how to attach 1980s spare tire carrier to cruiser (1 Viewer)

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May 14, 2015
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Location
Oceanside, CA, USA
I've got a 1982 HJ47 with the swing-out spare tire carrier that came with that year (though it didn't come with the cruiser). The holes on the body sill are already there but there is no way the bolts will latch to anything as is. It's almost as if on 3 of the holes, there were threads in the steel that the bolt is supposed to stay stable in but there's no way that would work even if it was intended (not enough holding strength). The only option appears to insert a drill through the holes and drill a hole to the outside of the metal encasement that goes the length of the inside of the bumper. But it's really strange that they would have been made to do it that way without an existing hole there already. So my question is "how do those of you who have mounted this carrier with the two bolt latch and the two bolt spare tire carrier cuishion do it? I couldn't find any previous threads about this but this can't be a novel situation. Thanks in advance.
 
I’d throw the swing out away and order a 4+ tire carrier from @lcwizard . Just my .2¢

You’ll be glad you did.
It does look like a good option if I sold the other to help pay the $500. I'd still like to solve the problem of the other even if it's just to know what's going on.
 
pics would help
 
pics would help
I'll attach a couple of pics but I'm not sure how helpful they'll be to solving the problem. The first pic is of the backside of the sill. You see the "mount" between the bumper and the sill with the light showing through. The backside of the sill is a complete metal enclosure. The whole sill is enclosed in other words. the second picture shows the two holes for the latch. But there's no way to access bolts that I can put through those holes to put a nut on because the sill is one complete piece of steel as the first pic shows (if you know what you're looking at if I didn't describe it well enough). Something is "wrong" with this picture (I don't mean those I attached but the way this was designed to work). So I'm hoping someone who has a spare tire carrier like the one I have can say how theirs is attached.
The other problem is, one hole goes through the backside of the sill; the other has a metal object of some kind between the hole and the backside that complicates drilling through to the other side with a straight bolt. I'd just forget about it and put the spare down below but the PO put a second tank in the place where it normally goes.

A73CFC84-9DE9-4A87-BB10-EA03BDB60195.jpeg


44A6D4BD-DD44-4E9A-95FE-51AF4431BA3B.jpeg
 
those holes have nuts welded to the back from the factory. Your sill may have been repaired or replaced. You just need to put some nutzets/rivnuts in those holes and you are good to go. May need to drill them out slightly larger first.

I use this one, works well.
Limited-time deal: TACKLIFE Professional Rivet Nut Tool, 14" Auto Pumping Rod Rivet Setter Kit with 8 Metric & SAE Mandrels, for Tight Space,80pcs Rivet Nuts and Sturdy Case - HHNP1A Amazon product ASIN B07YSK4VBT
 
those holes have nuts welded to the back from the factory. Your sill may have been repaired or replaced. You just need to put some nutzets/rivnuts in those holes and you are good to go. May need to drill them out slightly larger first.

I use this one, works well.
Limited-time deal: TACKLIFE Professional Rivet Nut Tool, 14" Auto Pumping Rod Rivet Setter Kit with 8 Metric & SAE Mandrels, for Tight Space,80pcs Rivet Nuts and Sturdy Case - HHNP1A Amazon product ASIN B07YSK4VBT
Never knew about these tools. Looks perfect. Thanks!
 
Looking closer and I’d bet that is not the original sill. It’s been replaced.
 
Not familiar with troopy with a spare on the back. Ones I've seen had them underneath. I see your in California, what market did this cruiser come from? No fixed nuts would mean either there wasn't a spare on the back or that is a replacement rear sill. Have you checked to see if there is signs of spare tire carrier underneath? How about a picture of the rear frame member. The underneath style has a hole for the rod used to lower the spare. Does yours have that hole? It's in the middle of the four rivets to the right of the four holes used for a pintle hook.
 
Not familiar with troopy with a spare on the back. Ones I've seen had them underneath. I see your in California, what market did this cruiser come from? No fixed nuts would mean either there wasn't a spare on the back or that is a replacement rear sill. Have you checked to see if there is signs of spare tire carrier underneath? How about a picture of the rear frame member. The underneath style has a hole for the rod used to lower the spare. Does yours have that hole? It's in the middle of the four rivets to the right of the four holes used for a pintle hook.

Good point, my troopie had the spare underneath and a factory gas can swing out instead. I think there were several options depending on the market. Mine was SA market ordered special for the Chilean army.
 
To try and answer everyone's questions, this is a Aussie version. There was, I'm sure a spare tire underneath because the hole to slip the rod is there but whoever it was put a 2nd fuel tank where the spare normally goes. The holes in the sill for the tire latch and cushion were there when I got it, but I wouldn't know the difference between an original sill and a replacement one. I took MOTOV*R's suggestion and ordered that riveter to insert the rivet with threads on it to replace missing weld nuts. It worked great. The latch and cusion are now on. the attached picture shows the rivet before I put the second bolt on the cushion. The latch is off to the right. I took the bolts off, though, and added washers.

75DDB42B-0746-46F8-A2A9-4DB4448921E8.jpeg
 

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