My DIY Spare Tire Kit

[jerseyff]

I originally bought a jack kit from EV Sportline, only to find out it can’t actually lift the rear of the truck off the ground when following Rivian’s guidance to use the highest suspension setting for jacking.

I have the EV Sportline jack and have used it for two DIY tire rotations so far on my R1T, no issue. I'm curious why your experience was different. I was in highest suspension setting.

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[twizzstyle]

I have the EV Sportline jack and have used it for two DIY tire rotations so far on my R1T, no issue. I'm curious why your experience was different. I was in highest suspension setting.

In the rear?? With my jack base it barely got the rear tire off the ground. Without the base it wasn’t even close.

 

[Dark-Fx]

I have the EV Sportline jack and have used it for two DIY tire rotations so far on my R1T, no issue. I'm curious why your experience was different. I was in highest suspension setting.

If your terrain isn't flat, they don't get enough extension for the rear corners. The alternative is you can't get the jack into the right position with the extension to even do the lift. IMO I'd rather use a telescoping bottle jack for more extension where they settled on the single piston jack for "strength reasons"

 

[Eeyore]

eBay has the aluminum jack pucks with O ring and 3 magnets in each for $80.00, including shipping. They come in a nice case so they don’t rattle. Even with the O rings and magnets, they don’t always hold in place as they should. I will drill three more holes in each to press in three more magnets.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C22YV6NV/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

$80 for 1 puck? That’s quite a bit mor than what I paid for pucks. I bought a pair and the case for about $120 for one of the nice small businesses that supports this site.

 

[Eeyore]

So all I need is all of the components, the tools, the know how and the ability to make all of that stuff myself? Piece of cake! But seriously, why don’t you make a bunch of kits yourself and sell them? Can I be your first customer? What an awesome setup.

Some people don’t need or want a side hustle. Personally, I couldn’t charge enough to make it worth my time to do this as a job.

 

[jjswan33]

+1 on the ARB base. Haven't actually had to use it but had the same idea.

Also kudos on the clean storage kit, I am personally using this space for my recovery equipment since my bottle jack fits in my toolbox.

 

[Mark_AZR1T]

This is outstanding!! Ultimate quality DIY solution! Great job.

 

[WattTruckMatt]

I did something "similar" but not nearly as cool looking. Found some canvas bags that hold some recovery equipment (soft shackles, etc.), the 1EV tall puck and jack, and straps. Used an old Hilift base with a bigger hole drilled in the center. Works great and nothing moves around. I also keep my large bungee recovery rope on top.

 

[Sgt Beavis]

@twizzstyle can you tell me what foam sheets you used and how many layers you needed?

Also, another recommendation for a bottle jack is the one from SafeJack. Their 6ton starter kit is plenty tall. You can also buy a steel base plate as well. I've got one for my lifted Jeep and it's plenty tall for the job.
https://safejacks.com/products/basic-bottle-jack-kit

Here it is compared to the big red 10 ton bottle jack.

 

[twizzstyle]

@twizzstyle can you tell me what foam sheets you used and how many layers you needed?

I got my foam from Rockler. It's 2.25" thick, comes in 2x4ft sheets.

https://www.rockler.com/rockler-foa...5HC6ze3_C8HUKAXQeJw_8YG8jFxUYSU4aAkVeEALw_wcB

My "plug" has two pieces glued together with contact cement (so it is 4.5" thick total). The top layer has all of the cutouts (jack handle sections, lug nut wrench, jack, and center cap), the bottom layer only has a cutout for the jack.

The diameter of the foam is 19.75". This is just slightly wider than the ID of the wheel, so it squeezes in tight (but easy).

I wish I had a better way to cut the foam. I have a 7w diode laser on my CNC router, but even at a slow feed rate it would only cut about 0.75" deep on each pass. Also with such a deep cut, the laser beam gets a bit diffused so the cut isn't as clean. It would be much faster to just cut the foam by hand with a long sharp blade, just harder to get the odd shapes just right.

 

[Ripped]

@twizzstyle

Here it is compared to the big red 10 ton bottle jack.

I have the EV Sportline jack and have used it for two DIY tire rotations so far on my R1T, no issue. I'm curious why your experience was different. I was in highest suspension setting.

TBH changing a tire in an emergency set up where the vehicle is on a slight side, or front to back slope, never mind off-road, looks like it would be very sketchy with any of those three set-ups. They look like Jenga blocks

I like the @twizzstyle option much better, especially the bottle jack base. Although if I were contemplating a tire change off-road, I might add a couple of wheel chocks and embed them into the foam cutouts.

Anyway stellar work by the OP!

 

[twizzstyle]

I might add a couple of wheel chocks and embed them into the foam cutouts.

That’s a great idea. Typically I’d just find a big rock and use that as a chock, but now I’m wondering if I could find some chocks that would fit in this setup. Might have to start pondering a V2.

 

[Sgt Beavis]

TBH changing a tire in an emergency set up where the vehicle is on a slight side, or front to back slope, never mind off-road, looks like it would be very sketchy with any of those three set-ups. They look like Jenga blocks

I like the @twizzstyle option much better, especially the bottle jack base. Although if I were contemplating a tire change off-road, I might add a couple of wheel chocks and embed them into the foam cutouts.

Anyway stellar work by the OP!

I've done a lot of off roading and that bottle jack is rock solid.
But you're right about using a base. I have one myself.

 

[Ventura]

@twizzstyle can you tell me what foam sheets you used and how many layers you needed?

Also, another recommendation for a bottle jack is the one from SafeJack. Their 6ton starter kit is plenty tall. You can also buy a steel base plate as well. I've got one for my lifted Jeep and it's plenty tall for the job.
https://safejacks.com/products/basic-bottle-jack-kit

Here it is compared to the big red 10 ton bottle jack.

Does the safe jack adaptor fit the big red? Does the adaptor fit firmly in the jack puck (I have the same puck)?

 

[Sgt Beavis]

Does the safe jack adaptor fit the big red? Does the adaptor fit firmly in the jack puck (I have the same puck)?

yup

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