Spare on Roof Somehow!

[4WDlifeform]

Hey all. Looking for a roof rack, that is cheap, and universal by Friday. I have to pack all my college stuff up in my XJ to haul home, and I'd really like to throw the spare on the roof. My XJ is equipped with full length roof rack, 2 cross members.

I have been looking eBay, google, and here, but cant seem to find what im looking for... I will probably invest or fabricate something later maybe in the spring/summer, but for now, I just want to get the spare out of the back. Any ideas? Alternatives, i.e. place it up there without a rack? I need to do something by next Monday, but would rather have the weekend to put it together.

I saw the thread listing all the different racks, but many of them are in the hundreds. Don't have that cash right now... cheapin' out on this one real big!

Thanks for the help!

 

[DrMoab]

place it up there without a rack. Just make sure and use good ratchet straps and don't take it off road that way much. You are just making a highway trip right?

 

[4WDlifeform]

yeah this will be about a 4 hour drive on highway... i'm real hesitant to do that, though IF I REALLY need the space, ill have to i guess haha.

 

[CherBear]

Tiedown straps will work for sure. Just put one through the spokes, and then a few more just to hold it down. The more straps the safer id guess.

 

[DrMoab]

I've got a buddy who wheels that way. Although I wouldn't recomend it, he has done it for years with no issues. Just put the spreader bars under the tire and tie it down tight to those. You will be more than fine.

 

[theNAST1EST]

i'm real hesitant to do that, though IF I REALLY need the space, ill have to i guess haha.

It really isn't that big of a deal.

 

[AIbandit]

What size tires? My 35's ripped my rack off my roof.

 

[DrMoab]

What size tires? My 35's ripped my rack off my roof.

Wheeling or on the HWY? He is only making a road trip that way.

 

[theNAST1EST]

My 35's ripped my rack off my roof.

Can we assume you had it there longer than a 4 hour highway trip?

 

[thechief86]

i had a 32" on mine for a while with no rack and no problems... now i have a rack, but no spare

 

[IslanderOffRoad]

Have you seen this:

http://www.rockratz.com/tcr1x.html

not sure how fast they can get it to you though.

 

[AIbandit]

Ahh didn't see that post.
Anyway when you do get a rack get one with gutter mounts.

 

[YELLAHEEP]

If you're running a stock size tire up to no larger than a 31" tire, you can simply slide your roof cross bars close together enough to support the tire on the sidewall. Then use a piece of 1" square tube (thicker wall the better) that's long enough to fit across under the crossbars. Drill a hole through the square tube with a bolt long enough to fit through it and up through one of the lug holes in the tire. Get a thick washer and a nut and tighten the tire down. :thumbup:

This link is a bit more elaborate, but gives you the idea. Just cut, drill and bolt together.

http://www.g-mac.net/grand_central/tire_carrier/tire_carrier-pics.htm

 

[djwright4341]

My stock spare is up there tied down with about 25ft of rope arranged to hold it to the crossbars and in the middle. Been there since last winter with no issues.

 

[CherBear]

My stock spare is up there tied down with about 25ft of rope arranged to hold it to the crossbars and in the middle. Been there since last winter with no issues.

LOL. Sounds kind of ghetto-fab.(I like) Do you have any pics?

 

[4WDlifeform]

If you're running a stock size tire up to no larger than a 31" tire, you can simply slide your roof cross bars close together enough to support the tire on the sidewall. Then use a piece of 1" square tube (thicker wall the better) that's long enough to fit across under the crossbars. Drill a hole through the square tube with a bolt long enough to fit through it and up through one of the lug holes in the tire. Get a thick washer and a nut and tighten the tire down. :thumbup:

This link is a bit more elaborate, but gives you the idea. Just cut, drill and bolt together.

http://www.g-mac.net/grand_central/tire_carrier/tire_carrier-pics.htm

Great Idea. Tough, now Tuesday, I doubt anything would arrive on time, nor do I have a place to work on stuff... If you guys have run with just strapping the tire to the racks, I could do that just to get me home, if I need the space. Thanks for the ideas!

 

[rocknxj]

I'd be afraid of turning that spare into a flying rubber missile after anything but a minor fender bender. I'd hate to be the recipient of that sucker coming at me at highway speeds. I think the Germans had something like that during WWII.

 

[djwright4341]

LOL. Sounds kind of ghetto-fab.(I like) Do you have any pics?

Yeah, the guys at work razz me about it sometimes (I'm in the Coast Guard and I'm an engineer--the boatswains mates tease me about how I tied it down).