Anyone Tried This Tire Carrier?

[mysticzt4r]

Has anyone tried the Wilco tire carrier that mounts to your hitch and also has a swing out built into it.

Here is the link: http://www.tiregate.com/hg.shtml

[BruceTS]

I like that design, I guess I know what my next version is gonna be similar to.......

[amgraham]

That is a good looking design but, dang, $700 will normally get you close to a full on bumper with tire carrier.

[mysticzt4r]

I like that design, I guess I know what my next version is gonna be similar to.......


Bruce,

Are you making any 4th gen bumper tire carrier?

[ecchamberlin]

In the pics it is hard to tell how it all works. You slide it into your 2" rec'r hitch but it still has a the ability to tow a trailer?

Bruce, I think this could be adapted for use on your bumpers pretty easily yes?

[BruceTS]

Should fit my bumper without any modifications, when I get some time I'll build one to test.

[ecchamberlin]

Do you see what I mean about the hitch being used to hold this thing but still allows for a trailer? How?

[ecchamberlin]

Never mind I see how they did it.

http://tiregate.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=1169

Although doing it this way with our hitches in the bumper plain it would not allow you to open the hatch. Has to be another way. I totally dig the way the tighten the male end into the rec'r hitch. Just like a Bicycle neck type of idea.

[Robinhood4x4]

I don't know, looks kinda goofy to me because of how far it sticks out. Looks like there's a good foot of gap between the tire and the tailgate.

[ecchamberlin]

More I think about this the more I am of the opinion that it is not so great for what I do.

I already have crappy departure angle and drag my rear bumper. Which is not a big deal anymore since Bruce made me a real bumper. HAha

[slosurfer]

Mystic, over at toyota120, JohnD (he was at pismo) has one of those. He worked directly with the company and had some changes made to work better with the 4th gen 4runner. He also got a much better deal on it. He has a thread about it over there. He has taken it through John Bull up at Big Bear, while he did hit it a few times, it never hung up, and it was thought that it actually protected his bumper in some cases.

I looked at it at Pismo and it was very nice and I don't remember his sticking out as far as the ones pictured on the website. I would pm John and get his thoughts. I believe he is also a member here and it would be cool if he could post his thoughts here also.

[tacoclimber]

Kinda off the subject, but sorta not:
Can I source a hinge similar to what is used on that should I decide to try to make something similar? Could I find that at a steel supply shop?

I'm still working out designs, but I do want a swing-out tire carrier on whatever I do.

[Good Times]

kartek sells delrin hinges. I'm using a few of those and they're pretty nice :)

I've also seen some fabricators use heim joints too (so that opens up some possibilities). Just need to make sure you buy the right hardware.

[RobG]

Here is the hinge that I am going to use http://www.4x4labs.com/products/index.html

Good Times do you have any more information on these delrin Hinges, maybe a picture?

[bamachem]

i'm not a fan of it.

after having a spare hanging out back for ~1 year, if i had it to do over again, i would have found a way to store it under the rear cargo area with a new spare tire winch crossmember and not had it hanging out back.

if you poll members who have had spares out back, at some point, usually after 6-12 months of use, decide that it's not as good of an idea as it originally was and go back to some other means of storage.

[RobG]

after having a spare hanging out back for ~1 year, if i had it to do over again, i would have found a way to store it under the rear cargo area with a new spare tire winch crossmember and not had it hanging out back.


I totally agree with that. I like the spare underneath and the unhindered access to the tailgate, but that leaves a choice between carrying a full size spare on the back or an undersized spare underneath.

Edited to remove hijack

[tacoclimber]

Lance, you're running your spare off the back, right? What's your thoughts on it? I can see where Andy's coming from, but what's your point of view?

Actually, I should pm Scott Brady and ask him, since I'm thinking of doing something along the lines of what he's got....

Anyway, back to the topic on hand. :D

[Good Times]

delrin hinge:

http://www.kartek.com/prod-windows/all/fab/prm-delrin-ba.jpg

mounting is similar to shock mounts as it's traditionally used in suspension applications.

Tires in the back do get in the way. It's another obstacle you need to move when you need to access the cabin so thumbs down there. Tire in the back also reduces your departure angle and the darn tire does eat up your back window.

For me, I really had no choice as moving up to 35's meant that I can't fit them in the bottom anyway so the choice for me was simple as I needed a spare of the same size (which came in handy a bunch of times from boo boo's on the trail). Throwing a tire carrier in the back does have it's benefits as you can free up the bottom to add an additional fuel tank (something I'm considering) or a water tank (something else I'm considering). It also gives you room to add additional fuel cans or anything else next to the tire.

Designing a tire carrier that is effective will be difficult to do. I'm working on a different design right now and hope to have it done one of these days (lol) so we'll see. The good thing is that I have it built to make it detachable so if I don't want the added weight back there I can always throw the tire in the cabin :)

If there was a poll I'd say most wouldn't want a tire carrier except for those that explorer a lot and need every space possible for other amenities.

[tacoclimber]

Excellent post, Lance, thanks. That gives me food for thought. One of the reasons I'm leaning towards a bumper mount carrier is so I can eventually put in an aux. fuel cell. But I want as much room in the bed as possible. So, we'll see.

Thanks again for your thoughts. :thumbup:

[Good Times]

Have you looked into this? http://tiregate.com/

That gives you the ability to either go outside or inside depending on how you set it up. Might be a good alternative :)