Cargo Carrier Spare Tire Clearance Guide



If your vehicle has a rear-mounted spare tire or ladder, determining which StowAway2 Cargo Carrier(s) will work on your vehicle is a simple two-step process.  We want to help you through this process, so if you have any questions, please contact us at 1-888-301-GEAR.

Please be sure to include your vehicle's Year/Make/Model when ordering.

STEP 1: Determining Your "X Distance"

To start, please measure the horizontal distance from the center of your vehicles hitch pin hole to the back edge of your vehicles spare tire or ladder. This measurement is your "X Distance" as shown in the diagram below.


STEP 2: Using Your "X Distance" to choose your StowAway2 Cargo Carrier

Once youve taken this measurement, you can confirm compatibility with your vehicle in one of two ways:

A. If you already have your eye on a particular Cargo Carrier,
skip down to Table 1 to see if this model will clear your spare tire or ladder.

B. If you are not sure which Cargo Carrier interests you,
skip down to Table 2 to see the recommended cargo carrier models for your "X Distance".

Table 1

Model Will Clear "X Distance" up to:
Basic Fixed Cargo Carrier  2 inches
Sport Fixed Cargo Carrier 2 inches
Sport Plus Fixed Cargo Carrier  2 inches
Max Fixed Cargo Carrier 2 inches
Towing Fixed Cargo Carrier  2 inches
Spare Tire Fixed Cargo Carrier  11.5 inches
Fixed LT Cargo Carrier 2 inches
Max Swing Away Cargo Carrier 14 inches *
Swing Away Cargo Carrier 14 inches *
Swing Away LT Cargo Carrier  8 inches
Swing Away Cargo Carrier 14 inches *
Swing Away Bike Rack 14 inches *
Swing Away Rod Rack 14 inches *

* Please Note: Our Swing Away frames are available in multiple lengths to accommodate an "X Distance" of  9.75", 12.75, or 14.25" (and even up to 16.75" with a hitch extender).  Please be sure to include your vehicles Year/Make/Model when ordering.  We choose the proper frame length to guarantee the correct clearance on your vehicle.  If you are planning to use your box or cargo platform on more than one vehicle, please let us know and we will ensure a proper fit on all of them.

Table 2

"X Distance" Recommended Models Explanation
0 - 2 Inches All carriers, except the Spare Tire Model.

 All of our Fixed Frame Carriers and Swing Away Carriers will properly clear. We dont recommend the Spare Tire model because the carrier will extend  far off of the back of your vehicle unnecessarily.
2 - 11.5 Inches Spare Tire Model or Swing Away Models. At this distance, you will not be able to fully open our Fixed Frame Carriers. For this reason, we recommend either our Spare Tire Model or one of our Swing Away Models.
11.5 -14 Inches Swing Away Carriers Only. At this distance, you will not be able to entirely open the lid of your carrier with any of our fixed frame carriers (including the Spare Tire Model). Our Swing Away frames are available in multiple lengths to accommodate an "X Distance" up to 14 inches.
14 -16.75 Inches Swing Away Carrier Plus The Hitch Extender. At this distance, you will need to purchase a hitch extender to ensure proper clearance.
16.75 Inches + Not Recommended. This is an extremely long distance to clear and will put undue stress upon your StowAway2s frame. We do not recommend using one of our StowAway2 Cargo Carriers if your spare tire extends this far out from your vehicle.

How To Calculate Clearance For Each Model:

With StowAway2 Swing Away Carriers, we determine spare tire clearance by measuring from the hitch pin hole drilled on the frame to the back edge of the vehicle (this picture shows back edge of box).  We do not allow extra distance for the cargo carriers lid to open because the carrier can be swung out prior to opening the box.

 
For StowAway2 Fixed Frame Carriers, we determine clearance in a similar manner with one key difference; we allow an extra 6" for  the cargo carriers lid to open because the cargo carriers frame cannot be swung out.  Again, the "X Distance" is measured from the hitch pin hole to the back edge of the vehicle (this picture shows back edge of  the box).