Roof Rack Tire mount

[TurboChris]

Looking for ideas here...easy, cheapest way to mount a spare to my defender roof rack for a week of 4 wheeling...it'll come back off as soon as I get home so I don't want to spend bucks to buy a fabbed mount...just looking for a easy way to do it for occasional use. If I have to I'll just strap it on...but I figured I'll tap the collective wisdom of the masses here first.

Thanks

 

[Hill Bill E.]

I use a piece of 1/2" threaded rod.

The one I have now, I welded a 'speed handle' on it, so I don't need a wrench to remove it, and a round plate that fits in the wheel center, and keeps the rod centered.

But in the past, I have just run a piece of rod through one of the mounting holes on the wheel, and double nutted it.

If your roof rack is designed so you can mount it in the center, this is a clean way to do it.

Some racks don't have a very sturdy platform, and are made to secure things along the edges and not in the center.

I tried using threaded rod on my Thule rack, and it didn't work well.:Wow1:

 

[mjmcdowell]

Spare tire on Thule rack

H B E, could you elaborate on your experience with your spare
tire/Thule set up? I have a MOAB basket on Thule crossbars/towers, I mounted my spare with a "J" hook to one of the bottom cross parts of the basket thru a lug nut hole, fender washer/wing nut ..... no problems, has been this way for some long trips/rough roads. What happened? stay safe, mjmcdowell

 

[Hill Bill E.]

H B E, could you elaborate on your experience with your spare
tire/Thule set up? I have a MOAB basket on Thule crossbars/towers, I mounted my spare with a "J" hook to one of the bottom cross parts of the basket thru a lug nut hole, fender washer/wing nut ..... no problems, has been this way for some long trips/rough roads. What happened? stay safe, mjmcdowell

I was using a Thule basket, on the factory XJ crossbars. The middle of the basket wasn't sturdy enough to mount the tire with a rod. (I used a "J" hook like you)

It bounced around alot, and bent the bottom of the basket. Using 2 straps in an "X" over the top of the tire, and hooked to the sides of the basket, it worked fine.

My Thule basket was basically 2 pieces, a front and a back, attatched in the middle, but only by the side rails of the basket, so the center wasn't really sturdy.

I'm trying to find some pics of it. I'm not good at explaining stuff with just words:snorkel:

 

[HenryJ]

It bounced around alot, and bent the bottom of the basket. Using 2 straps in an "X" over the top of the tire, and hooked to the sides of the basket, it worked fine.

That's good information. THX :ylsmoke:

 

[rusty_tlc]

4 Harbor freight ratchet straps (the kind that come 4 to a $10 pack) Make an X, hook one end into a lug hole and double the other end back on itself around the rack rails. It's harder to explain than to do.

 

[TurboChris]

Quick trip to the hardware store took care of it. Couldn't find a J bolt long enough so I bought a eyebolt and cut out a section. that and a bracket that fits nicely in my wheel hole and I am set.

 

[Antichrist]

Probably not as cheap as Chris's, but this is the one I made for my Discovery's SD rack.

15/16" ring hanger, 3/8-16 threaded rod, 2 stainless flat washers, 1 stainless split washer, double off-set aluminum threaded handle.
I cut a piece of wood and drilled a hole to slide over the rod, then fit the washers and handle and tightened it down.