Recommended 2-Inch Hitch-Mount Cargo Carrier for Use on 2012 Jeep Wrangler with Rear Spare Tire

Question:

I have a 2012 Jeep Wrangler Sport with 17” BF Goodrich K/O tires, a Class III Hitch 2” receiver and dimensions as follows: Bottom of tire to ground = 25-1/2” Bottom of hitch receiver to ground = 17-1/2” Bottom of spare tire to ground = 25-1/2” Hitch Pin hole center to perpendicular down from outside of spare = 9” Edge of hitch receiver to perpendicular down from outside of spare = 6-1/2” Bumper to perpendicular down from outside of spare = 7-1/2” Can you give me any/all hitch mount cargo carriers that would work with my Jeep, angled or straight extension? I am having much trouble finding racks on your site that will work with my situation. Thanks.

asked by: Steve P

Expert Reply:

Thank you for the details about your Wrangler and for your included photo.

A rear-mounted spare tire on any vehicle can make it a challenge to find a compatible cargo or bike carrier. In your case you need a 2-inch hitch carrier that provides at least the 9-inches of clearance from the hitch in hole to clear the rear edge of your spare. We always provide this important clearance measurement on all our hitch bike racks and cargo carriers and the method to check this is shown in the linked article.

The etrailer folding carrier you referenced, part # e98874 would work for you. When lowered to its down position, it has 19-1/2 inches from the hitch pin hole and when folded it has 9-1/2 inches so it should not contact your spare tire.

You might want to use a hitch lock like # e98880 or an anti-rattle lock like # 63232 to secure the carrier in your hitch.

Keep in mind that your hitch (and vehicle) tongue weight (TW) ratings must be enough for the actual weight of the carrier you choose plus the weight of the cargo you load. If the hitch and vehicle have different ratings then the lower rating becomes the overall limit for the system.