i have been looking everywhere for a rear tire swing for my 96 xj and i havent found any for under $500 since you have to buy the matching rear bumper. does anyone know a good deal on one?
i have been looking everywhere for a rear tire swing for my 96 xj and i havent found any for under $500 since you have to buy the matching rear bumper. does anyone know a good deal on one?
There is a factory rear tire carrier that you install on the oem bumper. It works pretty good, however, I would change the latch so it latches to the bumper rather than the metal plate you install on the hatch.
I think I paid about $250 for mine. Part number for the carrier is Jeep p/n 82201154
Also, when I installed mine ['96 model as well], I dispenced with the lisence plate mount that they wanted me to install on the hatch. Rather, there is a nice place on the carrier for the plate. I just purchased one of those metal frames for the lisence plates [wallmart] and used that to hold my LP to the carrier. I used the included LP light as well, but just ran a wire back to the plugin for my trailer light plugin so I have an illuminated LP.
I can tell you that it will fit a 30 x 9.5 tire w/o trouble as that is what I have mounted right now. I don't know if I would use the carrier if I had larger tires.
I have one of the stock rear tire carriers in the basement. It came off of a 91. I have all of the parts except the hinge part that is on the bumper. I don't know what shipping would be as it is heavy.
Dave
If you have the towing package on your '96 country like I do, there are some towing/RV websites that sell a "fold down" hitch carrier. The carrier slips right into a 2" receiver and has a hinge w/pin that allows it to fold down when opening the tail gate. They're a couple of hundred bucks, if I remember right. Or you can do a fixed hitch carrier from quadratec for $69. Just a thought. I bailed on the concept and mounted the spare on my safari roof rack.
For the cost of a bumper and tire carrier you can buy a pretty decent welder and make your own. And when you're done you'll still have the welder to make rock rails, a front bumper, and whatever else you might want to make.