A vehicle lower portion structure includes a resinous floor panel constituting a vehicle cabin floor surface, and a metallic reinforcing member. The reinforcing member is disposed to be bridged between vehicle skeleton members on a lower side of the floor panel and is configured to support a vehicle-mounted object disposed on the lower side of the floor panel.

A spare tire release device is provided for a motor vehicle. That spare tire release device includes a wheel cradle, a first slider mechanism to displace the wheel cradle in a first direction and a second slider mechanism to displace the wheel cradle in a second direction whereby the wheel cradle may be maneuvered for easy access to a spare tire and wheel held in the cradle.

A spare tire release device is provided for a motor vehicle. That spare tire release device includes a wheel cradle, a first slider mechanism to displace the wheel cradle in a first direction and a second slider mechanism to displace the wheel cradle in a second direction whereby the wheel cradle may be maneuvered for easy access to a spare tire and wheel held in the cradle.

A tire carrier assembly is provided and includes a bracket, a tire carrier, a carrier support and a hoist. The carrier support is lockable and unlockable and is configured to support the tire carrier in a stowed position when locked and to swing the tire carrier toward a deployed position when unlocked. The hoist is coupled to the bracket and the carrier support and is configured to normally lock the carrier support and to be selectively actuatable to unlock the carrier support.

A fixing system for a spare wheel for a motor vehicle of the type is provided with a housing for said spare wheel, said fixing system comprising a first element with a first threaded end, which can be fixed to a bottom wall of said housing, also comprising a clamping nut and a metal fixing screw which comprises a threaded shaft and is coupled with said clamping nut in order to constrain said spare wheel inside said housing. Said first element comprises a central metal body with a second end provided with a threaded hole, and said first threaded end being screwed into said bottom wall of said housing, in order to block the position of said first element and to permanently fix the same to said housing, said threaded shaft of said fixing metal screw being screwed into said threaded hole of said second end of said central metal body, in order to make said fixing metal screw integral with said first element, furthermore said first element comprising an outer polymeric portion made of a polymeric material which envelops said central metal body.

A fixing system for a spare wheel for a motor vehicle of the type is provided with a housing for said spare wheel, said fixing system comprising a first element with a first threaded end, which can be fixed to a bottom wall of said housing, also comprising a clamping nut and a metal fixing screw which comprises a threaded shaft and is coupled with said clamping nut in order to constrain said spare wheel inside said housing. Said first element comprises a central metal body with a second end provided with a threaded hole, and said first threaded end being screwed into said bottom wall of said housing, in order to block the position of said first element and to permanently fix the same to said housing, said threaded shaft of said fixing metal screw being screwed into said threaded hole of said second end of said central metal body, in order to make said fixing metal screw integral with said first element, furthermore said first element comprising an outer polymeric portion made of a polymeric material which envelops said central metal body.

A device for loading and unloading a wheel of a vehicle includes an actuating device operable to move a cable between a lifted wheel position and a lowered wheel position. A support anchored to the wheel is elastically suspended to a supporting rod carried by the cable. A bracket secured to the vehicle has an axially fixed bush, through which the supporting rod moves following actuation of the cable. The rod has a lateral surface provided with projections. The rod and the bush have cam surfaces which come into engagement with each other during a final lifting stage to cause the bush to rotate towards a position in which, following a lowering of the cable, the projections rest on seats on the upper end surface of the bush to discharge the weight of the wheel.

A spare wheel carrier intended to be mounted on a motor vehicle comprising a chassis for storing a spare wheel, the spare wheel carrier comprising: a mounting bracket intended to be mounted on the chassis of the motor vehicle; a latch mounted on the mounting bracket, the spare wheel being intended to be attached to the latch, wherein the latch is movable, with at least a rotation movement relative to the mounting bracket, between a storage position in which the spare wheel is intended to extend in a horizontal plane, in a horizontal position and a release position in which the spare wheel is intended to extend in a vertical plane perpendicular to the horizontal plane, in a vertical position perpendicular to the horizontal position.

A spare wheel carrier intended to be mounted on a motor vehicle comprising a chassis for storing a spare wheel, the spare wheel carrier comprising: a mounting bracket intended to be mounted on the chassis of the motor vehicle; a latch mounted on the mounting bracket, the spare wheel being intended to be attached to the latch, wherein the latch is movable, with at least a rotation movement relative to the mounting bracket, between a storage position in which the spare wheel is intended to extend in a horizontal plane, in a horizontal position and a release position in which the spare wheel is intended to extend in a vertical plane perpendicular to the horizontal plane, in a vertical position perpendicular to the horizontal position.

A spare tire storage cover assembly a spare tire and a wheel cover. The spare tire has a tire and a metal wheel. The metal wheel defines a central attachment portion encircled by an outer rim with a wheel retaining member of a retraction device is inserted through an opening in the central attachment portion. The wheel cover has a disk portion with a first surface and a second surface, and a cylindrical portion extending from a central area of the first surface of the disk portion. The first surface has a plurality of alignment fins that extend in a radial outward direction from the cylindrical portion with distal edges thereof being dimensioned such that with the cylindrical portion inserted into the metal wheel, contact between the alignment fins and an inner circumferential surface of the outer rim centers the wheel cover relative to the metal wheel.