muddeprived

What do you guys use to mount the tire on the roof? Don't tell me bungie cords or i'll flame you
I don't want to mount it directly on the roof because it's too flimsy for my likings. I don't want to ratchet it up there because it's easily stolen. I have a brand new trxus mud terrain on a brand new soft-8 wheel so it'll be a target for the young idiot high schoolers around here. I've seen people use square tubing running across from rail to rail but how do you mount the tubing to the rails? I can't weld so it has to be bolt-on somehow.
I wanna get the tire on the roof and free up space in the back. I don't do long commutes so losing a few mpg isn't a concern. I've been looking for the mopar factory spare tire roof mount that's discontinued but cannot find it new or used anywhere. I kinda gave up on looking for it. There are kits out there for $150 plus shipping but it's just a cross bar that mounts to the rails. I don't think it's worth the $150.

what are some options?

BlueXJ

Surco Rack.

muddeprived

Is that your jeep blue? I don't think i ever seen a picture of it.

I would love to have a surco but i can't see myself spending $200+ on a rack that i will not use for anything except a tire. Don't get me wrong, if i were rich, i'd buy it yesterday but $$'s tight and i can only get what i need for now. I'm still budgeting for suspension mods, then backbone and finally a winch so a rack is outta my budget. There's gotta be simpler ways to mount it like fabbing up something. I need ideas......

xjjeepthing

I agree with the Surco.


But there are other options.
http://www.rockratz.com/tcr1x.html

Jeep Cherokee factory OEM roof mount spare tire carrier.

Chysler/Jeep Part # 82203257 fits 1991 - 2001 XJ

Irongrave

mine's on a JCR rack

BlueXJ

Yean Mudd that is an old pic but shows the spare on the rack the best. I bought mine used from a guy on one of the forums. He didn't want to ship it until I convinced him to disassemble it before boxing it up. He finally agreed and I bought it for $60 + shipping. Been about 4-5 years ago now. Made my own mounts for it and put some sides on it since that pic.
Moral is search the different forums and keep an eye out for a used one. They are aluminum so rust is not an issue. HTH
Blue

fdulax13

try proline, its a company out of CT that makes racks real cheap. Someone on here actually told me about the company and i ended up buying the safari rack for real cheap. If you have a cheap safari rack then you can easily mount a tire up there. http://www.prolineracks.com/car-rack-special.html

muddeprived

That's a pretty good price. Does it come with mounting hardware? How does it mount?

finneys98xj

Mudd if you got a welder build you a frame out of some angle and bolt it to your two stock rack bars, then take and weld four uprights taller than the wide of the tire with ears in the middle of each side and make to cross bars to slip on those ears and put pad locks on them. You could build it to be light weight out of alum. or a little heavy out of angle iron.

finneys98xj

Here is a link for a homade ZJ tire rack. You might could do something like this.

http://www.4x4wire.com/jeep/tech/carrier/zj_roofrack/

finneys98xj

Check this site. they have about 4 different homemade ones.

http://www.homemadejeep.altervista.org/pag/xj.html

muddeprived

Thanks finny. I don't have a welder or know anyone who could but maybe i can make a bolt-on type tire carrier. I'll check out prices for steel and see how much it would cost. If it comes to about the same price as that rack listed above ($129) then i'll just get the rack instead.

Belto

if you have the roof rails,, you can put them about a foot apart and put the tire on top, and hold it down with some bike chain, (the ones you use to hold the bike against a polle or bench) they come with keys.. but that is a real budget roof mount...

muddeprived

Thanks for the idea. I would like a very secure setup, something made out of steel. I can bend those crossbars with my hands so i don't think they would hold a tire very well in an accident. I'm all about safety

Belto

I would never do that, but just in case,, I post it up,,,