Newbie to UY - tire carrier modification help requested

[pray4surf]

Hi all...

New to Ultimate Yota (this is my first post) but familiar with other toyota/offroad forums. I use the same name everywhere - I see some familiar names already...

Quick Overview - 98 Tacoma 2.7L/AT Prerunner converted to IFS 4WD. I'm sure many of you have seen pics and read about my build on other forums...

What I'm hoping to gain by posting here is some help/advice/suggestions for mounting a swing-a-way tire carrier off a 2nd gen 4Runner onto my Tacoma...

Initially, I'm trying to confirm that the 4Runners that came with the swing-a-way carrier did or did not come with any extra bracing behind the right-rear corner. Was anything added to relieve the added strain of mounting the carrier to the sheet metal above/below the light assembly?

I fully understand the 4Runner's back end is structuraly stronger than the tacos - Whereas the 4Runner is fully 'boxed' with body/sheetmetal, the taco bed is open on top (a U-shape). I believe that I can account for this and strengthen the back end of the taco bed with bedside stiffeners and a bed bar that connects the tops of the two bedsides just forward of the tailgate...

I know that many of you will suggest bulding a tire carrier off the rear bumper, rather than frankenstiening on the 4Runner tire carrier. But I'd prefer to hear your solutions/thoughts/bright ideas towards installing the 4Runner carrier - Thanks!

And to thank you for your reading this lengthy first post. Here is the most current picture of my truck

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q312/pray4surfadventures/RTT%20and%20rack/DSC01725.jpg

Just got done fabricating the custom bed rack and installing the RTT...

[AxleIke]

Tire carrier four runners were reinforced inside the body. with a taco bed, that should be pretty easy to accomplish.

The harder part is that the 4runners that came with the tire carrier had different tailgates. You'll need to fab something up that will allow it to latch to your tail gate.

Should be a cool project. Good luck!

[pray4surf]

Thanks Ike! With the tire carrier, I also got the latching plate that mounts to the tailgate. You are correct that the tailgates are different. On the 4Runners, there is a recessed area that doesn't exist on the taco tailgates. But I think the latching plate can easily be modified to fit the taco tailgate (just a little cutting and welding. Plus a backing plate under the tailgate sheetmetal.

That internal brace on the 4Runners, does anyone have a part number for that? or at a minimum some decent pictures of the brace?

Rick

[Bob98SR5]

rick,

i have a diagram and some pics *somewhere*. can you wait a few days? and if i forget, send me an email.

[corax]

That internal brace on the 4Runners, does anyone have a part number for that? or at a minimum some decent pictures of the brace?

Rick


IIRC you won't find a part number for the internal bracing as it was basically part of the rear 1/4 panel itself . . . more like a sandwich of metal (laminate construction) with the edges rolled/flanged for bending strength. I have seen a few threads where someone built their own bracing on 4runners to retrofit a factory swing out, but I can't remember where

Oh yeah, welcome to UY . . . I was just reading about your new bed rack the other day, good job on it :thumbup:

[pray4surf]

rick,

i have a diagram and some pics *somewhere*. can you wait a few days? and if i forget, send me an email.


Of course I can... :)

[pray4surf]

IIRC you won't find a part number for the internal bracing as it was basically part of the rear 1/4 panel itself . . . more like a sandwich of metal (laminate construction) with the edges rolled/flanged for bending strength. I have seen a few threads where someone built their own bracing on 4runners to retrofit a factory swing out, but I can't remember where

Oh yeah, welcome to UY . . . I was just reading about your new bed rack the other day, good job on it :thumbup:


So, that reinforcing would be there whether or not the 4Runner came with the swing-a-way tire carrier? I would guess not, due to other 4Runners retrofitting the tire carrier.

I've found a few forum posts (YotaTech) that addressed this modification and have bookmarked those threads for reference.

Seems to me that reinforcing the entire rear of the bed may be more important than the reinforcing of the sheetmetal on that corner. (other than some thicker backing material to prevent the fasteners from pulling through)... I'd be very interested in finding out if that (factory) internal bracing is physically attached to something other than the sheetmetal skin :dunno:

Thanks for the feedback - much appreciated...

Rick

[Seanz0rz]

the skin on the body of a 4runner is much more structural than the skin of your bed side. tacomas have been known to develop bed side separation, especially in the presence of a heavy camper shell for example. i would be worried you are putting too great of a force on that bed side.

if i were to use the stock toyota carrier, id want to attach it to some tubing that bolted directly to the frame and was somewhat independent of the body.

[corax]

IIRC you won't find a part number for the internal bracing as it was basically part of the rear 1/4 panel itself . . . more like a sandwich of metal (laminate construction) with the edges rolled/flanged for bending strength. I have seen a few threads where someone built their own bracing on 4runners to retrofit a factory swing out, but I can't remember where

Oh yeah, welcome to UY . . . I was just reading about your new bed rack the other day, good job on it :thumbup:


So, that reinforcing would be there whether or not the 4Runner came with the swing-a-way tire carrier? I would guess not, due to other 4Runners retrofitting the tire carrier.

I've found a few forum posts (YotaTech) that addressed this modification and have bookmarked those threads for reference.

Seems to me that reinforcing the entire rear of the bed may be more important than the reinforcing of the sheetmetal on that corner. (other than some thicker backing material to prevent the fasteners from pulling through)... I'd be very interested in finding out if that (factory) internal bracing is physically attached to something other than the sheetmetal skin :dunno:

Thanks for the feedback - much appreciated...

Rick








Unless I'm mistaken, the reinforcement was only there on 4runners equipped with the factory swing out, otherwise they didn't bother, and I think it was spot welded . . .this is all based on what I read/remember from looking at a 2nd gen in a junkyard.

The separation might not be much of a big deal since the carrier won't be exerting any forces to pull the bedside out, mostly a front-to-back force while bouncing on the road . . . a bit of side-to-side depending on the trail, but the latch might limit that to a degree . . . builder beware I guess. You could also put in a corner/prerunner style brace in that side. Similar to this but connect the diagonal to the upper swingout pivot and maybe a steeper angle:
http://www.titantalk.com/forums/attachments/titan-pictures-media-post/71525d1231561097-d-i-y-spare-tire-rack-bed-brace-4.jpg

PS: I'm sure you already saw THIS THREAD (http://yotatech.com/f2/4runner-swing-out-tire-carrier-can-attached-tacoma-168598/)
*edit* just saw you actually posted in that thread :P


.

[DHC6twinotter]

Welcome!

Neat idea here. One question I had though, how much taller are the taco tail lights? From taking a quick look at the picture below, the tire carrier hinges on the 4Runner look pretty close to the top and bottom of the tail light.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u216/NateFrame69/1991%204Runner/Yota051.jpg

Are the taco lights taller?

[Seanz0rz]

that picture makes me miss our 1990 green 4runner sooo much!!!

[slosurfer]

Here's the exploded view of the carrier and its parts. It doesn't appear to have the added structure parts listed, so it's possible that it is added in at the factory and not really an actual part with a number. I'll see if it shows up on another page.

http://www.toyodiy.com/parts/p_U_1990_TOYOTA_4RUNNER_VZN130L-GKMGEA_5153.2.html

[slosurfer]

Okay, here's another interesting one:

http://www.toyodiy.com/parts/p_U_1990_TOYOTA_4RUNNER_VZN130L-GKMGEA_6151.html

Look at this specifically: Notice that the piece is different between those with or without the tire

61031 EXTENSION SUB-ASSY, QUARTER PANEL, REAR LOWER RH
61031-89101 RN13*, VZN13*..JPP 1 $316.14
61031-89102 VZN13*..JPP; W(10.5R15 7JJ TIRE) 1 $316.14
61031-89102 VZN13*..JPP; W(10.5R15 7JJ TIRE) 1 $316.14

[pray4surf]

Okay, here's another interesting one:

http://www.toyodiy.com/parts/p_U_1990_TOYOTA_4RUNNER_VZN130L-GKMGEA_6151.html

Look at this specifically: Notice that the piece is different between those with or without the tire

61031 EXTENSION SUB-ASSY, QUARTER PANEL, REAR LOWER RH
61031-89101 RN13*, VZN13*..JPP 1 $316.14
61031-89102 VZN13*..JPP; W(10.5R15 7JJ TIRE) 1 $316.14
61031-89102 VZN13*..JPP; W(10.5R15 7JJ TIRE) 1 $316.14



Great Chris! That's got to be the item :O Prolly get that out of a junked 4Runner, just drill out the spot welds as needed.

As for DHC6's question, I've held the carrier up to the tail of the truck and its as fits great! I already have the carrier and it is sitting there mocking me :)

My conceptual build plans include 1/4" plate bracing the bottom and sides of the bed. .120 1" tube bed stiffeners (similar to picture post #8 (thanks Corax)). Then a bolt on bed bar of similar tube material spanning the bed rails. This should/would help transmit any forces across the entire bed and not just the right rear corner. The factory latch seems pretty snug fitting and won't allow to much movement I'm hoping. I don't plan on having much more than the tire on it. Hi-Lift and water/gas already have spots in the bed.

Hey! thanks alot guys... The help is much appreciated :thumpsup: