has anybody used the tailgate as a pivot point for a tire carrier?

[4wheelinmike]

I'm trying to get started on building my carrier but I'm stuck on the hindges. I want to bolt and pivot off the "body" instead of the bumper. I like the way or fab has their carrier pivot. Any suggestions?
-Mike

[jimmyrig]

leaf spring bushings works great. CJ fronts fit 1.5 120 wall like a charm. Make sure you back it with a plate on the inside of the tub or you will tweak it.

[lakev2]

I used the ends of yj factory trackbars. Cut the ends off with 1.5" of tube left in place. made mounts out of 3/16", used the same bolts removed with the trackbars for holding them in the brackets. made mounting backing plates out of 3/16" and tied the upper 2 into the rear cage mounts.

[4wheelinmike]

I like the way you guys think! Have you noticed anything happening to the body?

[jimmyrig]

My buddy ran an OR FAB tire swing out for years and never had a problem... I like this style of swing out...Never been a big fan of bumper mounted swing outs

[4wheelinmike]

Yeah same here I have the warn carrier and it rattles so much. I try and modified it with a hi lift and a rack and Gerry(?) Cans and it sucks so much

[lakev2]

I like the way you guys think! Have you noticed anything happening to the body?

nothing yet. Actually dropped off a ledge 2 days after finishing the install of it. was a straight drop when the rear tires came down. the spare slammed into the rock ledge and left a nice mark on the tire as i dragged the weight of the jeep off it(rear tires in air, front tires pulling, resting on spare).

I jumped out of the jeep and looked it over and nothing moved, no crinkles in the body or anything.

The structure of the carrier is all 3/16"thick 2" square tubing.

Good unintentional way to test your fab work is to find a nice ledge and drop off it. lol.

[lakev2]

Before this tire carrier, I had made one that mounted on the bumper and had a crappy bolt through tube pivot on it.

I kept hitting the bumper on drop offs and the thing bounced and rattled alot because it only had one pivot.

when i pulled it off, i found that where the mountings holes were in the rear crossmember had started to tear the metal of the crossmember.

Now i have no rear bumper, so a better departure angle.

Ill take a pick of it tonight when i get home.

I still want to add a highlift mount, jerry can mount, and cooler mount to it.

[lakev2]

Here are the pics, sorry for quality, still don't have a new camera, so these are cellphone pics. not sure how good they will show up, but you can get the general idea of what I did pretty well.

[lakev2]

The only place that concerns me is on the upper plates, I think I will add 1-2 bolts going down through the upper fenderwell.

On the lower mount on the passenger side it is backed with a 3/16" plate that is larger in surface area than the outter plate(prevents cracking when plate surfaces are not the same).

For the tire mounting plate, used another piece of 3/16" gusseted. removed the studs from the stock carrier. drilled the plate, pounded the studs in and tack welded them on 2 sides to hold them in place.

[4wheelinmike]

Ic ant do it like that. I have led tail lights that's why I need to goto the tailgate hindge. If I remember I'll take a pic of my back

[lakev2]

you can't put the mounting plates above/below the leds?

I could mount led's on the back of mine still if i wanted to.

I would not suggest using the tailgate hinges or the tailgate, I dont think they are strong enough.

[aw12345]

You can always use corner armor plates and built of those and use some backing plates on that. That way you kill 2 birds with one stone, strengthen the rear corners of the tub, you can weld your pivots on the armor if you like and it dissipates the load over a much larger area.

[platnumb4x]

Nice work Lakev2!

[4wheelinmike]

you can't put the mounting plates above/below the leds?

I could mount led's on the back of mine still if i wanted to.

I would not suggest using the tailgate hinges or the tailgate, I dont think they are strong enough.

My lights are from the truck stop. Actual built to fit and I did it before I started fabbing and I've been kicking myself in the ass eversince I started fabbing and wanting to build a carrier