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View Full Version : How To Install Detours Tailbone!



aquickmopar
11-15-2012, 10:46 AM
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/2012-10-21_18-03-10_363.jpg

This "How To" Article is for those of you who Bought the Detours Tailbone Rear Tire Carrier. Mine didn't come with instructions,.. so I just winged it when I did the install. If there's was anything I came across that I was confused about I just checked Detours Web site for reference. He has the instructions listed there.

Tools you will need are just your basic hand tools and some sort of cut off wheel, Saw Zall, or what ever it is you normally use to cut metal. YOU WILL HAVE TO CUT YOUR FACTORY REAR BUMPER SKIN! Now Onto the install.


Well I picked up my Detours Tailbone on Thursday evening. This is what it looked like after unpacking it, and making sure everything was there.

http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/2012-10-18_18-42-43_682.jpg

I started painting the kit Friday evening when I got home from work.

http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/2012-10-20_11-59-11_281.jpg

http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/2012-10-20_11-58-47_919.jpg

http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/2012-10-20_12-02-29_906.jpg

Then finished painting Saturday morning.

http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/2012-10-20_12-07-40_21.jpg

Figured while I was waiting for it to dry I could start pulling off my factory bumper and brackets. By that time everything was dry enough to handle so I started the install.

http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/2012-10-20_13-25-41_777.jpg

http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/2012-10-20_13-25-51_967.jpg

http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/2012-10-20_13-25-57_204.jpg

http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/2012-10-20_13-26-09_234.jpg

And this is the back brace that the front main structure bolts to. It sandwiches the rear cross member between the two pieces.

http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/2012-10-20_13-27-01_183.jpg

http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/2012-10-20_13-26-46_456.jpg

http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/2012-10-20_13-26-41_24.jpg

Then I took measurements so I could start trimming my factory bumper skin to fit over the D Ring Mounts.* Now these next few pictures are compliments from Detours instructions page. I forgot to stop and take pictures during this procedure.*

http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/tailbone_install16-1.jpg

http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/tailbone_install18-1.jpg

http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/tailbone_install19.jpg

http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/tailbone_install20.jpg

Then I drilled the holes needed and installed the outside brackets to sandwich the bumper skin between the subframe and the outer mounts.*These pics are also compliments of Detours instructions page.*

http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/tailbone_install21-1.jpg

http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/tailbone_install22.jpg

http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/tailbone_install23.jpg

http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/tailbone_install26.jpg

http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/tailbone_install28.jpg

Then I installed the tire carrier onto the spindle and adjusted my latch accordingly. Then installed my 33x12.50 spare onto my new Detours Tailbone Tire Carrier.

http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/2012-10-21_18-03-10_363.jpg

http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/2012-10-21_18-02-43_523.jpg

http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/2012-10-21_18-03-23_254.jpg

My final thoughts are that its a pretty stout unit for the price. There are a few things I would have probably done differently if I would have designed it. But all in all I am a very happy customer. We will see if it stands up to some abuse over the years of use. But so far I am very pleased with my purchase.

NW99XJ
11-15-2012, 11:15 AM
Here's the million dollar question......
Would you use the D-rings as a recovery point if you get stuck in mud?
Nice job on the write up by the way.... well done!

thesupercroc
11-15-2012, 11:28 AM
Looks good ! The tail bone is on the top of the list of rear bumpers i would like to get.

aquickmopar
11-15-2012, 05:04 PM
Here's the million dollar question......
Would you use the D-rings as a recovery point if you get stuck in mud?
Nice job on the write up by the way.... well done!


Ya id use the D-rings. Just gotta get some shackles for them. But I wouldn't be afraid to use them that's for sure. That rear subframe is held on by 17 Grade 8 Bolts and sandwiches the rear cross member between the front and back subframe structures. Don't think its going anywhere. Lol.



Looks good ! The tail bone is on the top of the list of rear bumpers i would like to get.

Thanks! Well technically its not a rear bumper,... :rolleye0012:... but just a rear tire carrier that utilizes the factory rear bumper skin. But still a great product to get for the price.

DETOURS
11-17-2012, 12:58 PM
Nice write up, thanks.
Instructions, as you noted, are on the webpage.
These have been out for almost 5 years now, they stand the test of time, I had a call just last week from a 3 year owner placing an order, he made mention of his TailBone and how he's still very happy with it.
.
Curious what changes you'd make, my ears are always open. ;)

aquickmopar
11-18-2012, 06:39 PM
Nice write up, thanks.
Instructions, as you noted, are on the webpage.
These have been out for almost 5 years now, they stand the test of time, I had a call just last week from a 3 year owner placing an order, he made mention of his TailBone and how he's still very happy with it.
.
Curious what changes you'd make, my ears are always open. ;)


Well since you asked.:rolleye0012: I would have made new unibody hitch inserts that utilized all the bolt holes like the factory hitch inserts used. And tied that into the main subframe portion. That's an extra (8) grade 8 bolts. (4) per side. So instead of 17 bolts it would be 25 bolts total. You originally did something similar to that but only used the first (2) bolt holes for the hitch and then you deleted that part. So it no longer ties into the hitch. I also would have added a spot for a High Lift Jack and a spot for a CB antenna. Which im gonna add to mine now because there wasn't the option for one. One more thing I would have done would have been to make the D-Ring mounts to fit a 3/4 shackle they are a little more common and easier to find. Nobody sells the ones needed for it in any of the local stores around me so I gotta special order some. But that's just a few things I would have done differently. :D

But no big deal I can add those things to it myself later on down the road. Love your products though. Keep up the great work. Im a subscriber. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

DETOURS
11-24-2012, 10:54 AM
Well since you asked.:rolleye0012: I would have made new unibody hitch inserts that utilized all the bolt holes like the factory hitch inserts used. And tied that into the main subframe portion. That's an extra (8) grade 8 bolts. (4) per side. So instead of 17 bolts it would be 25 bolts total. You originally did something similar to that but only used the first (2) bolt holes for the hitch and then you deleted that part. So it no longer ties into the hitch. I also would have added a spot for a High Lift Jack and a spot for a CB antenna. Which im gonna add to mine now because there wasn't the option for one. One more thing I would have done would have been to make the D-Ring mounts to fit a 3/4 shackle they are a little more common and easier to find. Nobody sells the ones needed for it in any of the local stores around me so I gotta special order some. But that's just a few things I would have done differently. :D

But no big deal I can add those things to it myself later on down the road. Love your products though. Keep up the great work. Im a subscriber. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Alrighty, fare enough, but let me offer some back ground....

Hitch area, I was including a connection for this area, but we've since dropped it as after discussing with my engineer, it was felt it wasn't required due to the exstensive mounting system.
Why?....The two connections we're giving 'hitch' owners some trouble with making this additional connection. Depending on the hitch manufacturer, there are more than 5 different connection configurations for the hitch, many owners also had frozen/rusted bolts holding the hitch, many also have an aftermarket skid to deal with, many were frustrated. After re-reveiwing, it was determaned we could delete the connections. I would be more than happy to supply the connections, most likely to non-hitch owners upon request, I could possibly ask the owner if they have a hitch or not as well, and simply supply.
.
High-lift....It's a tire carrier, not a High-Lift carrier. Depending on where you live, (I'm from the Northeast) a High-Lift can be a 'limb-catcher' and cause damage to the carrier. The TailBone was developed as a lower cost option to carry a spare & recovery...it wasn't designed for Jerry-cans & High-Lifts.
High-Lift Corperation.....HLC does not recommend exterior storage of their High-Lift jack, it suffers from pre-mature failure when exposed to various weather elemants, thus they sell neoprene socks which 'help' prevent the premature failure, but they still suggest alternative storage. HLC also sells rebuild kits, something I personally need to purchase since mine is currently useless.
.
CB mount can always be added by request, CB mounts are some what personal choice, the actual best location for a CB mount is off the front of the vehical, you get a better signal.
.
3/4" D-Ring....The D-Ring mounting area is somewhat limited on the system, it may not even actually fit. Whats considered a 5/8" D-Ring, rated at 4.5 Tons depending on manufacturer is more suitable, I've had an XJ suspended in mid-air, front and rear during an extraction with out issue. Another issue with D-Rings is the 150 different companies who supply them, threaded pin's can vary in size as well as the 'D'....a 'D' ring is typically measured at the radious of the 'D'.
.
Over all, I hope this sheds light on why it's built the way it is. When designing and manufacturing a part, such as the TailBone, you have to find the 'Happy Medium'.....the 'happy medium' needs to cover most customers as well as the cost of producing the product on our end. As far as the TailBone goes, it was set out to design a carrier/recovery system at a much more affordable cost than a full bumper with carrier system, are there a couple trade off's? Sure, some could say there are, but in the end the challenge was met with some rather great success and a ton of happy XJ owners out there.
.
Thankyou for your support!

aquickmopar
11-24-2012, 06:13 PM
Alrighty, fare enough, but let me offer some back ground....

Hitch area, I was including a connection for this area, but we've since dropped it as after discussing with my engineer, it was felt it wasn't required due to the exstensive mounting system.
Why?....The two connections we're giving 'hitch' owners some trouble with making this additional connection. Depending on the hitch manufacturer, there are more than 5 different connection configurations for the hitch, many owners also had frozen/rusted bolts holding the hitch, many also have an aftermarket skid to deal with, many were frustrated. After re-reveiwing, it was determaned we could delete the connections. I would be more than happy to supply the connections, most likely to non-hitch owners upon request, I could possibly ask the owner if they have a hitch or not as well, and simply supply.
.
High-lift....It's a tire carrier, not a High-Lift carrier. Depending on where you live, (I'm from the Northeast) a High-Lift can be a 'limb-catcher' and cause damage to the carrier. The TailBone was developed as a lower cost option to carry a spare & recovery...it wasn't designed for Jerry-cans & High-Lifts.
High-Lift Corperation.....HLC does not recommend exterior storage of their High-Lift jack, it suffers from pre-mature failure when exposed to various weather elemants, thus they sell neoprene socks which 'help' prevent the premature failure, but they still suggest alternative storage. HLC also sells rebuild kits, something I personally need to purchase since mine is currently useless.
.
CB mount can always be added by request, CB mounts are some what personal choice, the actual best location for a CB mount is off the front of the vehical, you get a better signal.
.
3/4" D-Ring....The D-Ring mounting area is somewhat limited on the system, it may not even actually fit. Whats considered a 5/8" D-Ring, rated at 4.5 Tons depending on manufacturer is more suitable, I've had an XJ suspended in mid-air, front and rear during an extraction with out issue. Another issue with D-Rings is the 150 different companies who supply them, threaded pin's can vary in size as well as the 'D'....a 'D' ring is typically measured at the radious of the 'D'.
.
Over all, I hope this sheds light on why it's built the way it is. When designing and manufacturing a part, such as the TailBone, you have to find the 'Happy Medium'.....the 'happy medium' needs to cover most customers as well as the cost of producing the product on our end. As far as the TailBone goes, it was set out to design a carrier/recovery system at a much more affordable cost than a full bumper with carrier system, are there a couple trade off's? Sure, some could say there are, but in the end the challenge was met with some rather great success and a ton of happy XJ owners out there.
.
Thankyou for your support!



Hope you didn't take what I said the wrong way. I love your Product and am very very happy with my purchase. The things I suggested are just things that I would like to add to my Tailbone Tire Carrier. Just things I think would help make my tire carrier more useful. Just feel there's alot of extra space on the swing out portion that could be utilized for a High Lift and CB Antenna. * PS. I have one of those High Lift Neoprene covers and I also maintain my High Lift to keep it in good working order so its always ready when I need it.*

Now with the D-Rings I can't seem to find any local stores that carry the 5/8's Shackles i'll just have to order a pair. Was just stating that the 3/4 shackles were more common. I may just pick up a 3/4 shackle that uses a pin style instead of the screw type. And then just use a grade 8 5/8 bolt.


Now with the Hitch connection points. I just figured tying it into the unibody hitch points would help make it a stronger recovery point. I get what your saying about it being a problem for most when they would have to take out those bolts for a hitch. Yes they can be a PITA to mess with. But heck that goes for about every bolt on a cherokee. That's why I was saying I would make a whole new Insert that whould utilize every bolt hole like how the factory inserts use. With all new grade 8 bolts. That way there wouldn't be a problem with any hitch or skid plate being used.

But that's ok I still love my purchase without those things I mentioned. Those are things I can add myself at a latter down the road.

You make great products and I don't regret my purchase one bit. Keep up the great work. And look forward to buying more of your products. :D

DETOURS
11-25-2012, 01:00 PM
lol.....Noooo, I took nothing wrong....I was feeling the same way while attempting to explain.....it can be so easy to mis-read on forums..it's good!
.
FASTENAL~ PART # 43475 (USA Made, 4.5 Ton D~Ring, about 18 bucks)
FASTENAL~ PART # 0599905 (Import, 5 Ton D~Ring, about 14 bucks)
Both items are 5/8 and can be ordered thru www.Fastenal.com, they're also all over ebay...Somehow I'm able to go to 3 different stores and grab them off the shelf local, although this is farm country. The pin hole is exactly 7/8", I don't care for a sloppy hole. ;)
.
Some hitch'es require the customer to install 'carriage bolts', facing 'down' thru the unibody....now that creates a real mess thats not easy to resolve.
Unfortunitly, folks with a pre-installed hitch, usually have no idea whats in there or it's condition...
.
Thats all I got, hopefully this explains why things are the way they are for now, things are always open to change as long as it benifits 75% or more of the consumer base and dosent drive up product costs. Thankyou for your suggestions/comments, I'm very happy to hear you're pleased with the purchase, it's a good item and keeps me in 'back-log city for now.......:cheerleader:

Mark/Detours LLC.

aquickmopar
11-25-2012, 06:18 PM
lol.....Noooo, I took nothing wrong....I was feeling the same way while attempting to explain.....it can be so easy to mis-read on forums..it's good!
.
FASTENAL~ PART # 43475 (USA Made, 4.5 Ton D~Ring, about 18 bucks)
FASTENAL~ PART # 0599905 (Import, 5 Ton D~Ring, about 14 bucks)
Both items are 5/8 and can be ordered thru www.Fastenal.com, they're also all over ebay...Somehow I'm able to go to 3 different stores and grab them off the shelf local, although this is farm country. The pin hole is exactly 7/8", I don't care for a sloppy hole. ;)
.
Some hitch'es require the customer to install 'carriage bolts', facing 'down' thru the unibody....now that creates a real mess thats not easy to resolve.
Unfortunitly, folks with a pre-installed hitch, usually have no idea whats in there or it's condition...
.
Thats all I got, hopefully this explains why things are the way they are for now, things are always open to change as long as it benifits 75% or more of the consumer base and dosent drive up product costs. Thankyou for your suggestions/comments, I'm very happy to hear you're pleased with the purchase, it's a good item and keeps me in 'back-log city for now.......:cheerleader:

Mark/Detours LLC.


Hey thanks for the info about getting the shackles from fastenal. I'll have to order me some. Ya I actually live in somewhat of a farming area also,... and we do have some tractor supply stores and farming stores but none of them sell those 5/8 shackles. Just my luck I guess.

I completely understand about what you said about it benefiting more than 75% of consumer base and driving up product costs. You have a great product and i'm loving my purchase. Once I add the things I was talking about I'll shoot you some pics of what it looks like. :D

Keep up the great work i'm a follower on facebook. Love seeing your new products.

Rayburne
01-06-2013, 05:13 PM
Looks great, I'm looking into a spare carrier like this but I want to get a bumper that's square tubing and sealed so I can use it as an air tank for my compressor.

OneArmArrowSlinger
02-19-2014, 11:12 AM
Any way you could show a pic of the latch up close? I'm fabbing up a carrier and that is how I want to do mine I think. Thanks.

XjJeepacorn
02-20-2014, 09:18 AM
Something I noticed right away is how your Jeep is sitting a little lower on the drivers side! (Probably due to all that tire weight!) any reason why Detours didn't design the tire to be in the middle?

XjJeepacorn
02-20-2014, 09:19 AM
I really like the idea of using the stock bumper, I don't want crazy bumpers it adds a tone of weight I like what they have done with this and the winch mount too :)

bluedragon436
02-24-2014, 10:10 PM
Something I noticed right away is how your Jeep is sitting a little lower on the drivers side! (Probably due to all that tire weight!) any reason why Detours didn't design the tire to be in the middle?

It is to the side so that it doesn't block your lines of sight out the back window when driving, such as lane changes or backing up... It is also to the side so that it won't block your plate, thus not requiring a plate relocation and light relocation..

aquickmopar
02-25-2014, 06:17 AM
Something I noticed right away is how your Jeep is sitting a little lower on the drivers side! (Probably due to all that tire weight!) any reason why Detours didn't design the tire to be in the middle?

Actually my jeep sits level in the rear. It's hard to notice in the picture but my gravel driveway has a low spot on the driver side where a lot of the gravel has been washed out. But on the passenger side there's a lot of gravel piled up so it makes it apear that the jeep sits low on the driver side. In all reality when my jeep sits on level ground the jeep does sit level. Also I do like how detours designed how his tire carrier holds the tire off to the driver side so you can still see out the back glass. Makes backing up much easier. Lol :D

XjJeepacorn
02-26-2014, 10:59 AM
Well your definitely right about the backing! I don't have a rear view mirror so I always do the turn around and look out the back ;) apologies for accusing your jeep of being lop sided!! Any plans for a back bone install??? I'd like both of these but the shipping and import fees to canada are way way to costly :(

Sent from my SGH-M919V using Tapatalk

XjJeepacorn
02-26-2014, 11:01 AM
I just l8ke that they aren't big fat clunky bumpers, they add a tone of weight

Sent from my SGH-M919V using Tapatalk

Cjsmithfl
04-09-2014, 10:05 PM
Did they stop production on this carrier or are they just updating the site ? I tried to check them out and get a price point for one and it said it was unavailable...

TheWeiss
05-29-2014, 08:50 AM
Yeah, I ran into the same problem. Are these no longer available?

4.3LXJ
05-31-2014, 01:47 PM
Yes, they are available

http://www.detoursusa.com

TheWeiss
06-02-2014, 10:56 AM
When I open the page it says "Sales Temporarily Suspended for this item."

msmoorenburg
06-02-2014, 02:27 PM
When I open the page it says "Sales Temporarily Suspended for this item."

Contact Detours he still makes them