Seized Tire Carrier- Ideas on how to get it free (1 Viewer)

[GRM]

Does anyone have a creative idea on how to loosen a seized tire carrier on my '71? It's been sitting since 1978, and doesn't want to budge. I've tried pb blaster, hitting it with hammer, and using a floor jack to push it off the hinges. The thing won't budge.

Are there any good tricks to try before I pull out the oxy torch?

 

[JohnnyC]

use the torch to heat up the female part of the hinge if its that bad...it will loosen it up then

PB Blaster usually works...how long did you let it soak for?

 

[kurtnkegger]

use the torch to heat up the female part of the hinge if its that bad...it will loosen it up then

PB Blaster usually works...how long did you let it soak for?

X2!! A little heat on the hinge should loosen it up.

 

[youmustbecrazy]

bigger hammer and heat.

 

[Fast Eddy]

Take it off the truck, grind the welds off the top, bottom and in the back of the hinges, then split the hinges with a chisel or a pickle fork.

This is how I got the pins out of the hinges. In my case the carrier was not fused to the pins themselves.

 

[Living in the Past]

Take the main piece of the tire carrier off the hinges. Loosen the nuts on the end of the pins. Might reverse the castle nuts so it on backwards. figure a way to try and jack the pin out of hinge. A rod and bottle jack or even a high lift jack directly on the nut. Then 100% of the pressure you apply goes to the one hinge. If it were me I would not try and lift the vehicle this way since might bend the rear corner or bust the hinge from the body if the rear sill is rusted. Soak it with something like PB blaster and let it sit with pressure on it. Then if nothing use the heat on the out part. You only need about a 1/8 gap between the hinge and the end of the nut. Once it breaks free nothing should flying with just a small gap. Then repeat on the top hinge.

 

[camcruiser13]

Tie a strap to it and to a tree and drive off

 

[JohnnyC]

Tie a strap to it and to a tree and drive off

I have a feeling that would result in a tire carrier having the pins snap

 

[Living in the Past]

I have a feeling that would result in a tire carrier having the pins snap

Those are some pretty heavy pins. I would worry more about what it going to do to the rear corner of the tub before the pins snap. The top brace on the tub is just stamped sheet metal spot welded on. The bottom is the end of the rear sill and any rust and it would bend out.

I would just unbolt and work on if off the tub before I started trying to use the leverage of the whole tire carrier on the pin. There is a weakest link and it may not end being the hinge pin.

 

[JohnnyC]

There is a weakest link and it may not end being the hinge pin.

yes thats very true...

I actually had my upper hinge bolt snap off..i am running a 1964 carrier...but...with thousands of miles and years of salt it's just a matter of time before everything just falls off

 

[Blue77FJ40]

Don't forget to use the best penetrant ever..... Kroil.

 

[Living in the Past]

yes thats very true...

I actually had my upper hinge bolt snap off..i am running a 1964 carrier...but...with thousands of miles and years of salt it's just a matter of time before everything just falls off

I drove up to Washington state to pick up a 61 FJ40. I towed it from the place I bought it to a Les Swab tire shop to get the old dry rotted tires remove since I wanted to keep the original wheels. The spare tire carrier had been removed but the hinges were still attached to the tub. When I got to Les Swab the lower hinge was gone (less thna two miles). I think the back of the tub had a little rust.

 

[GRM]

Take the main piece of the tire carrier off the hinges. Loosen the nuts on the end of the pins. Might reverse the castle nuts so it on backwards. figure a way to try and jack the pin out of hinge. A rod and bottle jack or even a high lift jack directly on the nut. Then 100% of the pressure you apply goes to the one hinge. If it were me I would not try and lift the vehicle this way since might bend the rear corner or bust the hinge from the body if the rear sill is rusted. Soak it with something like PB blaster and let it sit with pressure on it. Then if nothing use the heat on the out part. You only need about a 1/8 gap between the hinge and the end of the nut. Once it breaks free nothing should flying with just a small gap. Then repeat on the top hinge.

I did this until the jack started to lift the truck off the ground. Then tried hammering around the outside of the hinge with a hammer. Still nothing.

Looks like next up its cut the weld or use a torch.

 

[Coolerman]

Remove it from the truck and use electrolysis to get the rust softened up. Then apply the heat if it's still stubborn.