Rear Door Spare Tire Mount

[Triathlete]

im just waiting for some guinea pigs that wheel to find out what happens.........

Dropping off some of those Moab ledges with a spare mounted out back would definately "reshape" the rear hatch! I think a removeable baja style mount in the rear is what I'd go with...but I'm quite happy with a few ratchet straps in the rear.

[Riff Raff]

Hmmm, using the rear VX door as a full-size spare mounting point like on Tom's VX gives me the hebee-jebee's. It is way too much stress on the VX door hinges and thin sheet metal.

A much better idea is to use a 2" square receiver tow hitch for the "mounting point" for a full-size spare. Just go to www.JCWhitney.com and type-in "SPARE MOUNT" in the little search box. There you will find various 2" tow hitch mounts for spare tires.

Plus, you can use the full-size spare only when you go 4-Wheeling, and leave it off (at home) when you're around town. This method will save you from butchering your VX rear door; and save gas money, as you would only use the big spare tire when going off-road.

TRIATHLETE--- Your idea is the very best of all, and surely the cheapest; that is to merely strap down a full-size spare in the cargo area behind the rear seat. Be sure to use motorcycle straps thru the wheel and tied to the anchor loops in the rear cargo area to prevent the spare tire from hitting you upside the head in case of a roll-over accident. This method works well, as the full-size spare can just stay in the garage until it's needed for an off-road trip. Simple.

The baja style mount like Jolly Roger's (see below) "looks good"; but is really impractical, as it totally eats up too much valuable cargo space that could be used for other necessary off-road/camping gear. Total waste of space.

[Jolly Roger VX'er]

I think a removeable baja style mount in the rear is what I'd go with...but I'm quite happy with a few ratchet straps in the rear.

mean like this.......

[Triathlete]

mean like this.......

Nope...would have the tire staight up and down on one side or the other...of course that is if the tires are not too tall!

[CrnCnn]

Nope...would have the tire staight up and down on one side or the other...of course that is if the tires are not too tall!

Thats my plan. Plans are in my head and a guy at work said he would give me some of the metal he has and weld it if Beau isnt available for it. I need the room back there for the pup and what not, so I couldnt mount it like Jolly rogers.

[tom4bren]

Hope y'all like the smell of rubber. Having the spare inside will certainly add to the ambience.

[nfpgasmask]

Hope y'all like the smell of rubber. Having the spare inside will certainly add to the amviance (sp?).

Nothing was worse than the original rubber mat I bought to line my cargo space. The smell was like roofer's tar...or 1000 cartons of cigarettes were smoked inside my VX. It was just horrible and had to go...

Bart

[tom4bren]

"has anyone mentioned that mounting the spare on the outside of the rear door completely defaces the nice looking booty of our beloved VXes?"

No but I was waiting.

IMHO, the spare actually continues the body line 'in a quite aestetically pleasing manner.'

(sorry for the paraphrase - can't remember where it came from)

"Nothing was worse than the original rubber mat I bought to line my cargo space."

I know what you mean. I had to 'cook' my rubber floor mats in the sun for a week before I could put them in the car.

[etlsport]

Hope y'all like the smell of rubber. Having the spare inside will certainly add to the ambience.

i got one up on you.. check my other thread for details..

[Triathlete]

with all this talk, i have actually came up with a great idea... may work for some, maybe not for others, i havent actually measured so i dont know, but its worth a try...
why not build a wooden or metal box where the factory spare goes, and mount your full size spare on the inside of that??
would eliminate our small amount of cargo space, but would hold the tire, take the weight off the sheet metal, and still be able to carry a full size spare...

Thats what I described above only with tubing instead of a box and instead of mounting to the door mount to the floor with a hinge so it swings down and out!

[nfpgasmask]

I haven't read through all the replies in this thread, but has anyone mentioned that mounting the spare on the outside of the rear door completely defaces the nice looking booty of our beloved VXes? Forget about the technical problems, it just don't look right!!! (IMHO) I feel the same way about safari bars and brush guards going over the front end. The VX is such an awesome looking machine, why cover up its best features??? Of course, to each his own...

Bart

Bart