Ford Ranger Rear Spare Tire Carrier

[UltraHDGames]

So lately I've been thinking a lot about getting some kind of spare tire carrier like many suvs such as jeeps have. My first thought was a hitch style that just uses the hitch receiver but I find they often stick out to far and cover the license plate up plus I do tow fairly often so I'd prefer my hitch free

Could work but I'm not sure..



My next thought was from an suv at a junkyard, but it seems most don't mount to the bumper, they always seem to mount to the fender sides around the tailights requiring a lot of extra bracing etc. So is there any oem tire carrier that is what I'm looking for?

Something similar to this is what I'm thinking, Now of course it would have to lock into something while driving but I'm sure that could be figured out


There is always the option of going full fab but that's beyond my skills and I'm not to sure what my Grandfather would say about building a new bumper/carrier.


This option defiantly looks best but again, a lot more work

I know a 31" spare could fit under the truck but i can imagine it would be a pain in the butt to get at if i did get stuck and slashed/puncher-ed it in the mud etc. Another option is on the roof rails i have(Roof basket soon enough I hope ) but I don't really want to add that much extra weight up top and use all that cargo space not to mention the challenges of fitting in a garage with that much extra height

 

[gwittman]

I still use the standard spare tire location on my Ranger. It will definitely hold a 31" tire. I had a 31" in there for many years even with my hitch receiver taking up some of the space. Recently, I put a 32" tire up there. It does not fit all the way up in there but it works well enough. I have taken it on some pretty rough stuff and have even bottomed out the receiver. The tire hasn't taken a hit yet. I take the tire into consideration when I get into the rough stuff and try to avoid situations that could damage the tire.

 

[UltraHDGames]

I still use the standard spare tire location on my Ranger. It will definitely hold a 31" tire. I had a 31" in there for many years even with my hitch receiver taking up some of the space. Recently, I put a 32" tire up there. It does not fit all the way up in there but it works well enough. I have taken it on some pretty rough stuff and have even bottomed out the receiver. The tire hasn't taken a hit yet. I take the tire into consideration when I get into the rough stuff and try to avoid situations that could damage the tire.

I know it'll fit under the truck it's just i like the look on the rear and i plan on using a full size spare/rim and I'd prefer it not caked in salt during winter that i can't wash off as easy

 

[gwittman]

Everybody has their own needs and preferences. I don't have to worry about salt living in SoCal. I considered some type of rear mount so I could carry two spares. Some of the overland trips I take would be safer with two spares. However, I already carry enough weight and really don't want any more. Besides, I have never needed to use one spare tire. I hope that luck continues.

 

[UltraHDGames]

Everybody has their own needs and preferences. I don't have to worry about salt living in SoCal. I considered some type of rear mount so I could carry two spares. Some of the overland trips I take would be safer with two spares. However, I already carry enough weight and really don't want any more. Besides, I have never needed to use one spare tire. I hope that luck continues.

I wish i didn't have to deal with salt, and 2 spares might not be a bad idea. Might keep the real crappy oem spare under the truck as an absolute back up

 

[ne_dan]

This looks pretty good it's on a Tacoma but still looks really good. http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/145520-Ikarus-Lightweight-Access-Cab-Build/page8

 

[ne_dan]

Apparently it's wilco off-road and they make one for 93 to 11 ranger called tiregate

 

[UltraHDGames]

This looks pretty good it's on a Tacoma but still looks really good. http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/145520-Ikarus-Lightweight-Access-Cab-Build/page8

As cool as that is i still need my tailgate to keep stuff dry and secure, especially me when sleeping inside there

 

[UltraHDGames]

So after more research I found someone with an Explorer used a Bronco 2 carrier and it worked good. So it seems I do have options on what Suv to grab a carrier from. Again my biggest concern is reinforcing the box side to handle the weight when bouncing already off road

 

[ExplorerTom]

There's a guy in the Jeep (HercDriver) sub forum that used a bolt on swing out like that. Seems to work.

I went with a full custom bumper on mine. It ain't cheap.

While you might be able to fit your larger tire in the stock location, it might not be available when you need that tire- meaning the truck is buried in something (mud, snow, sand....) and getting it out would require a lot of digging. It's unlikely, but possible.

 

[UltraHDGames]

There's a guy in the Jeep (HercDriver) sub forum that used a bolt on swing out like that. Seems to work.

I went with a full custom bumper on mine. It ain't cheap.

While you might be able to fit your larger tire in the stock location, it might not be available when you need that tire- meaning the truck is buried in something (mud, snow, sand....) and getting it out would require a lot of digging. It's unlikely, but possible.

That's exactly why i want the spare on the back of the truck not under, even the roof isn't great for someone who's not tall or strong such as myself

 

[Brewtus]

It sounds like you're already set against putting the tire underneath, but I thought I'd share my nightmare with you as well. I had a 94 ranger w/ the spare underneath and an aftermarket hitch. As it turns out, the hitch completely blocked the spare mounting hardware... so when I got a flat in the snow on the Siskiyou pass OR-CA, in order to get the spare down, I had to unbolt and remove the hitch while in a foot of snow on the side of I5. Fortunately the only wrench I had at the time, the tire iron, was the right size. Unfortunately, those same bolts were the ones holding on my bumper; so I unexpectedly got a face full of hitch and bumper at the same time... so yes, on a Ranger, spare underneath is no bueno.

For my Dodge, I have one underneath and am working on a carrier for a second. I'm in a similar predicament as you, purchased a fender mount carrier from an SUV, but I think the fab work to reinforce the bed will likely be about the same as building a custom bumper and mount a swinging carrier on that.

You could go full safari and mount the spare on the hood.

Interested to see what you come up with.

 

[gwittman]

It sounds like your hitch receiver was not designed for a Ranger (maybe just a bad design) or it would not have not have blocked the spare mounting hardware. I've owned two different Rangers since 89 with hitch receivers and never had any problem with interference of spare tire removal. Both were aftermarket receivers (Hidden Hitch) designed specifically for the model of Ranger I owned.