Can I Cut the Upper Shank of the RV Rider # HLY64FR to Accommodate Spare Tire?

Updated 06/21/2022 | Published 06/18/2022

Question:

I have a 2018 Jeep Wrangler unlimited JL, I bought this rack and Im a 1/2 inch from being perfect. I can push the high rack bar to line the holes up in the main shank bracket but it would be pushing into the spare tire. I have 2 heavy ebikes so cannot use an extension as that puts me over the 50 tongue weight of 175. I do not ever plan on leaving this rack in place and folding it up, I,ll either have it on to use or ill take it off when not needing it. I can for now take the spare tire off and put it in the back to get by, but I was thinking if I never am going to be folding what of I grind the end of the rack shank by 1/2 inch.....then it will clear the tire. Before I did that wanted to see what you folks thought and if that would hurt the integrity of the rack.

asked by: Todd P

Expert Reply:

This is a great question!

Ideally, we generally recommend not modifying any aspect of a bike rack like your RV Rider # HLY64FR. This is because manufacturers put the rack through strenuous testing under controlled conditions that test the integrity of the rack. For this reason, removing your tire is the safest route.

With that being said, since taking off 1/2" of the forward end of the upper shank does not interfere with any connection point, bolts, or hinges on the rack, you should be fine with removing that length from the shank to accommodate the spare tire on your Wrangler. However, we cannot confirm with certainty whether this small modification affects the integrity of the rack. It also may void any warranty that you have on the rack.

If a hitch extender is out of the question due to weight limitations, you can also consider upgrading your hitch. With the Draw-Tite - 2" # DT78MR, you won't have any interference with your spare tire. This is because the hitch pinhole only measures 6 inches from the face of your spare tire while installed on your 2018 Jeep JL Wrangler. I went ahead and attached a video of the hitch installed on a 2018 Jeep JK Wrangler to provide you with perspective.

expert reply by: Bob C