Rear Door Spare Tire Mount

[Triathlete]

The tire on top sucks a lot of extra fuel...as does the basket on top or a bike. That is one of the biggest reasons I rented a mt. bike in Moab. I have several friends with sweet high end mt. bikes that would have let me borrow them however the rental was less than the extra fuel!

[Marlin]

I wonder how much of a difference it makes with my expy? That big block V8 shouldn't care...5.4L that I wish I could put in my VX along with the 6 speed tranny. that would kick ***.
If I drove more than 10 miles a day in my VX, I would take the rack off, but I LOVE THE WAY IT LOOKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Triathlete]

I wonder how much of a difference it makes with my expy? That big block V8 shouldn't care...5.4L that I wish I could put in my VX along with the 6 speed tranny. that would kick ***.

All it takes is $$$$$...anything is possible!

[Marlin]

An update on the rear spare on the door conversion. Its been awhile now. There is no noticeable sag on the door, but I will say that when I close the door, I can feel the latch engage, it does rub a bit, which tells me that something has moved, even it is just a little.
Everyhting else is perfect, no problems, and I took it wheeling and all. So for those that have contemplated it, go for it, it is a fairly easy and gratifying project, and I now have my stereo mounted in the rear door, so more free space in the back

[Marlin]

Revisiting again, still no sag on the door, or latch problems. I am in out of the back at least 4 or 5 times a week. No issues. On my last trip to Uwharrie, I did take the tire off and store it inside while I was wheeling just in case I came to a steep incline, it would not be fun to spend 5 min taking the tire off while 20 trucks are behind you waiting. I have never scraped it, but I was just planning ahead

[vt_maverick]

Hey Marlin, I saw your VX in person last night and the rear tire mount looks great! I'm down in Charleston for a wedding and my buddy lives in your neighborhood! It's a small world huh? Sent you a PM, let me know if you're around tomorrow and maybe I'll stop by.

[Marlin]

Hey Marlin, I saw your VX in person last night and the rear tire mount looks great! I'm down in Charleston for a wedding and my buddy lives in your neighborhood! It's a small world huh? Sent you a PM, let me know if you're around tomorrow and maybe I'll stop by.

EEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!! Stranger Danger!!!! Stalker!!!!

J/K, I sent a PM back, I will be around all day, kind of embarrassed, the VX is dirty...

[Marlin]

Well, time for another update, its been about 1.5 yrs now, I no longer baby the door opening and closing, and I have no sign of sag. No significant rubbing on the latch either. I slam it shut, leave it open sometimes, trailed it with the tire on it, no problemo. I am more than pleased with the results of this project. I am surprised there is only the two of us though. As a matter of fact, of all my projects I have done, the only one I am not 100% happy with is the....well, I can't think of one

[RamAirZ]

I was planning on it (even have the mount) but after mocking everything up I didn't really like the way it looked on mine so I threw it on the roof, plus the basket made it easy for mounting the lights. Glad it's working out good for ya Chris! I'm still debating it at some point.

[Marlin]

I'm not sure if you went through the whole thread or not. I am 100% function over form. The reason I took it off the roof: at Moab in 09, while in Poison Spider, there is a little rally run, like a mile through the sand, and we were moving pretty quick. I saw something in my peripheral (and it wasn't a blonde). We slowed down, turns out, it was a bolt from the roof rack that had gone flying off. Then I started thinking about 70-80lbs of rim and tire on the roof and what that would do to someone if it came off the roof on the street. That could be deadly.
Plus, having the tire on the roof with no cover on it means its in the sun all day long, which will destroy the tire. But I do trail the VX with the spare on the roof for approach angle purposes. Its also a lot easier to get the spare off the door, I got a dent in the side from trying to get the tire off the roof by myself a few months ago.

[RamAirZ]

LOL, I have read the thread and talked to you about it before. I know why YOU did it, and I completely understand that. I myself like form AND function. I didn't like how far it would sit from the door, not how it looked on the door. I'm working on modifying the bracket to sit closer and then I'll probably end up doing it. For now I like it on the roof and have had it in some thick brush where I was worried about it coming off and it didn't budge. Plus I don't leave it up there all the time. I've even considered getting a 2nd spare so I have 2, it's weird but the VX is gonna end up as my Expedition rig when we take camping trips and go visit the family in Indiana and Minnesota so would be nice to have 2 just in case. As far as getting it off the roof, maybe you need these:



Just kidding, it's a pain to get it on/off, I know.

[IRONVIKING]

I saw an Amigo rear tire mount with the third brake light set up.
It looked like I could do something similar to my VX.
Its cool in that pic you posted of the rear tire mount.
Theres the Red Explorer?- Orange CBR dude in the background- Yellow VX

[Marlin]

I saw an Amigo rear tire mount with the third brake light set up.
It looked like I could do something similar to my VX.
Its cool in that pic you posted of the rear tire mount.
Theres the Red Explorer?- Orange CBR dude in the background- Yellow VX

Thanks, that was our 07 expedition, which we traded for a 2010 F150, which we just traded for an 06F250 lariat diesel. Hopefully we wont have to trade cars for awhile...

[RamAirZ]

lol hopefully not. Did you find a 2 car trailer yet?

[Marlin]

Nope, still gotta sell mine first.