I just got it back today. let me know what you guys think ...

 

I'm not so sure that it will hold up with the weight of the wheel/tire on there. Better give it hell in your driveway before you get on the road with it... Other than that, you'll probally have trouble seeing out of your back window with it in the center.

 

I think you need a gusset.

 

It only goes on when I go wheeling. Otherwise the tire sits in the back .. actually it sits in the garage. I grabbed it and yanked on it as hard as I could, it didn't budge. I was scared too when I got .. I was like "thats not gonna hold." He said try it, and if it doesn't then he can reinforce the angle with a thicker plate. I just thought I would run it past you guys first.

 

Whats a gusset?

 

"a triangular metal bracket used to strengthen a joint"

 

If I were you, I'd get him to lengthen the shaft about 1"-2", then weld on some flat plates on each side of the joint to give it some added strength. That'll probally be fine for wheeling. I would be very weary of it while on the road, because if it came off and hit an oncoming car, you'd never own another thing for the rest of you life from the resulting lawsuits.

Like this...

 

If he lengthens the shaft, the carrier will stick out more. Also with that triangular piece there sticking out it will interfere with the departure angle.

I agree it needs something though ....


I beat on it some more, and its still holding up pretty good

 

Not sure I would trust that, especially wheeling.

I have a pretty beefy, as in 2x4 square tube on my swing arm and it still shakes. I think that will shake worse and apply potentially destructive pressure at the joint.

The only way to have great departure back there is to do like SteveO and get it way up.

I have only rubbed my tire a couple times and it is up pretty high.

 

I know, but 1.5" longer on the shaft won't hurt the departure angle that much - ~MAYBE~ 2 degrees tops. The piece that I was suggesting to weld onto it would be on the SIDES, not on the bottom of the existing plate, so the gussets would not affect departure angle, only the additional length required to add them...

Like I said before, it's probally fine for moderate trail use, just don't use it on the road unless you're willing to bet the rest of your life on it...

 

ok thanks guys. I gotta go get some mounting hardware for this (tonight) any suggestions? I picked up some bolts that are threaded about a 1/3 of the way up. But its still not working right.

The guy that sold this to me .. told me that the tire will bolt right up .. It doesn't. So I have to drill a new hole too.

 

I adressed the ratting issue somewhat. I had the guy put a bead down all four sides of the shaft that goes into the reciever. So that when it slides in, its nice and tight. You actually need a hammer to get that thing in and out of there. It still shifts from side to side ever so slightly though

 

 

 

I say you pull on it as hard as you can for about 100,000 cycles and see if it fails. You can't test for fatigue, but that's how it's going to fail...ask shaefer about his tire carrier, I'm sure he pulled on it too.

If you're going to keep it like that and it's only for wheeling, then you can use a ratchet strap from the roof rack to the carrier too keep it from fatiguing. That's what I did for the Death Valley run where I knew there would be miles and miles of wash board roads. I had my hi-lift jack bolted to my bumper with (2) 3/8" bolts and the washboard roads broke the bolts.

 

yeah it just failed ... It bent after 30 min of my friend and I tugging on it as hard as we could. it didn't bend much .. but enough for me not to leave it on there for the drive down. But I think I am going to still test it out on the trail as is .. if it breaks so be it ... I'll just build another one, this time with the proper support .... this sucks ... I thought I had gotten it right this time

 

I think if you ratchet strap it, it should be ok for the occasional road use to the trails.

Plus, this one can still be saved if you gusset the inside angle.

 

yeah my welding guy is gone for the day otherwise I would have gone now.

thanks for all the suggestions guys.