Tire Carrier Latch

[lax17]

nice job

 

[ruggedjeep]

fugin sweet.. I know what im doing next weekend.. No more busting knuckles opening and closing the swing arm... Thanks for write-up

 

[53guy]

Any time dude. Pass this write up along to anyone you know who's got a Rigid Co bumper with swing arm!

 

[ChuckstrPT]

You went with the right product there. That's the same catch I've got on my BulletProof bumper, that I bought used probably 2 years ago, and is likely 5-6 years old. It's stainless, no rust, and no rattle. Never. I don't think you will be disappointed. And Damn...you do good work. It's a shame I'm not in VA.... but there are a few of you people floating around here, huh?:wave:

 

[fatwreck]

Nice job on the redesign! I think you probably could have made it a little less complicated.....but it turned out great and you're happy....so, that is all that counts.

I'm sure there are a bunch of people that really appreciate you posting the pics/writeup.

 

[53guy]

I think I have some strange ability that allows me to make easy things super complicated......or seem so. The design really is very simple, but takes a bit of explaining. It took us maybe 2 hours to do everything. But you also have to realize that it's not a light tire carrier either. The swing arm alone is probably 30-35 lbs and add a 35x12.50 tire and high lift jack, its pretty darned heavy, so it couldn't be a shotty redesign either or I'd be having a lawsuit down the road because my swing arm took out some little honda on the highway when it broke off, ya know?

 

[FitchVA]

=) Thanks man, knew ya would! When are you gonna order yours?!

lol, i need to go ahead and order it so i can get it before the jeep has 200k miles on it

 

[53guy]

Ok, so I got this email from Terry at Rigid Co today. Thought I'd do a bit of self recognition for myself, Nick Green, and Charles "Randy" Creel, Jr. Figured that once it gets out there, it'll just be known as "Terry's bumper", so yeah, WE HELPED!!

Here is the email that I got from Terry today.........

Hi Nick,

Thanks for solving a problem that we worked on for about 6 months - until we gave up on over-center & eccentric latches. We were under a lot of pressure to introduce the rear bumper and customers seemed to be willing to put up with the 'tie-down' style. The key to solving the latch problem seems to be the latch itself - I think you've come across a much better latch than we tested.

From MacMaster's drawing and your modification, I've already started to draw up a new swing-arm end design.

I also just ordered a couple to work with. We've put a hold on our current orders until we've had a chance to build up and test.

Oh by the way, thanks for the excellent pictures - they're great.

Let me know if there's anything we can do for you - we owe you a bunch!

Terry at RIGID

 

[non-stick]

Way to go man!!! I'll email this to Randy, He'll get a kick out of it.

Nice to see a vendor take the recommendations of their customers and do more tnah "consider" them.

Good job again to you, Randy, and Terry.

 

[FitchVA]

that's awesome. you should slip terry my name and addy - tell him i'll test it out for him ...he just needs to put my name 1st on his looooooong list

 

[53guy]

I sent this to Terry explaining a bit of my theory. All you math wizards dont come bursting my bubble quite yet!!! I'm quite pleased with the way it turned out and I'm confident that the "figures" are somewhat correct. Although, if I'm totally off, yeah, let me know, lol, that'd be nice to know.

As far as the latch goes, I used the 2000lb type latch and had to grind the latch down a lot to get it to work correctly because of the angle that it needs to work at. I can shoot you a few pictures, showing you exactally where we cut and what we did, so that there is less "guess work" for you all. I've driven it all week and its definately MUCH tighter and doesn't seem to shake as much. I still think I need to move the swing arm stop further aft as I'm at the bottom of the threads on the latch U-bolt though. A pointer.....you're not gonna get a perfect 90 degree angle with the swing arm unless you incorporate the catch into the stop. If you can't do that, you will have to pivot the 90 degree angel a few degrees to the left, however, you still need to keep the latch base parallel to the swing arm, so that's where I had to grind it down. Just let me know what you think, and if you'd like any other pictures for further reference.



Also, I really firmly believe that you will need to put the latch at an angle similar to what I have, so that instead of pulling parallel to the ground, it will pull at a 45 or less degree angle depending on the weight of the tire and accessories on the swing arm. I guess the best way to explain this is that the latch needs to control the momentum of the tire/swing arm when going over bumps as well as hold the swing arm tight to the swing arm stop. Thus the need for either two latches (not really a great idea) or a single, very strong latch capable of controlling the momentum on two different planes. I don't have the figures, however, at a 45 degree angle, my theory is that the latch's strength is divided, evenly between both vertical and horizontal planes. So 1000lbs vertical, 1000lbs horizontal. Depending on how the latch is mounted, either more on the 90 degree side of 45 or more towards the 0 side of 45 should be determined by the planned weight to be used on the swing arm. If you're making a generic arm, I think 45 degrees is a safe bet, but because I carry more weight becasue of the 35" tire, I need more horizontal pull than vertical. I debated this both ways, saying to myself that I needed more vertical because I don't want it to bounce, but decided that horizontal was the way to go because the combination of a strong latch and a fixed hinge would be enough to control the vertical movement and that my real concern would be the forward/back motion caused by the leverage the tire has on the swing arm. Therefore, I went with the horizontal pull over the vertical. That's why my latch isn't perfectly at a 45, but more of a 35 or 40 degree angle. I haven't had the chance to prove this, but its working so far and I don't have the education to back my math up, so don't quote me on any of this.

 

[Gojeep]

I used to build swing a ways for the local Jeep dealer and thought long and hard about the same things and tried different angles as well. I did find that you do need more horizontal than vertical as the vertical has some or most of its support through the hinge already. You can even go completely horizontal on the pull if the arm is supported in a small channel section that is rubber lined with a opening out taper. I know you cannot do this with yours but is how the Kmar bars and others like it are done.

 

[non-stick]

The latch system on my tire carrier from C4x4 is a bit different, but a similar concept to what Gojeep just mentioned.

I mounts to the rear face of the bumper, as opposed to the top, and when it swings closed it is supported on a ramped tab. The latch , very similar to the one used here, only has to secure it forward/back. Even with a full 31' spare AND 5 gal. gas can, it never rattled, loosened, or gave me any trouble.

 

[XJack]

53guy,

I've got a Rigid front, and hadn't gotten the rear because of the latch. Nice work! I'm sold on it now.

I just looked over all the pics in your Fototime, and have some Q's.

Is the hinge greasable? sealed?

Also, is there anything to keep the swingarm locked open and not slamming shut?

Lastly - I see you're running 35's, can you close the carrier with the hatch open?

Just a few things I was wondering. TIA!

 

[RCP Phx]

We used the MCarr latch on my sons truck.But we thought the stamped steel "catch" was kinda cheesy.Built one up out of 2 pieces of overlapping flat stock welded together and then welded that to the bumper.

 

[53guy]

Is the hinge greasable? sealed?

Also, is there anything to keep the swingarm locked open and not slamming shut?

Lastly - I see you're running 35's, can you close the carrier with the hatch open?

-No, it is a stack of about 6 bearings that are sealed. I put grease on the bottom where the swing arm plate meets the bumper to make it swing easier, but some people like it harder to open for some reason, so I guess its all preference.

-Yes, there is a designed pin to be inserted when its closed and full open. I just don't use it, I'm too lazy. It requires you to drill holes where you want the pin to go and in which position you'd like it to be locked at.

-yes, you can close the swing arm with the tire on it and the hatch open, but my CB antenna kinda rubs on the hatch, so unless I'm hauling a crap load of 2x4's or something long like that, I really don't drive like that anyways. But yes, you can close it.

Hope that helps!! You won't be dissapointed with the bumper. Even with the latch problems, I loved it.

 

[53guy]

I just talked to Terry the other day and he has halted construction of all his rear bumpers so that he can start sending them out with the updated latch. I am pretty sure this only applies to the 1 part swing arm, not the two part (mid vehicle latch) bumpers. He is using the same latch that I am, the 2000 lb stainless steel latch from McMaster Carr. He is redesigning the stop and all that so it will be apparently a lot cleaner than my design, but hey, whatever works, right? I just know that everyone who had an order out for the rear bumpers, be expecting to get the new latch!

 

[Jeepsterboy101]

I just talked to Terry the other day and he has halted construction of all his rear bumpers so that he can start sending them out with the updated latch. I am pretty sure this only applies to the 1 part swing arm, not the two part (mid vehicle latch) bumpers. He is using the same latch that I am, the 2000 lb stainless steel latch from McMaster Carr. He is redesigning the stop and all that so it will be apparently a lot cleaner than my design, but hey, whatever works, right? I just know that everyone who had an order out for the rear bumpers, be expecting to get the new latch!

Glad I kept up with this thread. First, great work man! Terry was supposed to be finishing up my rear bumper within the month. I think I am going to give him a call tomorrow and ask about the latch though. I think I would rather have the new design for sure. Again, great work man!

 

[53guy]

Thanks! Yeah, I'm pretty sure I remember he told me that ALL bumpers from about a week ago on will have the new latch. So I'm sure that if he isn't finished, it'll be on there, you might just be delayed for a few weeks until he works the kinks out of his design.

 

[Jeepsterboy101]

Thanks! Yeah, I'm pretty sure I remember he told me that ALL bumpers from about a week ago on will have the new latch. So I'm sure that if he isn't finished, it'll be on there, you might just be delayed for a few weeks until he works the kinks out of his design.

Another two weeks wont hurt. I'll still give him a call just to make sure. Either way I still cant wait to get the bumper.