[REZARF]

I got to sneak a little more work in on the trailer today. I got the hitch figured out. My fj40 has a home made tire carrier/bumper combo that I made last year to get a 35” spare out of my rear bed. I planned on using a pintle/hitch combo that I have used for years, but failed to cosider or realize that the pintle had to swing open to allow connection of the coupler… bummer.

Anyhow, I am getting around this by adding a 4” square section of structural steel that has a 3/8” wall… this thing is beefy. I will add a ¼” piece of plate steel behind the cross member to stiffen it up as well. The combo hitch and spacer weigh in at 21 lbs!

I finally got to use my drill press that I got last year for Christmas, woo-hoo! Makes drilling a ton easier, especially in the thicker material.

Here are a few shots of the rear carrier and a close up of why the pintle wouldn’t work as is. I will remove the shackle mount and probably attach it to the rear of the trailer for extraction.

…and here is a link to my bumper build up as well: http://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/75040-home-made-tire-carrier-build-up-thread.html