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View Full Version : How to build a lockable roof top spare tire mount (welding optional)



XJ Wheeler
03-16-2012, 04:59 PM
This is a "How-to" for building a roof top spare tire mount for about $30 + paint and lock. Sorry i didn't take pics during the process but should still make sense. The welding optional information is added at the end.

Tools
Welder, i used a small mig welder
Saw capable of cutting 1/8" steel, i used a 14" Chop Saw
Drill
1/2" Drill Bit
Drill Bit for the u-bolt holes
Grinder (if you want to clean u the welds, cuts, and holes), i used a 4" angle grinder with a flap wheel
Hand tools to tighten the u-bolts

Materials
2" wide x 1/8" thick flat steel, you'll need at least 28" long
6" of chain, and grab the two cut link pieces after the store cuts the chain
8" long x 1/2" bolt with appropriate nut and lock washer
1- foot of 1/4" thick round steel
2 - u-bolts 2 1/4" wide (center of bolt to center of bolt), should come with a small plate to span the gap between the two sides of the u-bolt and nuts
4 - lock washers for the u-bolts
4 - rubber strips approximately 1/2" wide x 2" long x 1/4" thick
1 or 2 - 1/2" bolts to weld on the top plate for lug location
If the u-bolts you get aren't threaded far enough as mine weren't you will need 4 spacers
1 - lock, i used a rubber coated one as its gonna be seeing a lot of weather

Fabrication
For the main mount i would check these measurements on yours to make sure its the same as i am not sure about other years. Make sure the roof rails are clicked in for measuring.

Ok, for the main piece i used 2" wide 1/8" thick flat steel and cut it to 21.5" long, drilled holes for 2 u-bolts 2.25" wide (enough to fit over the roof rail, i couldn't find ones threaded far enough so i had to use spacers) 15.75" apart, drill a hole in the center for an 8" long 1/2" bolt to slide in all the way to the head (i used the kind with the round head and make sure its threaded far enough), weld the bolt to the main piece.
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h401/xj-wheeler/CIMG0241-1-1-1.jpg
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h401/xj-wheeler/p20111004-222212-1.jpg
Bottom of the main bolt welded to the steel
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h401/xj-wheeler/CIMG0243-1-1.jpg


The only u-bolts i could find in the right width were too long, so i had to cut them down a bit or they would've hit the roof.


For the top plate i used the same flat steel cut to 6", drilled a hole for the main hold down bolt in the center and a hole 2.25" away (only for 5x4.5 bolt pattern) for a "lug nut locator" bolt that i cut the threads off of to slide in to a lug nut hole on the wheel. I would suggest two of these (one on each side of the main hold down bolt) because the wheel has the ability to move a little, not much due to the main bolt though. Weld the cut off bolts through the top plate and weld half of a link of chain with about 6" of chain in it (otherwise theres no way to get it in there later) to the top of the plate. I also added a little personalized xj letters, of course not required.

Top plate-top view
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h401/xj-wheeler/CIMG0248-1-2.jpg

Bottom view with measurements
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h401/xj-wheeler/p20111004-224557-1.jpg

The "wing nut"
I used the appropriately sized nut for the main bolt and welded some 1/4" steel rod to the nut, then welded a half of a link of chain to one of the sides of the rods.
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h401/xj-wheeler/CIMG0249-1-2.jpg

http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h401/xj-wheeler/CIMG0252-1-1.jpg

Then clean up all the welds, cuts, and holes with the grinder and paint all pieces except the threaded areas.


Installation
Place the main mount under the roof rails. Sandwich the roof rails between the main mount and u-bolts. I used some thin rubber strips in between the roof rails and the u-bolts/main piece so it would distribute the load as to not crumble the rail. Place the small u-bolt plates/lock washers/nuts on the u-bolts and tighten.
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h401/xj-wheeler/CIMG0270-1.jpg


Place the tire face down on top of the roof rails with the main bolt going through the hub hole in the wheel.
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h401/xj-wheeler/2011-06-03184018-1.jpg


Then place the top plate on top of the wheel mounting surface with the main mounting bolt going through the center hole in the top plate and the lug nut locator bolts into the lug nut holes. Next put a lock washer on top of the top plate and spin the "wing nut" on the main mounting bolt. Tighten it down, the main mount will deflect a tad, just don't over do it or you'll bend it. Take your lock and lock the chain to the link half on the "wing nut".
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h401/xj-wheeler/2011-06-01174947-1.jpg

It could be done without welding but with more hassle.
No welding on chain=Not lockable
No welding on main mounting bolt=bolt would be loose when not tightened (and be sure to slip bolt in before mounting the main mount)
No welding on lug nut locators=slightly more movement from tire (could be resolved by putting something to fill the gap around the main mounting bolt inside the wheels hub hole)
No welding to make the "wing nut"=just using a wrench to loosen and tighten the nut


If I've forgotten anything let me know and hopefully i have the answer.:wink:

ALS XJ
03-21-2012, 07:19 AM
Looks great XJ Wheeler...let us know how it holds up on the trails!

Haulin
04-09-2012, 07:48 PM
That's cool, I'd like to also hear about how it holds up too.

XJ Wheeler
04-10-2012, 12:01 PM
Had it on there a year now and the only complaint would be that the stock rails creak a fair bit. Everything else is great, no problems. It doesn't loosen, or move around at all either.

Joliet Johnny
04-26-2012, 12:28 PM
Only thing I can think to add to this is locktight on the ubolts or tap them with the welder. I will be having the guy at work who welds good make me this. Thanks for the extra interior space :)

XJ Wheeler
04-26-2012, 04:29 PM
Only thing I can think to add to this is locktight on the ubolts or tap them with the welder. I will be having the guy at work who welds good make me this. Thanks for the extra interior space :)

Post it up once you get in done, will give others a second view.:thumbsup:

Shaneman
07-30-2012, 10:01 AM
So how'bout figuring out one to lock high lift jack next to it,,,,lol
Good job!!

Hellraisingvtec
10-04-2012, 12:06 PM
nice.. thanks for the write up

King Payne
12-21-2012, 04:37 PM
I realize this thread has been dead for two months or so now, but I wanted to thank XJ Wheeler for this and maybe add a little to this. Currently I am beginning to make my own spare tire roof carrier on a design I made that is a slight variation from this.

Here's "my" design I made in a Google Sketchup...(this is only the main part because nearly everything else I am doing is the same as his)
http://i1064.photobucket.com/albums/u373/kingpayne90/Spare%20tire%20roof%20carrier/mainflatsteelmydesign_zps3ba3bf71.png

So, as you can see, I can barely call it mine because I just took two of his desgin and connected them. I'm hoping that this will allow for greater stability and will prevent the roof rails from flexing too much.

I will post more pictures of what mine looks like as I build it because now I have all the parts, I just need to wait until next week so I can have time to make it. I will attempt to take many photos throughout the build and a couple of it on my jeep to give people the full perspective.

Mudderoy
12-21-2012, 09:28 PM
I realize this thread has been dead for two months or so now, but I wanted to thank XJ Wheeler for this and maybe add a little to this. Currently I am beginning to make my own spare tire roof carrier on a design I made that is a slight variation from this.

Here's "my" design I made in a Google Sketchup...(this is only the main part because nearly everything else I am doing is the same as his)
http://i1064.photobucket.com/albums/u373/kingpayne90/Spare%20tire%20roof%20carrier/mainflatsteelmydesign_zps3ba3bf71.png

So, as you can see, I can barely call it mine because I just took two of his desgin and connected them. I'm hoping that this will allow for greater stability and will prevent the roof rails from flexing too much.

I will post more pictures of what mine looks like as I build it because now I have all the parts, I just need to wait until next week so I can have time to make it. I will attempt to take many photos throughout the build and a couple of it on my jeep to give people the full perspective.

There is no time limit on when you can reply to a post. This is a forum, I'll never understand why people (on other forums) try to discourage people from posting. :out:

ArmyGuy45
12-21-2012, 09:48 PM
That is a pretty sweet set up. How much weight can the stock rails hold? How much weight can the roof in total hold?

XJ Wheeler
12-21-2012, 11:02 PM
I realize this thread has been dead for two months or so now, but I wanted to thank XJ Wheeler for this and maybe add a little to this. Currently I am beginning to make my own spare tire roof carrier on a design I made that is a slight variation from this.

Here's "my" design I made in a Google Sketchup...(this is only the main part because nearly everything else I am doing is the same as his)
http://i1064.photobucket.com/albums/u373/kingpayne90/Spare%20tire%20roof%20carrier/mainflatsteelmydesign_zps3ba3bf71.png

So, as you can see, I can barely call it mine because I just took two of his desgin and connected them. I'm hoping that this will allow for greater stability and will prevent the roof rails from flexing too much.

I will post more pictures of what mine looks like as I build it because now I have all the parts, I just need to wait until next week so I can have time to make it. I will attempt to take many photos throughout the build and a couple of it on my jeep to give people the full perspective.

Thanks, i like it when people like my designs. :D

I had actually originally designed it to be a lot like the design you have pictured there, but i came to the conclusion it was kind of... redundant. Either way you're going from two bars down to one.

Plus the stock rails flexing comes from the weight of the tire, and you'll have that in both. And just thinking about the engineering of the two bar setup would have more leverage farther out and by tightening down on the center "wingnut" would add stress.

King Payne
12-22-2012, 12:35 PM
That is a pretty sweet set up. How much weight can the stock rails hold? How much weight can the roof in total hold?

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f13/whats-weight-limit-factory-roof-rack-bars-1422861/
According to this thread, 150lbs. is the factory max rated that the bars can hold. I personally wouldn't do more than 200 on both bars if it's gonna be on the rails for a long time. As for the whole roof, I haven't seen anything backed with proof but a guy in the link above suggests 500lbs.?

bluedragon436
12-23-2012, 09:13 AM
What are you using for the center upright of your tire holder? I'm assuming a threaded rod like was used before, but was curious.. Have been considering building something similar to your design to go with my roof rack, to hold my spare tire once I get a full size 33" spare!!

XJ Wheeler
12-23-2012, 03:43 PM
What are you using for the center upright of your tire holder? I'm assuming a threaded rod like was used before, but was curious.. Have been considering building something similar to your design to go with my roof rack, to hold my spare tire once I get a full size 33" spare!!

Me? I used a long 1/2" carriage bolt.

Rayburne
01-06-2013, 05:45 PM
On my roof rack mounted to the stock rails I've had the 33 inch spare, a 65 lbs tool box, high lift jack, 4 five gallon tuff jugs filled to over 5 gallons each plus a cooler and several other light items and wished I had more room in the rack, but the stock rails held with no problems. I do like both of your designs for the tire holders.

nateyz2000
12-04-2013, 09:32 PM
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/05/vyzutame.jpg my 4x4s never failed me yet!

cpttuna
12-05-2013, 08:04 PM
Is it possible that the top plate be round in design? This would aid in welding 5 locator bolts instead of one. More stability??????

XJ Wheeler
12-07-2013, 07:08 AM
Is it possible that the top plate be round in design? This would aid in welding 5 locator bolts instead of one. More stability??????

Well, the center bolt is only there to locate and tighten. I feel its a bit overkill, as the tire rests on the stock rails the stress just isn't enough to warrant the extra hardware. But, overall yes it probably would be more secure as it wouldn't be able to turn as easily (which i still haven't had any problems with). By no means is there only one way to do this. I just wanted something i felt was adequate and inexpensive. Another member on here got a wrangler tire carrier (as they are small and mount to the tailgate) and welded it to his roof rails. Plenty of ideas and options to choose.

If you did want to put one on it wouldn't be hard, just weld a plate to the underside of the main bracket (the one that bolts to the rails). And you could even match the thread size and count to use lugnuts to hold it down, plus you'll always have spares.





Sent via messenger pigeon - i talk, he types.

jimmixj
12-09-2013, 07:55 AM
Niiiiice! Looks like a good (much cheaper) option to a spare tire carrier! Thanks