Thule Transporter 665C

[Largefarva]

Wondering if anyone here has any experience with a Thule Transporter 665C and their 2011+ Explorer. I did a search and didn't see any threads discussing it.

http://www.thule.com/en-us/us/produ...-mounted-cargo/thule-transporter-665c-_-31144

I was originally looking at getting a rooftop cargo box for when we head out of town on vacation, visiting relatives, etc. and this hitch mounted cargo box caught my eye. It can hold more than the 100 lbs that Ford specifies as the rooftop limit, appears it won't have as much of a negative effect on gas mileage, and will actually be cheaper than most rooftop cargo boxes (I would need to buy the crossbars as well).

Reviews on Amazon seem to be pretty good on it, so it appears to be a decent option for me. Just wanted to hear what people here think of it if they have ever used one themselves.

 

[Largefarva]

I take it nobody has had the opportunity to use one or check one out?

 

[wifes2011xlt]

Although I've never used it on my wife's Ex, I've had one for several years and used it every chance I've gotten. I also have a yakima 21 cu ft skybox that basically just sits in my storage unit since I've purchased the hitch mounted box. You are correct that it has little to no effect on fuel efficiency. I personally don't even know it's back there until I am going in reverse and see that it's blocking my rear view camera. There is also no added noise either like you would experience with a rooftop box.

What I especially like about the thule transporter is how easy it is to load. No need to have a ladder or step on seats or even open up the the door to load/unload cargo. This may not seem like a big deal but try grabbing something from your rooftop box in the middle of the winter with kids sleeping in your car and you need to open the door to be able to reach it. Good luck. I believe it is 13 cu ft but I actually feel like I can store just as much in it than in my 21 cu ft skybox because it has a more regular shape. The taper and the uneven floor in my skybox leaves a lot of dead space, which the thule transporter does not have. The swing away feature is a little clumsy but doesn't take long to get used to. The running, brake and directional lights, along with the license plate illuminated mount is a nice added safety feature. It's a very sturdy, very well built product. It's water proof and secure.

When I'm not using it, I jerry-rigged it to mount to my garage wall. It makes for a nice little added storage area for the garage so it basically gets 24/7 use. It's kinda pricey so the more I get to use it the better.

Get it. You won't regret it.

 

[Largefarva]

Thank you for the reply, it is much appreciated.

You're pretty much mimicking the majority of the reviews at amazon...it seems to be a pretty well received piece of equipment for transporting cargo. One thing I've noticed on amazon is that people who have to use the 2" adapter to fit their hitch don't really like the included bolt and end up heading to a hardware store to get a longer one. I'm just wondering if you had any input that as well.

I also saw that amazon offers a Thule branded locking pin that can be used and I'm wondering if that would be useful or just a waste of $50. I do like the idea that I can lock it to my hitch receiver and not worry about someone unbolting it and walking off with my stuff.

I was going to ask about the tilt feature but you said you don't have any experience with it on your wife's Explorer....so maybe someone else can chime in if tilting is needed while opening the lift gate with the Explorer or not.

 

[wifes2011xlt]

I've never read the Amazon reviews. What is the added benefit of the longer bolt? I've never had a problem with the stock one.

IMO, the locking pin is not necessary. My brother has one on his Terrapin (the Transporter's predecessor) and he only uses it when he is on road trips and they stay at a hotel overnight. The rest of the time, he uses a threaded bolt. The locking pin just makes the hitch box sway and bounce around too much. As for security, if a thief really wants your hitch box, that locking pin is not going to stop him. A few good whacks with a mallet might be all it takes to free the pin from the lock (and a few dents on your bumper and tailgate while they were hammering away for good measure). At least with a bolt, the thief will need to have the right size wrench with him.

I've used the hitch box on 4 different vehicles and each time I've had to use the swing down feature to clear the tailgate. There's not that much room back there.

 

[Largefarva]

I just assumed people who wanted the longer bolt when using the 2" adapter felt the one provided wasn't long enough. Speculating here, but that's the only reason I can think of getting the longer bolt.

I was kind of wondering if using a locking pin would provide less stability than just using the bolt that comes with the cargo box. I've watched a couple of youtube videos and on one of them they demonstrate how sturdy it gets when the bolt is screwed in and tightened. You do have a good point...if it's tightened down then a thief would have to have that size of wrench on them or an adjustable wrench to get the thing out of the hitch receiver. I'll likely opt to just use the bolt provided.

 

[wifes2011xlt]

Not sure if you're still looking into these but I ran into one on CL. I have no idea who that guy is but I remembered this thread and that you were from Illinois too so thought I'd pass along. This is a great price and looks to be in good shape. I would never sell mine that low.

http://chicago.craigslist.org/nwc/hsh/5286839264.html

And I finally did get to use it on my wife's Explorer. Worked out great as usual.

 

[peterk9]

At first glance I though it was a barbeque.

Peter

 

[cwescapexlt4x4]

I can't imagine taking that much stuff with me... then again I don't have kids.

 

[dentalpain]

I recently got a thule 665c for my 15' sport. Works great, sturdy and don't notice it back there. I picked one up from amazon "open box" when they had a glitch for ~$330 delivered. It was brand new. We got it b/c we just had a baby, now the 2 dogs ride in the very back (with the third row folded), luggage in the box and necessities in the cabin. The only problem I see is storage when not in use and it sticks out further than I would like.