Thanks for the comments. I'll give an update after I get miles through the rocks. After a week all is as tight as the day I installed it. I did put a lock on the rear, and that works well too. Nice touch.

As for the lift, I am very pleased with how things have turned out. I pieced it together (from a vendor who I've come to find out is black-listed...a shame they had a rogue employee post in disguise, becuase so many on this forum won't hear about their awesome products ), and I have a very nice flat steering setup. I do have Spidertrax spacers with the stock wheels that give the stance I was after. The track width is great.

 

i bought the same tire carrier and MBRP reinforment brackets, I will install soon do you think the hinges will be ok I do open and close mine regularly but would get tired of dealing with a seperate tire carrier latch

 

How is the tire secured to the carrier?

It's kind of hard to tell from the pics, but does it just use a single bolt? If it does, it seems like that would be really easy for someone to come by and steal it. Which unfortunately would happen eventually here.

 

Please let us know if/when your stock tailgate hinges give out and if you actually wheel with this or just DD.

You should also get a tailgate holder from Jeep Swag to keep that beast from flinging open accidentally and ripping your gate to shreds.

 

The tire is secured to the carrier with a single bracket with 3 posts tapered to fit into 3 lug nut locations. The bracket is secured with a large heavy threaded t-style handle, which you can see from the back end. It's a pretty neat way to do it so you don't have to remove 3 lugs...only one piece to remove to access the spare. The tire is very secure.

There are provisions to secure the handle with a lock, which I did, to keep the gutsy from trying to lift your spare...

 

going to do this at the end of the week....

 

Thanks for breaking it down, nice to see how easy it can be

 

Just got finished completing the Smittybillt Oversized Tire Carrier tonight. I will post pics up tomorrow, because it is dark out. Everything went toghter smoothly, I did have to use one set of spacer on eah side to get the 35'' DuraTrac to hit flushly against the support bars. Nice write-up it really helped and a great mod for the money, I di not really have the extra cash laying around for a new Bumper & Tire Carrier combo.

 

any new news on how the over sized tire carrier holds up for a long period of time? how it takes off road abuse and what not? still thinking about getting it, but just wondering if there's any updates and how its handling having a 35" spare tire on there.

 

x2 - like the idea just not sure 'bout durability