I've had my OR-Fab tire carrier for about 2 years now and it's been pretty a decent purchase but could use some improvements. I really like the design and the style of the carrier but there were several areas I wanted to improve.

1) The powder coating was chipping again. I've had to repair the coating once already due to cracking at the hinges and rust.

2). The latch is powder coated as well and tends to chip, corrode, and rust.

3). The machined hinge pieces corrode badly as the coating cracks off and their maintenance is a PITA. Anyone who has had this tire carrier knows the "fun with washers and spacers" when you try to install the carrier onto the bracket.

4). The alignment process with the hinge bracket and cramming that wrench in there is a pain.

5). Since the carrier is really a friction-style carrier (versus having the spare held by lug nuts) the spare tire actually sits up against the loop of the carrier tightly. With 35" tires this results in the lower portion of the tire getting pretty good contact against the carrier but the upper portion having nothing to sit against. The result is the tire "leans" slightly forward.

6). There are no provisions for internal wiring for a license plate on the spare, backup light, backup camera, etc..


Since I was gonna have the carrier off (again) to repair the powder coating, I decided to make some "improvements" while I had the thing apart. First, I bent a section of tubing and welded it on the top to correct the spare leaning forward.





Next. I cut off the latch (it was chipped and rusting) and fabricated a small plate that's been tapped for 5/16" bolts to match a De-Sta-Co stainless steel latch:








Then, it drilled a pair of holes in the tube to route future wiring. Lastly, I cut off the machined hinge portion:





And plan to weld in some Currie tube adapters and use a pair of Currie Johnny Joints to replace the machined hinge components. The Johnny joints won't chip or rust, are tapped with a grease fitting, and eliminate a lot of the pain of the spacers and brass washers issue.





I should be done with the finish welding tomorrow, then off to power coating. I'll post the finished product when it's complete.

- S

 

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Looks like your improvements will be a nice addition... can't wait to see the final product!!

 

Subscribed! Can't wait to see the final product!

 

Been looking at this carrier for my Jeep. I'm very interested as well. NOT having the carrier yet, I can only picture (maybe) some of the issues you've been talking about. I actually helped a friend star to put his on his Jeep, then he decided to just have 4WP install it for him.

With that being said, do you happen to have any "before" pics that we could also see? It looks like you clearly know what you're doing. I particularly like the idea w/ the Johnny joints - I actually wondered the same thing.

Looking forward to your finished product.


Sent while my wife wasn't looking...

 

Cool mods!

I also have one and agree on the finishing. Terrible. Feels like an amateur job.

I've been thinking about some mods on mine also. However, my plan is to build a tray at the bottom so I can use any kind of Jerry cans. Currently can only use those with lips on the bottom. The empty areas would be filled by those expanded metal sheets like these ones.

McMaster-Carr

Probably weld them to the back also so I can strap stuff there when in the trails.

 

Got the fabrication competed today, everything welded up and ready for powder coating on Monday.










Also, got the hinge bracket cut to accept the larger diameter Johnny Joint.





And lastly made the correct spacers to put the carrier at the correct spot in the hinge.





A quick test fit and I think we're ready for powder.






-S

 

Awesome mods!!

Cant wait to see the finished, installed product.

 

Its coming along very nice.

 

I got everything back from the powder coater today and finished the improvements. It turned out better than I had expected. I installed the Johnny Joints, De-Sta-Co stainless latch, and the Roto-Pax mounts while it was on the table:





Then spent about an hour getting the hinge bracket re-installed before getting the carrier re-Installed with the new spacers for the joints I made:










One nice benefit of the Johnny Joints is the ability to remove on of the hinge bolts and twist the carrier out of the way to tighten/loosen those stupid 13mm hinge bolts. Anyone with this carrier knows what I'm talking about:





Final product: