Cargo area tire carrier build

ESSAYONS12B

New member
Finally decided to fab up a tire carrier last weekend. I wanted to get the tire off the tailgate but also compatible with an aftermarket soft top. I decided on this setup. I used 2" square tube steel and scavenged parts from a old fabtech pickup bed tire carrier I had laying around. It worked out better than expected it doesn't touch the seats and it's elevated off the cargo floor and still leaves some cargo area underneath and behind the seats. Also not visible but has threaded studs on underside for mounting my Hi Lift Jack.
ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1462223037.273007.jpg ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1462223060.917393.jpg ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1462223117.262746.jpg ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1462223139.623660.jpg ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1462223166.354268.jpg
 
Last edited:

TwistedJK

New member
I like that, a lot. I've been looking to do something like this for a while now. Just need to get off my ass and do it.
 

ESSAYONS12B

New member
It's a lil tricky to get in and out of the hardtop but very doable with help just because it's an awkward shape and size.
 
That's awesome! I've wanted something like this for awhile I think you nailed it! Do you have any write ups or any other detailed pictures?
 

ESSAYONS12B

New member
How'd you secure the carrier to the tub/walls. Hard to tell from the pics.

It is secured to the tub through the hard top mounting system. I drilled large holes in the top of the tube steel. Large enough to fit the head of the factory hard top mounting bolts and the star drive socket through. The bottom side I only drilled large enough to fit the threaded portion of the bolts through. If you have a hard top there are threaded fateners clipped to the bottom edge of the tub in three locations on each side I used the two that are forward most.
 
Last edited:

ESSAYONS12B

New member
That's awesome! I've wanted something like this for awhile I think you nailed it! Do you have any write ups or any other detailed pictures?

I will get exact measurements and some more pics up soon after its painted. That Should be in the next couple days as I have a wheeling trip this weekend.

The tire securement portion is scavenged from an old tire carrier I had. You could easily just make a bolt pattern based system with some plate steel, wheel studs and few extra inches of tube steel welded in the center.
 
Last edited:

JAGS

Hooked
It is secured to the tub through the hard top mounting system. I drilled large holes in the top of the tube steel. Large enough to fit the head of the factory hard top mounting bolts and the star drive socket through. The bottom side I only drilled large enough to fit the threaded portion of the bolts through. If you have a hard top there are threaded fateners clipped to the bottom edge of the tub in three locations on each side I used the two that are forward most.

I see it now. I'm usually viewing on my phone, where pics are little harder to see. There is actually a bar that you have resting on top of the tub. That would support quite a bit of weight.
 

ESSAYONS12B

New member
I think the biggest downside is having to remove the whole setup to remove the hardtop. Brown Santa should be dropping off my soft top In a couple days. Looks like I'll be running the soft top most off the year until the colder months set in.
 

ESSAYONS12B

New member
I see it now. I'm usually viewing on my phone, where pics are little harder to see. There is actually a bar that you have resting on top of the tub. That would support quite a bit of weight.

At first I didn't think it was enough and I wanted to space it out over all 3 mounting locations for the hard top on each side but that made it impossible to install in the hardtop. So I settled for two mounting locations on each side. To my surprise it is very sturdy and I would be more than comfortable with 40" tire on it. I'm also considering fabing some brackets to mount a couple rotopax water containers to it.
 

ESSAYONS12B

New member
Here are the measurement pics I promised. Ignore the crappy welds I'm a newbie at it. I hope this helps anyone that wants to build one of their own. First I made the 15" tubes and drilled the holes for the mounting bolts. Mounted them in place. The holes need to be as far to the out side edge off the tube as possible to allow enough space between the tubes and the inside walls of the hard top to allow install wiggle room. Then the main cross beam angle was determined by ratchet strapping the tire into the position I wanted it then tac welded the angle based on tire angle. Then I removed the tire and tire carrier and built the rest based off measurements of the tire. ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1462438481.424425.jpg ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1462438506.339617.jpg ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1462438524.357540.jpg ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1462438541.050263.jpg ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1462438553.972663.jpg ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1462438564.327464.jpg ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1462438578.868436.jpg ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1462438600.653429.jpg ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1462438618.360067.jpg ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1462438639.786087.jpg ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1462438658.081062.jpg ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1462438687.404648.jpg ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1462438715.352355.jpg ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1462438745.618695.jpg ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1462438760.243120.jpg ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1462438774.865408.jpg
 

bouche03

Member
Nice work! Great idea. Any concerns with the tub sheet metal deforming/bending over time with the weight of the tire?
 
Top Bottom