Cargo area tire carrier build

[ESSAYONS12B]

Finally decided to fab up a tire carrier last weekend. I wanted to get the tire off the tailgate but also compatible with an aftermarket soft top. I decided on this setup. I used 2" square tube steel and scavenged parts from a old fabtech pickup bed tire carrier I had laying around. It worked out better than expected it doesn't touch the seats and it's elevated off the cargo floor and still leaves some cargo area underneath and behind the seats. Also not visible but has threaded studs on underside for mounting my Hi Lift Jack.

 

[TwistedJK]

I like that, a lot. I've been looking to do something like this for a while now. Just need to get off my ass and do it.

 

[ESSAYONS12B]

It's a lil tricky to get in and out of the hardtop but very doable with help just because it's an awkward shape and size.

 

[Rideski]

Very nice design. Nice job

 

[WJCO]

Nice. Looks good.

 

[ESSAYONS12B]

Thank you!

 

[Evil]

I like this a lot too. What size tire are you running?

 

[JAGS]

How'd you secure the carrier to the tub/walls. Hard to tell from the pics.

 

[Tylersilverjku]

That's awesome! I've wanted something like this for awhile I think you nailed it! Do you have any write ups or any other detailed pictures?

 

[ESSAYONS12B]

I like this a lot too. What size tire are you running?

I'm running 37/12.50/17 I'm pretty sure you could get up to a 40" tire in that space.

 

[ESSAYONS12B]

How'd you secure the carrier to the tub/walls. Hard to tell from the pics.

It is secured to the tub through the hard top mounting system. I drilled large holes in the top of the tube steel. Large enough to fit the head of the factory hard top mounting bolts and the star drive socket through. The bottom side I only drilled large enough to fit the threaded portion of the bolts through. If you have a hard top there are threaded fateners clipped to the bottom edge of the tub in three locations on each side I used the two that are forward most.

 

[ESSAYONS12B]

That's awesome! I've wanted something like this for awhile I think you nailed it! Do you have any write ups or any other detailed pictures?

I will get exact measurements and some more pics up soon after its painted. That Should be in the next couple days as I have a wheeling trip this weekend.

The tire securement portion is scavenged from an old tire carrier I had. You could easily just make a bolt pattern based system with some plate steel, wheel studs and few extra inches of tube steel welded in the center.

 

[JAGS]

It is secured to the tub through the hard top mounting system. I drilled large holes in the top of the tube steel. Large enough to fit the head of the factory hard top mounting bolts and the star drive socket through. The bottom side I only drilled large enough to fit the threaded portion of the bolts through. If you have a hard top there are threaded fateners clipped to the bottom edge of the tub in three locations on each side I used the two that are forward most.

I see it now. I'm usually viewing on my phone, where pics are little harder to see. There is actually a bar that you have resting on top of the tub. That would support quite a bit of weight.

 

[ESSAYONS12B]

I think the biggest downside is having to remove the whole setup to remove the hardtop. Brown Santa should be dropping off my soft top In a couple days. Looks like I'll be running the soft top most off the year until the colder months set in.

 

[ESSAYONS12B]

I see it now. I'm usually viewing on my phone, where pics are little harder to see. There is actually a bar that you have resting on top of the tub. That would support quite a bit of weight.

At first I didn't think it was enough and I wanted to space it out over all 3 mounting locations for the hard top on each side but that made it impossible to install in the hardtop. So I settled for two mounting locations on each side. To my surprise it is very sturdy and I would be more than comfortable with 40" tire on it. I'm also considering fabing some brackets to mount a couple rotopax water containers to it.

 

[OJK12]

That's pretty cool

 

[ESSAYONS12B]

Here are the measurement pics I promised. Ignore the crappy welds I'm a newbie at it. I hope this helps anyone that wants to build one of their own. First I made the 15" tubes and drilled the holes for the mounting bolts. Mounted them in place. The holes need to be as far to the out side edge off the tube as possible to allow enough space between the tubes and the inside walls of the hard top to allow install wiggle room. Then the main cross beam angle was determined by ratchet strapping the tire into the position I wanted it then tac welded the angle based on tire angle. Then I removed the tire and tire carrier and built the rest based off measurements of the tire.

 

[bouche03]

Nice work! Great idea. Any concerns with the tub sheet metal deforming/bending over time with the weight of the tire?

 

[hinrichs]

This is awesome, great work on the carrier.

 

[72blubyu]

Nice set up