WATYF Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 I'll try to kill two mildly related birds with one stone here... I have a 96 LE and I'd like to get a tow hitch (low profile is preferred). I'd also like to know how easy it is to move the location of the spare tire. Right now, the spare is mounted underneath the rear (not the best location as far as I'm concerned). I've seen some threads mention a spare tire mounting system that involves the tow hitch itself, so if I can get them both in one deal, that would be great. I'd really like to have the spare moved to the back gate, but I'm not sure what needs to be done to make that happen. So could anyone recommend a tow hitch and/or spare tire mount that I could look into? Thanks. WATYF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldSlowReliable Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 I'll try to kill two mildly related birds with one stone here... I have a 96 LE and I'd like to get a tow hitch (low profile is preferred). I'd also like to know how easy it is to move the location of the spare tire. Right now, the spare is mounted underneath the rear (not the best location as far as I'm concerned). I've seen some threads mention a spare tire mounting system that involves the tow hitch itself, so if I can get them both in one deal, that would be great. I'd really like to have the spare moved to the back gate, but I'm not sure what needs to be done to make that happen. So could anyone recommend a tow hitch and/or spare tire mount that I could look into? Thanks. WATYF I don't know your monetary situation, but for one, you could get a shop to make a rear bumper/tire carrier....have an integrated hitch reciever (that makes it the most low profile and makes it less likely to get hung up on) with a swing out spare tire carrier. This would be my best bet, as it solves the issues without any real issues, and if you don't have an issue with having to swing out the tire carrier, its a great choice (doesn't take any space in your cargo area, and it looks good) Another option, is go with the regular style hitch and bumper, and get one of those spare tire hitch mount things. They work I guess, but they seem like a real PITA to use- 1- Not sure how you get to use your hitch if you are using the spare tire holder 24/7 2- Depending on the design, it may be a BIG pita to get into your rear storage 3- Not very attractive 4- Low hanging hitch 5- Probably about %50- %70 the price of the bumper/hitch/tire carrier combo.... Someone already got a custom rear bumper/carrier on a r50, and It looked pretty darn good if I remember....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WATYF Posted November 2, 2009 Author Share Posted November 2, 2009 Yeah, I should have mentioned that I'm trying to do this for relatively cheap. I found this one online... http://www.suspensionconnection.com/cgi-bin/suscon/224.html I really don't know if there are "good" hitches and "bad" hitches, but it looks decent to me (and fairly low profile). Anyone using this kind? WATYF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmatt Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 Yeah, I should have mentioned that I'm trying to do this for relatively cheap. I found this one online... http://www.suspensionconnection.com/cgi-bin/suscon/224.html I really don't know if there are "good" hitches and "bad" hitches, but it looks decent to me (and fairly low profile). Anyone using this kind? WATYF That looks about the same as mine. I think mine's a U-haul brand but the mounts are the same. I've never had any trouble with it. It'll handle being grossly overloaded (20 mile trip riding hard on the bump stops) and it's just low enough to keep you from dragging you bumper on the ground when offroading. Plus it becomes a really convenient place to put your ORV stickers. Bigmatt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XPLORx4 Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 There are no aftermarket bolt-on trailer hitches which provide alternate mounting methods for the spare tire. All of the trailer hitches I've seen keep the spare in the stock location. Nevertheless, a trailer hitch is a good accessory, because it provides a solid rear attachment point for recovery equipment and protects the rear bumper when you exceed your departure angle. I wheeled my Pathy for 8 years with a trailer hitch and the spare in the stock location. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoPathyGo Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 (edited) I had a custom bumper with a swing-out tire carrier. I eventually got rid of the tire carrier, but have kept the bumper. A few questions that may help as you look at options: 1. What size spare will you mount ? The larger the tire the lower the visibility out the rear. A large, heavy tire may also require you to put the tire carrier in the center to make sure the weight is evenly distributed. My 32" BFG A/Ts blocked the rear altogether. 2. How often will you carry cargo ? Mine was a pain to open, specially in urban areas, parking lots and street parking spaces. 3. How important is fuel economy and weight to you ? The bumper and tire carrier together added well over 100 lbs 4. How important are aesthetics ? A twin-tube bumper will weigh less than a boxed bumper but will not look "stock" or even "OEM-style" 5. How important is maneuverability ? Mine extended the length of the more than a foot and made parallel parking quite the adventure. 6. Cost ? My bumper, if it was done today, would run about $500-$600 - without the tire carrier. I got the tire carrier off a tube-style bumper. Mine's probably overkill though for most people - 5 bolt points each side, wraparound plate, side support brace, D-rings and stupid high clearance. Alternatively, you could just chuck the spare in the cargo area when wheeling... Good luck! Edited November 2, 2009 by GoPathyGo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick88ss Posted November 3, 2009 Share Posted November 3, 2009 I also have a 96 Pathfinder and I went with a U-Haul hitch. Mine came with the swing out tire carrier and I removed it and went with an under the rear spare tire mount. The hitch fits fine with the spare tire down there. I believe it's much better with the swing out tire mount gone. I wonder why I didn't do it much sooner. The only thing I don't like is the holes that you see now where the swing out spare mount was mounted to the rear fender. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
180sx Posted November 3, 2009 Share Posted November 3, 2009 You could always put the spare on your roof. Thats what some people do and I will do when i get new tires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now