Ski Rack For Spare Tire

[jjvincent]

I have a 2 door, it's a soft top and I have a trailer hitch. So, I, not mounting the skis to the roof and don't want one on the hitch. So that leaves the spare tire for a mount. I really just want them on the spare tire because after a day of skiing, I like to come back and be able to open the door, take my stuff off and have a snack along with drinking some coffee or some other beverage. So, I see that there are things you can put on the spare tire but I was wanting to know what others have used and their experiences.

I have searched here but mostly people have them on the roof because they have a hard top and typically a 4 door. Thus I posted it here as this is a 2 door area.

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[Reinen]

I have a 2 door, it's a soft top and I have a trailer hitch. So, I, not mounting the skis to the roof and don't want one on the hitch. So that leaves the spare tire for a mount. I really just want them on the spare tire because after a day of skiing, I like to come back and be able to open the door, take my stuff off and have a snack along with drinking some coffee or some other beverage. So, I see that there are things you can put on the spare tire but I was wanting to know what others have used and their experiences.

I have searched here but mostly people have them on the roof because they have a hard top and typically a 4 door. Thus I posted it here as this is a 2 door area.

I get it. I'm not a lodge guy either. Always tailgating it.

The problem with a tire or hitch mounted ski rack on a Wrangler (2 or 4dr) is the skis get completely showered by road salt, sand and grime. Not a little, a lot. Mudflaps are a must to make it a remotely reasonable place to put skis. Even then, it doesn't completely solve the problem. You'll either be maintaining your skis a lot or finding some sort of sock to put on them.

I've seen DIY solutions mounting PVC pipes to the spare and dropping the skis in, which does a fairly good job of keeping the road salt off of them.. Also skis mounted inside to the roll bars. But it takes a particular kind of person to do this and like it. An FYI for the DIY arena is that you can make yourself a ski boot sole out of old boots or 3/4" plywood, mount that somewhere and click your skis into it. That works.

I bypassed all this with a hard top, Maximus-3 Rhino Rack with a ski rack mounted on it. But that doesn't help you, unfortunately.

 

[jjvincent]

I get it. I'm not a lodge guy either. Always tailgating it.

The problem with a tire or hitch mounted ski rack on a Wrangler (2 or 4dr) is the skis get completely showered by road salt, sand and grime. Not a little, a lot. Mudflaps are a must to make it a remotely reasonable place to put skis. Even then, it doesn't completely solve the problem. You'll either be maintaining your skis a lot or finding some sort of sock to put on them.

I've seen DIY solutions mounting PVC pipes to the spare and dropping the skis in, which does a fairly good job of keeping the road salt off of them.. Also skis mounted inside to the roll bars. But it takes a particular kind of person to do this and like it. An FYI for the DIY arena is that you can make yourself a ski boot sole out of old boots or 3/4" plywood, mount that somewhere and click your skis into it. That works.

I bypassed all this with a hard top, Maximus-3 Rhino Rack with a ski rack mounted on it. But that doesn't help you, unfortunately.

My other option is just just take my Alltrack. It will haul 4 pairs of skis and all the related stuff. On the other hand, years ago, a friend of mine had an older Jeep and we used to go together and he had some sort of rack on the spare tire that held the skis. It worked fine. Problem is, he doesn't have that Jeep any more and bought that ski rack at a garage sale. Thus he doesn't remember what it was.

I see options out there but was looking for people that had a real world experience before I buy something.

 

[pangmaster]

It has been a long time since I had a Jeep with a soft top, but I used to have a Thule Spare Me bike carrier that mounted on the spare, and there was a ski/snowboard attachment for it. It looked like this but it mounted to the spare me

The newer version of spare me can work with this Tram, which is almost exactly what I used to use: https://www.thule.com/en-us/winter-and-water-sports-carriers/ski-racks/thule-tram-_-1678763

But Reinen is right. My snowboards were always covered in salt and all kinds of grime. But whatever, the TJ was my only ride so we made do and it was fine.

The downside for the JL is that this mounts through the middle of the wheel where the camera is, so you would have to ditch or move the backup camera to make this work, and possibly change the spare tire mount somewhat.

 

[jjvincent]

I just went with the obvious. Now I’m set. Note to all, those skis are really old and only used to make sure the rack works before ski season.

 

[mushroomax]

Nice rack, can all 4 skis fit on one side?

 

[jjvincent]

Nice rack, can all 4 skis fit on one side?

You probably could but from how it mounts (which is to the bike rack I bought) that would be a bit too much weight on one side. Technically, it's only for two pairs of skis or two snowboards.

 

[jjvincent]

It has been a long time since I had a Jeep with a soft top, but I used to have a Thule Spare Me bike carrier that mounted on the spare, and there was a ski/snowboard attachment for it. It looked like this but it mounted to the spare me

The newer version of spare me can work with this Tram, which is almost exactly what I used to use: https://www.thule.com/en-us/winter-and-water-sports-carriers/ski-racks/thule-tram-_-1678763

But Reinen is right. My snowboards were always covered in salt and all kinds of grime. But whatever, the TJ was my only ride so we made do and it was fine.

The downside for the JL is that this mounts through the middle of the wheel where the camera is, so you would have to ditch or move the backup camera to make this work, and possibly change the spare tire mount somewhat.

I just ended up buying the 2 bike rack and ski adapter from Quadratec. The bike rack mounts over the spare tire and has clearance for the backup camera. Plus the bike rack folds down. The ski adapter just uses the bike mounts.

I do understand the dirt and grime on the skis as years ago a buddy of mine had a rear mounted ski rack on his Jeep and we went skiing lots of times.

 

[Granada]

I just went with the obvious. Now I’m set. Note to all, those skis are really old and only used to make sure the rack works before ski season.

I used to have those same El Caminos. Loved those things!

 

[trail_runner]

I just ended up buying the 2 bike rack and ski adapter from Quadratec. The bike rack mounts over the spare tire and has clearance for the backup camera. Plus the bike rack folds down. The ski adapter just uses the bike mounts.

I do understand the dirt and grime on the skis as years ago a buddy of mine had a rear mounted ski rack on his Jeep and we went skiing lots of times.

@jjvincent, Could you tell me the model/item numbers of the bike rack and the ski adapter from Quadratec that you ended buying? Thanks, much appreciated!

 

[TeeGeeThree]

@jjvincent, Could you tell me the model/item numbers of the bike rack and the ski adapter from Quadratec that you ended buying? Thanks, much appreciated!

I'd like the same. Thanks!

 

[ecomguy]

To revive this ancient thread, I ordered the same rack from Quadratrec that @jjvincent purchased. It's currently running $100 off, so $300 before tax. I'll report back after taking it for the maiden voyage. Went with the tire carrier rather than the hitch mount so that the rack swings with the gate, and so that the rear view camera isn't blocked.

https://www.quadratec.com/p/quadratec/ski-snowboard-rack-jeep-vehicle/spare-2-bike-rack-combo

 

[jjvincent]

To revive this ancient thread, I ordered the same rack from Quadratrec that @jjvincent purchased. It's currently running $100 off, so $300 before tax. I'll report back after taking it for the maiden voyage. Went with the tire carrier rather than the hitch mount so that the rack swings with the gate, and so that the rear view camera isn't blocked.

https://www.quadratec.com/p/quadratec/ski-snowboard-rack-jeep-vehicle/spare-2-bike-rack-combo

It works fine. I take my younger son and his friend skiing and I think for three, it handles it. As for the bike rack, I've hauled three on the back and usually when I'm flat towing it with my RV. I can't complain. It's versatile and does what it needs to do. That's all I ask out of it.

 

[ecomguy]

Great to hear - that sounds like what I’m looking for as well. I’ll just need to take note of how tall the skis poke out of the top and avoid low bridges and branches.

 

[Dusty Dude]

Thinking outside the box, is there a way to mount your skis horizontally across the front? ?

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