Can I Carry Skis And Snowboards On The Rear Of My 2021 Jeep Wrangler With Spare Tire On The Rear  

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Expert Reply:

The Thule Tram Ski and Snowboard Carrier Adapter for Hitch Bike Racks - 6 Pairs of Skis or 4 Boards, part # TH9033, needs a bike rack to be installed on your 2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited in order to work. You can carry it on a hitch bike rack or a spare tire bike rack. If you want to carry it on a hitch bike rack, the first thing you will need is a hitch receiver. If you already have a hitch receiver you can skip ahead to the hitch bike rack.

My hitch receiver recommendation is the etrailer Trailer Hitch Receiver - Custom Fit - Matte Black Finish - Class III - 2", part # e98856. It has a maximum tongue weight of 300 lbs and a maximum gross trailer weight of 3,500 lbs. The nice thing about this hitch receiver compared to other options is the distance from the center of the hitch pin hole to the edge of your FACTORY spare tire, is only 8", The next thing that you will need is a hanging hitch bike rack.

My hitch bike rack recommendation is the Thule Hitching Post Pro - Folding Tilting 4 Bike Rack w Anti-Sway - 1-1/4" and 2" Hitches Item # TH934XTR. It is a simple hitch bike rack that is compatible with your 2" hitch receiver. But most importantly, it is compatible with the Thule Tram Ski and Snowboard carrier. I recommend investing in the Thule Snug Tite Hitch Lock and Anti-Rattle Device, part # THSTL2, to lock your bike rack to your vehicle. This is everything that you need if you have a standard size spare tire on your Jeep Wrangler and you prefer to use a hitch bike rack.

You do have another option. You can use the Thule Tram with the Thule Spare Me 2 Bike Rack - Spare Tire Mount - Folding Dual Arms, part # TH963PRO, without any limitations. The Thule Spare Me 2 comes with two separate mounting bolts for spare tires of differing sizes. The you can attach the Thule Tram to carry your skis and snowboards.

If you have a larger sized spare tire and you want to install a hitch bike rack, the hitch bike rack's mast will not extend far enough from your hitch receiver to clear your spare tire. As a result, you will need to install a hitch extender. Please keep in mind that when you introduce a hitch extender you will reduce the maximum tongue weight of your hitch receiver by 50%. If this is the case, you might want to consider using the hitch extender only when you are carrying skis and snowboards since they are lighter than bikes.

I have included product description links, video review links, and a video installation link below.

expert reply by: Mark Smith

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