Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer
installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Rating: 
42 reviews
Code: Y02598
Retail:$199.00
Price:$179.10
Shipping Weight: 20 pounds
Shipping Special
Avoid flimsy bike carriers that mount to your spare tire with straps - pick up the SpareTime instead. This premium bike rack securely mounts to your spare with a steel plate and offers maximum bike protection with anti-sway cradles and an SKS lock.
Features:
Specs:
The Yakima SpareTime is a premium, spare-tire-mounted bike rack that leaves little to chance, attaching with a steel mounting plate and boasting anti-sway cradles and an integrated lock - all designed to keep your bikes safe and secure on the road.
The SpareTime mounts easily to your vehicle with an adapter plate, using your existing mounting bolts to ensure a secure, snug fit. The adapter plate sits behind your spare tire and includes two extensions for mounting the bike carrier on vehicles with wide spares.
Yakima's premium SwitchBlade anti-sway cradles hold your bikes firmly in place with rubber straps. The cradles are designed to provide optimum stability, and they prevent bike-to-bike contact during transport.
The dual arms of SpareTime provide superior bike stability and work well for transporting bikes with alternative frames. The arms fold down when not in use - or remove completely with the turn of a knob to store in your trunk or garage.
A mounting knob on the central mast of the carrier tightens SpareTime against your spare tire, guaranteeing a snug fit. The knob features a Same Key System (SKS) lock for further bike-rack security. SKS cores can be changed out so that all your Yakima locks are keyed alike.
SpareTime includes an integrated bottle opener at the end of each arm.
Video of Yakima SpareTime 2 Bike Carrier - Spare Tire Mount
Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer
installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Today we are going to review the SpareTime bike carrier from Yakima, part number Y02598. This bike carrier mounts directly to the spare tire mount on the back of your SUV or van. Let us go ahead and take a closer look at our bike carrier now and show you how it installs on the back of our vehicle. To start, we want to go ahead and remove our spare tire. And we want to take our mounting plate, which we can see has multiple holes in it, it allows it to be oriented to accommodate your specific bolt pattern. You can also see that it has a tongue here, which is actually what the bike rack is going to mount to. The bike carrier comes with different length tongues as well and that is to accommodate the different thicknesses of spare tires. Once you have determined the proper combination for your vehicle, you can go ahead and set the mounting plate onto the spare tire carrier. And then just go ahead and reinstall our spare tire. 0:54
We will next take the SpareTime bike rack and go ahead and slide it onto the mounting tongue. Place the locking knob, along with the locking plate, and it into the SpareTime upright. And just thread it on to the mounting tongue. And once you have it fully tightened down, you can go ahead and take your key and it into the locking knob. Give it a half turn and now the knob itself just free spines. It cannot be released. And next we just want to go ahead and fold the arms up into position. To do that, we want to take the red handle over here on the side and go ahead and turn that counter clockwise. And what that does is it separates the locking teeth here that are holding it into place. And once they are disengaged, you can go ahead and rotate it up into position. Realign the teeth and tighten it back down. 1:41
Now we can go ahead and put our bike onto the bike rack. We just want to go ahead and release the cradles by pulling it over the locking tab here. You can see, where the bike is going to sit on top of the arms, we have some felt strips. And that is going to keep the bike from marring up. You just want to go ahead and set the bike onto the bike rack and go ahead and pull our straps down to tighten it up. You can go ahead and adjust the anti-sway arm here at the bottom to accommodate your specific cross tube. You can see that the rubber straps allow you to pull it nice and tight. And then lastly we want to go ahead and take the locking cable, that is provide, and go ahead and it through our locking loop. And just lock them together. And that is all there is to it. And that will conclude the review of the SpareTime spare tire bike carrier, part number Y02598.
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Replacement parts available for this product
Average Customer Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars (42 Customer Reviews)
by: Steve S09/06/2010
Is this review helpful?
Highly recommended I have bike hitch racks and roof racks, but wanted a more convenient rack. The Yakima Spare Time fits the bill. I keep it on my spare time all summer, and it doesn't interfere with opening or closing the rear hatch of my Toyota RAV 4. Only drawback is the arms are too short. It holds one bike easily, but two bikes are crowded.3428
I have a rav 4 with a tire. do you think it will work on that?Marge
comment by: Marge - 1/5/2013
We have successfully used the Yakima SpareTime 2 on a Toyota RAV4. Here is a video of that rack on a 2009 RAV4.
Patrick B - 1/9/2013Totally agree, the arms are way too short. Actually the arms are probably long enough but the slots for the 2 bikes are very close together. Would be good for one bike, but unlikely to fit 2 bikes.
comment by: Mark H. - 1/20/2013
by: Franz09/04/2012
Is this review helpful?
Great rack and pretty easy installation. Secures bikes really well. Very easy to use once you find the ideal configuration for bikes. The directions could definitely use some clarification. A WORD OF ADVICE TO 2007-12 JEEP WRANGLER OWNERS: Based on the stock tire size on the Jeep (P255) the instructions will tell you to use the medium-sized tongue. If you do this, the rack WILL NOT tighten down all the way and will jiggle and rotate on the spare. Use the short tongue that comes pre-installed on the rack system. I had the rack assembled according to the instructions and it was way loose. Had to take it all apart and put back on the short tongue. Other than that setback, assembly was a breeze.53894
by: R.Michael06/09/2012
Is this review helpful?
This is a very well made bike rack, easy to install, easy to load. I am now able to transport my bicycles safely. Of course I expect this high quality from a Yakima product. As always the product was shipped immediately from etrailer. I really appreciate the speed in which this order was processed and shipped. 43448
by: Tommy H.05/08/2012
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It's perfect. Sturdy and strong. Low profile when not carting the bikes. I'm a happy guy!39734
by: Mike C.09/13/2011
Is this review helpful?
Easy to install on my 2007 Jeep Wrangler. I used the short mounting bar. Looks great. Very light weight compared to the hitch mounted racks but, not sure about relative strength or stability with my bikes loaded, especially in off-road conditions. We'll see...23920
by: James M05/15/2011
Is this review helpful?
It was easy to install the rack. And, easy to install bicycles. But, I haven't yet drove the vehicle with the bicycles mounted. So, when I do and If I experience any problems, I will advice accordingly. So far, pleased with the product.14042
by: Evy R.05/09/2011
Is this review helpful?
It was very easy to attached to my Jeep. It came already assembled. Very strong and sturdy. I am very pleased with it!!!13130
by: Kevin T.03/20/2011
Is this review helpful?
The rack is a quality piece of equipment and I'm very impressed with it's workmanship. I installed it on my 2006 Honda CR-V and it went on without any problems. The entire installation may have taken 15 minutes. Two bikes fit very tightly. Also, I ordered the rack on a Monday and it was delivered on Thursday. It went UPS ground (no shipping charge). I recommend it to anyone with a CR-V!9916
by: James D05/14/2013
Is this review helpful?
Perfect bike carrier for Jeep. I had a Swagman and I couldn't open the back without taking it off. This Yakima is strong and lockable. Plus it looks nice. Comes with a locking cable for my bike. I also have to add that I'm a Disney institute grad. from their customer service program. Patrick and etrailer are top notch. I wish I could deal with companies like this all of the time. 80176
by: Steven R05/08/2013
Is this review helpful?
The installation video was very helpful, the written instructions easy to read and straight forward. I like the bike rack, pre assembled, quick to install and very easy to load/unload my steed. 79474
by: William04/17/2013
Is this review helpful?
Everything I expected and more! Heavy duty, well built, impressive , easy installation what more can I say.i knew there had to be a product out there that mounted over spare tire , Ive seen a few but nothing that I wanted to mount on my jeep until now. Heading for Florida Friday Ive always wanted to bring our bikes now we can. Thank you e trailer and thank you Yakima. Had it at my door in less than 48hours.76538
by: Val Y04/16/2013
Is this review helpful?
I have a 2011 Jeep Wrangler Sahara. This rack is a great product, stable very well made. Easy to attach and easy to use. Fast delivery and no problems.76372
by: Robert04/15/2013
Is this review helpful?
2010 Toyota RAV4 Limited - Install took less than 10 minutes. Looks and works great to hold our two mountain bikes. 76129
by: Lisamarie04/08/2013
Is this review helpful?
I have a 2010 Jeep Wrangler Sahara. The bike rack was super easy to install. Love it. Fast delivery service too. 74940
by: no name03/27/2013
Is this review helpful?
Easy to install. Very durable. Great co nstruction.72832
by: Jennifer03/14/2013
Is this review helpful?
We ordered the Yakima Spare Tire Bike Carrier Mount for our 2012 Toyota Rav4 and love it. It was easy to mount and has great stability when traveling. E-trailer service was exceptional! 70687
by: Jeremy03/08/2013
Is this review helpful?
Was very easy to install. I have not put a bike on it yet but I'm sure it will hold with no problems. 69714
by: Samuel03/01/2013
Is this review helpful?
Great Product! Easy to install! Great Seller! Fast delivery and no problems!68295
by: Rhett01/25/2013
Is this review helpful?
Love this bike rack. Easy to install. Stable carrier.64098
by: Phil Light12/28/2012
Is this review helpful?
The order and delivery processes were flawless. My rack was shipped the same day I ordered it - actually within an hour or two! Their package tracking system with a little icon on a US map showing the progress across the country each day was fun. The Yakima Spare Time 2 worked well for me. I drive a 2006 Jeep TJ Wrangler and, like thousand of such Jeep owners, I have somewhat oversized off-road tires. I had initially bought the Thule version of this rack at a local REI store. The "Thule Spare Me" rack DOES NOT FIT a Jeep Wrangler with non-standard tires. The tongue is far too short and I had to return the otherwise well-made rack. I kept the Thule top-bar adapter to make my Cannondale frame fit a horizontal bike rack. The folks at Yakima understand that Jeep owners often have larger than standard wheels and tires for off-road use, and they include THREE sizes of interchangable tongues for a perfect fit on my Wrangler's spare tire. I used the large size. Clean and easy install, holds the bike steady and locks securely.62183
The Spare Me has recently been updated. Chances are you had the TH963XTR. The rack has been updated with extensions to offer solutions for those with larger aftermarket wheels. The current Spare Me is part TH963PRO.
comment by: Patrick B - 12/31/2012
by: Wilson hitch11/18/2012
Is this review helpful?
Order recived just as described. No hassle or delays. Thanks e trailer for a good buying experience. 59633
by: Deana10/26/2012
Is this review helpful?
Very happy with the product. My husband installed in about 10 minutes. It is very sturdy and the quality is excellent!58175
by: Jeff R.10/15/2012
Is this review helpful?
Attractive unit. Very easy and quick to install. Shipping was extremely fast. Unit extension bars are a little short for two adult mountain bikes. They fit but are extremely close and tight. If they were 1-2 inches longer it would be perfect. All together I am pleased with the unit.57273
by: Marty W.09/12/2012
Is this review helpful?
Very well made and attractive product. 54431
by: Steve08/28/2012
Is this review helpful?
Great bike rack and easy to put on Jeep. Etrailer was great e-store to buy from. Easy process and fast shipment. 53316
by: Dan A08/18/2012
Is this review helpful?
Shipping was super-fast - ordered on a Saturday, received feedback on Sunday, and the rack arrived on Tuesday. I also liked the shipping progress map on the shipping status page. Not sure if it is accurate but it is pretty neat. We are happy with the rack so far; it was easy to install and is very sturdy. I do have one area of concern that I did not think about before ordering - the rack was installed on a 2009 Rav4 and I wonder about potential structure damage (over time) to the back door due to the addition weight of the rack and bikes. I would use eTrailer again.52189
by: Jeff08/09/2012
Is this review helpful?
Ordered and it came the very next day, even though I picked standard shipping. Received multiple e-mails from etrailer updating me on the status of my product. Installation would have been really easy except the bolt attached to the short tongue (I needed to use the medium tongue) was screwed in so tight I couldn't get it loose. I ended up taking it to a local hardware store for a very big, burly man to use a bolt-cheater to get it undone after he put in quite an effort (I felt validated that it took him some force to get it off). I called customer service about the tight bolt and they offered to send another if I couldn't get it undone. I have a 2008 Wrangler Unlimited soft top and the attachment plate had to go on upside down compared to what the directions say, but that was no problem. Already used it once and it was a tight fit for both of our hybrid bikes, but we managed to get them secured, using additional straps to help cinch the bikes tight during transport. Seems like a great product so far.51143
by: Bob J.08/06/2012
Is this review helpful?
After searching on-line found the best price on the Yakima Spare Time 2 Bike Carrier. Not only was it the lowest priced; but those priced higher did not include the lock cores and keys without an additional charge. Also, others did not include free shipping. After placing order from etrailer.com received email stating in addition to free ground shipping, they were upgrading my shipping without charge to 3-5 day. Received product to my door in 3 days. Wow, what a great way to do business in this day and time. I will definitly shop etrailer.com first in the future.50643
by: Jim McK07/10/2012
Is this review helpful?
Great product and service- the only issue is that you need to secure the handlebars/fork- so they don't move during stops/starts (was simple with a bungie tie down) but otherwise a great solid bike rack with unbelievably quick delivery47413
by: Gerrod M.07/05/2012
Is this review helpful?
Outstanding product and even better retailer. I found a lower price for the carrier shortly after I purchased it. eTrailer honored their price guarantee immediately upon notification. The carrier was easy to order with detailed advice to ensure a proper match to my vehicle and delivery was FAST. The I cannot be happier with the Carrier itself. It successfully carried one bike from SC to AR over some pretty questionable road conditions. When I arrived, the bike had to remain on the carrier while I drove around town for 4 days. I now have the utmost confidence in the carrier. Note: I have a 2004 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon with OEM tires and used the medium post (included). 46789
by: jordan C06/19/2012
Is this review helpful?
Easy to attach and easy to use. Great product44768
by: brenda g06/16/2012
Is this review helpful?
Best product love it greatest bike rack ever,shipped so fast love it .I am telling everyone this is the place to buy a rack .44413
by: Pat B.05/08/2012
Is this review helpful?
I had a great experience! Great website...easy to find what I needed...tracking of shipment was easy....showed up on time and in great condition Highly recommend etrailer.com and this product39726
by: Dennis Mc04/23/2012
Is this review helpful?
The service from etrailer was exceptional! The bike carrier shipped immediately and arrived much quicker than the estimated 11 days. Easily installed on my 2004 Jeep Rubicon and is an attractive secure spare tire rack. Highly recommended!38050
by: M. Hall02/27/2012
Is this review helpful?
Was easy to install. Appears to be very durable. You will likely need tube bars for your bike(s) though, which are an additional $25 / bar. I think it's a great product. 32618
by: M. Mitchell-Jackson, MS01/06/2012
Is this review helpful?
The online video was perfect. There was some concern about the product fitting on a Jeep, and the video showed it working. I ordered on a Monday, and received it on Thursday. I opened the box and had it installed in about 10 minutes. The rack is quality and I like that when not in use, it folds up and takes up very little room. I can still use the trailer hitch to pull trailers when the rack is there. I can not pull my boat with the bicycle on it, but I don't ride and fish at the same time any way! Great experience!29185
by: Gabor Kis10/30/2011
Is this review helpful?
Easy installation, solid , good product 26334
by: Aneesh S10/27/2011
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Superior quality product. Fits perfectly on my 97 CR-V. Best price and prompt shipment from etrailer. Thanks!26244
by: Dave S.07/26/2011
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Solid unit at a good price. Breeze to i nstall.20303
by: Jeff J06/19/2012
Is this review helpful?
I have a 2008 RAV-4 Limited, and the Yakima SpareTime Bike Rack installs easily in minutes, using only the included Allen wrench and the RAV-4 tire iron. Before you get started, grab a beverage and watch the video (for the 2009 RAV-4 install above, which I think is the same) and/or read this. First, put on some music--the RAV's radio, and/or your ipod/phone. Your goal is to have this installation completed in four songs or fewer. And no, you can't play Stairway to Heaven four times. Next, locate the two tools you'll need: a monster Allen wrench somewhere in your Yakima box and your RAV-4 tire iron. The Allen wrench is in one of the plastic bags included in the box that your rack shipped in. The RAV-4 Limited tire iron is located in a black bag behind the removable panel just inside the back cargo area to the LEFT (i.e., in the back of the RAV-4 on the driver’s side). FYI, the jack is behind a similar panel on the right side, but the tire iron is not in there with the jack, the tire iron is on the LEFT side of the car. I just cut your installation time in half, so you're welcome. Now open the tailgate, and remove the spare tire cover. For the RAV-4 Limited (and possibly other RAVs too), there is a securing latch on the 6 o-clock position of the spare cover that you can only flip open when the tailgate is open and free of the rear bumper. Once you pop open this latch (again, with the tailgate open), the cover should lift off fairly easily. Next, remove the lug nuts that are securing the spare to the RAV-4. On my 2008, there were 3 of these. Next, be safe and make sure you can handle the weight of the spare wheel and tire before removing it. It's heavier than it looks, so you may want to have a beverage so you have a little time to think about it and/or garner some strength. Once you’re ready, slide the spare tire off, and make a mental note of where you put the lug nuts. Before attaching the mounting bracket that comes with your rack, you need to remove the middle of the mounting plate so the opening is big enough to go around the flange that the RAV-4's spare tire rests on. You can safely ignore Paul S. above, there is no need to cut, mutilate, and/or remove any part of your RAV-4 spare tire bracket (the flange that the spare rests on). Instead, you simply remove the adaptor plate (the inside of the mounting plate provided with the rack) by pivoting it out, as outlined in the instructions. The directions are very clear--you may need to loosen the Allen head bolt to make room to get the adaptor plate out, but it's very intuitive/straightforward. Then discard the adaptor plate, or save it for another vehicle, or put it on ebay. And don't worry Paul S, we won't call CarFax on you about the damage to your spare tire bracket.... Okay, you're about half way. Good time to have a drink and take a break. Next, align the mounting plate (with the center part of the plate removed) over the bolts that secure the spare tire to the RAV-4. This only fits one way, best I could tell. Slide the mounting plate to the back of the bolts and get ready to mount the spare. (NOTE: The Yakima SpareTime rack ships with three tongues, and the short tongue is the one that was pre-mated to the bracket at the factory. So RAV-4 owners (or at least this owner) should be in luck, since the short tongue is the one we want to use for the 2008 RAV-4 (assuming your spare tire width is 235 or less). The Yokohama spare that the 2008 RAV-4 came with is 225, so just verify the width of the spare tire and use the proper tongue. The installation instructions spell out which tongue (short, medium, or long) to use, depending on the width of the spare tire, so just read the instructions. But again, I used the short tongue, and chances are good you will, too if you have a 2008 Toyota RAV-4.) Next, find your lug nuts and get ready to put the spare tire back on your RAV. You may have to wiggle it, just a little bit, but eventually you'll get it on. Then put the lug nuts on each of the bolts and tighten each down, using the tire iron. Make sure all of these are tight. Next, take the bike rack itself and adjust the offset, using the Allen wrench provided with the rack. There are different options for the amount of offset, but I moved it all the way over to the right for the 2008 RAV-4 Limited (which centers the bikes almost exactly). I used the center brake light on the RAV-4 roofline (which I hope is centered...) as a guide to help align it. I must admit I was a little surprised at how much the spare tire is offset on the 2008 RAV-4—I never really noticed. Anyway, I went "full right" with the offset (which moves the bikes/rack to the left), but I guess I can't stop you from doing something else with the offset. Whatever you decide, make sure the Allen head screws are tightened in their offset positions. Next, install the rack onto the square tongue that is now sticking out from the center of the spare tire. Then, find the red screw bolt and use it to secure the rack to the RAV-4. I opted to keep the locking tongue on the bolt (facing up) so I can lock my bikes to the rack if needed. I don't know why you wouldn't want this locking option, but according to the instructions, you can opt to take this off. Before you decide, it appears this locking tongue could also serve as a 3rd bottle opener (in addition to the bottle openers built in to each of the arms that hold the bikes), so choose wisely. Make sure the red handle is tight. Check again. Read the instructions carefully here. The rack mast needs to compress the spare, so really crank down on the red handle. Push the spare toward the front while you're turning the red handle, and verify there is solid contact between the mast and the spare. Lastly, mount your bikes and secure them using the Yakima rubber bands. Use the supplied cable and lock to secure them, if desired. Place one key for the lock on your key ring with your RAV-4 keys, and place the other key inside the RAV (or with the spare key that is stuck somewhere to the outside of your RAV). That's it! No metal cutting disc or sawzall needed! Nice work, those bikes aren't going anywhere. Have another beverage. One last note, if you use the short tongue, the RAV-4 spare tire cover fits over it. So if/when you remove the rack, you can put your spare tire cover back on and go back to pushin' your RAV-4 all over town with no unsightly spare tire showing. If you use either of the longer tongues (which you shouldn't, unless you have a wider spare wheel/tire), the cover probably will NOT fit over the tongue (since the spare cover BARELY covers the short tongue). FYI, when you're finished installing this rack on a 2008 RAV-4, you'll have the following leftovers: two tongues (the long tongue and the medium tongue), the adaptor plate (the center of the mounting plate that you removed), and the world's largest Allen wrench. I drove around today for a few miles, and so far, so good. With the offset I chose, both of my bikes are centered perfectly in the back and do not extend past the side view mirrors on either side. As noted in a few other reviews, the fit for two bikes is tight, but I think keeping the length of the arms short reduces the moment and the forces and all that, so I'm guessing that's why those crazy Yakima engineers made the arms so short. (Plus, they can probably sell more Yakima Tube Top Bike Adapter Bars!) On that note, I ordered two of these bars, but I only needed one of them to mount a mountain bike and a road bike to this rack. If you're having trouble getting two bikes to fit, I strongly suspect a Yakima Tube Top Bike Adapter Bar will solve your problem. Again, it will likely be a tight fit--you'll have to get the pedals, handlebars, cables, etc aligned just right, but it's still fairly easy (and a lot better than trying to put the bikes on the roof or not being able to open the back of your RAV-4 because your hitch-mounted rack is in the way...). Remember to check your rack on roadtrips at every stop, in windy/bumpy conditions, or at any sign of excessive movement/danger. So far, this is a great product.44832
by: John P05/19/2012
Is this review helpful?
A breeze to install. Have one minor complaint, there is slack on the nnterconnect between the main body and the bar that it slides on tol I was able to tighten up the structure, but once the bike was mounted, (centered on the vehicle) there was more bike on one side than the other and the entire main body tilts slightly to the Left. Its not a major problem, just "bugs' me cause I like things straight and level! John41016
by: Paul S.04/03/2012
Is this review helpful?
Well made and strong. The only caution is installing the adaptor plate. I have a 2009 Toyota RAV4 limited and the instructions simply say "if you have a spare tire support bracket this needs to be removed." Easily said...but you will need a metal cutting disc or sawsall to cut it off. It's tough metal! I don't keep those kind of tools just laying around...Otherwise, it was a simple installation.35975
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