You’re not missing anything Richard.  It’s a choice.  I like Ceviche with shrimp, others want steak.  Nobody’s wrong.  One person’s contraption is another person’s ingenious device.  One person’s hassle is another person’s project.  Ain’t freedom grand?

From: Richard Koerner
Sent: Thursday, April 1, 2021 2:32 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Tire Holder?

 I will submit a contrasting opinion.  I mean, what is wrong with a standard Vanagon 14" steel wheel and tire put up into clamshell?  It's a spare....just to get you to next town.  OK, I might understand it if you guys are using big burly tires where the difference in rubber OD causes a problem when getting to the next nearest tire shop.  For the many others of us, say using GoWesty 16" alloys and tires which nearly match the original OD and on a 2WD, this is not an issue.
Meanwhile, the trouble and expense of mounting a rear tire carrier?  Or some contraption to accommodate big tires in clamshell?  After all, rotating 4 tires is surely easier than trying to figure out the logistics of rotating 5 tires.
What am I missing here?