Tailgate Mounted Spare

[Timber]

If the quarter panel was strong enough to handle the weight of up to a 31" spare, I see no reason a steel hatch or its hinges could handle it. As far as the departure angle, 98XJSPORT is fine. Unless you're coming straight down something, which I know does happen, it'll be fine, but anyone with a hitch would hit that obstacle, too.

 

[98XJSport]

What Im basically looking at is will it pull through the door, and will the hinges support the weight. I think, with a liberty OEM carrier bolted to a say 1/8" plate that's 12"x12" or so, bolted through the door to a similar plate (depending on the inner framework, I haven't stripped my hatch down to find out, to friggen cold). The bigger the footprint, the better. This "shouldn't" pull/rip out. Now providing the whole hatch doesn't warp or flex, we should have enough structure. Now, the hinges are the next weak point, but ideally properly sized struts "should" bear the brunt of the weight. And the weight of the tire will help keep the latch closed, so the latch shouldn't be a problem.

Now if I could just find a carrier, and find out the load rating on the carrier itself. Off to a Liberty forum I go...

 

[Sting25]

hmmmmm tow hitch gets hung up on stuff some but you hang up the tire on the hatch and your going to lose your rear window....tow hitch isnt going to bend like the rear hatch will.

 

[98XJSport]

hmmmmm tow hitch gets hung up on stuff some but you hang up the tire on the hatch and your going to lose your rear window....tow hitch isnt going to bend like the rear hatch will.

From what Ive heard the tow hitch versions rattle a lot. However, if you mounted to your hatch and used your tow hitch/bumper to add extra bracing...

 

[Timber]

Try to make some brackets that also go from the (EDIT: inside of the) outer skin and tie into plates bolted to the inner skin. That should really beef it up.