Anyone recognize what this part is for the spare tire mount?

[GaTechTJ]

Took the spare off today to check the air pressure and measure the rim. My spare tire is a different size than my other four tires. I wanted to check and see if the spare wheel was different as well. It isn't.

When I removed the spare, I found a plate with a bunch of cutouts and a square tube with a nut welded in the end of it. (See picture.)

It doesn't look factory, so I'm assuming the previous owner added it for something.

Does anyone recognize what this might be for? Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[cpwolf]

Does the center pipe there have an insert? I seem to remember a bike carrier that slides in like a removable hitch, but I haven't seen one in a while, and don't recall what it looks like on the plate like that, just saw it get used.

 

[SvtLdr]

That looks a lot like the "receiver" I have for my cargo rack made my Olympic 4x4. The mount stays bolted in place behind the spare and the cargo rack is detachable.
https://www.olympic4x4products.com/Jeep-Storage-Sierra-Rack-ll-for-jeep-Wrangler-CJ-Cherokee-XJ.html

 

[SvtLdr]

Does the center pipe there have an insert? I seem to remember a bike carrier that slides in like a removable hitch, but I haven't seen one in a while, and don't recall what it looks like on the plate like that, just saw it get used.

THULE makes a bike rack like this. My guess is there are a number of other manufacturer's of the same style.
https://www.thule.com/en-us/bike-rack/trunk-bike-racks/thule-spare-me-pro-_-963pro

 

[samobius]

I've seen some people use something like this as a license plate holder too when they relocated their license plate

 

[GaTechTJ]

Does the center pipe there have an insert? I seem to remember a bike carrier that slides in like a removable hitch, but I haven't seen one in a while, and don't recall what it looks like on the plate like that, just saw it get used.

It has what looks like a threaded nut welded in the end of it. It doesn't stick out past the tire at all when the spare is on.

 

[cpwolf]

like @SvtLdr linked, there are some bike racks that screw into it. I'm guessing, I don't have one, but it looks like a bike carrying rack would be able to be screwed into this center nut....look at that link above and it looks like this pretty much. If you don't have the other components, then maybe take it off and move on, ha.

 

[SvtLdr]

like @SvtLdr linked, there are some bike racks that screw into it. I'm guessing, I don't have one, but it looks like a bike carrying rack would be able to be screwed into this center nut....look at that link above and it looks like this pretty much. If you don't have the other components, then maybe take it off and move on, ha.

I can confirm, the Thule rack I linked uses the nut to clamp the rack against the spare.

 

[T Crawford]

Yakima and Mopar all have one like this