Tire carrier issues - READ IF YOU HAVE A SWING OUT CARRIER!!

[Frank Z]

While loading up to go to Eagle Rock this morning I noticed a crack where my rear bumper mounts to my XJ. I made sure not to pull anyone with the rear tow points today...good thing too. This is what I found when I yanked the bumper late this afternoon. Take a close look at the top two bolt holes, notice anything funky?

I've already started repairs. The 2x4x.25" wall box tubing will get cut flush and have a piece of 1/4" plate added to one side.


I'll drill and tap holes for multiple bolts and add a piece of .25" plate to the back to beef up the mounting points and distribute the weight better.
A 33" spare and two five gallon gas cans are the cause. Lesson learned....add more steel.

FWIW, I'm open to suggestions before I get to far into my repairs.

[troy6187]

the mounting points for the bumper should include atleast the first two bolts on each side for a hitch. the factory points are not en0ough to even use for recovery let alone to hold the weight of a tire and gas cans.

[Frank Z]

You are correct sir, and I had a brace on both sides that came with the bumper when I bought it from Off-Road Technologies.

I'll be adding some beefier ones as a part of this repair.

Good point though.

[MYXJ22]

Same exact thing happened to me. I figured it was a combination of over tightening the bolts causing the welded nuts to try and pull through to come flush with the aftermarket bumper arms and the stress of a 35" spare. My bumper also had some braces that utilized the first two holes where a receiver hitch would mount but that still didnt help. I sold the bumper and am currently waiting for my Rigidco to come in. The rigidco uses so many different mounting points that those eight wont really bear a whole lot of weight. As for the fix, I drilled small holes at the end of each crack and I'm welding them up thanks to some advice I received from some rear bumper manufacturers. Heres a pic of how bad mine was.

http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n...t=IMG_0105.jpg

http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n...t=IMG_0104.jpg

[Frank Z]

I'll definetly be stop-drilling the cracks and welding them up. Those cracks look a little worse than mine, not by much though.

[Jeepin Jason]

wow! I'll be sure to check my rig when I get home. My C4x4 rear bumper uses the stock mounting points plus the rear two hitch bolts. I've got a rear hitch too though, so my bumper doesn't see any stress from recovery, just the weight of the spare, and hitting the corners on rocks.

[53guy]

Whose bumper were you using?

[Kittrell]

Originally Posted by 53guy

Whose bumper were you using?

Not Rigid Co's...........

You suck Frank, something is always breaking on that thing............

[53guy]

Originally Posted by 91 Jeep Project

Not Rigid Co's...........

I wasn't going to say that!! But seriously, I don't think Terry's design will have issues. I'm pulling the end caps here in the next few weeks to get the high cleance ones and I'll take a look to see if I've got the same sorta thing. Doubt it, but I'll look.

[Kittrell]

Originally Posted by 53guy

I wasn't going to say that!! But seriously, I don't think Terry's design will have issues. I'm pulling the end caps here in the next few weeks to get the high cleance ones and I'll take a look to see if I've got the same sorta thing. Doubt it, but I'll look.

Nothing like it out there. It's some serious reinforcement. I'll get on the waiting list one of these days

[Frank Z]

Originally Posted by 53guy

Whose bumper were you using?

Off-Road Technologies

[Frank Z]

Got a few things taken care of today.
Stop-drilled the cracks and welded the cracks. Ground the welds too, but no pic of that.


Welded up some beelier mounts to fit into the channel shown above. The small pieces next to it are going to be on forward portion of the rear panel.


Note hole that the rear leaf spring bolt will go through, it's a clearance hole only.


Still need to drill some holes and fabricate a nut-plate for the drivers side, it will be tack welded inside the 2x4 tube for the bolts that come up from the bottom.

[Frank Z]

Originally Posted by 91 Jeep Project

You suck Frank, something is always breaking on that thing............

Cuz I wheel it....

[JohnR]

Whoah! 2x4" rec. tubing fits in the rear chassis rail? How far in does it go? I have 20-some feet in the backyard after making a flatbed for a friend's truck, and was planning on plating the rails with 4.5" tube with the top cut off (as most people do, i think?). Anyhow. how far in can you put the 2x4" in the rear? I'd love to stick 2-3' into the rail in rear, plugweld it up, then plate the outside with another 1/4". Make DAMN sure the rear is strong enough as a recovery point. If you could check Frank, it would be much appreciated.

[Frank Z]

6" on the drivers side, after that there's a pass-through for the gas line. I cut the passenger side a little longer (7"). I also welded a piece of 1/4" plate to the 4" side of the 2x4 for a better fit.
I'll have a few more pics later.