I also like the 60/40 type barn doors are sweet with a tire carrier, as it allows you to access the rear cargo area without opening a hatch, tailgate, and tire carrier.
I also like the 60/40 type barn doors are sweet with a tire carrier, as it allows you to access the rear cargo area without opening a hatch, tailgate, and tire carrier.
Barn doors are simpler and far more convenient, but they do have a couple of drawbacks. They stress the door framework and draw incremental damage. I had 80/20 barn doors on all four of my troopers. The first trooper's back doors fell off due to heavy tires, rust and a hard knock shearing the hinge pins. On the second trooper, I backed into a tree and folded in a lot of sheet metal.
In a nutshell, I think each design has some trade offs. I'm pretty clear on main bumper, but the spare tire deal has me scratching my head.
The carrier I bought is a copy of OEM, not an actual OEM which is why I called it OEM style but AFAIK they're pretty much an exact knock off. Mine is eBay item 260350795368 and that has more pictures of how the catch fits in with our lower tail gate licence plate space. If you compare pictures you'll see I cut off the wheel mount and moved it across and up a bit to accomodate the big tyres and added the receiver for the licence plate.
wildsmith, I love the aftermarket "OEM" set-up. I actually love your rig and enjoy all the pics you post. I had a Kaymar tow bumper on our 97 with a swing-out, but I would be so stoked if I could make something like that work for our hundy.
More recently I had the chance to buy a genuine OEM carrier off an import from a local breakers yard very cheap, so I went along to the yard and had a look at the factory install on the donor vehicle as well, particularly the reinforcement plates in the body panels and the lower tailgate.
The way the catch plate is fixed on the lower tailgate for OEM vs aftermarket is the same plate is just rotated 180 degrees. On the OEM install that lower part of the plate matches a bolt on rubber buffer on the carrier. I've had no problems with that being absent on mine but it would be easy to weld a small tab on the top side of the catch on the carrier to accept the same rubber buffer above the catch instead of below.
The OEM panel reinforcement parts are fairly thin pressed steel plates that span the gap between some inner panels and the outer panel where the carrier hinge is bolted on. Being pressed they're quite strong overall. The top plate looks like it must be fitted in place before all the panels are fitted together and can't be removed / fitted after that. The lower plate was removeable and you may be able to buy them (you can for an 80 series). Both plates were bolted to the inner panels not welded.
My mounting plates I just bent in a hydraulic press, a bit at a time till they matched the shape of the hinges. They seem to hold the carrier very firmly so I won't be chasing down an OEM lower plate or worrying about this difference.
I have a spare OEM carrier taking up space here now, I got it just for reference, it has the catch plate with it but you'd have to make hinge mounting plates. It's bulky and quite heavy but it owes me very little so it just might be viable for someone to have it shipped
Not to rain on the parade, but I installed the aftermarket version of the OEM carrier. The install was not too bad although the stengthening plates should be included as making them is a PITA. There were plenty of other problems.
The carrier has no gas strut so is difficult to control on a slope. It got away once and snapped the plastic covers over the hinge.
The locking mechanism is cheaply made and came open on a few rough trails. Very scary seeing the wheel in the side mirror! Thank god it didn't thwap a tree.
The cable system froze solid in snow conditions so I could not get the rear open until I poured hot water on it.
And worst of all the locking mechanism tore out of my rear tailgate when I backed into a pole at low speed, totalling the gate. It is just too flimsy. I am going to get a bumper mounted system instead.
, but they do export to Europe.
