Ok my question is, Has anyone relocated their spare tire to under the car?? I did a search and well the search sucks so I don't know if this question has been asked before but wanted to know if anyone has done it and if so do you have pictures?? I've been thinking about doing this myself but wanted to see if it has been done before.

 

I relocated mine to the garage... Having been under xBs more than a few times Im sure this could be done with some custom bracketry. I dont think it would be something easy though...

 

It can be done, but you need to relocate EVAP canister in addition to doing some serious bracket work. I would take bracket/winch setup from something like a Jeep and have a bodyshop weld it in. You would need to reinforce the metal where the bracket would mount also. It is a relatively easy project for a bodyshop.

 

Hmmm.... I like your idea! If you do, take pictures during the relocate. Thanks

 

If I end up doing this mod I will definetly take pictures. I need to take a look under the car this weekend and see what I can do. I'll probably draw things up for it if I end up doing it.

 

I think the biggest problem you will have is figuring out how to get the spare out when it's needed.

 

Thats what I'm thinking especially with having the box lowered...lol. I have an idea or 2 but need to see if they will work or not

 

Reactor pointed out that you could retro-fit the spare tire system from a Jeep or something. My husband's caravan minivan also has a "wench" type system that uses pullys and cable to hold the spare up next to the undercarriage. it is a piece of cake to get to the spare: You use the tire iron and rachet a couple of bolts that are INSIDE the rear of the vehicle. The cables lower the tire to the ground. Take a look at your mom's minivan to see how they work

Gaining access to the spare tire is MUCH easier than getting to the spare tire from... oh... say a Chevy pickup that uses a crossmember type of bar that holds the tire up.

Mind you, this is a full size spare on the minivan. I would look into some of the other undercarriage spare tire systems on smaller vehicles. I don't work on cars anymore so I would not know what to look at? Small-er pick up trucks? Small-er vans or wagons?

 

I wasn't referring to the mechanism holding the wheel. I was referring to the amount of space from the bottom of the car to the ground. It would be a tight fit for a standard height car but Mooneyzs' is lowered so the wheel will probably not fit under the car much less him being able to reach it when it's mounted under there. It might be possible with the car jacked up but that's not always safe and if one of the front tires goes, the car has to be jacked up twice.

 

OH RIGHT! sure.... I was having a blonde moment. Natch. the xBs are low to begin with!!

I wonder if it is possible to "reverse" the spare tire well?

 

A large enough hammer can reverse almost anything.

 

TheCrAzyLady....I have thought about the "wench" type system. My s-10 had one of those and it made it pretty nice on getting the tire out.

 

Hook it up to electic motor and have the spare drop to the ground by just pushing a button. Manual is sooo last century

 

yeah me too..needed room for multiple amps

 

Seems like a good idea, until the mechanism gets old and rusty, and iced up in a blizzard somewhere out near the Colorado- Kansas border...

Lots of older pickups had the spare like that, and sooner or later, it ends up in the bed of the truck... and stays there...

 

contact LIP

he is in the process of developing a kit on this.

the evap can can be pivioted on one of its bolts and a tire retaining bracket put in place.

 

I wonder what it would look like with a full size spare and one of those SUV style swing arm spares mounted on the back of the hatch?

 

I think that would look great, if done by a good fabricator. I have been thinking about it also.

 

it would look like an early 90's pathfinder...

 

ouch -


brutal.