FORWODE 60×24 Cargo Carrier 500LB Folding Review: The Heavy-Duty Hauler Your SUV Needs?

We’ve all been there. The car is packed for the annual family camping trip. Suitcases are wedged in with military precision, the cooler is somehow balanced on a pile of sleeping bags, and every last cubic inch of the trunk is spoken for. Then you see it, sitting by the garage door: the portable grill, two camp chairs, and a box of essential firewood. It’s the moment every road-tripper dreads—the realization that you’ve officially run out of vehicle. The game of trunk Tetris is over, and you’ve lost. For years, this was our recurring nightmare, leading to compromised packing lists, cramped passenger spaces, and the lingering question: “Did we forget something?” This isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a direct inhibitor of adventure. The alternative is leaving essentials behind, sacrificing comfort, or trying to dangerously overstuff the cabin, compromising both safety and sanity. We knew there had to be a better way to reclaim our vehicle’s interior and expand our hauling potential without upgrading to a massive truck.

What to Consider Before Buying a Hitch Cargo Carrier

A hitch cargo carrier is more than just a metal basket; it’s a key solution for unlocking your vehicle’s true utility. It’s for the families, the adventurers, the DIYers, and the movers who have hit the physical limits of their trunk or cargo space. The primary benefit is obvious: a massive increase in external storage capacity. This allows you to transport bulky, dirty, or awkwardly shaped items—like coolers, camping gear, landscaping materials, or luggage—outside the vehicle. This not only frees up valuable interior space for passengers and more delicate items but also keeps your car’s cabin clean and uncluttered. It transforms your family SUV or crossover into a highly capable gear hauler, ready for any journey.

The ideal customer for this type of product is someone facing recurring storage shortages. This includes growing families who find their vehicle shrinking with every new piece of sports equipment, outdoor enthusiasts who need to haul gear for camping, hunting, or fishing, and homeowners tackling projects that require transporting messy items like mulch or tools. However, it might not be suitable for those who rarely travel with extra gear, have no 2-inch hitch receiver on their vehicle, or primarily need to transport specialized equipment like mobility scooters, which are better served by carriers with built-in ramps. For those needing to transport just one or two bicycles, a dedicated bike rack might be a more streamlined option.

Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:

• Dimensions & Space: The footprint of the carrier is paramount. A 60×24 inch platform, like that on the FORWODE 60×24 Cargo Carrier 500LB Folding, provides a generous 10 square feet of real estate. You need to visualize what this means for your specific needs—will it fit your largest cooler, multiple storage bins, or a generator? Also, consider the height of the side rails (6 inches in this case), which are critical for containing your load and providing secure tie-down points.
• Capacity/Performance: A 500-pound capacity is a common industry standard, but the number alone is misleading. You must consider how the carrier is constructed to handle that weight, especially a dynamic load that shifts and bounces on the road. Look for robust steel construction and a design that minimizes flex. Equally important is the folding mechanism; a carrier that can fold up against the vehicle when not in use is infinitely more convenient for parking and daily driving.
• Materials & Durability: The vast majority of hitch carriers are made from steel for its strength and affordability. The key differentiator is the quality of the steel (e.g., 11 Ga steel plate is a good, thick gauge) and, most importantly, the protective coating. A powder coat or antirust treatment is non-negotiable, as this piece of equipment will be exposed to rain, road salt, and debris. Without it, rust will quickly compromise both the appearance and structural integrity of the carrier.
• Ease of Use & Maintenance: How difficult is the carrier to assemble and install? At over 50 pounds, some may find it a two-person job to mount onto the hitch receiver. Once installed, how easy is the folding pin to operate? For long-term care, maintenance is minimal but important. We recommend periodically checking the bolts for tightness and touching up any scratches in the coating to prevent rust from taking hold.

Thinking through these factors will ensure you choose a carrier that not only fits your vehicle but seamlessly integrates into your lifestyle.

While the FORWODE 60×24 Cargo Carrier 500LB Folding is an excellent choice, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:

First Impressions: Unboxing a Heavy-Duty Hauling Solution

Upon arrival, the box for the FORWODE 60×24 Cargo Carrier 500LB Folding was substantial, hinting at the heft of the components inside. Its shipping weight of 55.5 pounds is not insignificant, and unboxing it revealed why. The pieces are made from thick, 11-gauge steel, and each component feels solid and purposeful. The antirust coating was evenly applied, with a slightly textured matte black finish that looks both durable and utilitarian. Assembly was straightforward, involving bolting the two halves of the basket together and then attaching the main support shank. The instructions were clear, and all necessary hardware was included. In about 20 minutes, we had a fully assembled cargo basket ready for its first test. Our initial reaction was one of confidence in its build quality. Compared to some flimsier models we’ve tested, the FORWODE’s welds are clean, and the mesh floor is thick and securely attached to the frame. The carrier’s robust frame is a standout feature that immediately inspires trust in its 500-pound rating.

Deep Dive: Putting the FORWODE Cargo Carrier to the Test

A spec sheet can tell you the numbers, but it can’t tell you how a piece of gear performs under the stress of a real-world journey. To truly evaluate the FORWODE 60×24 Cargo Carrier 500LB Folding, we integrated it into our routine, loading it for a weekend camping trip, a run to the hardware store, and even just leaving it on for daily errands. We focused on the three pillars that matter most: its raw strength and durability, its everyday convenience via the folding mechanism, and its true, practical hauling capacity.

Built Like a Tank: A Closer Look at Durability and Construction

The foundation of any good hitch carrier is its strength, and this is where the FORWODE truly excels. The entire structure is based on a 2-inch square tube framework made from 11-gauge steel. For those unfamiliar with steel gauges, a lower number means thicker steel, and 11 Ga is impressively robust for this application. When we loaded it with nearly 300 pounds of gear—a large, ice-filled cooler, a portable generator, and several heavy canvas bags—there was virtually no discernible flex in the basket floor or frame. This is a critical point; cheaper carriers often use thinner mesh that can sag under a concentrated load, but the FORWODE’s floor remained taut and solid.

To confirm our findings, we looked at user feedback, which echoed our experience. One user noted it was “exceptionally sturdy,” and that the “material looks thick, high-quality and resists rust.” They specifically mentioned it maintained “shape and stability even on rough roads.” This was our exact experience. We took our fully loaded SUV down a poorly maintained gravel road leading to a campsite, a path filled with potholes and ruts. The carrier, secured in the 2-inch receiver, was rock-solid. While we recommend using an aftermarket hitch tightener with *any* hitch-mounted accessory to eliminate minor rattle and sway, the FORWODE’s shank provided a snug fit out of the box. The antirust coating held up perfectly against kicked-up gravel and a subsequent rainstorm, beading water effectively and showing no signs of chipping or scratching. This level of construction is what gives you peace of mind knowing your expensive gear is secure on the back of your vehicle, miles from home. You can see detailed images of its heavy-duty construction on its product page.

The Art of Folding: A Feature You Won’t Want to Live Without

While strength is essential, convenience is what makes a product enjoyable to use. The standout convenience feature of the FORWODE 60×24 Cargo Carrier 500LB Folding is its folding shank. Without this, a 24-inch deep basket permanently extends the length of your vehicle, making parking in a standard garage or a tight parking spot a nerve-wracking ordeal. FORWODE’s implementation of this feature is simple and effective. A single, large hitch pin secures the basket in either the horizontal (deployed) or vertical (folded) position. Pulling the pin and lifting the 55.5-pound basket into its upright position does require a bit of muscle, but it’s a manageable one-person job.

In the folded position, the carrier sits flush against the rear of the vehicle. This dramatically improves maneuverability and reduces your vehicle’s footprint back to near-stock dimensions. We found we could easily park in our garage and navigate crowded grocery store parking lots without worry. Crucially, the folding design also allows for easy access to the vehicle’s rear hatch or tailgate on most SUVs and trucks. With the carrier folded up, we could open our SUV’s liftgate completely unobstructed. This is a massive quality-of-life improvement over non-folding models, where accessing your trunk often requires unloading the entire carrier first. The locking mechanism feels secure in both positions, with no unnerving play or wiggle. This single feature transforms the carrier from a “special trips only” accessory to a “leave it on all season” utility piece.

Real-World Capacity: More Than Just a Numbers Game

A 500-pound capacity and 10 square feet of space are impressive numbers, but what does that translate to in practical terms? It means freedom. It’s the ability to say “yes” to bringing the extra gear. The product description claims it can hold eight 24-inch suitcases, and we found that to be accurate. For our camping trip, it effortlessly swallowed a 70-quart cooler, a four-person tent, three camp chairs, and a large bin of firewood, with room to spare. One user’s simple but powerful review stated, “Holds my grill!” We confirmed this by loading up our portable gas grill alongside other items. This is precisely the kind of bulky, sometimes greasy item you’d rather not have in your car’s interior.

The 6-inch tall sides are a critical part of this capacity equation. They provide a secure perimeter to pack against and offer dozens of anchor points for bungee cords or a cargo net (which we highly recommend purchasing). The mesh bottom allows any rain or moisture to drain through, preventing water from pooling and soaking your gear from below. During our testing, we also appreciated the included high-visibility reflective strips. We applied them to the rear and sides of the basket, and they significantly enhance the carrier’s visibility to other drivers at night—a simple but vital safety feature. For anyone planning a big trip or just tired of compromising on gear, the extra hauling space this carrier provides is a game-changer.

What Other Users Are Saying

To get a broader perspective, we analyzed feedback from other owners of the FORWODE 60×24 Cargo Carrier 500LB Folding. The consensus is overwhelmingly positive and strongly aligns with our own findings. The most frequently praised attribute is its sheer toughness. One detailed account described it as “exceptionally sturdy,” noting that the “high-quality” material handles heavy loads “effortlessly” and maintains stability even on “rough roads.” This is crucial validation for anyone worried about performance outside of perfect highway conditions.

Another piece of feedback, simple yet highly relatable, was from a user who happily exclaimed it “Holds my grill!” This speaks directly to the product’s core purpose: hauling the bulky, awkward, and fun items that make trips memorable. While there isn’t significant negative feedback available, a common point of discussion for this product category is the potential for rattle. We recommend investing in a separate hitch tightener—an inexpensive U-bolt device—to completely eliminate any play between the carrier’s shank and your vehicle’s receiver for a silent, rock-solid ride. Overall, users confirm that the FORWODE carrier delivers on its promise of heavy-duty, reliable cargo expansion.

How the FORWODE Compares to Top Alternatives

The FORWODE 60×24 Cargo Carrier 500LB Folding operates in a competitive space, but it holds its own by focusing on robust, straightforward quality. However, different users have different needs, and several alternatives cater to more specialized use cases.

1. ARKSEN 60 Inch Folding Hitch Cargo Carrier 500 Lbs

The ARKSEN carrier is perhaps the most direct competitor to the FORWODE. It offers nearly identical specifications: a 60-inch platform, a 500-pound capacity, a folding shank, and steel construction. It is a very popular and well-regarded option, often appealing to budget-conscious buyers. Where the FORWODE may have a slight edge is in the reported thickness and quality of its steel and coating, as highlighted by user feedback on its durability. For users whose primary decision-making factor is finding the lowest price point for a standard folding carrier, the ARKSEN is a compelling choice. However, for those willing to invest in what feels like a slightly more overbuilt and heavy-duty unit, the FORWODE is worth the consideration.

2. Viking Solutions SwiveLift Big Game Hitch-Mounted Lifting System

This product is a perfect example of a specialized tool versus a general one. The Viking Solutions SwiveLift is not a cargo basket at all. It is a hitch-mounted crane designed to help a single person lift extremely heavy and unwieldy objects, such as harvested big game, heavy generators, or logs. Its purpose is lifting, not hauling. While it shares the hitch-mounted DNA with the FORWODE, it serves a completely different audience. A hunter, rancher, or contractor would find the SwiveLift indispensable, whereas a family heading to the beach would have absolutely no use for it. This is an alternative only for those with a specific, heavy-lifting problem to solve.

3. MAXXHAUL Hitch Mount Mobility Carrier with Ramp

The MAXXHAUL carrier is another purpose-built solution, designed specifically for transporting wheelchairs and mobility scooters. Its key features are a long, integrated ramp for easy loading and its aluminum construction, which helps save weight compared to all-steel models. While it can technically carry general cargo, its design is optimized for wheeled mobility devices. The ramp, while essential for its primary function, adds complexity and weight that isn’t necessary for general cargo. Users who need to transport a scooter or wheelchair should absolutely choose a dedicated carrier like the MAXXHAUL. However, for hauling camping gear, luggage, or coolers, the FORWODE’s simpler, stronger, all-steel basket design is the more appropriate and durable choice.

Final Verdict: Is the FORWODE Cargo Carrier Worth It?

After extensive hands-on testing and analysis, our conclusion is clear: the FORWODE 60×24 Cargo Carrier 500LB Folding is an outstanding piece of equipment that delivers exceptional value and performance. Its greatest strengths lie in its no-nonsense, heavy-duty construction. The thick-gauge steel, robust frame, and durable antirust coating provide the confidence needed to load it up and hit the road without a second thought. The folding shank is a brilliantly executed feature, transforming the carrier from a potential liability in tight spaces into a convenient, everyday utility enhancer. While it is heavy and could benefit from an included hitch tightener, these are minor quibbles for a product that gets the big things right.

We wholeheartedly recommend the FORWODE 60×24 Cargo Carrier 500LB Folding to any family, camper, or outdoor enthusiast who is constantly fighting for more space in their vehicle. It’s a simple, effective, and durable solution to a universal problem. If you’re ready to end your packing struggles and unlock a new level of hauling capability for your adventures, you can get the FORWODE 60×24 Cargo Carrier 500LB Folding and upgrade your vehicle today.