Harbor Freight 500lb. cargo carrier for a spare tire?

[TippleUnduly]

Just noticed that Harbor Freight has its 500lb. aluminum cargo carrier on sale at $69.99. The posted reviews were very favorable.

I guess you can use their 20% off coupon, too, further reducing it to $56 or so. My question is - Has anyone used this carrier to haul a spare tire? If so, did it work well for you?

Thinking about our 3rd Alaska trip and would like to carry an unmounted 16" spare tire.

Thanks much

[Gonzo42]

The steel ones sell at $39.99 if you watch for the sales. I've used mine for years on my truck and now on our MH. Rust is not really significant, at least yet. Rated at 350 lb, so it should be able to carry almost any spare tire/wheel.

[j-d]

Probably OK if you mount it in the MH's trailer hitch receiver. Just don't use one of these

clamped to a 4" square steel tubing "bumper." The torque produced by the weight out at the length of the carrier will tear the metal and/or welds in that thin steel bumper.

[darsben]

own HF carrier for 5 years doing great

[Islandman]

You can purchase a swingaway frame from Stowaway Carriers in Oregon for about $250 plus shipping. This is the company that manufactures the Stowaway2 trunk that you see mounted on the rear of many MH's.

[Dakota98]

TippleUnduly,

This mount does not swing out, but it does swing down. I have one & it works well.

ULTRA-FAB $33.00 Amazon

I also have the Harbor Freight 500# cargo carrier & it's been working fine.

[The_Logans]

Thanks Svtkev!

I've looked at those, problem is that they don't swing away. I can't lift an 80 pound wheel and tire of off of a carrier each time I need to open the rear hatch. The only swing away tire carrier that I've found was 800.00 (yeah, like THATS gonna happen!).

I've seen them for Jeeps, but I don't know if they will fit the lug pattern (8 lugs) of a motorhome wheel.

If anybody has seen anything that might work, please let me know!

Thanks!

[svtkev]

how about something like this?
http://www.carid.com/curt/curt-accessories-2164332.html

[The_Logans]

This looks to be a great idea! I'm going to go to Harbor Freight and take some measurements and see how my mounted spare will fit in it.

I've been trying to find a swing away receiver hitch spare tire carrier, but no luck. I have to make sure that whatever I put back there won't block the rear hatch.

So, this carrier may do the trick! I just have to make sure that everything is locked up tight, so somebody doesn't walk off with a 450.00 spare tire and wheel!

One of the big plusses with this is that it's aluminum! No RUST!

[Dakzuki]

Cargo carriers in that price range tend to be of iffy construction. I bought one and promptly took it back. I have a Rola carrier of similar capacity and it's built like a tank. It also cost more.

Rola Carrier

[geotex1]

Hey fellow Jersey resident!

I have to ask, on the way to Alaska and you want it UNMOUNTED? :h

Regardless of my curiosity, I can tell you my neighbor has that HF carrier that he uses in his daily business to carry spools of cable that way a heck of a lot more than an unmounted, or even a mounted, spare for your rig! He even stacks it up with firewood when they tank off for a tenting weekend in the Pines.