hitch design and specifications will be posted at the time of hitch release.This guide breaks accessory planning into steps you can complete during presale and the checks that need final hitch details.

Choose the Accessory Category

Start with the type of accessory, because each one raises different questions:

  • Standard bike rack: Platform or hanging style for traditional bikes
  • E-Bike rack: Heavier rack built for heavier bikes, often with stricter hitch requirements
  • Cargo tray: Flat platform for bins, coolers, and gear
  • Cargo basket: Similar to a tray with taller sides
  • Swing-away accessory: Rack or carrier that pivots for rear access
  • Other receiver-mounted product: Anything else that slides into the receiver

Think about rear access too. The Trax uses a rear liftgate, and some racks and carriers block it when loaded. If you need to reach the cargo area often, a tilting rack or a swing-away design may be worth the extra weight and distance, which the leverage step below accounts for.

Narrowing the category early keeps you from comparing a light two-bike hanging rack against a heavy two-E-Bike platform rack as though they were the same decision.

Record the Accessory Requirements

Once you have a few candidates, write down the details from each manufacturer:

  • Manufacturer and model
  • Required receiver size
  • Required hitch class, if the manufacturer lists one
  • Empty accessory weight
  • Maximum accessory capacity
  • Number of bikes
  • Weight of each bike you plan to carry
  • Expected cargo weight

If a manufacturer’s requirement is unclear, such as a rack that lists a hitch class without saying whether it applies to every bike configuration, contact the rack manufacturer now and get the answer in writing. 

All of this is available now, from the rack manufacturer and your own bikes and gear. Having it in one place makes the final check fast once the hitch specifications are released.

Calculate Loaded Weight the Right Way

Your loaded weight is everything on the receiver:

  • Bike rack: rack weight plus the weight of every bike
  • Cargo carrier: carrier weight plus the weight of all cargo

Do not compare the bikes alone or the cargo alone against a hitch rating. The rack or carrier is part of the load. A heavy E-Bike platform rack can add a meaningful amount of weight before a single bike is on it.

Here is a simple illustration with made-up numbers. A rack that weighs 50 pounds empty, carrying two bikes at 60 pounds each, puts 170 pounds on the receiver. Add a swing-away adapter and the weight and distance both go up. Use your real numbers, not the illustration, when you check your setup.

If you leave E-Bike batteries on during transport, include them. If you plan to carry a full cooler, weigh it full.

Account for Leverage

Distance from the receiver changes how a load affects the hitch. Record:

  • Shank length
  • Any hitch extension
  • Any riser or drop adapter
  • Any swing-away adapter
  • The distance from the receiver to the center of the load

A tongue weight rating published at the trailer ball is not the same as acceptable rack or cargo weight. As the load moves farther from the receiver, leverage increases and the usable capacity of the setup drops. Torklift notes that extensions, cargo trays, bike racks, and similar accessories significantly reduce the tongue weight capacity of the hitch system.

Once the Trax EcoHitch specifications are final and published, run your numbers through Torklift’s Maximum Hitch Weight (Tongue Weight) Estimator. Until then, your measurements are ready and waiting.

Keep Vehicle Limits and Installer Planning in View

Chevrolet’s limits still control. Chevrolet’s owner’s manual for the current-generation Trax tells owners not to tow a trailer and states the vehicle was not designed for it. The EcoHitch does not add towing capability. Check the owner’s manual for your exact model year and plan the hitch around racks and cargo.

The presale period is also a good time to plan installation if you are not doing it yourself:

  • Find a local installer or a Certified EcoHitch Installer.
  • Confirm their policy on customer-supplied hitches.
  • Share the current product information.
  • Tell them which rack or carrier you plan to use.

Do not book a firm installation date until release and shipping are confirmed. Customers near Kent, WA can plan installation at Torklift Central once the hitch is available.

How Torklift Central Can Help You Shop

Shop the Chevrolet Trax EcoHitch on presale at Torklift Central, and use the presale period to gather your rack or carrier details. When the final specifications are published, call a retail specialist at 253-854-1832 with your rack model, loaded weight, and distance from the receiver, and they can help you confirm the combination.

Key Takeaways

  • Choose your accessory category and record the rack or carrier requirements during presale.
  • Loaded weight includes the rack or carrier, not just the bikes or cargo.
  • Ratings at the trailer ball do not equal usable rack weight; leverage reduces capacity.
  • Wait for final receiver size, ratings, and class information before approving a heavy E-Bike setup.
  • Chevrolet tells current-generation Trax owners not to tow a trailer, so plan the hitch for racks and cargo.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a bike rack on the Chevy Trax EcoHitch?

Bike racks and cargo carriers are the intended use. Confirm the rack’s receiver size and loaded weight against the final hitch specifications.

Will the Trax EcoHitch work with E-Bikes?

It may, depending on the rack and the final specifications. Confirm receiver size, hitch class compatibility, and the estimator result once final details are published.

Can I use a cargo tray?

Yes, cargo trays are a common receiver accessory. Count the tray weight plus cargo, and account for how far the load sits behind the receiver.

How much rack weight can the hitch carry?

That depends on the final hitch rating, the rack and load weight, and the distance from the receiver. Use the Maximum Hitch Weight (Tongue Weight) Estimator once final specifications are published.

Does a swing-away rack affect capacity?

Yes. Swing-away adapters typically add weight and distance, which increases leverage and reduces usable capacity.

Can I choose my bike rack before the hitch is released?

You can shortlist and research it now. Final approval of the combination should wait for confirmed hitch specifications, especially for heavy E-Bike racks.

What should I verify after final EcoHitch specifications are published?

Receiver size, hitch rating, product design, and class compatibility, then run your setup through the estimator.

***IMPORTANT NOTICE:

While EcoHitch®️ trailer hitches are built with high-strength materials and tested for exceptional weight ratings, your vehicle’s factory towing capacities are the ultimate limit. Always refer to your vehicle’s owner’s manual to determine its maximum towing and tongue weight ratings. No aftermarket hitch or accessory can increase your vehicle’s factory-rated towing capacities.

Using hauling accessories like extensions, cargo trays, bike racks, or other accessories that extend the load out from the trailer hitch, will significantly reduce the tongue weight capacity of your hitch system.

To estimate how your setup will affect tongue weight, we recommend using our Maximum Hitch Weight (Tongue Weight) Estimator before hauling your payload (cargo trays, bike racks, etc).

Disclaimer: It is the user’s responsibility to ensure safe towing practices and to confirm that all loads fall within the limits of the lowest-rated component in the towing system. Torklift is not liable for any damage or injury resulting from the misuse or overloading of towing/hauling equipment.

Depending on the application, the product can include a combination of up to three qualified materials.

Get your Trax rack plan readyShop the Chevrolet Trax EcoHitch on presale at Torklift Central.Gather your rack or carrier details now and confirm the final combination when specifications are released.Call 253-854-1832 with your Trax accessory questions.