Aftermarket tyre carrier

[Jimmy_JK]

Hi,

Just picked up a new spare wheel (34" nitto trail grappler on 17x8" steelies = heavy!) today and fitted it to the stock tyre carrier. Fits perfectly, but I don't want to damage the tailgate due to the weight, so I'm looking for a tyre carrier to suit.

I've researched and seen bad reviews about the teraflex hinge tyre carrier.

So, just wondering is there any preferred tyre carrier people are using with stock bumper? And where can I purchase one asap? Any experience with or-fab or aev?

Thanks

[Macca2801]

What bad reviews have you read? Any links? I read some from a particular forum that Teraflex would not pay sponsorship to so they continuously posted bad reviews but they were fictitious.
I have one and know of heaps of others and can't think of a better carrier for my needs. Single operation, strengthens the door (which crack and rattle without oversized tyres) and adjustable to get the perfect tyre position. Mine also carries my highlift jack.


Couldn't be happier.

[LeighP]

Pics I've seen pics of two TF carriers show cracking failures.....one cracked weld, one crack/tear in the metal itself. This is of the carrier unit itself, not the cast hinges.

Looking at what info came with the pics, one guy, may have, dropped off a rock shelf and hit the spare tyre (no idea how much force went through the carrier weld).....the other guy, it would appear, didn't follow the instructions about the side supports which dampen any vibration of the heavy tyre (the two round black plastic crush tubes on each side of he carrier). This guy had fatigue cracking through the carrier metal itself, which I personally think were caused by the heavy tyre vibrating.

There has been a design change since the first "broken weld", I'm told there were other instances, but I have no info on that.
TF apparently wrote off the latest tearing failure as "improper install", which may well be the case. I haven't heard of any other instances of the same type of failure.

There is a lot of finger pointing and bullshit going back and forth on various US forums about the subject.......... I looked at the pics and original posts and tried to take the info from there.

The TF carrier is made in China, I believe the same product is also sold under another Jeep parts supplier's logo......not sure who's, I saw it mentioned in a post about the last SEMA event - maybe Quadratec????? Not sure.

Smitybilt do an oversize tyre carrier kit. Have no info on how these units work on the JK, except I've got an XRC Atlas rear bar and carrier on mine which seems fine.

http://www.smittybilt.com/product/index/189.htm

And a couple of companies in the US offer HD hinges to replace the factory rear tail gate hinges.

[Banshee]

Not sure that anyone else is actually seling it under their name, but one maker who was displaying at SEMA did get caught out with an TF being displayed as their product.

Caught out, as in it still had the TF branding on it... Not sure if that was due to them licensing it from TF or they just couldn't get their own there for the display in time.

[LeighP]

Originally Posted by Banshee

Not sure that anyone else is actually seling it under their name, but one maker who was displaying at SEMA did get caught out with an TF being displayed as their product.

Caught out, as in it still had the TF branding on it... Not sure if that was due to them licensing it from TF or they just couldn't get their own there for the display in time.

Yeah, thats the post I was thinking about.....I believe they're going to offer the carrier under their own name, but it still had the TF cast logo inside on the display item.......not sure if its currently available or not.

[Snort]

I have the AEV tyre carrier and can not fault it. Fits perfectly and you can mount all sorts of stuff on it.