Ski Racks for Swing-Out Doors: Jeep Wrangler vs Ford Bronco vs Land Rover Defender vs Ineos Grenadier
If you drive a Wrangler, Bronco, new Defender or Grenadier, you already know the problem: the rear door swings sideways, there's a spare tire hanging on it, and almost every ski rack on the market either blocks the door or hits the tire. Roof racks work, but then you're lifting skis over your head, and on a Wrangler or Bronco you lose the removable top. Tire-mounted racks look tidy until you check the hinge rating. This guide covers what actually fits, vehicle by vehicle, with the door-opening video for each.
The hinge problem nobody publishes
Every one of these doors has a limit on how much accessory weight it can carry before the hinges sag and the door stops closing cleanly. The manufacturers don't advertise it, so we asked. Now do the math on a tire-mounted rack: the rack itself is 20–40 lb even in aluminum (ours is about 55 lb because it's steel and HDPE), and four pairs of skis with bindings run about 15 lb a pair. That's 80–100 lb hanging on a door rated for 10, 18 or 35.
| Vehicle | Door | Added-weight limit | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jeep Wrangler (JK/JL) | Swing-out door with spare | about 10 lb | Jeep |
| Ford Bronco | Swing-out trunk with spare | about 35 lb | Ford |
| Land Rover Defender (2020+) | Side-hinged door with spare | about 18 lb | Land Rover |
| Ineos Grenadier | 30/70 split; wide door carries the spare | about 10 lb (wide door); ladder door 300 lb parked, 70 lb moving | Ineos |
More detail in our guide to accessories for SUVs with barn doors and rear-mounted tires.
The way around it is to hang the weight off the frame instead of the door: a hitch rack. The catch is that a normal hitch rack sits exactly where the door needs to swing. The Gravirax GR-4 is offset and depth-adjustable, so it clears the spare and the door still opens with the skis on. Here it is on each vehicle.
Jeep Wrangler
Fits any JK, JL or Gladiator with a 2-inch receiver. The standard-length GR-4 is the right version. The door swings open with four pairs loaded, and 72 positions of adjustment cover stock height through lifted.
Wrangler fit page · GR-4 standard · $999
Ford Bronco
Fits 2- and 4-door Bronco with a 2-inch receiver (not the Bronco Sport). Order the Extended Length (+2") version: the Bronco's trunk and spare need the extra reach to swing clear. Works Sasquatch or stock.
Bronco fit page · GR-4 Extended Length · $1,029
Land Rover Defender
Fits the 90, 110 and 130 with a 2-inch receiver. Standard GR-4, no extender needed; the side-hinged door opens fully. On the 130 the wider GR-6 also clears.
Defender fit page · GR-4 standard · $999
Ineos Grenadier
Fits the Station Wagon and Quartermaster with a 2-inch receiver. Standard GR-4; both split doors open, and you never climb the rear ladder with skis.
Grenadier fit page · GR-4 standard · $999
How the skis stay put
Gravity, the same way they ride in a gondola box: tips down on a padded base so bindings never touch the tubes, poles baskets up. We ran the rack for days on a bump rig and over 40 mph speed bumps; the skis don't move. At highway speed the rack and skis travel together, so there's nothing to shake loose. For long dirt-road trips there's an optional cover, and a bike cable lock through the bindings and the upper brace works if you want one. We left a built-in lock out of the rack on purpose: in freeze-thaw country, keyways ice up.
Quick answer
Wrangler, Defender, Grenadier: GR-4 standard ($999). Bronco: GR-4 Extended Length ($1,029). Defender 130 only: the GR-6 also fits. Anything else with a rear-mounted spare and a 2-inch hitch: email us a photo of the back of your vehicle and we'll tell you.