This is for making an accessory mount to the rear swing gate that comes factory on some of the 2nd gen 4runner/surfs. I needed a place to mount a spare fuel can for an upcoming Baja trip.
The goal was to make a mount that 1) works with the factory gate 2) cheap and doable by anyone 3) can be removed easily for spare wheel access 4) stout enough to carry the 40# diesel can.
Parts needed:
1 1/2" Merchant Coupling (aka Thread Protector. This is different than a typical coupling which is designed for actual piping service. These merchant couplings are not tapered, meaning they can be threaded on indefinitely.)
1' of 1 1/2" Pipe. (I used Sch. 80 A106 from work, but Sch. 40 would probably be fine too. Sch. 80 has more wall thickness after being threaded and gets my rec.)
4' of 3" x 1/4" flat stock
Keyed Padlock
Should be <$50 in material. Free if you're a pipefitter with access to scrap material.
Tools needed:
Welding machine (I used 6013 and 6011 weld rod. nothing special)
Basic hand tools
Drill
Anti-seize compound
Obtain the 1 1/2" merchant coupling first. Go to your home depot or menards and have them thread an 1 1/2" pipe very far. Thread the pipe so that the amount of the pipe sticking out past the dies (of the threading machine) is equal to the length of the merchant coupling. The idea is that the merchant coupling will thread on all the way that the pipe and end of the coupling are flush. Work with the guy until you get it right. If you've threaded the pipe the whole way, but the merchant coupling still does not spin on easily to flush, adjust the threader dies to cut the threads slightly deeper and run the already-cut pipe threads through again.
I bought a Wavian fuel can and the associated holder. I laid out the flat stock material that was to be welded to the fuel can holder. It resulted in an 'H' type frame. Bevel the pieces and weld out the 'H". Then weld the 'H' to the Wavian holder.
Below is what the inside of the swing gate looks like with the about 2 1/2" hole in the center of the spare wheel mount plate.
Below: Fit up the merchant coupling making sure everything is nice and square. Have most of the merchant coupling sticking out towards the inside of the gate. Leave enough coupling to the outside to comfortably run a fillet without melting/destroying the end of the coupling. You'll have about an 1/8" gap all the way around. Run your weld downhill.
Do not blow through the coupling while welding. You will be cutting it out to do it all over again if the coupling is destroyed. Have your amperage set right.
Below: Put the spare tire on and determine the spare tire plate to end-of-pipe distance so the rack clears the spare wheel/tire. I think my distance was 6 1/2". Thread the pipe all the way flush into the now-welded merchant coupling. Mark and cut your pipe to length. Then weld the pipe square to the center of the back of your 'H' piece and test fit. Make sure this weld is nice and meaty as it is the weakest joint of the assembly. Run a root bead, then a two-stringer cover pass for an adequate build up of weld metal.
Then, get your rack piece leveled with the truck and drill a hole through the bottom of the merchant coupling and pipe. The hole should be narrowly larger than the shackle on your padlock. The tighter the better.
Below: Fuel can rack threaded into welded merchant coupling drilled for padlock. Paint all your components. Apply a generous amount of anti-seize to the male pipe threads and merchant coupling threads.
Below: Cut a little hole in the center of your spare tire cover the size of the pipe and thread in the assembly. Lock it all up and done.
Removal is easy. Take fuel can out, unlock padlock inside, thread off the accessory rack, then you have full access to your spare. It all doubles as a spare wheel lock too.
The goal was to make a mount that 1) works with the factory gate 2) cheap and doable by anyone 3) can be removed easily for spare wheel access 4) stout enough to carry the 40# diesel can.
Parts needed:
1 1/2" Merchant Coupling (aka Thread Protector. This is different than a typical coupling which is designed for actual piping service. These merchant couplings are not tapered, meaning they can be threaded on indefinitely.)
1' of 1 1/2" Pipe. (I used Sch. 80 A106 from work, but Sch. 40 would probably be fine too. Sch. 80 has more wall thickness after being threaded and gets my rec.)
4' of 3" x 1/4" flat stock
Keyed Padlock
Should be <$50 in material. Free if you're a pipefitter with access to scrap material.
Tools needed:
Welding machine (I used 6013 and 6011 weld rod. nothing special)
Basic hand tools
Drill
Anti-seize compound
Obtain the 1 1/2" merchant coupling first. Go to your home depot or menards and have them thread an 1 1/2" pipe very far. Thread the pipe so that the amount of the pipe sticking out past the dies (of the threading machine) is equal to the length of the merchant coupling. The idea is that the merchant coupling will thread on all the way that the pipe and end of the coupling are flush. Work with the guy until you get it right. If you've threaded the pipe the whole way, but the merchant coupling still does not spin on easily to flush, adjust the threader dies to cut the threads slightly deeper and run the already-cut pipe threads through again.
I bought a Wavian fuel can and the associated holder. I laid out the flat stock material that was to be welded to the fuel can holder. It resulted in an 'H' type frame. Bevel the pieces and weld out the 'H". Then weld the 'H' to the Wavian holder.
Below is what the inside of the swing gate looks like with the about 2 1/2" hole in the center of the spare wheel mount plate.
Below: Fit up the merchant coupling making sure everything is nice and square. Have most of the merchant coupling sticking out towards the inside of the gate. Leave enough coupling to the outside to comfortably run a fillet without melting/destroying the end of the coupling. You'll have about an 1/8" gap all the way around. Run your weld downhill.
Do not blow through the coupling while welding. You will be cutting it out to do it all over again if the coupling is destroyed. Have your amperage set right.
Below: Put the spare tire on and determine the spare tire plate to end-of-pipe distance so the rack clears the spare wheel/tire. I think my distance was 6 1/2". Thread the pipe all the way flush into the now-welded merchant coupling. Mark and cut your pipe to length. Then weld the pipe square to the center of the back of your 'H' piece and test fit. Make sure this weld is nice and meaty as it is the weakest joint of the assembly. Run a root bead, then a two-stringer cover pass for an adequate build up of weld metal.
Then, get your rack piece leveled with the truck and drill a hole through the bottom of the merchant coupling and pipe. The hole should be narrowly larger than the shackle on your padlock. The tighter the better.
Below: Fuel can rack threaded into welded merchant coupling drilled for padlock. Paint all your components. Apply a generous amount of anti-seize to the male pipe threads and merchant coupling threads.
Below: Cut a little hole in the center of your spare tire cover the size of the pipe and thread in the assembly. Lock it all up and done.
Removal is easy. Take fuel can out, unlock padlock inside, thread off the accessory rack, then you have full access to your spare. It all doubles as a spare wheel lock too.
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