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I built a new spare tire carrier for my Talon and I thought I would share it since I'm pretty happy with it. The first one I built was a rush job. It worked ok but the tire took up storage space. It didn't block my view though it was always in the way of other gear. Originally I thought I could rotate this out towards the back but it just didn't work out well. These first 2 pics are the old tire bracket that I replaced.
Now, on to the new carrier.
I considered purchasing one that is fastened above the bed by a tube that connects on both sides but that wasn't really what I wanted either. I wanted one that was behind the bed and swung out similar to what some Jeep spares do. At first I was concerned about heat from the exhaust but then it occurred to me if the Honda plastic with the logo and the rear bed plastic can take the heat and they are in between the tire an the exhaust then I don't have anything to worry about.
I built the carrier mostly from scrap steel I had left over from some other projects. All my decisions about what to use were based on what I had available at the time. I had both scrap pipe and square tube. I picked the square tube for no particular reason.
On the hinge side I used 2 hinges because I thought that all the trail bouncing would create a lot of twisting stress. Now, I think I could
have accomplished the same thing just by making the bracket that attaches to the Talon a little taller and spread out the u-bolts a little more.
Still I like the way it looks and it doesn't sag when you open it up.
The mount plates are made from some scrap 1/4 inch steel and fastened to the Talon with 5/16 u-bolts 2 inches in diameter. The square tube attached to the mount plates is 1-1/2 x 3/16 thick. The brackets used for the hinges and the latch are made from trailer leaf spring hangers. They are called short hangers at the trailer parts supply I bought them at. They were $3.40 each. They are heavy duty. The holes for the pins are slightly larger than 1/2 inch to accommodate a 1/2 wheel stud type of bolt which is pressed or pounded in. I didn't want to have the crossbar on there permanently so I used regular 1/2 inch bolts with a lock washer and nut. To keep the thing from rattling I used a 1/2 inch copper compression ferrule between the bolt head and the bracket. This worked very well to stop any rattle. Time will tell if this was a good idea or not and once the bolts were tightened down I probably didn't need them at all. For the crossbar I used 1-1/4 x 1/8 inch square tube. If I wouldn't have used 2 hinges I might have used 3/16 inch tube.
In the crossbar, where I drilled the 1/2 inch holes for the hinges and the latch I welded on a small square tab of what was probably 11 gauge steel on each side to beef up the holes some. I would have preferred to use some plain steel 1/2 washers but didn't have any so I just chopped some small tabs instead. This may have been overkill but better safe than sorry. Also the short hangers are wider than 1-1/4 so this made the hinge a little tighter fitting. I hate rattles. For the last piece of tube that the tire is bolted to I used some 1x3/16 square tube welded into a T shape and then butt welded to the crossbar. I don't always trust butt welds (at least mine) so I added some small tabs and angle chunks to the T to create lap welds on top of both butt joints.
If you decide to build one like this, here are a couple of tips. The square tube brackets are all cut at a 70 degree angle from the mount plates Since the Talon back tube is at an approximate 20 degree angle from vertical as close as I could tell. I built the bottom bracket and tube and fastened it on. I used a level to get the hinge bracket horizontal and tack welded it. I took it off to finish the weld so I wouldn't boil the paint off the Talon. I then took a 1/2 inch rod long enough to go through both hinge brackets to keep them straight and inline so that they wouldn't bind when opening/closing. If you don't do this it's nearly impossible to line the hinges up correctly. I welded the top bracket to the tube and then put it back on the Talon to tack weld on the top hinge bracket to make sure it was perfectly in line. Getting the 1/2 inch rod to go through both hinges is now more important than the top bracket being perfectly horizontal so no need for a level on the second hinge bracket. Once the hinges are complete, install the crossbar and mark where the hole should be drilled for the latch.
Once I had everything primed and painted I did the final install I just finger tightened the bracket u-bolts until the crossbar hinges were tightened and the latch pin was installed. I then tightened down the bracket u-bolts with everything lined up like I wanted.
Here is a couple of pictures of the finished carrier before I attached the wheel.
Here are some shots with the spare tire installed.
Now, on to the new carrier.
I considered purchasing one that is fastened above the bed by a tube that connects on both sides but that wasn't really what I wanted either. I wanted one that was behind the bed and swung out similar to what some Jeep spares do. At first I was concerned about heat from the exhaust but then it occurred to me if the Honda plastic with the logo and the rear bed plastic can take the heat and they are in between the tire an the exhaust then I don't have anything to worry about.
I built the carrier mostly from scrap steel I had left over from some other projects. All my decisions about what to use were based on what I had available at the time. I had both scrap pipe and square tube. I picked the square tube for no particular reason.
On the hinge side I used 2 hinges because I thought that all the trail bouncing would create a lot of twisting stress. Now, I think I could
have accomplished the same thing just by making the bracket that attaches to the Talon a little taller and spread out the u-bolts a little more.
Still I like the way it looks and it doesn't sag when you open it up.
The mount plates are made from some scrap 1/4 inch steel and fastened to the Talon with 5/16 u-bolts 2 inches in diameter. The square tube attached to the mount plates is 1-1/2 x 3/16 thick. The brackets used for the hinges and the latch are made from trailer leaf spring hangers. They are called short hangers at the trailer parts supply I bought them at. They were $3.40 each. They are heavy duty. The holes for the pins are slightly larger than 1/2 inch to accommodate a 1/2 wheel stud type of bolt which is pressed or pounded in. I didn't want to have the crossbar on there permanently so I used regular 1/2 inch bolts with a lock washer and nut. To keep the thing from rattling I used a 1/2 inch copper compression ferrule between the bolt head and the bracket. This worked very well to stop any rattle. Time will tell if this was a good idea or not and once the bolts were tightened down I probably didn't need them at all. For the crossbar I used 1-1/4 x 1/8 inch square tube. If I wouldn't have used 2 hinges I might have used 3/16 inch tube.
In the crossbar, where I drilled the 1/2 inch holes for the hinges and the latch I welded on a small square tab of what was probably 11 gauge steel on each side to beef up the holes some. I would have preferred to use some plain steel 1/2 washers but didn't have any so I just chopped some small tabs instead. This may have been overkill but better safe than sorry. Also the short hangers are wider than 1-1/4 so this made the hinge a little tighter fitting. I hate rattles. For the last piece of tube that the tire is bolted to I used some 1x3/16 square tube welded into a T shape and then butt welded to the crossbar. I don't always trust butt welds (at least mine) so I added some small tabs and angle chunks to the T to create lap welds on top of both butt joints.
If you decide to build one like this, here are a couple of tips. The square tube brackets are all cut at a 70 degree angle from the mount plates Since the Talon back tube is at an approximate 20 degree angle from vertical as close as I could tell. I built the bottom bracket and tube and fastened it on. I used a level to get the hinge bracket horizontal and tack welded it. I took it off to finish the weld so I wouldn't boil the paint off the Talon. I then took a 1/2 inch rod long enough to go through both hinge brackets to keep them straight and inline so that they wouldn't bind when opening/closing. If you don't do this it's nearly impossible to line the hinges up correctly. I welded the top bracket to the tube and then put it back on the Talon to tack weld on the top hinge bracket to make sure it was perfectly in line. Getting the 1/2 inch rod to go through both hinges is now more important than the top bracket being perfectly horizontal so no need for a level on the second hinge bracket. Once the hinges are complete, install the crossbar and mark where the hole should be drilled for the latch.
Once I had everything primed and painted I did the final install I just finger tightened the bracket u-bolts until the crossbar hinges were tightened and the latch pin was installed. I then tightened down the bracket u-bolts with everything lined up like I wanted.
Here is a couple of pictures of the finished carrier before I attached the wheel.
Here are some shots with the spare tire installed.
