OR Fab Tire carrier tips
#11
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Poway. San diego
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Do you have any pics. I really want this carrier. But don't know if I want the one that carries the Jerry vans or not. And is there a place to mount a hi lift jack on it?
#12
JK Jedi
https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/show...nd-impressions!
#13
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Location: Poway. San diego
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Originally Posted by sm_rubi
We've run both the Jerry Can version and the Rotopax and like them both for various reasons. Never ran the non-can carrier but the Rotopax version sits pretty close to the body so if that was the concern I wouldn't worry about it. Here's a thread I started with some pics of the Rotopax version. Since you live in the San Diego area you should stop by one of our Suds n Grubs you'll be able to see both versions as several of us are running the OR-Fab carriers. As far as a highlift yes on our version it does come with threaded holes for bolting on your highlift.
https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/show...nd-impressions!
#14
JK Jedi
Looks like the next one will be in Poway and might be on a weekend...used to move around the county more but more of the people who showed up were from North COunty...need some peeps further down south to post one up and everyone will show up.
#15
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BONEDOCs advice to me......
The installation is very straight forward but time consuming. You don't want to rush this. All said it took me approximately 5 hours to install it, but that includied having to run to grab tools I ended up needing from a different location.
The end result is well worth the effort though. If you never took your taillights off, take them off and take a look, that is where you will be working and it is a tight fit.
Here are a couple of tips.
1. Don't be afraid to double check before drilling. On the driver's side you will be drilling a large, 1" hole in your jeep so make sure you are lined up.
2. The instructions do say what you need but here are some others tools i ended up using.
a. offset 13mm box wrench
b. A flex drive for your drill, the instruction say to use a right angle drill, mine wasn't small enough to fit in all places.
c. when adjusting your tailgate and carrier, careful on the order you loosen your bolts. when everything is mounted and your doing your final adjustments to the carrier, your tailgate will have already been realigned. So to NOT lose your tailgate alignment, loosen the hinge bolts that are hidden(inside) when the tailgate is closed first. Then close your tailgate and put a few pieces of wood between it and your bumper. Then loosen the upper and lower outside hinge bolts, make your adjustments to your carrier. then retighten. Doing it this way the 2 outside hinge bolts keep everything aligned till you close the tailgate and then give it the wood to support it. Then you tighten the 2 outside which again hold everything tight, then you can open the tailgate and tighten the remaining 4 hinge bolts.
d. Assembling the hinges, it is a series of spacers, brass washers, and each one finishes with an annoying little flex washer. Now this washer...had me about ready to....tear my hair out...lol! All the pieces fit together very tight, this is so there is no rattles or unwanted movement. I couldn't get the flex washers in, I ended up taking a 2 pairs of pliers and flattening the flex washers, not completely....but just enough that I could get them in to place. Then got the hinges tightened. Haven't had any issues, mine are quiet, no rattles.
The directions do a great job of explaining things, most of the time to me is from being unfamailiar with it. If I was doing it again I'm sure I could cut that install time significantly. When you get your carrier, unpack it and read the directions...several times, make sure you have everything needed and then schedule a good solid afternoon. You won't be disappointed. Oh, by the way, go to OrFab's website and download and print out the directions. The ones off their website have much better pictures and are much clearer than the photocopied ones that come with the kit.
The installation is very straight forward but time consuming. You don't want to rush this. All said it took me approximately 5 hours to install it, but that includied having to run to grab tools I ended up needing from a different location.
The end result is well worth the effort though. If you never took your taillights off, take them off and take a look, that is where you will be working and it is a tight fit.
Here are a couple of tips.
1. Don't be afraid to double check before drilling. On the driver's side you will be drilling a large, 1" hole in your jeep so make sure you are lined up.
2. The instructions do say what you need but here are some others tools i ended up using.
a. offset 13mm box wrench
b. A flex drive for your drill, the instruction say to use a right angle drill, mine wasn't small enough to fit in all places.
c. when adjusting your tailgate and carrier, careful on the order you loosen your bolts. when everything is mounted and your doing your final adjustments to the carrier, your tailgate will have already been realigned. So to NOT lose your tailgate alignment, loosen the hinge bolts that are hidden(inside) when the tailgate is closed first. Then close your tailgate and put a few pieces of wood between it and your bumper. Then loosen the upper and lower outside hinge bolts, make your adjustments to your carrier. then retighten. Doing it this way the 2 outside hinge bolts keep everything aligned till you close the tailgate and then give it the wood to support it. Then you tighten the 2 outside which again hold everything tight, then you can open the tailgate and tighten the remaining 4 hinge bolts.
d. Assembling the hinges, it is a series of spacers, brass washers, and each one finishes with an annoying little flex washer. Now this washer...had me about ready to....tear my hair out...lol! All the pieces fit together very tight, this is so there is no rattles or unwanted movement. I couldn't get the flex washers in, I ended up taking a 2 pairs of pliers and flattening the flex washers, not completely....but just enough that I could get them in to place. Then got the hinges tightened. Haven't had any issues, mine are quiet, no rattles.
The directions do a great job of explaining things, most of the time to me is from being unfamailiar with it. If I was doing it again I'm sure I could cut that install time significantly. When you get your carrier, unpack it and read the directions...several times, make sure you have everything needed and then schedule a good solid afternoon. You won't be disappointed. Oh, by the way, go to OrFab's website and download and print out the directions. The ones off their website have much better pictures and are much clearer than the photocopied ones that come with the kit.
#17
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#18
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Tried that but didn't think it would be sturdy enough. I wasn't taking chances with the tailgate...they are not cheap to replace
#19
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#20
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Join Date: Mar 2011
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I had to end up taking my tail light guards off as well. Install time about 2.5 hours for this tire carrier. Awesome tire carrier. Looks great. Would recommend to everyone. I had no problems getting tail lights off and on