Hitch receiver for a spare tire?

Flpjx

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May 21, 2019
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I’d like to put a 2” hitch on my spare tire so I can use all the great hitch accessories off of my spare tire carrier. I also have a bumper with a hitch but am looking to add a second on the tire.

Is this a product that exists? Should it exist? Do I need to learn to weld and just modify existing hardware? Thanks
 
That’s a pretty bad idea unless you reinforce the tailgate hinges, and even then it still may be problematic. This adds a lot of weight and leverage that adds quite a bit of stress and may even damage the tub.

The experience here has definitely shown this to be true more than once.
 
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I think that’ll be pretty discouraged around here, as the leverage and weight that will add could pretty quickly destroy the tailgate hinges and possibly hurt the tub.
Ya'll need to stop doing that shit like there is a consensus that the board adheres to. Why can't you just say that you are pretty sure that the added leverage and weight will easily overcome the structural integrity of the gate and hinges unless something fairly radical is done to reinforce it to handle trailer hitch duty? What does it have to be put in the context of "around here"?

Won't be long before there is a list of shit at the top that you have to follow or go away.
 
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51496079_2303481843308247_5083365464382373888_n.jpg
 
If they're lighter accessories, like a small cargo carrier or bike carrier, you can use a receiver splitter, like this:
d-192_spec_1000.jpg

Just don't put too much weight on it and especially don't tow with it.

A front hitch receiver that either integrates into the front bumper or mounts just underneath may be better suited to your needs. You can run a lower profile accessory such as a cargo carrier or fishing pole carrier on the front, and a bike carrier or large cargo carrier on the rear.

Running front and rear accessories will help with weight distribution and high speed stability, especially when towing.

Integral hitch:
RH-4011-2.jpg

Under bumper:
31028_1024x768_vb.jpg


If you want two hitch receivers on the rear, you can get a bumper with an integral tow receiver and also keep the stock style receiver. Then you'd have two receivers that are both rated to carry and tow.

(You could even put two receivers on the front in the same fashion if you desire.)

There are even products like the MorRyde gas can carriers that put hitch receivers on the side of your frame to mount accessories like Jerry cans to the side of the jeep.
 
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One of my future plans is to lighten the load on the rear carrier, as well as decrease the leverage of the spare tire on whatever it ends up being attached to. I didn't understand to think about this 5 years ago when I bought a swing away carrier and now I have needed to repair stress cracks.
 
I don't care if you can reinforce the tub, frame, combo of both, or whatever. Unless you attach helium filled balloons to the back you're either going to be popping a wheeling and have bad braking and/or for every 100lbs you hang off the back your ride quality is going to feel like you have 3 fat guys sitting in your rear seat. 200lbs = 6 fat guys.
 
I don't care if you can reinforce the tub, frame, combo of both, or whatever. Unless you attach helium filled balloons to the back you're either going to be popping a wheeling and have bad braking and/or for every 100lbs you hang off the back your ride quality is going to feel like you have 3 fat guys sitting in your rear seat. 200lbs = 6 fat guys.
That's why these exist

2015-AIRLIFT-1K.png
 
That's why these exist

View attachment 94903

FWiW, springs can accomplish something similar, assuming the added weight is constant. What the springs and bags cannot address is the teeter totter effect of putting weight outside the wheel base.

One of the reasons I understand as much as I do about coil springs is because I needed to compensate for the weight of the gigantic tire carrier I put on years ago. The education was valuable. And knowing what I know now, I would do things differently.
 
Hey so a little more info on what I’m trying to accomplish with the spare tire hitch.
For starters, I have a swing away tire carrier (smittybilt src rear bumper and tire carrier).
I will not be towing with it or putting a lot of weight on it, maybe a couple Jerry cans at most.
What I want is an additional cargo rack or bike rack coming out of my spare tire. Like the rack seen below:

https://www.extremeterrain.com/surc...MIgar6qI6t4gIVQRx9Ch2LegzfEAQYASABEgLqQfD_BwE
 
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If OP can't live without whatever he's trailering and what's hanging off the second receiver, I think OP might be better off pulling a double and could get the weight distribution right.

94904
 
Hey so a little more info on what I’m trying to accomplish with the spare tire hitch.
For starters, I have a swing away tire carrier (smittybilt src rear bumper and tire carrier).
What I want is an additional cargo rack or bike rack coming out of my spare tire. Like the rack seen below:

https://www.extremeterrain.com/surc...MIgar6qI6t4gIVQRx9Ch2LegzfEAQYASABEgLqQfD_BwE

The same concerns with weight and leverage (and bouncing) apply. All that weight is being carried by the single hinge pin. At the very least, the movements need to be arrested. The carrier/bumper also needs to have additional frame ties beyond the attachment to the rear crossmember plate.

When I redo my tire carrier and bumper, I want to keep a receiver on the bumper for similar reasons as yours. But I want that attachment on the bumper to keep the weight low and close to the body.
 
One of my future plans is to lighten the load on the rear carrier, as well as decrease the leverage of the spare tire on whatever it ends up being attached to. I didn't understand to think about this 5 years ago when I bought a swing away carrier and now I have needed to repair stress cracks.
I don't believe the concept of that leverage on the TJ Unlimited is fully realized by most. The last one we set up coil overs on was dialed in to get the ride height exactly where we wanted it. The owner brought the spare over and we hung it on the swing out. The back went down about 3/8"ish, the front went up over an inch.
 
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So the con is that it’s dangerous to put that much weight outside of your wheelbase because you get a bounce and your coils are flexed unevenly? Is it dangerous on roads?
I will use my rear hitch cargo rack to transport firewood. When it’s loaded up, it definitely turns my driver’s seat into a lazy boy recliner. I can feel how far back the Jeep is flexing. Is that dangerous?