I love that Tiregate and it looks even cooler when its reversed (can mount it either way), plus it has an optional skidplate, very cool.
Someday I plan on using their design and making my own as I have already contacted Tiregate company and they said they have no plans to make a unit for 3rd gen Yotas at this time (probably never).
You probably could buy one and chop it up to fit but, they are very expensive so I'd rather just steal the design and make my own.


As for your problem, I second the thought of getting a swing-away rack from a donor SUV and making it fit your bed, would probably be very cool!

 

yeah cool...but there sellin it for 2.45million dollars...better to make it yourself

 

i had a 2000 frontier crew cab for a while, the one that comes with a somewhat decent roof rack as factory option. i put my spare up on it and just held it with three heavy duty bungee cords. i wanted a second spare besides the under bed after a bad trail experience (booby trapped trail caused 4 flats)

i rode with it on the roof for about a year, no problems. i kept a shielded padlock on a lug hole to deter disappearance.

buy a decent roof rack for your truck, or have one made, then you can put your tire on it with no worries about buckling the roof - if you have your rack mounted nicely to the corners over the pillars. plus you can mount some lites on it too, front and back.

so much easier to get the tire when you can jump in the bed and grab it, rather than lie in the muck.

 

I can't imagine that setup in the event of an accident!

 

I don't recommend putting a roofrack on the roof unless you are only a mall crawler/pavement pounder. I have a rear swingout tire carrier now that is better but it is a little bit heavy with a 37" tire on it. I think that if you can sacrifice the bedspace (I can't) then it is better to get a bedmount tire carrier.

 

you know, looking back now i realize the roof on the crew cab was pretty damn big, so the rack was pretty big too. it had two fat crossbars and the front of the tire sat down in it, so there was no chance it was sliding forward or away. i think i had a piece of neoprene between it and the roof so it wouldnt make a mark in the paint. it definitely wasn't going anywhere, and i was able to climb in the bed to get it. that rack had a capacity marked on it as 125 lbs. the tire was definitely less than that, it was only a 265-16 i think. whatever stock was in 2000.

the roof option may not be the best idea, i'd prefer a swingout mount on the rear. but you mentioned needing tail gate use. maybe a tire mount that actually mounts via trailer hitch. something you could remove if necessary when hauling something. just a thought. that's also a good way to keep a 2nd tire temporarily when heading out on an excursion.

i ran a trail one time that someone had dumped a bucket load of metal roofing spikes. these were basically 1" square pieces of sheet metal with a 3" nail thru the center so they stood upright. I had several of them in each of all four tires. i heard "psssss" from everywhere, did the fastest k-turn ever and somehow i made it out of the woods to a convenience store nearby that had an amazingly large supply of fix-a-flat on the shelf (like cases of it) i bought four cans and hit all the tires and blazed up the road to the next convenience store, which had a tire plug kit. the fix a flat held one tire, i plugged 3 holes in each of two more, and put my spare on the fourth. i made it home that way. the next morning the tire with only the fix a flat in it was flat on the ground. i just laughed. i was happy i made it home at all.

so these days i have a thing about keeping fix a flat in the car, even though that stuff is crap and bad for the tire's balance afterward; it's still a possible life saver. i also have a thing about 2 spares and a tire plug kit on board in your vehicle's tool kit. your vehicle has a tool kit right? hehe

 

In a rollover a tire on the roof might be problem since it'll just contribute to the cab being crushed in more than w/o it.

Bad idea all around IMO.

 

You could mount the spare to a solidly connected roof rack but it would greatly increase your wind resistance and just kill your fuel economy, plus as members have said it would also increase your chances of a roll over.
You could mount it to the front of the truck with no overheat issues a buddy had his mounted there (2.4 3rd gen.) and he drove around with a big slide in camper all the time (of course that was here in the icy north lol).
It looks to me like your best option is going to be either the overbed mount from the nissan pic or a swing away mounted to the rear bumper.
Sorry i can't be more helpful, aviator