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Tire carrier idea

casm

casm

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Oklahoma
So, after lifting my XJ and changing over to 31" tires, I'm screwed for somewhere to put the spare - right now it's rattling around loose in the cargo area. Having poked around looking for ideas (and who could go wrong with the ones in this thread? ;) ), I'm thinking there might be another way of doing this; just curious to hear what everyone thinks.

The basic plan: add a reinforcing plate inside the panel to cope with the tire weight, bolt the carrier bracket from a TJ to the tailgate through the reinforcement, add a couple extra high-pressure struts, and call it done.

The reasoning: I don't particularly care to change out the rear bumper to add a tire carrier, and the ones that slot into the receiver pretty much all suck. AFAIK there's no stock tire carrier for a 2000-2001 XJ, so it's either this, the roof, or new bumpers.

Downsides: the tailgate panel was never designed to carry that much weight, and I'm not sure it can be sufficiently beefed-up to handle it. Ditto the hinges, particularly where they mount to the unibody. Putting in another pair of struts long enough to give support towards the outer end of the tailgate will be a PITA.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? I think it could be made to work, but I'm really leery as to how well it would work.
 
casm said:
Downsides: the tailgate panel was never designed to carry that much weight, and I'm not sure it can be sufficiently beefed-up to handle it. Ditto the hinges, particularly where they mount to the unibody. Putting in another pair of struts long enough to give support towards the outer end of the tailgate will be a PITA.
Click to expand...
I think you just nailed why that's a bad idea. The hinges and the latch wouldn't handle the weight. The gas shocks and, more importantly, the gas shock mounts couldn't handle the weight. You would have to completely re-engineer the rear hatch area to make it work.

I finally went with a rear bumper and swing out tire carrier. I tried the on the roof rack idea and got very tired of having to hoist that pig of a tire up and down all the time. I couldn't fit the XJ through the garage door with it on the roof.
 
Shouldn't be much of a problem. I'm trying it this summer--my father-in-law is a Jeep enginerd and said he'd get me a Libby spare-tire mount, along with the tailgate innards (which are, according to him, not as beefy as one might expect). The main obstacle to overcome isn't the hinge strength, as I understand it; it's the panel strength. The KJ's tailgate is really only the lower half, so it's more or less "boxed" all the way around. According to some friends who work at the north plant, from the factory, the KJ spare mount is essentially riveted on with some minor backing plates.
 
Mine's been on the roof for 5 years now. Have thought about moving it to the rear bumper but after seeing a fellow club member come off a ledge and land on it causing it to flex and take out the rear window, I'm not so keen anymore. In 5 years I think I've had it off 3 maybe 4 times. But I have an extra high garage door so it fits even with the 36" tires and 8" lift.
 
Timber said:
Shouldn't be much of a problem. I'm trying it this summer--my father-in-law is a Jeep enginerd and said he'd get me a Libby spare-tire mount, along with the tailgate innards (which are, according to him, not as beefy as one might expect).
Click to expand...

Interesting. Looking forward to reading about that.

cLAYH said:
Have thought about moving it to the rear bumper but after seeing a fellow club member come off a ledge and land on it causing it to flex and take out the rear window, I'm not so keen anymore. In 5 years I think I've had it off 3 maybe 4 times. But I have an extra high garage door so it fits even with the 36" tires and 8" lift.
Click to expand...

I've seen something similar, which is part of the reason I'm not keen on putting it there either. As for the garage part of the equation, I've got plenty of room at work once I get inside - but the entrance is basically a gatekeeper. There're a couple of Tahoes that clear it by about an inch and a half, but as I'm now sitting pretty close to as tall as they are it'd be a real crapshoot as to whether or not I'd make it with the spare on top.
 
What's wrong with just keeping your 31" spare standing up in the stock location inside the cargo area???
Or is it that you'd rather have it mounted outside the Jeep??
 
JEEPZZ said:
What's wrong with just keeping your 31" spare standing up in the stock location inside the cargo area???
Or is it that you'd rather have it mounted outside the Jeep??
Click to expand...

Honestly, I'd rather have it inside - but it won't fit. So far, I've tried removing the pedestal that bolts to the floor and inner fender; no dice. Tried bolting it through one of the lug holes; no dice. The only ways I could get it to fit were either by a) unlatching the rear seat back (not so great, since I carry people a couple of times a week and it was pretty much vertical), or b) tilting it out into the cargo area at an angle - which sucked because I lost a good chunk of the cargo area. Dunno what it is, but most of the things that worked for other people didn't work for me. Best bet at this point seems to be to move it outside and be done with it.
 
Just carry a compressor and leave your 31 spare deflated in the stock location.
 
it will fit in the stock location, even filled up. I have a 31x10.5" spare on a 6.5" rim. Its mounted through one of the lug holes. It touches everything, but it fits. Touches the soundbar on the roof, the back of the seat, the floor, and the tailgate. I had to rotate it so that the tailgate was between the lugs to make it fit, but point is, it does fit. Again, its on a 6.5" rim, so that makes it taller, and its not deflated at all.
 
casm said:
So, after lifting my XJ and changing over to 31" tires, I'm screwed for somewhere to put the spare - right now it's rattling around loose in the cargo area. Having poked around looking for ideas (and who could go wrong with the ones in this thread? ;) ), I'm thinking there might be another way of doing this; just curious to hear what everyone thinks.

The basic plan: add a reinforcing plate inside the panel to cope with the tire weight, bolt the carrier bracket from a TJ to the tailgate through the reinforcement, add a couple extra high-pressure struts, and call it done.

The reasoning: I don't particularly care to change out the rear bumper to add a tire carrier, and the ones that slot into the receiver pretty much all suck. AFAIK there's no stock tire carrier for a 2000-2001 XJ, so it's either this, the roof, or new bumpers.

Downsides: the tailgate panel was never designed to carry that much weight, and I'm not sure it can be sufficiently beefed-up to handle it. Ditto the hinges, particularly where they mount to the unibody. Putting in another pair of struts long enough to give support towards the outer end of the tailgate will be a PITA.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? I think it could be made to work, but I'm really leery as to how well it would work.
Click to expand...
Why can't it just stay in the cargo area? I have a spare 31" BFG AT strapped to the luggage tie-downs and a 10" subwoofer next to it. It's a tight fit, but I can deal with it since I'm saving $600+. I also have spare fluids and clothes packed in there and can fit a box of trail goodies when needed. I think the only problem I may have is the strength of the luggage tie-downs. I'm worried they won't stand up to all the weight back there, but I could be wrong.
 
Here ya go... 31x10.50 spare, 8" wheel. Rear seat is up and latched and hatch closes just fine. It even clears the sound bar.

xjsparetire31s.jpg
 
Starscream918 said:
Why can't it just stay in the cargo area?
Click to expand...

It eats up a pretty sizeable chunk of the cargo space. Wouldn't be a big deal if I didn't have to move passengers and equipment at the same time, but I do.

I think the only problem I may have is the strength of the luggage tie-downs. I'm worried they won't stand up to all the weight back there, but I could be wrong.
Click to expand...

Tip I picked up on those a while back: S-10 Blazer tiedowns. They're a lot beefier and are widely available in the junkyards.

JEEPZZ said:
Here ya go... 31x10.50 spare, 8" wheel. Rear seat is up and latched and hatch closes just fine. It even clears the sound bar.
Click to expand...

Hmm... Well, that's perplexing :) Mine either hit the soundbar or forced the seat back forward. I'm assuming that photo's with the pedestal removed?
 
The early model factory tire carrier should fit. You'll have to get creative a bit but all they really did to XJ's was round out the corners a bit.

If you go this route make sure to get the following:
Carrier
INNER BRACE for upper hinge.
INNER BRACE for latch.
INNER BRACE for lower hinge.
Cable.
 
GSequoia said:
The early model factory tire carrier should fit. You'll have to get creative a bit but all they really did to XJ's was round out the corners a bit.

If you go this route make sure to get the following:
Carrier
INNER BRACE for upper hinge.
INNER BRACE for latch.
INNER BRACE for lower hinge.
Cable.
Click to expand...

Good call. I know where there's one in the yards; may go pick it up this weekend.
 
somebody here posted up a pic of a tubeing tire mount for the rear cargo area that sat at an angle(kind of like you see in the back of some desert trucks). it left enough room for other stuff.
 
casm said:
Hmm... Well, that's perplexing :) Mine either hit the soundbar or forced the seat back forward. I'm assuming that photo's with the pedestal removed?
Click to expand...
Yep. Just sit it on the floor and ratchet stap it in place.
 
I had a factory swing-out tire carrier on my '88. The hinges are not very strong, as I found out the hard way. Never, I repeat, never try to hang onto a tire carrier with a 12.5x33tire and a 5 gallons of gas mounted when the hinges let go. It is very hard on your back! It's been a while, but as I recall, the hinges on the stock carrier are a ball-type of pivot. Over time, the socket wears out, and walla, the hinges can separate. God help you if your screaming down the expressway when this happens. The guy behind you may not appreciate it. Just food for thought.
 
JEEPZZ said:
Yep. Just sit it on the floor and ratchet stap it in place.
Click to expand...

Hm. Mkay, guess I'll look at it again when I get home tonight. I seem to remember it having problems clearing the wheelarch, seat back, and soundbar at different times, but maybe I just missed something obvious.

xjbubba said:
It's been a while, but as I recall, the hinges on the stock carrier are a ball-type of pivot. Over time, the socket wears out, and walla, the hinges can separate. God help you if your screaming down the expressway when this happens. The guy behind you may not appreciate it. Just food for thought.
Click to expand...

Yep, I've heard this a few times. Having said that, I'm looking at this and thinking it may do what I want. I don't mind drilling into the bumper to mount it, and with a reinforcing plate it may be workable.
 
i just got a tire that was 80% worn out....fitted it to a stock rim....and leave the rear seat unlatched on the one side. It squeezes in there and is up in the stock position almost hitting the roof. rear passengers have never complained...been this way for about 7 years. Future plans do include removal of the rear seat and some kind of mount tied into a cage to keep it as low as possible in the jeep.

cheers
 
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