honestly thats what started this whole build. I got a bronco II tire carrier for $25 after reading people where mounting them on XJ's. I couldn't see anyway to get it to fit the body lines and bolt up correctly. I tried cutting the hinges flush but then I'd of had to make huge spacers to contact the body and it wouldn't clear the tail light. then it was made out of aluminum so I couldn't weld to it to modify the way it was so after wasting $25.00 and a few days of trying to redesign it to work, I just decided to go buy some steel and start from scratch the way I wanted it. the only parts from the broncoII carrier I retained was the catch assembly that I bolted to my hatch (I plated the inside of the hatch with 3/16 steel to stiffen the hatch) I modified the latch to work reversed, copied the tension spring design. and used the mounting bracket, although I welded some plate to it to use 2 lugnuts to hold the tire instead of the 1 long peice of all thread they used. origanally I was going to mount it passenger side because it's a lot easier to reach the inside of the quarter panel to re-enforce it, but I already had damage on the driverside and the ballmount antenna would have had to be relocated so I killed two birds with one stone by going driver and mounted it there. I was going to mount it center but seeing how I was starting from scratch I changed my mind and offset it to keep visability and not move my license plate. I didn't want to drag the spare or have it effect my departure angle at all so I wanted the tire up high. (I've dragged my rear bumper a few times on boulders)

 

Good info,thanks.

 

no prob. good luck with yours!

 

I like the idea and give you kudos on that, but I have a sneaking suspicion that it won't hold up over time the way it is mounted to the body. Unless I missed something you plated the body panel, but the plate is still only attached to the thin sheet metal. Over time that will fatigue and will crack around your welds. Since you welded it solid it will likely crack all the way around the plate instead of only at a stitch weld or two. With that much weight, a small crack can propagate VERY quickly. Can you tie it into something more substantial than just the sheet metal?

 

Would 1/4 panel guards work?

 

hopefully it will hold up, it's not just on the side that it was plated. I also plated the back of the body under the tail light and carried it all the way down to about 3 inches above the bottom of the "C" pillar. basically the entire "C" pillar from the tail light down is now 1/4" steel plate. I carried a finger under the fuel tank filler door to help spread the load out a little. if I end up having an issue with the body tearing, I'll have to gut out the inside of the body and build more braces inside. I guess time will tell. as of right now the quarter panel doesn't even flex with me pulling on it weather the carrier is in the open postion or closed.