Wheel Carrier for large wheel (outback)

[TarmacNtrack]

After much searching for a decent spare wheel carrier i gave up as most just don't look like they would make it out of my suburb let alone around Australia.

So i sketched up something that would suit and headed down to the local fabricator.
Here is the end result.

I used 5mm 50x50 RHS fully welded with gussets for extra strength where needed and a saddle to mount it to the bumper.
I have the Outback with the large 50x100 bumper which looks like it will take the weight though i think a few more welds and gussets on the bumper will also be needed along with a bolt straight through the mount where the bumper mounts to the vans chassis.

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Yes the wank factor is huge!!
:flameFlame suit on)

i know i don't need mud tyres or beadlock rims but they where new and off an old project so they went on.:israel:

Any ideas opinions or criticism would be welcome before i head off to get it galv dipped.
Cheers

 

[Dogger]

I'd say your bumper would fall off before you have any issues with that bracket!m

 

[Drover]

I doubt if your construction will fall off, very nice job.............................set of 16" wheels like that would go good on my Colorado, very cool.

 

[Crusty181]

As for the concern over the rear bumper, your bumper is the same size as ours on a 20ft Expanda, and our spare came factory mounted on it in the same position as your mount. We gave our van and the bumper a fair long term and repeated test, even dropping the rear on the van onto a creek bank during a crossing ripping off half that round facia mount plate behind the rim, and driving the wheel up into the vans rear wall .... the bumper took everything we threw it, and the only mod I did was shim the insert arms into the chassis to eliminate the excess movement.

From my experience I wouldnt be too worried about what the bumper can cope with

 

[achjimmy]

Looks great and the fact it's bolted to the bumper should insure no issues to that point as that is the only place I've seen a bit of flex in ours. Yours looks like a steelie rim? And those toyo open country muds will be much heavier so at a guess I'd say your carrying a lot more weight there than those of us with the Chinese jayco alloys and GT radial tyres.

 

[G Daddy]

I have a 16" wheel and 20 Lts water on my bumper. A couple of weeks ago I noticed some hairline cracks around the welds where the insert box is welded to the bumper box section, I just ground and re welded, will have to add some gussets there later. also packed the insert arms with 5mm flat to make a better fit.

 

[Drover]

Thats from driving on the Gore Hwy @G Daddy you should know better.......................

 

[G Daddy]

Thats from driving on the Gore Hwy @G Daddy you should know better.......................

Yea and many other QLD roads outside the SE corner, could have been the road into Carnarvon George to Mt Moffit

 

[TarmacNtrack]

Thanks for the input guys,
With a little more worrying and weighing (wheel 50kgs) (Bracket 10kgs) i think it needs one more gusset on the back of the upright where it mounts to the saddle.

Thanks for the heads up on the Rear bumper @G Daddy I can see where your talking about and will be sure to add some gussets there.
With 50kgs flappin around on the back i don't want to upset the caravan dynamics and will be putting a toolbox on the front to compensate for the ideal tow bar weight and staying within the GVM.......Hopefully

 

[Burnsy]

Hi mate, looks good. One thing to remember is anything mounted on the back like that is always getting the crap shaken out of it especially on rough roads it's it's amazing how things can break that seem solid.
I make drop down wheel brackets so they are a different design all together. Definitely need to beef up at the bottom and I'd also plate either side of the where the 50mm is mitred at the 90 degree section.
I use 100x50 on the section that goes to the mounting flange and I don't mitre the joint so you get 300mm of weld once it's welded all the way around.
I also prefer to make gussets out of rhs for a better coverage this eliminates crushing or stretching the wall of the rhs which can happen if it's say a 6mm plate welded in the centre of the rhs if you know what i mean.
Don't mean to sound like a know it all but I've learnt from the past.
Cheers.

 

[TarmacNtrack]

Hi mate, looks good. One thing to remember is anything mounted on the back like that is always getting the crap shaken out of it especially on rough roads it's it's amazing how things can break that seem solid.
I make drop down wheel brackets so they are a different design all together. Definitely need to beef up at the bottom and I'd also plate either side of the where the 50mm is mitred at the 90 degree section.
I use 100x50 on the section that goes to the mounting flange and I don't mitre the joint so you get 300mm of weld once it's welded all the way around.
I also prefer to make gussets out of rhs for a better coverage this eliminates crushing or stretching the wall of the rhs which can happen if it's say a 6mm plate welded in the centre of the rhs if you know what i mean.
Don't mean to sound like a know it all but I've learnt from the past.
Cheers.

Cheers @Burnsy Great feedback! Yeah that was my main concern just relying on those lower welds with no reinforcement and heaps of lateral pressure (50kgs)

Ill Weld some 10mm plates to the back and front of the upright to reinforce it, this should also negate the crushing or stretching the wall on the rhs.
Not forgetting drill 2 holes in each piece of rhs so it doesn't explode when i get it galv dipped, should be rock solid after that.
Time will tell.

 

[Dingo193]

Hi Burnsy ,How much do you charge for the drop down wheel brackets.Thnx

 

[Vere]

Hi Burnsy ,How much do you charge for the drop down wheel brackets.Thnx

also following with interest