A liquid storage apparatus mountable over a rear-mounted spare tire of a vehicle comprises a liquid storage bladder including an interior space for having liquid stored therein and a tire cover having a bladder compartment and a vehicle tire compartment adjacent to the bladder compartment. The liquid storage bladder is within an interior space of the bladder compartment. The tire cover includes a spare tire mount passage in a wall thereof defining an interior space of the vehicle tire compartment. The bladder compartment is opposite the spare tire mount passage.

A mounting system for a wheel having a center portion with a plurality of wheel apertures includes a cap for covering the center portion of the wheel and having a pocket. The system includes a first fastener having a shank that fits through at least one of the wheel apertures. The shank has a first end, a second end, and a head at the first end configured to be captured by the cap pocket. The first fastener also includes a nut configured to thread onto the second end. The system also includes a second fastener having a shank that fits through at least one of the wheel apertures. The system additionally includes a wheel carrier bracket defining a plurality of bracket apertures, wherein the second fastener is configured to be threadably engaged with at least one of the bracket apertures. A vehicle having such a mounting system is also disclosed.

A modular accessory attachment system for a tire carrier, a bike rack, container, or other structure that can be selectively attached to either a bedslide, cargo box bed, or tailgate hitch, is provided. The modular accessory attachment system may include a plurality of receivers disposed through the deck of the bedslide. Correspondingly sized posts may be extend from the tire carrier, bike rack, other racks, or accessories, and be disposed into the receivers. Pins, detents, or other like attachment means may be employed to secure the posts to the receivers.

The inventive technology described herein may be present in many different embodiments that include systems and methods for adjustably protecting a spare tire with a rearward-facing camera. In some embodiments, a spare tire protective system may utilize a hollow base, a camera collar, a retaining element such as a faceplate, and a tire cover to easily adjust to varying spare tire sizes and wheel offsets for vehicles that may be equipped with a center or near center-mounted rearview camera. A hollow base and camera collar may slide over a rearview camera stock and partially seat into a wheel center bore. A tire cover may be sandwiched between the hollow base and faceplate. This system may provide improved ease of installation and removal for vehicle models with varying wheel and tire offsets and sizes.

A tire hoist apparatus for lifting and lowering spare tires at a rear of a vehicle includes a hitch mount which is shaped and configured to attach to a hitch receiver tube of the vehicle. A frame is coupled to the hitch mount and is shaped and configured to accommodate a spare tire positioned vertically above the hitch receiver tube. A cable is mounted to the frame and is movable with respect to the frame to alternately lift and lower a free end of the cable with respect to the frame. An upper portion of the frame is pivotable on a lower portion of the frame.

A vehicle includes: a vehicle body including an opening part located in a rear part of the vehicle; a hatch supported by the vehicle body so as to be able to open and close the opening part; an under hatch component located inside the vehicle with respect to the opening part; and a rack movably supported by the vehicle body between a first position facing the under-hatch component and a second position retracted from the first position. The under-hatch component is exposed outside through the opening part in a state where the hatch is opened and the rack is located in the second position.

The inventive technology described herein may be present in many different embodiments that include systems and methods for adjustably protecting a spare tire with a rearward-facing camera. In some embodiments, a spare tire protective system may utilize a hollow base, a camera collar, a retaining element such as a faceplate, and a tire cover to easily adjust to varying spare tire sizes and wheel offsets for vehicles that may be equipped with a center or near center-mounted rearview camera. A hollow base and camera collar may slide over a rearview camera stock and partially seat into a wheel center bore. A tire cover may be sandwiched between the hollow base and faceplate. This system may provide improved ease of installation and removal for vehicle models with varying wheel and tire offsets and sizes.

A vehicle tire carrier system for installation beneath a motor vehicle and protecting the wheel from unauthorized removal. The tire carrier system comprises: a raising and lowering mechanism comprising a cable and a rotational member for winding and unwinding the cable. A hub carrier is constructed to receive the wheel. The cable has a free end, and a ferrule is fixed to a free end portion of the cable. A rotatable cable end shield is mounted about the free end portion of the cable. The rotatable cable end shield comprises a housing having a top aperture in an upper portion thereof through which the free end portion of the cable is received. The housing encapsulates the free end portion of the cable and the ferrule for protection thereof. The rotatable cable end shield is configured to rotate independently to the free end portion of the cable and the ferrule.

An active aerodynamic vehicle underbody spare tire assembly improves airflow dynamics and reduces drag at an underbody and rearend of a vehicle, ultimately extending vehicle battery range in an electric vehicle and providing better fuel economy in a gas-powered vehicle. The active aerodynamic vehicle underbody spare tire assembly moves the spare tire between a stowed position and a deployed position based on vehicle speed. At lower vehicle speeds, the spare tire is kept at the stowed position. And at higher vehicle speeds, the spare tire is moved to the deployed position. In varying implementations, the active aerodynamic vehicle underbody spare tire assembly can include a spare tire carrier, an actuator, and a spare tire cover.

An active aerodynamic vehicle underbody spare tire assembly improves airflow dynamics and reduces drag at an underbody and rearend of a vehicle, ultimately extending vehicle battery range in an electric vehicle and providing better fuel economy in a gas-powered vehicle. The active aerodynamic vehicle underbody spare tire assembly moves the spare tire between a stowed position and a deployed position based on vehicle speed. At lower vehicle speeds, the spare tire is kept at the stowed position. And at higher vehicle speeds, the spare tire is moved to the deployed position. In varying implementations, the active aerodynamic vehicle underbody spare tire assembly can include a spare tire carrier, an actuator, and a spare tire cover.