My take on the UTV Kingz spare tire rack./other mods as they come

[Flyinbowtie]

I am about done with this thing. When today came and went with no replacement for the unfinished tube clamp piece I emailed the place. I notified them on the 3rdof the problem, they responded a few days later, apologized, stated they would get it out "in a day or two"
Today the responded and apologized again, said it will go out today.

Anyway I started pondering this thing and realized I was going to have to mod it like Hammer did to get my 32 inch tire to fit without hitting the down bars on the back of the cage. I also wanted to add a bar to weld a stop plate to that would help prevent the tire from moving forward, "towards me) if Bad Things Happen. I welded a tube in and then a chunk of 1/8 inch plate to the tube.

I scrounged some expanded metal a couple years ago and decided I would cut out a piece to fit on the mount. I thought about aluminum, but I don't want dirt/sand/etc accumulating on there. This stuff is "rubberized" and pretty durable, I built a step for the RV out of it a couple years ago and it is holding up well. It stinks something fierce when welding it...not fun. The "extensions" are 3/16" plate. I was going to drill and countersink them to get some weight off, but got lazy. May do that down the road.
Then, I decided to lay the 1" x 1/8" strap over the edges to keep any rubbing to a minimum. Yeah, I added some weight to the thing.
Ahead of the tire area is a perfect place for a jack. I am going to mod a Horror Freight trailer jack at some point, but for now it is a great place to strap my Milwaukee job site radio, AKA ghetto blaster. I plug my phone into this thing for some music when out riding. Yeah, it is ghetto, but I can't bring myself to spend a bunch of $ on a stereo for this thing just yet. Other priorities.
Wife says it will match color wise, LOL.

A pic of it first coat of primer and bare. I sanded the primer today and put the first coat of rattle can on it in the shop today Thank goodness for a heated shop, it was about 29 outside today and the shop was a cozy 65. I love my Reznor power vent heater!
Will get a pic up when it is done.

Well having looked at my some of my welds I am going to do some grinding and re work. It won't be visible with the tire on it, but I will know it is there, and that will drive me nuts. So there ya go.

 

[TPC]

I gave up on a spare and decided to run flat if not a plug-able flat.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

That looks great.

I hope you get the new clamp soon!

Here is the dog bone configuration. I slip the fender washer shown here behind the bed though, not in front of it.

This is a friends car.

 

[DLC]

That’s a “ Brick Shit House “ of a tire carrier !

way over kill, but looks great ….

that frt section will be perfect for a jack !

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Also if you need stronger lift struts because of the tire placement, I can give you some part numbers.

 

[Flyinbowtie]

DLC...yeah, I know.
Been that way mosta my life. My stuff don't break, though.
LOF I would love those part numbers, LOL. Mrs. FBT can lift it but she has already decided she would like it eaiser to get to the ice chest.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

@Flyinbowtie

Ok these are the ones I just ordered. The are slightly shorter at 18” total extended length so my tire does not hit my cage/roof. The ones that came with it are rated at 60 lbs. so I got these same 18” units in 60 lbs and they didn’t lift the tire, so the rating must be off. Currently I have one short 60 lb strut and a stock strut and it is barely adequate but works.

These 80 lb units should do the job with authority. If you wait a couple days, I can provide feedback on the 80 lb units, if they are too much, not enough etc.

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www.liftsupportsdepot.com

 

[Flyinbowtie]

Thanks, I will wait. I would like them to top out a bit sooner too as you are doing.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

@Flyinbowtie.. the 80lb lift struts work great.

They lift to here automatically as soon as you release the latch

 

[Flyinbowtie]

Thank you very much for the info, LOF.

I ordered them.

 

[Flyinbowtie]

Can't leave well enough alone.
I cannot handle squeaks and rattles, drives me batshit crazy. Sometimes I wounder how I have been involved in off roading for..well heck about 48 years?
So I was looking at this thing and had an idea. I ordered some Energy Suspension front end snubbers and repurposed them.

Also got the jack mounted, need to grab some wing nuts and finish the stop plate.

@LargeOrangeFont

I put the new gas struts on, they are soo close, but just don't hold the load up. That 32 riding way back there is too much...I have a Survival kit riding under the inside of the rim, on the expanded metal. It fits just fine and doesn't take up sapce in the "bed",
I am gonna go look for some 100's and see if I can get a par of those.

A coat of paint and it is finally finished, and I ain't gonna futz with it no mo.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Can't leave well enough alone.
I cannot handle squeaks and rattles, drives me batshit crazy. Sometimes I wounder how I have been involved in off roading for..well heck about 48 years?
So I was looking at this thing and had an idea. I ordered some Energy Suspension front end snubbers and repurposed them.

View attachment 1209475

Also got the jack mounted, need to grab some wing nuts and finish the stop plate.

View attachment 1209477

@LargeOrangeFont

I put the new gas struts on, they are soo close, but just don't hold the load up. That 32 riding way back there is too much...I have a Survival kit riding under the inside of the rim, on the expanded metal. It fits just fine and doesn't take up sapce in the "bed",
I am gonna go look for some 100's and see if I can get a par of those.

A coat of paint and it is finally finished, and I ain't gonna futz with it no mo.

Ack!!! Im sorry they didn’t quite work. I think it may be the leverage of the tire further back.

I got my aluminum trail jack dialed last week for more lifting height. Had to weld on a piece of tubing for a new extension and saddle.

Nice work on the snubbers. I might have to try that!

 

[Flyinbowtie]

I like the aluminum jack...

 

[Flyinbowtie]

Once I finished the spare rack and took it for a spin I knew I was going to have to up the springs, at least in the rear...hold that thought.

I was never happy with the Coyote Tires on the car. They didn't seem to do anything very well, but did OK at some things. Fast firer roads were a bit of a challenge with them...and I started snooping around.
I wanted a tire that would do sand, desert, everything...and do it reasonably well.

I came across the AMS M1-EVIL.

I did some looking at reviews and was surprised to see there were no complaints at all...Pro UTV had a sale going, and I bit...4 new tires and new System 3 SB-7 Beadlocks. I wanted beadlocks but wanted to stay with the stock offset, going any ider would put me in trouble with the inner fenders int he toyhauler.

Here is how they look...stout as heck

I kept one Coyote for the spare. These M-1s ain't cheap.

Anyway I looked at the spring situation.
I had a Stage 2 Eibach Spring kit on the car. I had wanted to buy a Stage 3, but this was during the "pandemic" and there was no delivery date for a Stage 3 kit....none to be had.
So I went with the S-2.

It is supposed to be good to up to 99 lbs in the bed and 2 adults...and with the amount of crap I haul sometimes we were right there.
When we added the spare that took us over, by about 40lbs

I started looking at the Eibach website. The only difference between the S-2 and S3 spring sets for the rear were in the main springs, the S-2 was a 300lb per inch and the S-3 a 350lb per inch...the tender springs are the same in both kits. So, I just ordered the S-3 main springs and today I decided to put them on.

For some reason this process...pulling the rear shocks and doing the spring compressor deal, changing the springs, and re-installing the shocks just flat kicks my behind...my wife yells at me for not getting help...but...ya know...and it was indeed as much a pain in the ass as I remember.
Getting old and being chock full of aftermarket parts ain't helping the deal.
So sick of hurting.
I have 3 fingers of Single Barrel...first time in months...

I will let ya know how the tires do. We are sneaking away next month fer a couple days. I am hoping I don't have to do the front shocks too.