Finally got off my lazy ass to take some pics of the tire carrier I built a few weeks ago. I think I built it too wide but Jason M thought it was just right. I plan on whacking & welding my rear rockers & then adding some 2" tubing similar to Pismojim's & then tying it int the bumper. I wish I would have had 2 pivots but I was on a budget & they are like $40+ ea. from rockstomper. (I can always add one later). I'm not totally finished yet, I still have to finish fabbing the latch & building 2 jerry can holders.

Let me know what you guys think. I have about $100 & 10 hours into it.

pic 2

pic 3

pic 4

pic 5

pic 6

Looks great -- why do you think it's too wide?

TJK

Originally posted by Kaderabek
Looks great -- why do you think it's too wide?

TJK
Thanks!!

When looking @ an anlge it looks like it sticks out from the rocker by about 3"...... I could trim it back by about 3/4" on ea. side but thats about it. I just don't want it to be a rock catcher. I think once I incorperate the rocker protection they will act like sliders & it will be ok.

one problem i'm concerned about is the amount of movement (about 3/8" in each direction) in the tire. It apears the deflection is occuring right at the swivel mount. If I lower the tire the leverage will be less but I'll still get some movement & lose some clearance. I've got the bearings in the pivot spindle torqued to about 80lbs but it still has quite alot of deflection in the assembly. is this common w/ these type of carriers? it vibrates alot while driving on bumpy surfaces I'm just afraid it will fail after awhile.
anyone have any ideas.

Check this
link (http://www.awdirect.com/awdirect/catalog.cfm?dest=itempg&itemid=14668&secid=73&linkon=subsection&linkid=209) for a cool little spring pin to hold the rack open when offcamber etc...They also have some cheap d rings and otehr cool recovery gear.


Looks awesome, going to build something similar for my FJ55 sometime...How does the rockstomper pivot look interms of strength?
-Brett

Brett,
Thanks for the link.. I already have somthing like that but it sticks out too far past the bumper & will get torn off the first time I go wheeling :( . I think I might try to setup some sort of gas cylinder (similar to those on the hatch) w/ a lock on it to hold it & keep it from swinging wildly. I saw this somewhere on the net & it looked kind of cool.

on a side note about d-rings. there is a stage riggin company on the net sells import (chinese) 3/4" d-rings for $5 ea. or us made 3/4" for $9 ea. only problem is they have a $60 minimum order & nothing else of much interest. :(

check these out:

http://www.stageriggingonline.com/shackles.html

oh yeah, see my post about the rockstomper swivel... it seems pretty strong but it seems to be causing me some problems.

Sixty,
Looks VERY nice! High and tight.
It looks like you removed the rear crossmember to allow a higher recessed hitch, right?
One question, how come your tail pipe isn't smashed? :flipoff2:

thanks Jim!!

The tail pipe is not smashed because right now its 2 wheel drive & only sees pavement :flipoff2: I still haven't found a good carrier so I can setup my front 4.88 gears, rebuilding t-case, rebuilding my rear 4.88's, replacing the flexplate etc..... & I still have driveline trouble :mad: the tail pipe on my old fj60 that was SOA was smashed flat a couple of times & I just kept cutting it back w/ sawzall untill it was out of the way :D

Yeah I removed the rear crossmemeber but left the stock bumper mounts & utilized them. They should be pleny strong along w/ the 4 bolts that I will have going to the frame. that hitch should be class 3+ w/ all the welding & steel I have attached to it. the rear bumper will also be a 2 gallon air tank if I ever feel like relocating the tank I already have.

Anyone have any ideas on jerry can mounts?

It looks very familiar. Don't go wacking off the ends until you cut your rear rockers. Also when you get ready to add the side guards on take a string and drop it off of the widest part of your body and then go 1/2 - 1" further out with the side guard. That will help save the sheet metal. I didn't run my swingout all the way across as then in makes it hard to open in off camber and wooded terrain. Mine goes just a smidgen past the hitch on the tire carrier side and at times I've had a rough time getting it completely open to be able to drop the tailgate.

Originally posted by lcsixty
It looks very familiar. Don't go wacking off the ends until you cut your rear rockers. Also when you get ready to add the side guards on take a string and drop it off of the widest part of your body and then go 1/2 - 1" further out with the side guard. That will help save the sheet metal. I didn't run my swingout all the way across as then in makes it hard to open in off camber and wooded terrain. Mine goes just a smidgen past the hitch on the tire carrier side and at times I've had a rough time getting it completely open to be able to drop the tailgate.

Looks familiar huh? I borrowed some ideas from some guy named Eric on the LCML ;) :rolleyes: :D

thanks for the string trick. I probably would not have considered that until after I had everything welded up :rolleyes: If I add the second pivot I'll cut the swingout off just above the hitch. that should make it more useful. thanks for the tips & for not threatening me w/ a copywrite infringment suit :D

so you are going to cut off your rear rockers? i'm getting ready to build a carrier for my 60 now and i want the protection in the rear corners too, but i don't want to cut the corners (mine won't see extreme wheeling). anybody done that?

Originally posted by FJSRULE
so you are going to cut off your rear rockers? i'm getting ready to build a carrier for my 60 now and i want the protection in the rear corners too, but i don't want to cut the corners (mine won't see extreme wheeling). anybody done that?

I think even w/ my design it wouldn't be too difficult to build some protection that wrapped aroud the rocker & tied into the frame. I need to look at mine more closely to see what I'm actually going to do. :confused:

Originally posted by sixty
thanks Jim!!

The tail pipe is not smashed because right now its 2 wheel drive & only sees pavement :flipoff2:


:D


BTW, Alper can add some metal and then use the lathe to fis one of your carriers if you want....

:)

hmmm.... If my cruiser doesnt explode mysteriously in the next few days I'll have to give him a call :D have you talked to him about it?

Yep, He is getting back into wheelin' and needs projects to help with :D