pete.wilson said:
P.S. It's a great idea for those vehicles that have no aftermarket support or no local fabrication shops around.
I would imagine the other advantage would be the fact that you could take it off when you don't need it (like for driving to work.) The resultant loss of weight could save some $$ at the gas pump.
I'm constantly amazed at the number of things you can plug into a 2" receiver. My Taco is the first vehicle I've ever owned to be equipped with one and the possibilities are tantalizing...
However, as for the spare tire - I'd be a little worried. Any serious off-roading includes a lot of bumpy, up and down driving and I'd be worried about the carrier flexing into the tailgate, or some weakness in the welds causing it to break. A big spare tire can weigh 70-100lbs, and if the mounting point is 15-16" from the place where it attaches to the carrier, you're talking about a HUGE amount of leverage being applied to that one point. And if it's made robustly enough to resist that, It would have to weigh a ton. It just seems to me that sooner or later you reach the point of diminishing returns with it. I like the idea of carrying the spare on the back of the truck, gives you more clearance underneath and makes the spare more accessible, but I think if I was going to go that route I'd look at one of the nice custom bumpers made by the company formerly known as Stout Engineering (can't remember what they're called now.)