6 Ways To Use Your Car's Tow Hitch (Besides Towing)

You're probably used to seeing tow hitches attached to pickup trucks and SUVs. These devices connect to the vehicle's rear end and allow the driver to attach things like trailers or mini campers. They're extremely popular among outdoor enthusiasts and tradespeople who regularly haul heavy trailers or gear for things like camping and fishing. However, did you know that tow hitches aren't just for pickup trucks and SUVs? In fact, a hitch receiver — the part of the hitch that allows you to connect a tow ball — is actually one of the best non-performance mods you can install on your car.

That's because you can do far more with a tow hitch than pull a trailer or an RV. In reality, you can attach various pieces of equipment, besides a tow ball, to your hitch receiver. These gadgets can do things like increase your vehicle's cargo space, add some extra utility, or even just help you display a bit of your personality in the case of a custom hitch cover. If you're curious about the many ways you can use a hitch receiver besides pulling a trailer, stick around — we've found six ingenious ways to use your hitch receiver. We based our selection on things like product features and customer reviews, but we'll cover our methodology in greater detail at the end of the article.

Pickup truck beds are extremely handy and are, in fact, one of the most beneficial things about these types of vehicles. However, one downside is that it's not always easy to access the bed, either to retrieve tools and gear or to store things. That's especially true if you have an injury or a condition that hinders your movement. Fortunately, there are ways to make accessing a pickup truck bed easier, including using your hitch receiver.

One great way to make your truck's cargo bed more accessible is to install a hitch step, like the Eapele Hitch Step, available at Amazon. Like ball hitches, these devices are designed to slide into your hitch receiver. You can secure the step using a hitch pin or bolt and use it as a platform for climbing into your pickup truck's cargo bed. 

The Eapele device is designed for 2-inch hitch receivers, one of the most common hitch receiver sizes, and is capable of supporting up to 600 pounds of weight. It has three locking positions, allowing you to place it closer or farther from the vehicle's frame, depending on your needs, and features a non-slip plastic surface to help you climb into the bed safely. The Eapele Hitch Step costs $32.99 and features a 4.7 out of five-star rating based on nearly 2,000 customer reviews. However, there are various other hitch steps available, so if you're in the market for one of these add-ons, you should check out some of the other models before making a final decision.

Pickup trucks and SUVs tend to provide an ample amount of cargo space. If you drive a smaller car, like a sedan or a coupe, though, your storage space is likely pretty limited. It doesn't hurt to have some extra space, and you never know if you'll need it to help you transport larger gear. For many situations, you can use your receiver hitch to dramatically increase your car's storage area. 

Just like installing a step for your pickup truck bed, adding a cargo rack to your car is relatively simple using your hitch receiver. The MeeFar Folding Hitch Mount Cargo Carrier is a popular cargo rack sold on Amazon that is designed to fit a 2-inch hitch receiver. It can support up to 500 pounds of weight, and you can fold it against your car to save space when not in use. 

The MeeFar cargo carrier includes the storage platform itself, a cargo net, a waterproof cargo bag, ratchet straps, a hitch stabilizer, and a storage bag, among a few other supplies for securing the mount. You can use mounts like this for everything from transporting tools and equipment between job sites to carrying hunting and fishing gear for a weekend getaway. The MeeFar cargo carrier costs $299.99 and features 4.4 out of five stars from over 2,500 customer reviews.

Riding a bike is a great way to get some fresh air and exercise. The problem is that many people don't live in areas with access to quality bike paths and trails, resulting in the need to transport their bikes by car to a hospitable biking area. For truck and SUV owners, that may be simple. However, if you own a smaller car, you may not have inside space for your bike.

Luckily, you can use your hitch receiver to install a budget-friendly bike rack, like the Allen Sports Deluxe 4-Bike Hitch Mount Rack from Amazon. This device slides into a 2-inch hitch receiver and allows you to carry up to four bicycles. It provides individual cradles for each bike, 22-inch carrying arms, and a durable steel construction with a powder coat finish for longevity. It comes with a tie-down strap, and the product information describes the rack as easy to install with minimal assembly. The Allen Sports Bike Rack costs $88.06. It's well-rated by customers and boasts 4.5 out of five stars based on nearly 9,000 customer reviews.

Spying your keys through the window of a locked car door is never a pleasant experience, and it usually leads to hours of waiting on a locksmith or hitching a ride home. There are some ways to prevent locking yourself out of your car, but they're not all created equal. Magnetic lockboxes are commonly used for this purpose. These devices allow you to store a key inside and then attach them to a metallic and hidden part of the vehicle, like the frame. However, these boxes are relatively common, and if they're simply attached to the car with magnetic force, anyone can slide underneath and pull them off.

Instead, you can opt for a more secure lockbox that connects to your vehicle's hitch receiver, like the HitchSafe HS7000 Key Vault. The box connects to standard 2-inch receivers using bolts that can only be removed if the lockbox itself is removed, which requires a combination. You can store everything from emergency cash to keys inside the vault, and it comes with a protective dust cover, making it look like a normal, inconspicuous hitch. The HitchSafe key vault is built entirely of metal for extreme security. It costs $74.95 and features 4.5 out of five stars based on nearly 6,000 user reviews.

Anyone who's into outdoor activities, like hiking, camping, or fishing, can probably appreciate a solid camp chair or hammock. Stowing folding chairs or setting up a hammock, on the other hand, is less enjoyable and often involves a fair amount of labor. Alternatively, you can use your car's hitch receiver to make light work of setting up for relaxation, thanks to products like the Hammaka Hammock Hitch Stand. 

Like the other gadgets on this list, the Hammaka device attaches to standard 2-inch hitch receivers. You can use the hammock hitch stand in two ways. Hammock mode allows you to extend the two arms out to 10 feet, enabling the connection and use of most regular adult-sized hammocks. Chair mode, on the other hand, lets you swing the two arms forward and connect a hanging chair to each. Furthermore, at the price of $381.79, the Hammaka hammock hitch stand comes with the hitch stand as well as one hammock and two hammock chairs.

In hammock mode, the stand can support up to 300 pounds, while in chair mode, each arm can support 300 pounds, for a total of two chairs and a weight capacity of 600 pounds. The product description describes the stand as easy to set up and store during transportation. It's highly rated by customers and features 4.3 out of five stars based on dozens of reviews.

If you like to spend time performing outdoor activities, or if you're a tradesperson who regularly works at different job sites, you're probably used to navigating in low-light situations. Light bars — popular exterior accessories for truck owners — are becoming more popular these days among workers and outdoor enthusiasts, thanks to the extremely bright light they can provide. However, people generally install light bars on the front of their vehicles, meaning they're less handy if you need some extra illumination for a project or task behind the car.

Fortunately, you can use your vehicle's hitch receiver to address this issue by using accessories like the Nilight Tow Hitch Lights. These lights are designed to fit 2-inch hitch receivers and feature two LED light cubes capable of providing both spotlight and flood light beams. 

The kit is described as easy to install and includes everything you need to set the lights up, including a wiring harness, mounting bracket, fuses, and more. It's built with heavy-duty materials, and the lights themselves are IP67-rated to protect against moisture and debris. The adjustable bracket allows you to direct the lights' beam where you need it most, while the aluminum light profile features built-in heat sinks to prevent heat-related damage. The Nilight hitch light kit costs $54.99 and comes with 4.6 out of 5 stars based on nearly 1,500 customer reviews.

When selecting products to highlight on this list, we considered a few criteria: product features, price, and customer reviews. We first searched for an array of gadgets and devices that you can attach to a car's hitch receiver that are unrelated to towing. We chose products that provide various benefits and applications, and we endeavored to showcase lesser-known accessories that may be unfamiliar to many drivers. We also considered product price and decided to look for devices that cost less than $500. Each of the accessories covered here falls well below that price, and many of them cost less than $100. Finally, we wanted to hear what real customers think about these products. We checked out the user reviews and included only devices with 4.3 out of 5 stars or higher based on numerous customer statements.

All that said, remember that these aren't the only hitch accessories on the market. The brands covered here also aren't the only manufacturers of these types of devices. Take a second to look around and explore your options before you make a purchase, as doing so will help you get the products and goodies you want with minimal hassle.