ARCHIVE Wits' End 80 Series OEM Bumper Mounted Rear Tire Carrier (formerly AJIK)

[Tedward]

Mine has no squeaks, rattles or shimmies.
It bolted up to the truck nicely.
I've got a 285/55/16 Cooper ST/Maxx tire that fits just fine.
(That tire is pretty heavy but I don't know exactly how heavy).
The only small gripe is the plastic ball on the plunger/pin that holds the swing arm in the fully open or closed position.
The ball, used to grip the pin to pull up on it, was a bit too large. IIRC I sanded it down so I could thread it on to the pin.

Also, the aluminum piece that the bottom of that same pin is supposed to ride on when the arm is swung back and forth. Previous poster called it a race.
That came off right away.
If the arm swings past the fully open position then the pin slides off that aluminum. Then when you go to close the swing arm it hits the aluminum and folds it up.
Not the best explanation unless you can see one I guess. That was no big deal for me.
And the white plastic pads...
I did not use the one meant to go between the swing arm and the base. If I did it would not close all the way. As in swing fully closes.
I did use that piece on the top of the base and below the swing arm. So when the swing arm is closed it sits tightly on that plastic. As in the swing is supported by that pad.
I suck at explaining this!
A pic would be so nice, but I won't be home for weeks.

Edited twice so far....

Something about the aluminum angle that came with didn't work for me. I think it was to narrow to easily bolt the license plate to and have room to add the 6 inch led strip.

I am happy with the tire carrier.

 

[NLXTACY]

IIRC, the ajik kits included an offset license plate bracket. I think the new kits should also, but I would hope it wouldn't add too much expense (pretty simple to rig). Anything that can be stainless, like the latch, probably should be. IIRC, the latch, when closed, rests against a thick nylon/polypropylene pad. This same hard plastic material may also serve as a good material for a pad (like a race) for the pin to ride on. Just a thought.

If it's just an extension to shimmy the plate over that's one thing. But I have two other options to play with first before I make up my mind.

I'll go thru pictures to see what was originally there. Some stuff will change but again, I'm trying not to go nuts.

 

[cbpeck]

Regarding cost... I agree you deserve a profit.
These carriers are appealing for several reasons. Perhaps the most significant reason is that they are significantly cheaper than a full armored bumper. If the price increases too much you run the risk of losing customers.
I am confident that you will bring a quality product to market. As you consider revisions that may improve the design, please maintain a sensitivity to production cost and market pricing so that we can justify buying one.

 

[Bludozer]

@Rwhat this is not the place!!!!

If you have an issue with a company that no longer exists then take it to Chat or someplace else. You are literally the only person who has anything negative to say about the guy and for some reason you have decided to s*** all over my thread because you felt slighted.

Anyone with any sense isn't paying any attention to retarded comments like this.

To get back on track - I am incredibly interested in the carrier, man! No offense to people who do it but spending over $2k on a rear bumper just to relocate a spare tire seems like an enormous waste. I am always in for more affordable options, especially if they're quality, which undoubtedly this will be!

 

[Rwhat]

Anyone with any sense isn't paying any attention to retarded comments like this.

To get back on track - I am incredibly interested in the carrier, man! No offense to people who do it but spending over $2k on a rear bumper just to relocate a spare tire seems like an enormous waste. I am always in for more affordable options, especially if they're quality, which undoubtedly this will be!

Not to relocate a spare tire, but to add protection over a thin gauge steel bumper. Even with this type of carrier you will need to keep your factory hitch in place to keep that bumper in tact. Not just for crawling, but any type of wheeling. This style is for a niche market for those that have any tire bigger then the stock under carrige carrier can hold.

Most people who buy a 20+ year old cruiser is not doing it to save gas and take the family to the mall with oversized tires. They will use it for camping or wheeling or for those chosen few overlanding. Either one of those will have the fat azzz of the 80 hitting it's butt on stuff.

 

[Rwhat]

Maybe add some tabs to mount lights on the bumper.

 

[msapers]

I literally just started welding up my rip off of Summit Cruisers Jr.s carrier earlier today. I'm gong to have to skip this one. Seriously. I would have been all over it if I had gotten your email yesterday. Oh well, more money to buy your other cool stuff.

 

[retrofive]

Glad your bringing this back for people. I don't have a need, but always thought it was a slick design. Hence I voted I hate your face ;p

 

[ajax1]

I like the idea my problem would be I already think the stock bumper sticks out to far, if you could make it mount a different way and it would be welded I think for people who do more crawling would be nice option, what bout just selling the tire carrier part then have some tabs off that that you would weld to the bumper and have it swing down?

 

[Bludozer]

Not to relocate a spare tire, but to add protection over a thin gauge steel bumper. Even with this type of carrier you will need to keep your factory hitch in place to keep that bumper in tact. Not just for crawling, but any type of wheeling. This style is for a niche market for those that have any tire bigger then the stock under carrige carrier can hold.

Most people who buy a 20+ year old cruiser is not doing it to save gas and take the family to the mall with oversized tires. They will use it for camping or wheeling or for those chosen few overlanding. Either one of those will have the fat azzz of the 80 hitting it's butt on stuff.

Lol. Obviously I realize a rear bumper adds rear protection. My post may have been a bit of an oversimplification but my point still stands. Spending over $2k on a rear bumper is entirely unnecessary for many uses and to suggest that you need one otherwise you are just "taking the family to the mall with oversized tires" is ridiculous.

If you don't like the product, that's fine. But making endless s***posts about it is doing nothing but making yourself look bad. Quit while youre ahead.

 

[NLXTACY]

I literally just started welding up my rip off of Summit Cruisers Jr.s carrier earlier today. I'm gong to have to skip this one. Seriously. I would have been all over it if I had gotten your email yesterday. Oh well, more money to buy your other cool stuff.

Put the welder down

No worries. I had to make sure I could dedicate the time given everything else on my plate. Didn't know til today

 

[ewillis]

Will I need to weld s***e? If not, I'm totally down. If you need a rig to fab on, lemme know.

 

[NLXTACY]

I like the idea my problem would be I already think the stock bumper sticks out to far, if you could make it mount a different way and it would be welded I think for people who do more crawling would be nice option, what bout just selling the tire carrier part then have some tabs off that that you would weld to the bumper and have it swing down?

Not in the cards for this. The components are going to be 1:1 to make my life easier. In the future? Eh, who knows?

 

[NLXTACY]

Will I need to weld s***e? If not, I'm totally down. If you need a rig to fab on, lemme know.

No it'll won't require any welding. But I know you love having holes drilled into your truck so you might need to be my guinea pig

 

[ewillis]

No it'll won't require any welding. But I know you love having holes drilled into your truck so you might need to be my guinea pig

Rear end drilling party at Joey's!

 

[NLXTACY]

Rear end drilling party at Joey's!

Just relax...deep breaths

 

[msapers]

Put the welder down

No worries. I had to make sure I could dedicate the time given everything else on my plate. Didn't know til today

Well, there's still a solid chance that I'll bastardized mine to the point where I hack it off and buy yours anyway...

 

[Brockbuilt85]

Nice!

 

[LS1FJ40]

Not to relocate a spare tire, but to add protection over a thin gauge steel bumper. Even with this type of carrier you will need to keep your factory hitch in place to keep that bumper in tact. Not just for crawling, but any type of wheeling. This style is for a niche market for those that have any tire bigger then the stock under carrige carrier can hold.

Most people who buy a 20+ year old cruiser is not doing it to save gas and take the family to the mall with oversized tires. They will use it for camping or wheeling or for those chosen few overlanding. Either one of those will have the fat azzz of the 80 hitting it's butt on stuff.

The rear "bumper" is not actually a bumper, it's the rear cross member. And I wouldn't call it "thin gauge steel"...

 

[LS1FJ40]

I'm in for one Joey. Have it ready by next week. I'll meet up with you at Rubicon or Clear Lake. Thanks.