Tailgating with a tire carrier...How annoying is it?!

[robcarync]

Well I have a custom tube bumper on the rear of my X, and I have been contemplating designs for a rear carrier to add to it. It seems like the best option to maximize cargo space, reduce center of gravity, and actually have the spare tire with me (currently sitting in my garage...hope I don't end up needing it!).

My only hesitation is recreating out of the back of the Xterra. It is football season, and I enjoy tailgating on the weekends, and also camping/tailgating on the beach where the rear of the hatch often stays open for people to get in and out of things quickly...and pedestrian traffic around the rear of the truck.

Obviously fold down would be VERY annoying getting around (but REALLY easy to fabricate). I could always off center it some to make it easier to access one side of the hatch, or remove the top half (tube, tire, pin, etc) as a temporary measure, but not ideal. I also have a folding tailgate table I could put over the actual tire when it folds down...just to prevent people from running into it:

...but even swing away, I feel would be annoying if tailgating having it 3 feet to the side of the truck and possibly getting bumped and swinging around. Due to the geometry of my bumper, it would also be very difficult to fabricate without changing things that have already been done



I could also make a hitch mounted carrier so it is removable...but I also feel like once I put the tire up there, I most likely won't take it down just due to laziness. Plus it will likely rattle, reduce departure angle, and mean that I can't use my hitch for anything else (not that I usually need it for anything...but maybe)



So I ask anyone with tire carriers...does it bug you when tailgating or camping out of the back? Did you get used to it, or just adapt your tailgating and camping style (remove everything at once, and just close up the hatch)?

 

[TJTJ]

If tailgating at an event P Lot, etc...the swing outs do block the space between parked rigs on that side, a minor inconvenience if the hatch is going to stay open/easy to use the cargo area as a table, etc.

If you bring a folding table, you simply set it up behind the X (Or in front of it, and empty space, etc...and you have your "table" w/o needing to leave your hatch open. On some swing outs, they clear the open hatch, so, you can have the hatch open but the swing out in the "closed" position instead of swung out to the side.....with the hatch like a roof/overhang over it, etc.

If not in parking spaces, I've never seen it as a big deal to leave the carrier swung out and the hatch open....its just never been an issue.

 

[Silver dude]

Swing away Good and bad.

Good:
Looks great
Can hang a trash bag on the wheel
Use it as a extra area to set things
Can easily mount a bottle opener.
Easy to accessorize with custom mounts for a portable grill or hinged table on the back side.
Aids privacy
Adds character your friends will definitely know where your vehicle is.

The bad:
Every single time you have to access the hatch you need to unlatch and swing, it means parking your grocery cart to the side till its open.
Its heavy and reduces the load you can carry, hp you have etc.
View out the rear view mirror isn't as detailed as it once was.
Carrier can swing in the wind or on a hill,
People with lower upper body strength and children may struggle with the latching mechanism and heft.
Does hang out, have to walk around it and other motorists may struggle driving around it.
I struggle in my small garage being able to open the rear hatch at all it needs a large path to swing.


I would not recommend a swing down. Its the least user friendly design. having to muscle 80 pounds every time you want in the hatch. Tire completely in your way when loading the hatch.

If you could mount a pivot way out on the corner of the bumperette you could go with a short or double swing arm which would provide the least disruptive option aside from overhead. Would be like the rear doors on a conversion van.

 

[C3po]

Lemons to lemonade.

If you get a ping pong ball inside the wheel, chug, if you miss chug.

Itll be a good drinking/lawn game.



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[ThePlasticOne]

Thought you meant being tailgated while driving around...best part about a 33" in the way is that I can't see the high beams in my rear view!

 

[caseycamby]

The most optimal thing would be having the tire attached to your hatch and having everything going up but that's a whole lotta weight. You could somehow rig that up to where it works efficiently.

It really doesn't bother me to have to dodge the swing out but I really haven't had to do it that much. My biggest issue with mine is the hi-lift hitting the hatch. However, I'm gonna fix that soon.

 

[bottobro]

wasnt someone working on a redesign of a first gen rear hatch? one that would swing to the side and hold a spare tire?

 

[drbandkgb]

I needed to tire carrier for off road reasons..

 

[caseycamby]

I needed to tire carrier for off road reasons..

Yep yep! Sacrifices!

 

[robcarync]

Well I probably don't NEED a tire carrier. Strapping it in the cargo area works good enough. More so that I like designing and building things. And they look cool-and they are functional.

I am trying to keep track of how many times I open my hatch on a daily basis to see how many times I'd be dealing with the carrier. I think I would just end up adapting all around: things going in the back seat instead of the hatch...tailgating off my folding table so hatch doesn't need to stay up, and basically minimizing my trips to the hatch unless I have a trip to pack lots of gear for. ..which doesn't happen too often. I think after a few times I'll subconsciously adapt based on how annoying I find it.

Now onto the design phase. I have a few different ideas...hmmmmmm....

 

[GPD605X]

I would love to see like the spare tire have a swing arm like the old pathfinders used to have. It latched to the tailgate and the mounting points were around the taillights. You would still have to un hook it to get to the hatch though... not sure there is a way around that unless you beef up the metal on the hatch, get some serious lift struts to hold the weight of the tire

 

[caseycamby]

I believe you'd have to have something like that holds the hood up if you were to do that.. It seems like it'd save the struts.

 

[GPD605X]

Like the McMaster Struts would have to be really strong in order to withstand constant use of opening and reopening the hatch. And if you took the tire off, most would struggle to close the hatch because of the weight strength of the struts.

 

[caseycamby]

You'd have to slam dunk that biznitch!!

 

[GPD605X]

I know, thats what I was thinking, lace up mah jordans and rock out

 

[caseycamby]

Haha that's rich!

 

[metzican]

Besides the metal not being strong enough to hold a tire on the rear hatch. You also have to beef up the hinges. Those extra heavy duty struts would put a lot more force on the hinges. Not to mention 70-110lbs extra 6' in the air if a strut gets week and it comes down that is going to hurt.

For me I had to have mine for a few one of the reasons below. Not to mention my rear storage area is full 100% of the time and nothing in there gets used a lot unless I'm working on my X, or fixing a broken part on someone elses. I keep tools, spare parts, fluids back there.

Reasons for a tire carrier:
1. If you go off-road quite a bit
2. If your spare no longer fits in the stock place
3. If you have matching rims and don't want it dirty/scratched

Reasons not to get tire carrier:
1. your spare is not the correct size. (jeep people that is embarrassing, you can put all that money into your jeep and you can't buy 1 more tire)
2. you go into your hatch a lot
3. You think it is cool (I'm all about function)

 

[robcarync]

Reasons not to get a tire carrier:
...3. You think it is cool (I'm all about function)...

I'd challenge you on that. Why should style or aesthetics not be factored into a decision? I offroad a few times a year, and my rear hatch is empty more so than full. For me, ratchet strapping the spare into the hatch is just as functional as having a tire carrier...it brings the tire along for a ride. Purely based on function, it is not worth the money to buy a tire carrier in my situation. However, given that I enjoy designing and fabricating, and have the ability to build one myself, and I think it looks cool...those extras make the annoyance, time, effort, money, etc worth it...or at least closes the gap some. For me, the most "valuable" part of the project is the enjoyment of designing and building...and not so much the pure function.

I agree a tire carrier is definitely a function aimed at offroading and camping to maximize cargo space or hold a larger tire, but was curious how people felt about them away from the trails. Your rig may not be a mall crawler or grocery getter...but you gotta eat, and everyone enjoys a trip to the mall now and then. It may be too "politically incorrect" to complain about such a cool MOD like a tire carrier, but surely someone has thought to themselves "man...it sure would be nice to not have the tire carrier to fool with right now"...

Anyway, I am working on a design for a fold down tire carrier that is off centered to the driver side (license plate on right side of bumper). For a 33 inch spare (only have a 31 in spare right now), I can tuck it low enough to the bumper/hinge that it would swing down, almost all the way 180*, and still clear my centered hitch and left side recovery point. Least user friendly as far as lifting and lowering, but it would offer good cargo area access for loading and unloading, and could easily leave it folded all the way to the ground for tailgating. I would probably subconsciously adapt and just use the hatch less in day to day activities, and it probably wouldn't bother me too much when offroading, tailgating, or camping....which is when I would most need the function of a tire carrier. I am still going to work on a few other concepts I have too....but I will make another thread on my design ideas when I finish up the models.

 

[Casper]

Can be done, without issue, with the right knowledge.

"And if you took the tire off, most would struggle to close the hatch because of the weight strength of the struts."

This is incorrect. Most folks do not understand the function of a strut. The will close fine without the extra weight of a say, tire. The truck above is proof of that.

If you want to do something truly trick and unique finger out a way to put a 35" tire UNDER the rig, in it's stock location. NOW THAT would be a mod worth doing......hmmmmmm, someone may actually be working on this already.

Cheers,
Josh
&
Aramis

 

[GPD605X]

I would love to see how you fabbed up everything for the rear hatch carrier... I would def be interested

 

[RATTFINK]

I will know the "struggle" soon enough. Ordered the Shrocworks swing out tire carrier arm for my bumper Oct. 1st and it was finished today. Can't wait to pick it up.

I imagine it will be beneficial and not so much of a problem. You've got to expect the obvious obstructions before adding a tire carrier.

--

Casey, I saw an X in Moab have his spare attached to his rear hatch. He sports 4 struts to hold the hatch up.



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[caseycamby]

That quick with Shrock?!


Is that the same one Josh posted?

 

[RATTFINK]

Yep. 5 days. Swing out arm with hinge, latch, license plate holder with light, and hi-lift mount.

Mentioned the Gobi ladder and Shock said if it interferes, they can make up some brackets to give clearance to the ladder.

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[caseycamby]

That's insane! I've never heard of that from them. You must know somebody... Haha

 

[GPD605X]

I'm guessing they probably had someone back out of one they were about done with... that's the only reason I can think of getting a shrock that quick.

 

[GPD605X]

Seeing this thread made me find this.... Its called the Knucklebone Tire Carrier. Its a hitch mounted carrier that swing 40 degrees down, completely down or tilt sideways. Price wise looks pretty good.
LINKY LOO

 

[Silver dude]

This is another hatch based design. Looks like he made a ladder then went off of that. The higher you go on the hatch the less of a issue it is in terms of leverage when the hatch is raised.

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee223/Mike_moreau/arriere9mw.jpg

 

[robcarync]

Seeing this thread made me find this.... Its called the Knucklebone Tire Carrier. Its a hitch mounted carrier that swing 40 degrees down, completely down or tilt sideways. Price wise looks pretty good.
LINKY LOO

This is another hatch based design. Looks like he made a ladder then went off of that. The higher you go on the hatch the less of a issue it is in terms of leverage when the hatch is raised.

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee223/Mike_moreau/arriere9mw.jpg

Interestingly enough, both of the above tire carriers were ones that I had saved photos of to my computer when researching different design ideas. I think I would avoid hatch mounted tire carrier simply because I don't trust myself to not destroy the hatch in the process, and since I already have a heavy duty bumper, might as well use that.