Minimal Tire Carrier Bumper

Danarch

Danarch

TJ Enthusiast
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Orangevale, CA
I went to 33x10.5 and the spare doesn’t fit. I ordered the rugged ridge heavy duty carrier, but I am not going to like how far it sticks out, or the extensions for the rubber tire snubs being extended as much as needed. That said I prefer to keep my stock bumper, but not sure that is an option. Is there a minimalist tire carrier bumper any of you have been happy with? I am not looking for something extremely bulky and heavy. I never plan on going above a 33” tire. I may go to a 33”x12.5 just depending on how things go. Thank you in advance.
 
what doesnt fit? if its the third brake light getting in the way, it can be moved up with some 1/2" pvc pipe and longer hardware.

i run the exogate and really like how its barely visible and the tailgate operates the same as OEM
 
Danarch said:
I went to 33x10.5 and the spare doesn’t fit. I ordered the rugged ridge heavy duty carrier, but I am not going to like how far it sticks out, or the extensions for the rubber tire snubs being extended as much as needed. That said I prefer to keep my stock bumper, but not sure that is an option. Is there a minimalist tire carrier bumper any of you have been happy with? I am not looking for something extremely bulky and heavy. I never plan on going above a 33” tire. I may go to a 33”x12.5 just depending on how things go. Thank you in advance.
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HYLINE OFF-ROAD has a stock style mount the raises the tire up. It replaces the factory mount
 
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Ir0nH3@d said:
what doesnt fit? if its the third brake light getting in the way, it can be moved up with some 1/2" pvc pipe and longer hardware.

i run the exogate and really like how its barely visible and the tailgate operates the same as OEM
Click to expand...

The tire hits the bumper. Right now I have a few 1/2” large washers on the studs and tightened the wheel. When you close the tailgate it takes some force and then the tire is wedged on the bumper. The tire still isn’t all the way on the studs, it is just tight. I thought about moving the OEM carrier up, but there isn’t enough metal on the top side to drill new holes. I’ll need to go out and check, I am wondering if I flip the OEM carrier upside down if it is angled in any way to move the lugs up? Of course then there would be one lug on top and two on the bottom, but I could fix that.
 
A 1.25" body lift will raise a 33" tire enough to clear the bumper, in case you're headed in that direction.
A 1/2" spacer between the tire carrier and the wheel will help, along with trimming the bumpers by about 1/2".
 
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What about the factory mount with a wheel spacer of an appropriate thickness? That's how I carry my 35x12.5 on a wheel with 6" backspacing and a 2" spacer.
 
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OldBuzzard said:
A 1.25" body lift will raise a 33" tire enough to clear the bumper, in case you're headed in that direction.
A 1/2" spacer between the tire carrier and the wheel will help, along with trimming the bumpers by about 1/2".
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Thanks, didn’t think about a BL, but doubt I want to do that. I thought about a spacer, but I put washers on to equal 1” and it still wasn’t enough form the tire to fit.
 
Danarch said:
Thank you, do you know how far out it sticks? Looks like a decent option.
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I think it’s close or the same as factory. I can’t say for certain as I won’t be back to my Jeep till Friday. I installed it when I went to a 32” tire before a change to a aftermarket bumper that would clear it. Now with a 1/2” body lift and the XRC bumper, it’s not needed.
 
GPK03X said:
I think it’s close or the same as factory. I can’t say for certain as I won’t be back to my Jeep till Friday. I installed it when I went to a 32” tire before a change to a aftermarket bumper that would clear it. Now with a 1/2” body lift and the XRC bumper, it’s not needed.
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Just found it, sticks out 9” which is two more inches than OEM. Matches the one ordered ay 9”. It makes the rubber snubbers (per @Chris ) really long.
 
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Danarch said:
Just found it, sticks out 9” which is two more inches than OEM. Matches the one ordered ay 9”. It makes the rubber snubbers (per @Chris ) really long.
Click to expand...

That sounds right. It’s been several years since I installed it. I’m running 11.5 wide tires on the stock 5.5” back space rims and I think I lengthened the snubbers by about an inch.
 
GPK03X said:
That sounds right. It’s been several years since I installed it. I’m running 11.5 wide tires on the stock 5.5” back space rims and I think I lengthened the snubbers by about an inch.
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I have aftermarket rims with a different backspacing. That combined with the 1” narrow tire the tire is a long distance from the rubber supports.
 
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It sounds like you are barely off from clearing your bumper so why not simply oval your stock mount holes 1/4 inch and adjusting it up a hair?

You could also take the stock mount to a fab shop and have them weld 1” flat bar to the bottom and top below where the existing holes are and redrilling those.
 
01TJ-Blues said:
It sounds like you are barely off from clearing your bumper so why not simply oval your stock mount holes 1/4 inch and adjusting it up a hair?

You could also take the stock mount to a fab shop and have them weld 1” flat bar to the bottom and top below where the existing holes are and redrilling those.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the idea. I am somewhat on this thought. At dinner (smoked baby back ribs) I assume the lugs are pressed in and wondered if I could press them out? I have a 20 ton press so I have the means to do that. Then I could drill new holes and either tap the carrier to screw in new bolts or press in new lugs. I think I probably need to raise it about 1/2-3/4”.
 
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Danarch said:
Thank you for the idea. I am somewhat on this thought. At dinner (smoked baby back ribs) I assume the lugs are pressed in and wondered if I could press them out? I have a 20 ton press so I have the means to do that. Then I could drill new holes and either tap the carrier to screw in new bolts or press in new lugs. I think I probably need to raise it about 1/2-3/4”.
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I was thinking slotting the holes that mount to the tailgate, much easier to do.

I modified my stock carrier heavily to support the 35 on headlocks so I know the addition of flat at would work. It’s just how much effort you want to put into it.

I do not personally like the spaced out spare brackets or spacers. That just adds leverage to the tailgate and also where the Moryde is nice as it adds a ton of support. Just in case it starts flexing on you with the heavier 33.

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01TJ-Blues said:
I was thinking slotting the holes that mount to the tailgate, much easier to do.

I modified my stock carrier heavily to support the 35 on headlocks so I know the addition of flat at would work. It’s just how much effort you want to put into it.

I do not personally like the spaced out spare brackets or spacers. That just adds leverage to the tailgate and also where the Moryde is nice as it adds a ton of support. Just in case it starts flexing on you with the heavier 33.

View attachment 510624

View attachment 510625
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Thank you, looks good. I am tossing around ideas in my head. Looks like you welded the bracket on the inside at the top which makes sense. I am wondering if the bottom has enough bracket has enough to just drill new holes in it. I might have to break out the welder and put my welding skills to the test.
 
Danarch said:
Thank you, looks good. I am tossing around ideas in my head. Looks like you welded the bracket on the inside at the top which makes sense. I am wondering if the bottom has enough bracket has enough to just drill new holes in it. I might have to break out the welder and put my welding skills to the test.
Click to expand...

I added 1.5” flat bar to mine then gussets to make sure it was stout.

Enjoy the ribs!
 
Danarch said:
Just found it, sticks out 9” which is two more inches than OEM. Matches the one ordered ay 9”. It makes the rubber snubbers (per @Chris ) really long.
Click to expand...

it was 7.1" which is about the same dimensionally as the OEM bracket but it's not available any longer

20240318_192135.jpg


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