Spare Tire Options

This is a great forum, I've been scouring it for days...

I've just purchased a 74 CJ5 and with what little money I have left to get it trail ready I'd like to add a spare tire. It currently is sans carrier so I'm looking at my options. Most swing-out carriers that I've seen start at around $200. Could I use this original style carrier in its original mounting holes on the passenger rear fender with 33s?

http://www.4wd.com/newsite/shop/productdetail.asp?pid=982009

I imagine that I'd have to reinforce the body somehow.

Another option would be to mount a carrier directly on the tailgate. If it could take the weight I'd like to do this. I realize it will take some muscle to raise and lower the gate with the spare mounted, but with manual steering I should be Herculean by the end of Summer anyway. I was thinking of using an old M38 carrier:

http://www.4wd.com/newsite/shop/productdetail.asp?pid=673337

I appreciate any opinions.

 

A side mount is probably not a good option for 33s. I found some bow to my side panel even w/ stock tire/rim. I'd be wary of the tailgate as well. If you can weld or know someone who can, one of the members here has provided very good directions for a bumper carrier build here in our tech section.http://www.earlycj5.com/tech/body/quaggy/diy_tire_carrier.shtml
With a little ingenuity you could add a high lift jack mount, jerry can carriers, axe/shovel mount, whatever. Good luck.:v6:

 

My experience says you'll break out the body if you mount a heavy tire to it. On my '73, the solid back panel started to crack at the welds even though it was only carrying a ca 31" tire. This was using the factory Jeep carrier. Quite a lot of weight, and the wider the tire, the longer the lever is.

If you want to put it on the tailgate, be prepared to reinforce the corners where the tailgate frame meets the curve of the body.

 

I hung a 33" spare from my tailgate and never had a problem with it. I bought a "stock" tire mount from 4wheel parts hardware and bolted it on. I'm not a big fan of the Jeep tailgate so I eventually chucked it and made a solid panel to fill the hole. As I recall i had to shim out the carrier using threaded connectors from the hardware store to clear a 10" rim.

 

I appreciate all of your input. I'm taking a welding course in the Fall, so I may attempt Quaggy's carrier as my first project. What I'll probably do for now is just remove the rear seat and strap a tire down in the back when I hit the trails or I may go Posimoto's route and use a mount I found at JC Whitney on the tailgate after shoring it up structurally.

Thanks.

 

Just make sure that you do some really good bracing if you try this. The spare 33 on my 79 pretty much took the whole solid back panel off after dropping off a small ledge into a creek. I would have to think that the tailgate wouldn't be very much stronger than the solid panel. I am not saying that for normal trails it wouldn't hold up, but after some time of trailriding, I would have to say you would probably see a good bit of damage. My .02 would say to go with Quaggy's carrier or something similar.

 

If your tailgate is in good shape and has the raised JEEP letters. It's a valuable piece for those of us who want to keep the rig relatively OEM. Think about wether you won't regret destroying that tailgate. I had a tire carrier mounted to the rear quarters and the rust and fatique really tore the body up. I say attach it to your frame.

 

I took the stock mount for my '75, got 4 grade 8 bolts, and cut a 1/4 inch steel plate to about 24"x18" and bolted it through the rear of my fiberglass body with the plate on the inside. There is wood sandwiched between the fiberglass on the rear panel of mine, and it holds my 31x10.50 very sturdily. Just my .02 cents.........

 

If your not using the back seat, make a mount to fit it inside mounted to the wheel well.
Be cheaper for now, then when you have the time & money build you a new rear bumper tire carrier combo.

 

Welcome from outside of Raleigh...not too far from Charlotte!!

 

Welcome from Kitty Hawk. Good to see another '74 in ole Carolina.

 

'nother NC CJ here, 1973

I took a different route with a spare carrier. The older I get, the harder it is to lift a 33x12.50 up onto a standard fixed or swing-out carrier if I have a flat. I make a swing down carrier that attaches to the frame. Much easier to bolt the tire to the frame that is laying almost flat on the ground, then lift/pivot the one end up and latch it closed.

I'll try and post some pics later.

 

If you are looking for a quickand dirty way, I used a swinging carrier off of a Blazer. I attached the latching mechanizm to the tailgate, and mounted the swinging arm to an upright post on the passengers side.

Oh yea, another NC CJ, mine is a '63

 

if you have a tow bar, and don't use your tailgate, mount the side carrier bracket to your tow bar; mount the tow bar to the draw bar on the back of the Jeep, mount the tire on the bracket.
easy

 

thats a great idea!

 

Why is that? Moving it from the rear to the front?

 

There's a Pull-A-Part near me, I'm going to try to hit it this weekend to look for something that could fit. If I can find something that will work I may pick it up. Whatever I do I'll be sure to update here. I appreciate all of your comments, they were a great help.

Nice to see all the Carolina Jeepers.