My First Tire Carrier

[georgia]

First of all, I'd like to extend my gratitude towards Rstep for the use of his brain, his tools and most importantly his shop. Without those things, I would have had a hard time coming up with such a quality tire carrier...

Thanks Again Bob.

Now, onto the build. This all started with my off-road trailer build. I used a D35 axle on my trailer, so I still had the dinky trailer axle from the original setup. During a previous tech day, I had held up the axle and asked Bob "What can I do with this?"...in a moments thought, he came up with the idea of using it for my swing away tire carrier....BRILLIANT...

It all went downhill from there...From the moment of conception to its completion, it was a huge thought process and between the two of us (Myself and Rstep) we came up with this...

Not bad for a couple of handicap kids...

1 Stick of Tube
9 Hours worth of work
some 1/8 plate...and a good welder...

I'll let the pics speak for them selves...Anyone who wants to see it in person....be on a run with me or stop by anytime....

http://s94826315.onlinehome.us/Photos/DSCN1824.JPG

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[georgia]

http://s94826315.onlinehome.us/Photos/DSCN1833.JPG

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[georgia]

http://s94826315.onlinehome.us/Photos/DSCN1843.JPG

http://s94826315.onlinehome.us/Photos/DSCN1844.JPG

Since the last photo, its been painted and "tested" down a washboard road...only squeak is the rubber on the steel every now and then...VERY solid....

[SHNIPE]

I like it! Definately!

[tyota]

thats awesome!!!
good job! bought time we get some good 'ol tech/do it yourself type stuff going on around here, been along time waiting

[georgia]

Thanks Guys...Hey Nick..gotta ask...whats up with the *cough* gay *cough* H2 in your avatar? lol

[Spongebob]

Very nice!! How did you setup your latch mechanism?

[georgia]

Very nice!! How did you setup your latch mechanism?

The latch is so simple is stupid....It's a 5/8 bolt...I welded a nut to my existing bumper (with a hole drilled underneath for pass through) and I welded a t-handle to the top of the bolt...I just thread it down and tighten it....very simple, very cheap...

I just took some more photos...getting them online now...

[georgia]

http://s94826315.onlinehome.us/Photos/DSC01344.JPG

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[Spongebob]

Once again, very nice!!! That is definately a stout setup.


BTW, very nice welds too! It definately helps to have a decent welder. All that I have is a Campbell Hausfeld Flux Core 80 which does the job, but it only has a 20% duty cycle and doesn't like continuous welding over 60 seconds.

[AZdezertgirl]

Looks good!! A tire carrier is actually the next thing Im planning on getting for my Jeep. It seems when the money arrises.. so do other unplanned expenses?? grr!..

On yours do you have to take the tire off to get to the Hi-lift?

[georgia]

Yes....

I did it that way for a couple of reasons...

A) Whenever I've needed my hilift, I've needed a tire as well.
B) It is alot harder to steal a hilift when you have to remove a 36" tire on top of it.
C) Much more secure mounting.

[tjjeepboy]

nice, the harbor freight left overs made a great spindle, and when are you posting the trailer pics... im sure some body has one of those rusting in their back yard along with a dana 35/old spares

[AZdezertgirl]

Yes....

I did it that way for a couple of reasons...

A) Whenever I've needed my hilift, I've needed a tire as well.
B) It is alot harder to steal a hilift when you have to remove a 36" tire on top of it.
C) Much more secure mounting.

(B) being an awesome reason I hadn't thought of before.. ;)

[Markos]

Man you seriously need to invest in some safetly glasses!

Angle grinder + no glasses = Yikes! :eek:

At least throw your sunglasses on! Nice tire carrier though...

[bomberopm]

Where did you get the spindle. Or, how did you make it? http://s94826315.onlinehome.us/Photos/DSC01344.JPG

http://s94826315.onlinehome.us/Photos/DSC01345.JPG

http://s94826315.onlinehome.us/Photos/DSC01346.JPG

http://s94826315.onlinehome.us/Photos/DSC01347.JPG

[Capt-Kirk]

Why is the hinge on the wrong side? Any specific reason?

[TinyMan]

If I remember correctly, the spindle was an axle spindle from a trailer that he bought at Harbor Freight.

[georgia]

Why is the hinge on the wrong side? Any specific reason?

Just to be different.... :D

[Capt-Kirk]

The guy I got my tire mount/bumber from said the bearing/spindle setup was weak and prone to beating the bearing out of the races and falling apart.

In a way i think he may be somewhat correct. the Axle spindle and bearing are meant to take a load horizontally not vertically.

Has anyone had thier bearings fall aprt after a few years or is the builder overly opinionated? The hinge on the rack I bought from him is a tight matched fit and should hold up for a long time. I keep it cleaned and lube it with Lithuim white spray.

[georgia]

The guy I got my tire mount/bumber from said the bearing/spindle setup was weak and prone to beating the bearing out of the races and falling apart.

In a way i think he may be somewhat correct. the Axle spindle and bearing are meant to take a load horizontally not vertically.

Has anyone had thier bearings fall aprt after a few years or is the builder overly opinionated? The hinge on the rack I bought from him is a tight matched fit and should hold up for a long time. I keep it cleaned and lube it with Lithuim white spray.


I agree about the loads, but I look at it like this...The bearings cost me $15 bucks at a parts store...If they last two years, or even one...$15 bucks isnt bad...

Point two... The spindle is rated for 800 Lb's of load on it horizontally, and thats rolling down the highway at 55 MPH... Now, my tire carrier is stationary, only opened once, maybe twice a day if I am running a trail and need my OBA. So, its not spinning at 55 MPH, nor does it have anywhere NEAR 800 Lb's (More like 100), so it should be just fine.

Also, regardless of the position of the spindle, I would think that the forces on the bearings would be similar...?

[Capt-Kirk]

good point

Do you have anymovement of the tire back and forth?

Is it resting on the tailgait bumpers?

[georgia]

good point

Do you have anymovement of the tire back and forth?

Is it resting on the tailgait bumpers?

Every now and then, especially on a washboard road, I'll notice a bit of "wobble" so to speak (front to back), but then again, my friends Warn tire carrier does the exact same thing. It does rest on the tailgate when closed with an adjustable tensioner, however ,I am working on attaching it somehow so no matter what I am on, there is no wobble...

[Capt-Kirk]

Keep us posted on how you get that done.