An automated hoist for a vehicle spare tire includes a linear bracket mounted beneath the vehicle chassis, proximal the rear bumper. A motorized housing can be automatically propelled backward or forward along the bracket. A retractable cable extending from the housing has a lifting plate at a distal end that is connected to the spare tire. When a driver engages a switch, the cable partially lowers the spare tire and the housing moves toward the rear of the vehicle. The cable is then completely lowered until the tire is at ground level and the lifting-plate automatically releases the tire.

A resin-laminated board includes a front-side sheet and a backside sheet layered on each other with a hollow part interposed therebetween. The backside sheet is recessed toward the hollow part to provide a plurality of first recesses and a plurality of second recesses. The front-side sheet and the backside sheet are connected to each other with plural ribs by welding bottoms of the first recesses and the second recesses to the front-side sheet. The resin-laminated board has a thin-plate part having the first recesses with small depth and a thick-plate part having the second recesses with large depth, and the first recesses and the second recesses are arranged at substantially the same pitch.

A reconfigurable bed rack system and methods of manufacture and use that is dynamic, adaptable, lightweight, and easy to install are provided. The bed rack system may include a plurality of U-shaped modular telescoping support structures that allow for a height adjustment to the rack without uninstalling the rack from the truck bed. Through the telescoping feature of the U-shaped support structures, a height dimension of the bed rack system may be increased or decreased. One or more side and/or upper rails may extend between the plurality of U-shaped modular telescoping supports for attaching one or more mounting brackets to secure equipment, tools and/or supplies to the bed rack system. The rack system may also include a tire hoist bracket assembly including a hoisting system to store a spare tire against an upper, inner surface of the rack system.

A motor vehicle includes a body, which body has at least two rear longitudinal members each forming a primary load path for collision forces, wherein the motor vehicle has a rear-end module that can be pre-assembled as a sub-assembly, which rear-end module can be connected to the body as part of the vehicle assembly after the completion of the body-in-white and has at least a supporting structure for fastening chassis components of a rear wheel suspension and a beam structure extending from the supporting structure toward the motor-vehicle rear for absorbing collision forces, wherein the supporting structure and the beam structure form at least one second load path for collision forces.

An apparatus, system, and related methods for holding and maneuvering an industrial vehicle spare tire include a tire support positioned on an industrial vehicle. An industrial vehicle tire is removably securable to the tire support, wherein the tire support has at least two independently adjustable threaded members for controlling engagement of the tire support and the industrial vehicle tire. A winch is positioned proximate to the gate of the industrial vehicle. At least one pulley is positioned above the tire support, wherein at least one winch cable is connected between the winch and the at least one pulley.

A system for accessing a wheel of a vehicle includes a support, a carrier, and a hinge joint. The support is affixed in a recess of a vehicle bed, and is positioned below the surface of the vehicle bed. The carrier is configured to be affixed to the wheel. When the carrier is affixed to the wheel, both the carrier and the wheel are accommodated in the recess and move as a substantially rigid body. The hinge joint couples the support and the carrier. The hinge joint has an axis substantially parallel to the ground and laterally across the vehicle bed. The carrier is capable of rotating about the hinge joint. The carrier and the wheel are capable of being rotated about the hinge joint out of the recess and onto the vehicle bed. One or more rotational elements may be included to affect rotational motion of the carrier.

A reconfigurable bed rack system and methods of manufacture and use that is dynamic, adaptable, lightweight, and easy to install are provided. The bed rack system may include a plurality of U-shaped modular telescoping support structures that allow for a height adjustment to the rack without uninstalling the rack from the truck bed. Through the telescoping feature of the U-shaped support structures, a height dimension of the bed rack system may be increased or decreased. One or more side and/or upper rails may extend between the plurality of U-shaped modular telescoping supports for attaching one or more mounting brackets to secure equipment, tools and/or supplies to the bed rack system. The rack system may also include a tire hoist bracket assembly including a hoisting system to store a spare tire against an upper, inner surface of the rack system.

Exemplary spare tire cover systems for motor vehicles may include features for assisting in raising/lowering a spare tire to/from a vehicle mounted position. Exemplary system features may include, but are not limited to, a deployable ramp, a wheel stop, a wheel catcher, and a strut assembly for moving the deployable ramp between stowed and deployed positions. The spare tire cover systems may additionally include features designed for increasing the functionality of the system, including but not limited to integrated deployable steps and handrails, lighting, sensors, etc.

A flag mounting apparatus for mounting a pole for a flag, banner, marker and the like to a vehicle, such as a “jeep” type vehicle having a spare tire mounted to the tailgate of the vehicle. The flag mounting apparatus is mounted to a plurality of spare tire mounting bolts and have one or more flag mounts for receiving a securing a flag pole.

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.