Spare Tire Carrier

Has anyone ever made, bought, fabricated or adapted a swing away spare tire/gas can/hi-lift carrier that mounts to our factory draw bar under the rear bumper?

Right now I have the spare tire mount bolted to the tailgate (original willys gate) and I REALLY don't like having it hanging back there on the sheetmetal.

If I have to fab something using 2" square tube, I can. I've thought about using 2" square and urethane suspension bushings in pipe frenched into the ends of the square and bolts to make a swingaway arm, but the latching and upper design is still up in the air and some ideas or pre-made plans would be great.

I haven't seen anyone else ever mount a tire carrier here, but it seems like a natural spot as it is probably one of the strongest things/locations on our jeeps.

 

I fabricatesd a tire carrier for my jeep about 12 years ago that bolts to the factory rear channel. Its till on there and working fine. I usually run with a rathcet strap across the tire to keep the rattling noise down but it works fine.

You can sort of see how its done in this photo, if you want better pics I can get them.

 

Might also peruse the builds/fabrication section. Lots of posts on there about different spare tire carrier fabs. I know someone on here built one off the drawbar but can't remember who.

 

Here is what I did for mine, but it is rigid with a through bolt into a roll bar cross mount inside the body. I think you could hinge it just above the stock mounting boss and come up with something similar. My rear cross member is obviously not stock, but I did replicate the stock bolting pattern.

 

I fabricated one using my old sheetmetal mounted unit that bolted to the corner of the Jeep and the tailgate (holes were drilled right through the Willys stamp). I took a grinder and cut off a portion of the tubular supports, and then turned it up on end, and bolted the hinge mount to the rear draw bar. I also use a tie-down strap to keep it from rattling.

To keep the hinge from letting it flop around, I drilled a hole through that area, and lock it with a hitch pin. Considering that the whole unit was free, I'd say it works well. I should add that I only use it for my spare gas can, and hi-lift jack. I returned the spare tire to its original location on the passenger side rear of the Jeep. Perhaps that will give you some ideas.

 

This and some welding wire

became this:

Hinge was 12.99 and a couple of bronze off the shelf bushings from TSC (<$10) for the swing arm.

The finished product on Pete.

This and other projects can be found in the Tech Section here.

 

Something to think about is, if you run snow, make the mount strong enough to be pushed on by another rig.

 

Here is one I made of scrap more years ago than I can remember. So far, so good. It has worked well.

http://www.zianet.com/jworman/tire.html

John

 

I'm almost done with mine. I took an aftermarket one designed for a newer Jeep and made it fit. I had only 1 weekend (literally 36 hours) to make it all work at the location I assembled it at. It was a Rock Hard rear carrier , which was powder coated and I think it was made in the USA. It has a very nice latch catch system but rattles a little on the tailgate on bumpy freeways.

I kept it simple and welded some angle onto the bumper, then bolted it to 4 pintle points which tie into the frame. I also bolted it in the corners but that lower steel C channel is very weak.

The next mod is to add an upper support into the tailgate bolts like John W's. Then I can add my NATO cans.

It can hold a highlift, ham radio antenna, spare, and two NATO gas cans (not yet installed).









Link to my Flickr Set