Hitch mounted tire carrier

[Seanz0rz]

tubing is 2 x 2 x 3/16

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/tire%20carrier/IMG_0765.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/tire%20carrier/IMG_0766.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/tire%20carrier/IMG_0767.jpg
using a 3/4 inch grade 8 bolt. the metal will fail far before that bolt will...

going to try and get the release pin part completed tonight, and the tire arm done tomorrow. im going to pick up some wheel studs and carefully drill the plate and push the studs in.

[2ndGen]

is it gonna open side ways or vertical?

i used a 3/8 bolt with metal sleeve cut to the full width of tubing and just a hair longer, a.) the bolt thread is protected by the sleeve, b.) when button down the bolt, the slightly longer sleeve works as a spacer so the joint won't be locked down solid.

[Seanz0rz]

it will fold down, just like yours. im kind of using yours as a very rough template.

got the mount to secure it vertically. will drill the hole tomorrow. im unable to get tubing at the moment, this tubing i already had around, just had to buy the bolt. i will probably sleeve it at a later date, and i have a good idea of how im going to do that.

im off to go get some wheel studs to press in tomorrow. the bottom half is done, top will be finished tomorrow! im trying to get that stupid full size spare out of my truck, im sick of smelling tire, and it just gets worse as the temp goes up.

[Seanz0rz]

so this is as far as i got tonight:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/tire%20carrier/IMG_0768.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/tire%20carrier/IMG_0769.jpg

the horizontal pieces will be cut flush with the tube that holds the tire.
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/tire%20carrier/IMG_0770.jpg

between the two vertical tubes, there will be a rubber pad to help reduce vibration.
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/tire%20carrier/IMG_0771.jpg

this is as far as it extends down. ill be making a more substantial stop for it.
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/tire%20carrier/IMG_0773.jpg

ill be welding a plate to the top of the short riser as a step, cover it in friction tape. got my studs, so ill be working on the tire mount tomorrow.

[Scuba]

Ermm, What is it :headscratch: JKJK

Ill wait till it comes together more, Looks nice for the moment though..:D


:bling:

[2ndGen]

your welds are lot better. i can see you have a lot of grinding work to do when the welding is done.

[Seanz0rz]

pics are kinda light, been more worried about doing it, and doing it right, than taking pics as i go.

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/tire%20carrier/IMG_0774.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/tire%20carrier/IMG_0775.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/tire%20carrier/IMG_0776.jpg

got the studs pressed in, half inch hole and a dremel to widen them out a bit worked perfectly. center of the tire is about even with the "4runner" badge on the license plate recess.

as for the welds, just looking for massive penetration and strength. i dont care too much if they are pretty or not!

should be "finished" with the fab work today.

[corax]

i will probably sleeve it at a later date, and i have a good idea of how im going to do that.


http://www.diy4x.com/suspension.htm

scroll 4/5 of the way down - $13.50 for greasable DOM sleaves with a poly bushing and bolt for the hinge

*edit* never mind, looks like you're already mostly done . . .

[Seanz0rz]

got the gusset done:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/tire%20carrier/IMG_0781.jpg

found out mild steel doesnt like to hold the studs too well, so i tacked em in.
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/tire%20carrier/IMG_0782.jpg

heres what i got done earlier this morning on the receiver piece. rounded the corners:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/tire%20carrier/IMG_0777.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/tire%20carrier/IMG_0778.jpg

do you think i should weld in these spots along the tube?
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/tire%20carrier/IMG_0780.jpg

waiting for it to cool so i can mount it on the tire, and mock up a 3rd stud. i mocked it up on the truck earlier, DAMN she looks good!!!

[04 Rocko Taco]

I would at least put a little 1" bead in the center of the area where the horizontal channels meet the vertical tube, but I wouldnt say you need to fully weld that side...

[Seanz0rz]

thanks chris. ill do my best to get my tip in there and weld it up.

so heres a short update, and ill edit this with pictures later.

it was on the truck for a while tonight. finished the third mounting point. its not the prettiest thing in the world, but its strong as hell, and im happy with it. got some plates to weld up on the receiver portion.

i need to get a longer pin and a longer bolt too. i miscalculated on the length needed. carrier is pretty easy to fold up and lower. i remember a thread a while ago discussing how to tighten up tube in the receiver. ill have to search for it, but does anyone have any bright ideas? i was thinking axe wedges? there is alot of movement in that receiver.

pictures:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/tire%20carrier/IMG_0784.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/tire%20carrier/IMG_0785.jpg


so im tired, sore, and i get to get up and start again tomorrow. i ran my flap wheels down to the backing, so i have to pick up a couple in the morning, otherwise id still be grinding!!!

[4x4mike]

Here ya go. It's been working great.

http://www.ultimateyota.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=26&topic=6041.0

[Seanz0rz]

THANKS!!!! mike!!!

ill pick up some bolts tomorrow, wonder what taps i have lying around...

[2ndGen]

sean,

that rattle has a very very simple fix. on the horizontal tubing which goes into the receiver, run two wide beads about 1 inch long, one on top, one on the side. of course with the beads just like that the tubing wont be able to go in, grind down the beads little by little till they get snug. that's IT. my carrier never gave me a rattle during the 2100 mile long haul. if it get loose again, just a tad of bead on top, grind it down.

[Scuba]

Looks great sean !!


:bling:

[4x4mike]

i ran my flap wheels down to the backing, so i have to pick up a couple in the morning,

I always have regular disks around. I feel they work much better and last a lot longer.

[Seanz0rz]

i typically dont use them. a few, (ok like 6 or 7) years ago, i tore the muscle in my right hand. it gets pretty hard to hold on to the grinder with just a cutting disk, so the rotational inertia of that big, thick, heavy disk is just too much to be comfortable using. one reason ill probably never have a 7 inch grinder, although that kind of cutting depth would be nice...

[Seanz0rz]

so im finished with this project. for now the license plate is ziptied to the wheel. i will come up with a more permanent mounting point later. (basically i ran out of time and just cant do it right now, maybe while im at school) i will have to go and find a lighting solution for it, i was thinking looking in the ricer isle at autozone for some white LED lights. if they arent too much ill buy em, otherwise ill build my own.

im very happy with the outcome, it needs some little things here and there, and i dont like the pin im using, but its all i could find that would work for now. i think i will have to special order a solution from mcmaster or something. homedepot and lowes are failing me.

picture time!

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/tire%20carrier/IMG_0788.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/tire%20carrier/IMG_0790.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/tire%20carrier/IMG_0791.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/tire%20carrier/IMG_0793.jpg
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/tire%20carrier/IMG_0794.jpg

here you can see my solution to the wobble in the receiver:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/tire%20carrier/IMG_0792.jpg

and with the license plate ziptied:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/tire%20carrier/IMG_0795.jpg

[corax]

:thumbup: Looks good Sean

[2ndGen]

looks good, man!! needs a light for the tag to make it street legal, thou.

[Seanz0rz]

yep, plan was to pick up supplies tonight but that just didnt happen, long story. will do that tomorrow. i drive alot at night so it has to be done!

so living with it for 1/4 a day, i already want to change some stuff... updates to come.

[4x4mike]

What are your plans for security?

[2ndGen]

i see he got a lockable hitch pin already. a cheapo autozone wheellock will do the trick just fine.

[Seanz0rz]

yep, going down to get some wheel locks tomorrow. im not having some idiot walk away with over 300 bucks worth of tire and wheel...

tony, what did you use to light up your plate?

[4x4mike]

yep, going down to get some wheel locks tomorrow

I see you also have a locking hitch pin but what about the bolt? Can't you just unbolt it and pull the pin?

[Bob98SR5]

sean,

looking good. hey, you are getting slag because you are welding on dirty metal. if you have a dremel tool w/ discs, all you need to do is grind out a thin line where the metal you wish to weld. it makes 100% of a difference on your welds, especially if you are pushing vs pulling.

[Seanz0rz]

bolt has red locktite on it, and requires a 1 1/8" socket, cant get an adjustable wrench on it either, not too worried about people taking it off. as for the pin to keep it up, im thinking about getting a locking one so no kids pull the pin out and leave it for the tire to fall.

thanks for the tips on welding bob. i cleaned up some of the metal, but didnt clean it all. i was just aiming for strength here, and im pretty sure i got it. i had to chop one of the welds and i got LOTS of penetration. so im happy with it. might not be pretty but its effective.

one more thing, i made a plate to go between the wheel and the mount. do you think i should use it, or leave it off? it doesnt fit perfectly, but its ok. i was going to add it to strengthen it up and have a level surface for the wheel, but im not sure i need it.

[2ndGen]

your wheel fork has plenty of meat, don't worry, mine was made of .120 wall tubing, 2/3 thickness of yours.

as for the light, shouldn't be more than $10, a standard trailer light housing, and a standard 4-wire trailer plug. just plug it into the trailer connector.

this is a mock up of mine, now it's a lot nicer, but you got the idea. putting the tag on the tire is an easy fix, but i decided to move it to under the tire because when i need to get the spare, i don't need to touch the license plate and light at all.
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w38/tonniechengca/spare/P1000817.jpg
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w38/tonniechengca/spare/P1000812.jpg
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w38/tonniechengca/spare/DSC03005.jpg

remember, you just need to have a light, how light it lit up the tag, it doesn't matter as long as the light itself is DOT approved, cops can't give you crap.

[Seanz0rz]

cool! yeah i think if i have time this weekend, ill make a more permanant mount, i was just going to ziptie the light in place for the time being anyway. all breakaway easily, etc.

[2ndGen]

sean,

i'm always wondering, of your tow hitch, is there a way to reverse the crossmember, makes the receiver tube sitting on top, this way, your departing angle is gonna be improved big time.
i can see it now the crossmember is bolted on each side, unbolt it, flip it over and weld it back sold.

[Seanz0rz]

yep, the bolts are symmetrical, so the flip is easy, just have to cut the bumper. its something i have considered doing, and might. if i do that ill cut my tube shorter to lower the tire. i planned for that and the retaining pin location can be drilled out to accept the lower bolt, and a new pin hole drilled.

[DHC6twinotter]

Sean, you may be able to find a license plate holder and light off an FJ40. Several people on ih8mud have gone that route on their tire carriers.

[Seanz0rz]

i was thinking of tracking one down from a 2nd gen 4runner with the tire carrier. thats what ill eventually use when i build a full rear bumper.

i just got back from buying wheel locks, and apparently suck at looking at the sizes, i read the package 3 times to make sure it said M12x1.5 and instead ended up taking home m14x1.5... go figure... haha

im thinking about just screwing the license plate to the bumper.

[Seanz0rz]

so here is my solution for my license plate:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/tire%20carrier/IMG_0800.jpg

5 bucks at autozone got my a black plastic universal mount. i tried screwing it into the steel tube, but that just didnt work out, so:
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m141/hamiltoncomputers/tire%20carrier/IMG_0801.jpg

who ever said you cant fix things with zipties is a liar!

the light is an LED one i got at autozone as well, i think it was 15, but i had a coupon/gift card so it was free for me! its VERY bright, i put some black tape over most of the lens to keep it from glowing towards the rear, so now it just shines straight down on the plate. ran the wire down the tube, through the receiver tube and to a trailer connector and into my vehicle side trailer connector.

[glenyoshida]

Nice job! Gotta hand it to you Sean, you get it done. Your can do attitude is really paying off. I bet this project went a lot faster and the weld beads easier right? I'm so slow that if it were me doing the project I'd still be thinking about getting started.

[Seanz0rz]

yeah, thicker material is easier to work with. i just looked at specifically 2ndgen's design, took what i liked from it, and went with it!