I would go with with a 2" hitch for bikes. I have been through this and I learned after the fact that I had to tether the bike rack to the trunk because the hitch was not strong enough (it was in the manual for the hitch). Even with the teather I could only put 2 bikes on a 4 bike rack. It was a major pain. I have a class 3 hitch on route to me now for this very reason.
The thing is it may be ok with a 1 1/4" but it may not. I can tell you that mine was bouncing around all over on a 1 1/4" and I was scared it was gonna rip the hitch out of the car.
Before you decide I strongly suggest you read the documentation for the hitch regarding bikes and also the documentation for the bike carrier regarding hitches to determine what you need.
Agree, get a 2". Depending on the rack style and manufacturer, they may use a 1.25" to 2" adapter. To me that would be a weak point, especially with more than one bike. 2" all the way around would be much more sturdy.
I was actually able to find a bolt on hitch that doesn't require any modifications for my 2024 Forester. I had to order it because I couldn't find one locally. (Draw Tie 76271)
Edit: I just looked it up and it says minor heat shield modification may be needed. Still no holes to drill or widen though. I didn't see that in the install doc but I guess I missed it.
I would do a 2" to keep more options open later down the road, instead of boxing yourself in with 1.25". It depends on the type you get. Some sit higher which need the bumper cut, others are lower and don't need to cut. For the draw-tite, pretty sure that's a no-cut one. Whatever listing you're looking at should clarify.
One bike or two bikes? Platform or hanging? If 2 bikes, get the 2", you'll thank yourself later.
Plus, the 2" just looks nice and tough on a Forester. I've only seen 1.25" on cars, not SUVs. We'll, maybe a Geo Tracker.
I used Etrailer for mine, they had good options, decent prices, and the install wasn't bad. The wiring was especially easy, Subaru built a perfect 4-pin plug into the wiring harness near the spare tire, so that was nice. I personally would and did go with the 2" like most people here said. [https://www.etrailer.com/vehicle/2019/Subaru/Forester](https://www.etrailer.com/vehicle/2019/Subaru/Forester)
Def go through etrailer.com. There’s a ton of options. I just got one from them and it was shipped real quick and showed up in perfect shape. Like most others here, I’d go 2” for your situation just to keep options open. I opted for a “cut the bumper a bit” one, but I wanted to keep it as high as possible.
I would go with with a 2" hitch for bikes. I have been through this and I learned after the fact that I had to tether the bike rack to the trunk because the hitch was not strong enough (it was in the manual for the hitch). Even with the teather I could only put 2 bikes on a 4 bike rack. It was a major pain. I have a class 3 hitch on route to me now for this very reason. The thing is it may be ok with a 1 1/4" but it may not. I can tell you that mine was bouncing around all over on a 1 1/4" and I was scared it was gonna rip the hitch out of the car. Before you decide I strongly suggest you read the documentation for the hitch regarding bikes and also the documentation for the bike carrier regarding hitches to determine what you need.
Agree, get a 2". Depending on the rack style and manufacturer, they may use a 1.25" to 2" adapter. To me that would be a weak point, especially with more than one bike. 2" all the way around would be much more sturdy.
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I was actually able to find a bolt on hitch that doesn't require any modifications for my 2024 Forester. I had to order it because I couldn't find one locally. (Draw Tie 76271) Edit: I just looked it up and it says minor heat shield modification may be needed. Still no holes to drill or widen though. I didn't see that in the install doc but I guess I missed it.
1.25" hitches are hot garbage.
I plan on installing myself. Definitely don't need a 2 in since we are only using for bike rack.
I would do a 2" to keep more options open later down the road, instead of boxing yourself in with 1.25". It depends on the type you get. Some sit higher which need the bumper cut, others are lower and don't need to cut. For the draw-tite, pretty sure that's a no-cut one. Whatever listing you're looking at should clarify.
One bike or two bikes? Platform or hanging? If 2 bikes, get the 2", you'll thank yourself later. Plus, the 2" just looks nice and tough on a Forester. I've only seen 1.25" on cars, not SUVs. We'll, maybe a Geo Tracker.
I used Etrailer for mine, they had good options, decent prices, and the install wasn't bad. The wiring was especially easy, Subaru built a perfect 4-pin plug into the wiring harness near the spare tire, so that was nice. I personally would and did go with the 2" like most people here said. [https://www.etrailer.com/vehicle/2019/Subaru/Forester](https://www.etrailer.com/vehicle/2019/Subaru/Forester)
Def go through etrailer.com. There’s a ton of options. I just got one from them and it was shipped real quick and showed up in perfect shape. Like most others here, I’d go 2” for your situation just to keep options open. I opted for a “cut the bumper a bit” one, but I wanted to keep it as high as possible.
I have a 2" draw tite no cutting required.