Trojan Tire Carrier

Most people who opt for the Sportsmobile rear spare tire carrier also order custom bumpers, and the design of that rear spare tire carrier seems to be better than the standalone one we got. We ordered Sportsmobile's "Trojan" tire carrier — one that's designed to work without a custom bumper. (Here's another photo.)

Unfortunately, it tends to shake and flex, and over time this makes the swing-away more difficult to latch/unlatch. The problem is the top attachment connecting to the rear door hinge. This a two-point link that can rotate, allowing the rear tire carrier to sag outward, leaning away from the van. With years of bouncing and wear, this problem gets more and more pronounced.

Our fix was to replace this two-point link a three-point one which we fabricated out of a flat piece of steel. Bolted in three places, this new link cannot rotate.

(Update January 2009: After bumping around in Baja, my metal support piece cracked and snapped. Looks like I have to replace it using thicker metal!)