ZJ Tire Carrier

[blazinid]

So, I've wanted to relocate my spare onto the back side of my jeep for awhile. Not having the funds to buy a thousand dollar replacement bumper and swing out carrier I decided to tackle part of it on my own. My long term goal may be to fab a rear bumper up, but in the mean time I utilized the reciever hitch and came up with this.

1) A little creative angle cuts to get this piece of tube up through the bumper

2) The carrier pretty much welded up

3) The latch system in the rough

4) Tire on for show...

 

[Thunderbear]

Simple, clean, and effective. Why hasn't the aftermarket ever done this?

Well done.

 

[Backwoods Rambler]

Very cool. Another reason this site rocks: thinking outside the box & inside the wallet! :victory:

I'm interested in seeing how it looks behind the bumper.

 

[Xjaddiction]

Well done!! Very nice design, 2nd on the "wonder why the aftermarket never made this" style carrier??

 

[zjsheller]

That is incredible!! How much to build and ship one over to McMinnville? Or better yet, i'll just head over there myself and pick it up!! VERY nice work. I assume it bolts to the frame area under the bumper cover?

 

[blazinid]

First off, thank you for your nice comments. I'm a hack when it comes to welding.

The bumper substructure is a rather thin stamped sheet metal. To reinforce it a little I welded on a piece of angle iron were the gate latches against. I think the biggest weakness in the whole thing may be the tube sticking up through the bumper. Its plenty strong but the hinge point has to be pretty high to clear the stock bumper, but the mounting points are a bit lower. This leaves a lever effect. I would guess it deflects and 1/8". All and all over the roughest roads in my home town (what do they spend our tax dollars on?) I get minimal spare tire shake. Time will tell if the design holds true!

 

[blazinid]

That is incredible!! How much to build and ship one over to McMinnville? Or better yet, i'll just head over there myself and pick it up!! VERY nice work. I assume it bolts to the frame area under the bumper cover?

I could ship it to you for...oh lets see.... ONE MILLLLION DOLLLARS.....

 

[zjsheller]

I could ship it to you for...oh lets see.... ONE MILLLLION DOLLLARS.....

Thanks Dr. Evil!! Very interested in seeing under the bumper cover.

 

[VE2WHZ]

very nice

but

where do you have welded the hinge ???

 

[blazinid]

The tube (hinge) coming up through the bumper is starts at the receiver hitch. I used a a piece of tube steel that fit inside of the open side of the hitch and welded that off. Clipped and boxed the end of that piece. Then ran the same tube used for the hinge at angle coming off that support piece to the vertical hinge tube. Once these two members were in place I welded in a gusset between the two tubes. I may end up boxing these piece together for rigidity. This weekend I'm planning on painting the rack, so I'll try and take a few pictures when I have it all apart for you all.

 

[JeffRRC]

Great job! Can't wait to see the rest of the pictures. We have a 98 ZJ that really needs this mod.

 

[blazinid]

Ok, I through together this crude drawing to try to make it a bit more clear.

 

[blazinid]

here are the pictures of the sub-structure. sorry for quality.

1) this shows the existing bumper structure with the new pivot on the left and the piece of angle welded towards the right
2) close up of the pivot tube and supports extending to the square tub coming out of the side of the receiver hitch
3) close up of angle bracket welded to bumper. threaded hole for latch
4)here is the completed pivot. Look close you can see the grease zurk between the taillight and the pivot
5) added a foot to support a highlift jack
6) completed carrier painted bumper painted also
7) all mounted up

 

[RenoRacing]

Nicely done! Reminds me of the Tail-Bone that Detours makes for the XJ. I love the factory look, with function added. I just placed an order for my Hobart welder saturday, and will be doing something similar with my XJ. Great job!!!

 

[blazinid]

Thanks. Its one of the draw backs to the ZJ, not a huge aftermarket for them. And what is out there is allot more expensive than the XJ due to the body lines and bumpers following one another.