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Slip the supplied rubber gaskets between the tire carrier and the body and hinge . Then apply a thread locking compound to the OEM bolts and bolt the tire carrier in place. You will have some spacers left over as the tire mount can be used without the HD Carrier.

There are three sets of holes in the tire mount. The lower for 33" tires, mid for 35" and the top for 37" diameter tires. We pressed the supplied wheel studs in the middle for our 35" tires. You can hammer them in, which is always satisfying, but pressing them in makes it less likely they will spin when it’s time to remove the spare.

POOR MAN’S PRESS

- If you don’t have a press, put the stud through the desired hole in the adjustable tire mount, grease the threads of the bolt, place an oversized nut over the bolt, and then tighten a lug nut onto the bolt. This will draw the bolt into the hole.

Attach the spare to the tire mount with one bolt and place it on the tail gate assembly pushing the tire against the cast hinge. Mark a line on the mount where it meets the base, then slide the tire from the carrier and remove the mount from the tire.

Push the mount on to the carrier 3-4 mm past your line. The goal is to have the tire snug against the hinge and remaining bump stop when the tire is mounted. Our mount slid all the way in. Install the pinch bolts using the spacers towards the rear of the Jeep.

We used a hack saw to cut the plastic third brake light from its support, then two of the original four T20 torx screws to mount it to the supplied bracket.

Install the spare on to the tire mount using the two special lug