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Late model swing out spare carrier on '67?

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by jbrucru, Aug 25, 2011.

  1. Aug 25, 2011
    jbrucru

    jbrucru Member 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Glasgow, KY
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    Ok, so I pulled the trigger on a spare carrier that I thought I might be able to make work on my '67. Oops. Guess this is a late model carrier. Still might be able to do something if I make some different brackets. Anyway - what are your thoughts? Any recommendations to get this:

    [​IMG]

    on to this:

    [​IMG]

    or does it go directly back to the classifieds/craigslist and I hope an old whitco comes available ?:rofl:


    On a side note - the welds holding the rear crossmember in place - in turn holding the bumper look like they are cracked, so I don't want to do a bumper mounted tire carrier at this point.
     
    Last edited: Aug 25, 2011
  2. Aug 26, 2011
    jbjeeps

    jbjeeps Member 2022 Sponsor

    The Idaho side...
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    The military jeeps, like our A1, didn't have a tailgate, the back is solid. Spare tire and gas can holder are mounted directly on the back panel. Not having a tailgate has not been a problem.

    I remember seeing that Jeep sold a conversion kit for CJ's to move the spare tire to the tailgate. I think it consisted of some bolts and a piece of hardwood that went on the inside of the tailgate to reinforce it. You also bolted the tailgate closed.

    Moving the spare tire and fuel can to the tailgate of our '63 and bolting the tailgate closed is on my winter work list. I like that setup, even though ours has a Koenig hard top and I'll have to remove the spare and fuel can in order to open the back door. Ours has a back seat and I don't need to get into the back often anyhow. IMO that's better than having the spare and fuel hanging off the side to be torn off by a passing tree.
     
  3. Aug 26, 2011
    colojeepguy

    colojeepguy Colorado Springs

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    Putting the spare on the body puts a lot of stress on the body panels, and reqires drilling a bunch of holes in a rust prone area. I built a carrier for mine that bolts to the rear crossmember directly below the bumper. Like jbjeeps, I don't use my tailgate often, but the carrier does swing down if I need to open up the back.
     
  4. Aug 26, 2011
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
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    The Whitco is no bargain either. The one I had broke when loaded with a heavy tire - fortunately (?) it happened on the empty Santa Monica freeway at about 3AM, so I presume no one was hurt. Never found the tire. If you're going to fit a light tire (like the factory tires these Jeeps came with), the Whitco or this one may be ok. The solid back panel Jeeps have the same problem - a heavy tire will break out the body after a while.

    Another option is the (vintage) Kayline carrier. They have much larger plates that attach to the body. The best of these are the ones that mount one can or two cans beside the spare. Some later ones mount the spare behind two cans, which seems like a huge lever arm for a heavy spare - I'd avoid that one. The two cans beside the spare will block the backup lights and fuel fill though.

    You only other alternative is to mount the spare in the bed, or get one of the frame mounted carriers.
     
    Last edited: Aug 26, 2011
  5. Aug 26, 2011
    jbjeeps

    jbjeeps Member 2022 Sponsor

    The Idaho side...
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    The way you intend to use the Jeep makes a difference. Our '53 A1 has 60,000 miles on it and looks like it has had an easy life. It's carried a spare tire and fuel can hanging off the back panel since new. No sign of flex or cracks. The '63 has jagged holes on the passenger side rear fender from where the spare used to be until it was ripped off by something before we got it. This Jeep will see mostly gravel roads with occasional moderate off-road driving. I'm guessing some good reinforcement on the inside of the tub should be adequate to carry the spare and fuel can on the back.

    If you're planning for more serious off-road use, then, as suggested, you'll need something more stout.

    Side note: A local military vehicle enthusiast I know has a rack made to hang off the back of Jeeps that will hold 6 fuel cans! He's old enough to have had personal experience with them. He told me they used to put fuel, duffle bags and other gear in the rack when the Jeep was carrying a 4 man crew.
     
    Last edited: Aug 26, 2011
  6. Aug 26, 2011
    John Worman

    John Worman from New Mexico

    La Luz, New Mexico
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    I've had better than average luck with the spare tire holder I built back in the 70s. It's on my '66' CJ-5 and hasn't given me a minutes problems. If you notice the splice weld down low, you can believe I built it out of junk I found in the yard. That is true. I always expected to find the problems, then build the final model out of new material. So far, I haven't found any problems, but I'm still looking, so I have the original one still in use.

    Some have mentioned that it may not be suitable for rough off-road use. That may be true, but it has been out and about from time to time.

    You can see it here...

    http://home.beyondbb.com/worman/tire.html
     
  7. Aug 26, 2011
    1960willyscj5

    1960willyscj5 Well-Known Member

    Mesa, Arizona
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    Mr. Worman, that is an excellent tire carrier. Can you toss some plans out there showing how long, wide and maybe what sorta hinges you used. Plus that upper latching mechanism is the Cat's Meaow. Close ups of that, too, Please.
     
  8. Aug 26, 2011
    colojeepguy

    colojeepguy Colorado Springs

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    Seems like great minds think alike :) mine looks much like Mr Wormans
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  9. Aug 27, 2011
    Twin2

    Twin2 not him 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Virginia Beach, VA
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    leave it to to home built - I like them both
     
  10. Aug 27, 2011
    John Worman

    John Worman from New Mexico

    La Luz, New Mexico
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    I'll be pleased to tell you all I know, but you'll find it pretty unimpressive. I blush a bit when you ask about plans. It's about like when my prior son-in-law asked about the plans for the house I built. Plans?? No plans here! We just see a need and make something.

    Anyway, I unhooked the trailer and took a few more photos. If anything isn't clear, I'll be happy to try again. It should all be in a photobucket album:

    http://photobucket.com/jeepspare

    The first two, of course, show the handle in the open and closed position. It's just a piece of about 12 gauge strap with a 90° bend in the end. The rods are about 5/16 with an eye welded on one end of each one.

    The next two photos show the hinge. This is pretty crude. It would probably have been better to have a long bolt all the way through, but I didn't have a long bolt. I did have a buzz box welder. My wife says every job around here looks like a welding job.

    The next photo shows it open and going around the trailer hitch ball. I've had a couple of hard tops and a couple of canvas tops on the Jeep over the years. There isn't any interference.

    The next photo shows it on the road.

    Finally, I just welded a small plate on the end of the square tubing. The plate has a slot in it. A bit inboard is a plate used as a spacer, and a nut welded to it to guide the rod.

    Ignore the little plate on the drivers side. It was going to hold my handyman jack, but I didn't like it there. I moved the jack under the hood.

    The upright (cobbled together angle iron) is 27 inches long. The two angles are 6 1/2 inches apart.

    The horizontal member is 1 1/4 square tubing, 38 inches long.

    It all came out of my scrap pile. I'm not sure how long it took me to finally paint it. Like I said, I kept expecting to find a failure. So far, so good, but it's only been about 35 years.

    Again, any questions or photo needs to make it clear, just sing out.

    John
     
    Last edited: Aug 27, 2011
  11. Aug 29, 2011
    skeely

    skeely New Member

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    hey worman
    a tip of the cap on that design! that is a thing of beauty.
     
  12. Aug 30, 2011
    John Worman

    John Worman from New Mexico

    La Luz, New Mexico
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    Thank you skeely. It has been handy over the years. - John
     
  13. Aug 30, 2011
    RATTYFLATTY

    RATTYFLATTY I think you need a little more throttle

    Central MN
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    Not to try to change anybodies mind but I thought I would toss up some pics of my modified late model carrier on my 57. It is mounted on a pivot at the bumper and I used the stock latch but I did attach it threw the body to the roll bar for strength.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  14. Aug 30, 2011
    John Worman

    John Worman from New Mexico

    La Luz, New Mexico
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    It looks real good to me.
     
  15. Feb 5, 2012
    ArnoldV

    ArnoldV New Member

    La Verne CA
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    Thank you all for the post Great Info for a new jeep owner.
     
  16. Feb 7, 2012
    homersdog

    homersdog Tulsa, Ok 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Tulsa, OK
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    I have been looking at a spare tire carrier a fellow makes custom in his home shop in CA and sells on ebay. They look to be very high quality. His store name on ebay is "thedirtworx" (all one word). It looks very strong and puts all of the tire and carrier's weight on the frame, none on the body.

    I used to have one of the Kayline carriers mentioned above. It had the spare in the middle and a jerry can on either side. It worked fine but it did indeed cause a lot of damage to the body on the right rear corner.
    The home made spare tire carriers above look like a good idea as long as the body tie down bolts and the rubber pads between the tub and frame are in good shape. You don't want to have any relative motion between the body and frame if you are going to tie the two together with a carrier.
     
  17. Feb 7, 2012
    colojeepguy

    colojeepguy Colorado Springs

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    If you look closely at how mine attaches to the tailgate chain holes (3rd pic in my post above), you can see that this isn't really the case. It's attached with a couple of implement pins thru the chain holes, which are slotted. This would allow for any relative movement between frame & body. Having said that, I don't see any evidence of that type of movement on mine, and it's been on there for 11 years. The outer rear body mounts are under the taillights, which is quite a bit wider than the tire carrier.
     
  18. Feb 7, 2012
    noahlon

    noahlon Old Fart

    Pine Ridge, AR
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    Home made. If you want better pictures, I'll post them.

    [​IMG]
     
  19. Feb 7, 2012
    EricM

    EricM Active Member

    Southern California
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    I've got a dirtworx front and rear bumper on my '69. I'm very happy with them. We did make some extra plates to bracket the section where the rear crossmember bolts to the frame, to strengthen it.

    Eric
     
  20. Feb 22, 2012
    deputyvaughn

    deputyvaughn Member

    North Alabama
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    I built a carrier for my 62. It's still pretty raw but will hold the tire securely.

    Scott
    [​IMG]
    By deputyvaughn at 2012-02-22
     
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