Several times I have posted about the mods to my stock tire carrier. The mods were done to:
1) Allow a 31-33" tire to be carried.
2) Increase ground clearance under the tire
3) Prevent the tire from catching when dropping off of ledges
4) Prevent the latch from catching and opening the carrier
5) Give me a good and well protected spot to carry my Hi-Lift.
I like the stock carrier a lot. It is mounted at three widely spaced points to distribute the load and provide stability. After you put large washers under the ball joints that it pivots on so the cant possibly pull out and beef up the upper body mount with heavier metal that covers a larger area it is very very strong. I have dropped off many ledges onto the skid plate attached to the carrier and have been hit hard (one guy was going 20+) in the rear twice with absolutely no damage. Totaled out both cars that hit me. Note that I use the stock bumper with the center mount latch.
Here is a picture of the carrier with mods:
As you can see I cut the "box" on a 45, flipped it and welded it back on. This gave about 7" of increased height. I then put a plate over the back of the new box and welded it to the upper bar of the carrier. Very stout. For a skid I just welded a gusset to the center post of the carrier and then a plate with a lip on the end (lip for stiffness) from the bottom bar of carrier up using the plate as a gusset to reinforce it. The plate got bent when I backed up HARD into a boulder. Both cars the rear ended me got driven down under my rig by this plate which destroyed them in most spectacular fashion while I just drove away.
Here is a picture of the flipped latch assembly. This is really important to do.
All the stock latch parts were used, the handle is just rotated 180 degree.
Here is the lower Hi-Ligt mount. Its just a piece of small channel form Home Depot with a couple of holes drilled and bolts welded in. I put a shock bushing over each bolt so the Hi-Lift is cushioned.
Here is the upper high lift mount. Same deal, HD channel, a bolt, a shock bushing and a wing nut. I drilled a saftey wire hole in one ear of the wing nut and run a length of saftey wire up through the holes in the high lift to make sure it wont come off.
The high lift just drops down onto the two lower studs (there are already holes in the hi-lift pad) then its pressed back over the top stud and the wing nut tightened. Jack is easy to access and well up out of the way.
Now I can just link to this post next time some one asks about OEM carriers.
John
1) Allow a 31-33" tire to be carried.
2) Increase ground clearance under the tire
3) Prevent the tire from catching when dropping off of ledges
4) Prevent the latch from catching and opening the carrier
5) Give me a good and well protected spot to carry my Hi-Lift.
I like the stock carrier a lot. It is mounted at three widely spaced points to distribute the load and provide stability. After you put large washers under the ball joints that it pivots on so the cant possibly pull out and beef up the upper body mount with heavier metal that covers a larger area it is very very strong. I have dropped off many ledges onto the skid plate attached to the carrier and have been hit hard (one guy was going 20+) in the rear twice with absolutely no damage. Totaled out both cars that hit me. Note that I use the stock bumper with the center mount latch.
Here is a picture of the carrier with mods:
As you can see I cut the "box" on a 45, flipped it and welded it back on. This gave about 7" of increased height. I then put a plate over the back of the new box and welded it to the upper bar of the carrier. Very stout. For a skid I just welded a gusset to the center post of the carrier and then a plate with a lip on the end (lip for stiffness) from the bottom bar of carrier up using the plate as a gusset to reinforce it. The plate got bent when I backed up HARD into a boulder. Both cars the rear ended me got driven down under my rig by this plate which destroyed them in most spectacular fashion while I just drove away.
Here is a picture of the flipped latch assembly. This is really important to do.
All the stock latch parts were used, the handle is just rotated 180 degree.
Here is the lower Hi-Ligt mount. Its just a piece of small channel form Home Depot with a couple of holes drilled and bolts welded in. I put a shock bushing over each bolt so the Hi-Lift is cushioned.
Here is the upper high lift mount. Same deal, HD channel, a bolt, a shock bushing and a wing nut. I drilled a saftey wire hole in one ear of the wing nut and run a length of saftey wire up through the holes in the high lift to make sure it wont come off.
The high lift just drops down onto the two lower studs (there are already holes in the hi-lift pad) then its pressed back over the top stud and the wing nut tightened. Jack is easy to access and well up out of the way.
Now I can just link to this post next time some one asks about OEM carriers.
John
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