Thanks and help

[NuBomb]

I bought a swing away tire carrier from another board member about a year ago. I was not aware until recently that I did no get two of the brackets. When I mentioned my problem on an earlier post, bouncytruck offered to send me the two brackets so I can have them made. (much thanks) Now that I have been trying to find someone to make them, the price is pretty high. The bracket with the skinny round bar (handle I think) has a roll in it that many places are saying is difficult to make. The price so far is $170 to remake the two brackets. So, I just want to check to make sure nobody happens to have these brackets laying around before I make the decision. Below is a picture of the swing away tire carrier I have, and the two brackets bouncy sent me. If anyone has the brackets available I sure would appreciate a word. BTW, I cecked out a junkyard with a couple of blazers, but no swing aways.

[bouncytruck]

Wow, that is really expensive. You can buy a new/different tire carrier for less than that. I paid $75 for mine with all the brackets.

Do you think it needs to have the "roll." I mean, does it need to follow the body contour along the inside or could you box out the corner. Hopefully the illustration attached will explain what I'm saying a little better.

[NuBomb]

That may work, but it is difficult to get anybody to even look at it. It is such a small job, and they have bigger fish to fry. I would think it needs to be pretty close to the way it is not only to reduce any sheetmetal problems, but to fit up there where it goes. I'm not sure what I'm going to do, but unless someone has one sitting around, I'll probably have to pay to use the one I have. I have sent a PM to the boardmember who sold the carrier to see if he happens to still have them. I don't think it was intentional on his part. I should have known about all the needed brackets when I bought it.

[A few 72's]

Might try sending a PM to nu2-72
I know he had told me about making some skid plates. This might be something he could make???

[orange72blazer]

I have the one of brackets , but someone torched the skinny round bar off of it. It also has a flat plate welded to the top of it. But you could cut the plate off and weld a round bar on.

[mister.freeze]

Years ago, before I knew about this board or how valuable the parts off the Fox were, I had a perfectly good carrier (and brackets) that I simply left somewhere, brackets and all. I never had that roundbar part; what's it for? I made a call to see if the parts are still where I left them (anybody in Waco?) If anybody's in the neighborhood to check, they could check and have them if they're still there. I also had a gas-tank skid plate w/intrgrated 2" receiver there. If anybody's in the area of Waco, TX, it's worth a look...

[NuBomb]

Well I got the price down to $100 by just checking some bodyshops in the area. Thanks for the suggestions, but I only have these parts for a couple of weeks then they go back to bouncy. Right now I think I need someone to just have some of these sitting around. Unless someone from Waco shows up to find them, I'm probably going to pay the $100.

Mister.freeze - I think the only thing the round bar is for is to get the bracket up far enough to use the bracket. As far as I could tell, that bracket is the one for the top mounting point. Bouncy probably knows for sure.

[bouncytruck]

I don't think all of the brackets had the bar on them. I've seen them posted here before without them. It's only purpose is exactly what Nubomb said, to get it up into the top of the bedside.

[mister.freeze]

Are you saying that one w/ the rond bar is between the bed skins? If so, I think I still have it. Are the hles threaded? All I did was unbolt stuff from the outside...

[bouncytruck]

The two brackets he is looking for go on the inside of the bed skin. The holes are threaded. The one with the bar goes on top and the other is on the bottom.

[mister.freeze]

how do they stay in there?

[Grim Reaper]

That rack is made by Valley http://www.valleyindustries.com It may still be available. If you order the rack they list in JC Whitney with the Jerry can holder that is the rack you will get. Valley made those for GM and it was a dealer option I know in the late 79's. If you got to K5 brochure page the 70 K5 pages show that rack as a dealer option.

I bought one of those racks new about 6 years ago for my 79.

[NuBomb]

Freeze - ya these are just as bouncy described and the holes are threaded. That would be great if you have them. Let me know.

Grim- I'll check with whitney. My rack does have the jerry can holder.

[Grim Reaper]

The more I look at the backing plate in the first pictures you post the more I think you have the 73-91 style backing plate. The bed above the tail light on the 69-72 is a lot more if a sharp bend where as the 73 up is more curved. Go hold that thing up to your fender. It It should folow the contour of the body pretty close about 2-3 inches below the hard top.

I paid $180 for that rack from http://www.4wdpartscenter.com/ That's not the chain place.

[NuBomb]

The brackets in the pic are definitely the right ones. Bouncy took them off of his 69 and shipped me those to have some made. It follows the contour of the body perfect. I knew I was missing them due to an picture off of ebay that had the same carrier and pictures of all the mounting hardware. I checked the website of whitney, but didn't see one like it. 4wdpartscenter does not show valley as one of their parts lines. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do, but I'm going camping tomorrow for a week, and I guess I'll decide when I get back.

[mister.freeze]

I don't see what all the fuss is about. Looks like a piece of 2"x1/2" steel, some drilling and tapping, and a few minutes with a rosebud to bend it just right. I'll be fitting my softop this weekend; if those things are still inside my truck, I might try fabbing a pair on my own... I'll let ya'll know how it goes.

[Grim Reaper]

After having one of those....I'd pass.

I would go with a bumper mounted spare carrier. You can use a trailer spindle as a hinge. Several places have a hing kit that uses a trail spindle as the hinge and they machine a peice of Tube to accept the bearings so you have a mild steel sleve to weld to.

I'll be build something simular for my new project truck in a couple months. Send you some pictures of how I did it if you like. Hell I may be out of a job soon and might be looking for little projects to make some cash so I migh be able to make something for you. I saw a VERY slick set up I wll be coping some stuff from on this one.

I have a club member in Stone mountain that has a shop that does custom fab work I could refer you to as well.

[NuBomb]

Thanks for all the replies. I'd like to use the carrier I have since I already bought it and I like the look. I won't be doing any serious trail work, just weekend getaways.

Freeze - I thought the same thing, but everyone showed me the double bend in the piece. Not only does it curve to fit the rounded edge of the body, but it also kind of slants to the body as well. It may not need to be perfect, but after replacing the bedsides I don't want to mess up all the work.

[bouncytruck]

Grimm has me nervous. You may want to do a test run with the parts I sent you before paying someone to fab them up - just to be sure. The pieces I sent you fit perfectly inside the brackets that go on the outside. I bought this carrier from a board member and I haven't had a chance to install it yet. The outside pieces look just like the ones on my '72.

[NuBomb]

Now you have me nervous. I don't have any holes drilled yet, but I did put the bracket up to the outside and it is perfect. When I placed it against my bracket that goes on the outside, it seemed right. I will take the taillight out and test a little better. It sure looks like the right item. If you don't hear from me for a few days I'll be in the streams of North Eastern Georgia trout fishing and tent camping. Later and thanks.

[mister.freeze]

Looky what I've got. After all these years, this thing was still as snug as a bug.





As you can see, I cut off the bottom of the fenders to install my bumper. I may still have the lower bracket on the pieces I cut off; Will check this weekend. The upper could have fallen out and I would never have known (or cared).



The compound curve doesn't scare me. I'll give it a try if I get time this weekend. If I find the bottom, I may try to copy it too.

[bouncytruck]

Wow, I'm surprised that stayed up in there! It looks just like the one I sent to Jeremy. I think the little "handle" was somewhat of an after thought and they just used what ever scrap rod was laying around. Everyone I've seen looked slightly different.

[NuBomb]

Got your PM Freeze and thanks. I replied before I checked all the posts I've missed. Awesome find. We cut the trip short due to incoming flooding rains. I guess 5 days living in a tent and fishing all day was good enough. Can't wait to take the blazer next year.