Looking to get a hitch for my Subaru Outback for moving to Utah, but also potentially for a hitch-mounted rack. It seems like racks are available for both sizes, and adapters are also available for 2 -1 1/4 and 1 1/4 - 2.
1 1/4 is cheaper but only by $25 or so, any recommendations out there? It seems to me a 2" would be preferable, bigger is better right?
I’d go with whichever matches the tow rating of your car. I have a 2" that I use with my Thule T2 4-bike (with extension) rack. But, I also have to have a 2" to pull my boat.
I have found 2" to be a more standard size for hitches… but that is just my experience
I would imagine that your car can’t tow anything that would require a 2" hitch. I’d get the 1 1/4" to help prevent someone from hooking up to something too heavy for the outback. Bike racks are pretty easy to find in 1 1/4 and there are adapters if you ever needed
From my experience, the 2" hitch seems to be more secure for hitch racks.
I’d go 2 inch. you can get an adapter to put a rack on a 1 1/4 hitch but in my mind it makes for a less secure and less stable platform.
I would imagine that your car can’t tow anything that would require a 2" hitch. I’d get the 1 1/4" to help prevent someone from hooking up to something too heavy for the outback. Bike racks are pretty easy to find in 1 1/4 and there are adapters if you ever needed
To the OP, I’d argue that a 2" is less prone to wobbling, and If you do get a 1-1/4" rack, it’s fairly easy to get a reducing sleeve to adapt it to a 2" receiver. However, if you get a 1-1/4" receiver, it’s a lot harder to get an adapter to work for a 2" rack since it’ll have to extend further back (as ground clearance will be your biggest issue anyway).
Just because you have a 2" receiver doesn’t obligate you to try towing anything bigger than a bike rack with it. Who else would try to do that with your car? That reasoning makes no sense. My only reservation wtih the 2" would be a little less ground clearance… aside from the obvious of being 3/4" thicker, depending on the “elbow” design as it curves up the whole thing may mount a tad lower and extend slightly further back as well, which will increase the overhang when you exit a steep driveway, for instance.
All things being equal, I would choose a 2" over the 1 1/4. Also take into consideration the load rating of the hitch you’re getting installed, being that it’s on an Outback, you may not get the full load rating of a true 2" hitch. I know my 1 1/4" on my Nissan has a tongue load rating of 200 pounds, meaning the max amount of weight you can hang off it including the rack and all bikes would be 200 pounds. Generally not an issue with road or tri bikes, but it can come into play with a heavy 4 bike rack and 4 mountain bikes.
In addition to the above, 2" will handle 4 bike racks, and 1 1/4 usually won’t.
Thanks for the advice, sounds like a 2" is the way to go, but be knowledgeable about the max rating for the car/tongue.
Any advice on hitch brand? Options seem to be:
http://www.etrailer.com/hitch-2009_Subaru_Outback+Wagon.htm
UHaul will also install one, but they appear to only have 1 1/4, cheapest price tho…
Go with 2".
Yeah there are adapters, and some specify not to tow with them because they are so weak. If you get a rack on there designed for 2" the hook-up will be more secure; the rotational torque in the hitch is preferable due to the larger size.
“Any advice on hitch brand?”
I don’t think it really matters. I’ve put on two no-drill hitches in the past year on cars. Go with one of the 3/10 difficulty ones and shop on price.
Should be fairly straightforward to install, and with your vehicle quite new the holes that may be in place for a rack won’t have started to corrode the threads (which requires cleaning them out with a wire thread cleaner or brush or similar).
Just because you have a 2" receiver doesn’t obligate you to try towing anything bigger than a bike rack with it. Who else would try to do that with your car? That reasoning makes no sense
We obviously run with different crowds.
2" of course 
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