Spare tire rack.

Right now i have my spare tire 27" bolted to my tailgate and every time i hit a bump it rattles and drives me nuts.
My question is can i weld a swing out rack directly to the factory angle iron draw bar? will probably be using a 31" spare.Any one have any pics of their home made rack.

 

Check this out.http://www.earlycj5.com/tech/body/quaggy/diy_tire_carrier.shtml
:v6:

 

I was trying to avoid attaching it to the rear cross member because the metal is very thin and might bend.

 

Depends on where you attach it. I have a total of 8 bolts holding mine to the rear crossmember, 4 at the center (which is stout) and 2 near each frame rail (also stout). The carrier probably weighs about 150 lbs or more with the tire and hi-lift. No troubles yet, doubt there will be.

Probably not what you're looking for, but may give you some ideas....
http://members.cox.net/azoldbill/BUMPER.html

 

My swing out tire carrier is mounted to my crossmember. It has been on my Jeep for about 6 years now. I didn't even drill any holes in it if I remember correctly. I used existing holes and made small plates to go behind it out of 1/8" thick steel. I use a hooked rachet strap across it on the trails to help with the rattling, the strap works well enough that after tellico I left it on.

 

Mcruff, do you have a closer pic of the hinge on yours.

 

Another option.

 

Here are 2 photos of the hinge setup. My tire carrier is very simple in design and has no bearing in it, I put grease grooves around the shaft and grease it. The hinge itself is a piece of steel with a hole bored to fit the pin with a few .001 clearance and has grease shot in it. The hinge body is a piece of tubing turned on end with 1 side cut off to swing thru. The tube is then welded to a flat plate which is bolted to the channel on the frame.
Hope this helps. The steel was all scrap, I have no money in this setup since there ar no ball bearings or special parts.

 

Here is another idea but requires a bit more fabrication then using the rear cross member. But it has some design elements you may want to consider.

 

Thanks guys, that gave me some ideas.

 

FWIW, most tire carriers that you buy are built to bolt to the crossmember.

 

73cj5,

Here is the one on my jeep. It is bolted to the body. I have used it for the last 5 years with no trouble with the mounts. However, I do plan to build one that bolts to the rear x-member in the future.