Harbor freight hitch rack modifications DIY

MINNESOTA 68 · Apr 22, 2025

After looking for a decent hitch rack I decided to try this one from Harbor freight:

Jeep Wrangler JL Harbor freight hitch rack modifications DIY 1000008178

The walls were to tall for it to work on my 2024 rubicon so I decided to chop it. After it was assembled I measured down 3 inches from top all the way around

Jeep Wrangler JL Harbor freight hitch rack modifications DIY 1000008148

Chopped it with an angle grinder then drilled new holes and bolted the bottom back on

Jeep Wrangler JL Harbor freight hitch rack modifications DIY 1000008166

This got me to about 4 inches of height and it now works perfect

Jeep Wrangler JL Harbor freight hitch rack modifications DIY 1000008176

Jeep Wrangler JL Harbor freight hitch rack modifications DIY 1000008177

This took about 2 hours all together but that included time to figure it out. All together for under 100 dollars I am very happy with this rack.

azwjowner · Apr 22, 2025

I’ve looked at this cargo carrier in the past and wondered if it would fit. An interesting fix. Thanks for posting.

YGBSM392 · Apr 22, 2025

Great fix. Thanks for posting!

Porthole · Apr 22, 2025

Since you've already played around with this, is the rack made that it could be shortened?
I'm thinking about this to use on an existing swing-away carrier but want something a bit smaller, just a cooler mostly.
My local HF only has the hang tags on display, no product.

Ratbert · Apr 22, 2025

Zero off roading, right?

No license plate?

somdfisher · Apr 22, 2025

I bought the same rack and put it together this past weekend. It seems nice for its price point, and doesn't rattle around much when in the receiver. I don't have a spare tire carrier on my Jeep. I only test fitted and didn't put the pin in, nor did I test the gate, but it looks like I won't have to modify it.

MINNESOTA 68 · Apr 22, 2025

Jeep Wrangler JL Harbor freight hitch rack modifications DIY 1000008180

Jeep Wrangler JL Harbor freight hitch rack modifications DIY 1000008188

Jeep Wrangler JL Harbor freight hitch rack modifications DIY 1000008189

Jeep Wrangler JL Harbor freight hitch rack modifications DIY 1000008184

Jeep Wrangler JL Harbor freight hitch rack modifications DIY 1000008182

The bottom part of this comes mostly assembled, and it is welded together. However I think you could probably shorten it some and then re assemble the rim that the top section attaches too. If I wanted it smaller I would feel 70% confident I could make it to be an overall smaller footprint and still look decent. Of course before I started with the side I had figured thst if it went bad, I would still be able to salvage it for something and worse case I am out 100 dollars and got to have some fun.

MINNESOTA 68 · Apr 22, 2025

Ratbert said:
Zero off roading, right?

No license plate?

Took off plate with AI
Correct this is just for on road, we do very long road trips and the plan is for this to be taken off and stored in hotel once we get there.

MINNESOTA 68 · Apr 22, 2025

somdfisher said:
I bought the same rack and put it together this past weekend. It seems nice for its price point, and doesn't rattle around much when in the receiver. I don't have a spare tire carrier on my Jeep. I only test fitted and didn't put the pin in, nor did I test the gate, but it looks like I won't have to modify it.

Yes it was the spare tire that hit the rack and not by a whole lot, but I wanted to be able to open the back gate with it attached.

ym0bc1 · Apr 22, 2025

having the same. Only use the bottom part.

MINNESOTA 68 · Apr 22, 2025

ym0bc1 said:
having the same. Only use the bottom part.

That was mt backup plan if I messed it up too bad haha.

Have you had it for a while, how do you like it?

TBULL52 · Apr 22, 2025

@MINNESOTA 68 are you looking to keep it on all the time? I love what you did and that you could do it but am having a hard time understanding why. As soon as you put anything on it you're not going to be able to open the door again. I have a rack that I use, when I get to where I'm going (typically camping when I use it), I unload the the rack and then remove it until I am packing back up.

Oncorhynchus · Apr 22, 2025

A step down hitch extender might be a useful alternative if you have other needs for a hitch extender because of the spare tire.

MINNESOTA 68 · Apr 22, 2025

TBULL52 said:
@MINNESOTA 68 are you looking to keep it on all the time? I love what you did and that you could do it but am having a hard time understanding why. As soon as you put anything on it you're not going to be able to open the door again. I have a rack that I use, when I get to where I'm going (typically camping when I use it), I unload the the rack and then remove it until I am packing back up.

Just like the flexibility, will take it off when we are staying in hotel. If at cabin for weekend might leave it on and just take cooler off. I can still get into the back pretty easy with this attached and feel it will be nice if there is 1 more thing to add if I can just pull off cooler and not whole rack.

C.Sco · Apr 22, 2025

This is awesome, I think I'm going to do exactly this, thank you for the writeup and pictures!

Harbor freight hitch rack modifications DIY

MINNESOTA 68

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azwjowner

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YGBSM392

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Porthole

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Ratbert

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somdfisher

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MINNESOTA 68

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MINNESOTA 68

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MINNESOTA 68

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ym0bc1

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MINNESOTA 68

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TBULL52

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Oncorhynchus

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MINNESOTA 68

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C.Sco

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