Thanks for the pictures. I'm gonna try a tube style and will post results either way.
Tire Carrier preference?
- Thread starter Vae Victus
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I just added a tube style carrier to my 73 after installing new quarter panels. Bought the hook and holder from the dealership. I do have an extra tube style carrier also.
- Thread starter
- #43
Well, here I am, 7 long years later, revisiting this issue. I was fitting up my panel style carrier on my 10/75 truck today, after replacing the quarter panels, rear sill.
My goal was to make sure the holes for the hinges of the tire carrier all lined up and allowed me to mount the carrier. In short, they don't.
The top holes on the rear quarter are pretty much where they were on the old quarter before I removed it. "Nearly" means +/- 1/8" I'd guess.
The bottom holes that are in the rear sill (@Awl_TEQ built - very high quality) that have the captive nuts are off by about 1/8" from allowing me to mount the bottom hinge. Maybe this is for the tube style carrier - not sure.
Additionally, the bottom hinge when mounted is too far to the left by about 1". The hinges in the image below should be lined up - but, and it's hard to show in a photo, they are really offset from each other.
Test mounting the panel to the hinges by squeezing in a couple of bolts and using all the slop in the hinges to get things lined up, the panel is sloping downhill rather seriously. I assume that it should mount where the top of the panel is flat, not sloped as shown in the photo. Is this correct?
(This is how much it is sloped down)
Either way, I'll be moving either the top hinge to the left, or the bottom hinge and the holes in the sill, to the right, which means grinding off the captive nuts inside the sill - uhggg. Not the end of the world, and FAR better than doing it after it was painted!!!
Perhaps I do need to consider a frame mounted aftermarket version.
Or, I do have the tube style carrier. I could go ahead and redrill everything (I've filled 150 holes, why not a few more?) and do that.
What aftermarket carriers do folks like?
My goal was to make sure the holes for the hinges of the tire carrier all lined up and allowed me to mount the carrier. In short, they don't.
The top holes on the rear quarter are pretty much where they were on the old quarter before I removed it. "Nearly" means +/- 1/8" I'd guess.
The bottom holes that are in the rear sill (@Awl_TEQ built - very high quality) that have the captive nuts are off by about 1/8" from allowing me to mount the bottom hinge. Maybe this is for the tube style carrier - not sure.
Additionally, the bottom hinge when mounted is too far to the left by about 1". The hinges in the image below should be lined up - but, and it's hard to show in a photo, they are really offset from each other.
Test mounting the panel to the hinges by squeezing in a couple of bolts and using all the slop in the hinges to get things lined up, the panel is sloping downhill rather seriously. I assume that it should mount where the top of the panel is flat, not sloped as shown in the photo. Is this correct?
(This is how much it is sloped down)
Either way, I'll be moving either the top hinge to the left, or the bottom hinge and the holes in the sill, to the right, which means grinding off the captive nuts inside the sill - uhggg. Not the end of the world, and FAR better than doing it after it was painted!!!
Perhaps I do need to consider a frame mounted aftermarket version.
Or, I do have the tube style carrier. I could go ahead and redrill everything (I've filled 150 holes, why not a few more?) and do that.
What aftermarket carriers do folks like?
I've owned a '75 and it had the tube type carrier. My guess is that's your issue.
How about a pair of spare carriers? I have the early 76 style on the driver's side and one from a 68 on the passenger side. Works great! 
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- Thread starter
- #47
I compared the hinge footprint from the tube and the panel, and that is not the case. The bottom hinge pattern on the tube is 3/4" smaller than the panel pattern, and currently, the bolt holes in the sill are only off by about 1/4". The holes are definitely in a "panel" pattern (more square than rectangular, and on the left side, not on the right side of the sill). There are also holes in the sill with captive nuts for the receiver.
Tube: 1.25" Center to Center approx
Panel: 2" Center to Center approx
So, I'm guessing that they were just drilled a bit off when the sill was made.
I have mounted the panel and receiver, and it is definitely the bottom hinge that is out of position. You can see how low the panel is vs the receiver here.
- Thread starter
- #48
With the upper hinge used, the panel fits into the receiver mounted on the bumper.
And I found most of the parts for the panel, except the pad on the rear side.
I get to move some holes! Yippee!
["Remember to be grateful it's not yet painted, remember to be grateful it's not yet painted, remember to be ...."]
And I found most of the parts for the panel, except the pad on the rear side.
I get to move some holes! Yippee!
["Remember to be grateful it's not yet painted, remember to be grateful it's not yet painted, remember to be ...."]
I think Living in the Past's earlier reply said that your year could have either carrier depending on hard top or soft top. I've not seen any similar complaints about Awl Teq's work here on Mud but then, I've never really looked. You might ask him about it???
Either way it looks like something is getting drilled. Easier to do the lower hinge holes rather than the latch holes so there's that as a plus. Good luck!
Either way it looks like something is getting drilled. Easier to do the lower hinge holes rather than the latch holes so there's that as a plus. Good luck!
Don’t forget you are having fun....
@Vae Victus , you've got me really confused... Or I have you really confused.
My Cruiser had the tire carrier made of tubing. You are installing a panel type carrier without tubing. You called your measurements a tube and panel Those are two different measurements off the same carrier. I'm guessing that your truck didn't have a carrier when you bought it and you bought the "square" carrier. Is that right?
My Cruiser had the tire carrier made of tubing. You are installing a panel type carrier without tubing. You called your measurements a tube and panel Those are two different measurements off the same carrier. I'm guessing that your truck didn't have a carrier when you bought it and you bought the "square" carrier. Is that right?