This may not be an issue for most but anything over a 33” tire won’t fit in the spare tire location. I’ve come to terms with carrying a good tire plug kit and have onboard air in case I do get a flat. That being said, I’ve been looking at the stock spare location for some way to use the big empty space. What do you guys think about an aluminum box that can be lifted up in place of the spare? I haven’t figured out a hinged door setup yet but it may be as simple as a special tool that uses an impact gun to raise and lower with a hinged top to access things inside. Could throw a tow strap, emergency kit, shackles, tree savers, etc inside.

Quick CAD model to show what I’m talking about, minus the hinged top.




The last picture shows a ring that will get welded inside so the bottom portion of the tire winch won’t hang down. Overall construction would be 3/16” 6061 most likely. It is tapered, 7” at the deepest and 5” at the shallowest but overall size is 29”x26”. Ideas? Thoughts?

Excited to see where this goes! I have been looking for this exact same thing.

Cats out of the bag now. Possible there is a big market for this kind of thing

Cool idea, I would think sealing it well would be a must.

Did you wind up fabbing this? Would you care to share the drawings?

I need something similar to this as I’m planning on installing an air compressor and storage tank in the spare tire well.

I haven't. I have all the parts now though, just need to find time to make it. I have an idea for how to access everything with the box installed too.

A company sells a spare tire water tank.

4Runner and Tacoma 6 Gallon "Spare" Tire Water/Fuel Tank

Yep similar idea. I just want to be able to store tow straps, shackles, snatch block, spare parts etc without taking up valuable interior space.

Progress pics! Good weather for some CAD. Once I finalize the design, I’ll be able to cut everything out of aluminum and weld it up, stoked!

I know which design I want to do, which would you pick?




This design is even with the frame rail, overall less storage but more clearance.




This design is not even with the frame rail and is 5” deep all around, easier to build, more storage but hangs down lower.

This will all be made of 3/16 aluminum so it should be plenty strong enough.

Interesting idea though what came to mind is the times my spare has hit while offroading. Don’t know if you were referencing that when you said “plenty strong enough.”

Yes exactly. I don't plan to wheel this thing that hard though but it should take a hit if I do end up on it.

Let's say you get stuck and need to access your recovery gear. It's now buried in the sand.....

Or, let's say you want to pull it out and help someone but it's in the wet mud...

I don't know if I would keep critical recovery gear under the truck.

I have seen people put their chains in there so they don't have to carry them around all the time.

Access doors will be on the side of the box so I should still be able to get to everything, wasn't expecting to have that much room on either side. I agree though, more of a pain to get to if needed. Though in my 20 years of wheeling, I can count maybe 1 or 2 times getting stuck in mud pits (in a 2wd Ranger when I was 17) that buried it. I have since avoided mud like the plague. Snow may be the only place where I get legit stuck, I do live in northern CA after all