[RockWoRM]

For those of us YJ owners with custom or after market rear spare swing outs, here's an easy way to add an extra latch to your swing that does'nt take any more time to open than your current one.
I've seen alot of posts of guys saying the upper half of their swing will viberate or rattle while driving down the road or even on the trail. I had this prob. too. So I came up with an idea to get rid of the rattle @ the top end. A few guys have asked about it, but I never did a write up... so here goes. Short and sweet.

This mod requires some minor fab skills, but overall its pretty simple.

Tools needed:
Basic sockets or nut drivers
Something to cut metal. i.e. Metal chop saw, power band, sawzall w/metal blade.
Drill
Tape measure
Welder or access to one

Material needed:
Flat iron stock and sq. tubing. Self tapping screw bolts or reg. small bolts.
DeStaCo Latch or Latch of choise

Since all swings are not created equal, some slight adjustments may be needed, but I think most applications can be adapted.

First, remove the fac. spare tire mount. This is where the new latch will be installed. Save the bolts. If yours is already removed, great. Most of us plugged the holes with the fac bolts, so remove those or if you don't have them, any hardware store will.

I took a piece of flat iron I had laying around, that was 3" wide and 1/8 thick. Any guage or thickness can be used, but 1/8 seems to be a good call. This was to be the backing plate for the tail gate section. This I cut approx. 10 inches long, so that left me with a 3 x 10 piece of flat stock. I measured out the three fac. tail gate bolt holes and transfered those measurements to the upper half of the flat stock, keeping them centered and about 3/4" from the top. Drilled out the 3 holes and bolted the plate on at this time.

Next, since my upper half of the swing is made out of 2" sq. tube, this is what I chose to use as the latch base, so that it would match. This was a custom cut, since as stated, not all swings are the same. I measured the distance between the tail gate plate, to the inner side of the swing. I then cut a piece of 2" sq. tube to that distance and checked for proper fit/length.
This is where is gets a little custom, and one reason I used 3" wide flat plate. The idea is to center the middle of the swing to the tail gate, and my middle was a little lower than the tail gate, so the base did'nt land dead center of the backing plate.

I then welded the 2" sq. tube to the base plate, centering it to the swing, not the base. Check for proper fit... good to go.

As they say... a pic is worth a thousand words, so here's a pic of the base plate completed.



Next, was the easy part. Installing the latch. Using self tapping hex bolts (I just love those things! ) I simply centered the latch, marked the holes, and just to be sure, pre-drilled pilot holes. Then with my handy drill driver and the hex bolts, screwed in the new latch and its base clip. Again, a pic is worth a thousand words, so here's the swing half...



This is what it looks like closed. Nice snug fit. No more rattle or vibes from the swing!



Again... this is custom, so just about any size plate or tube can be used in order to line up the tail gate base plate with the center of any other type swing out. Since there is ample flat space where the old fac. mount holes are, its plenty stable to install a wider base piece if needed, in order to center it up to your swing.

Latch's can be found @ www.destaco.com
or http://www.destaco.com/products.asp?loc=USA&lang=ENG&products=Manual%20Cl amps&Category_1=Pull+Action+Latch+Clamps





WRM

[SWAMPRNR]

Great idea....That gives me something to work on today

[LOCKED UP]

Good idea.

Will that get tweaked (rub paint to paint) when the body/frame flexes? Maybe you could use one of those rubber endcaps for a hitch to keep it from scratching on itself where the metal meets the metal? Or use some plastic coat dip stuff (what they put on the handle fo tools).

[MNKMcNeilly]

Originally Posted by RockWoRM

Latch's can be found @ www.destaco.com
or http://www.destaco.com/products.asp?loc=USA&lang=ENG&products=Manual%20Cl amps&Category_1=Pull+Action+Latch+Clamps





WRM

I just spent an hour on that site playing with the 3D CAD and stuff. Very cool stuff and great idea.

[magsnubby]

I did the same thing on mine. Only i used a latch set off a early 80's Bronco. Mine still rattles a little. I might change to your setup.

[RockWoRM]

Originally Posted by LOCKED UP

Good idea.

Will that get tweaked (rub paint to paint) when the body/frame flexes? Maybe you could use one of those rubber endcaps for a hitch to keep it from scratching on itself where the metal meets the metal? Or use some plastic coat dip stuff (what they put on the handle fo tools).

I've had VERY little rubbing. Those Destaca latch's are great... they amazingly hold really snug! I have the same lower type of latch. They are very easy and quick to open and close.
One thing I did'nt mention... the ends could have been capped off for a "cleaner" finish or look. A little extra work, but mostly personal preference, I suppose.
BTW... the plastic coat dip stuff is another good idea!


here's an older pic of the lower, I dug up.







WRM

[RockRaider]

Cool wright up. I have a swing out similar to yours on my CJ and the rattling does get a little annoying after a while , anyway that looks like a pretty good set up you got there, I think I'll try to get my buddy to fab me up something like that. I have a 33" mounted on the swing out and was wondering how heavy a wheel you think that latch can support ?

[jeeepguy]

You stole my idea!





















Nice writeup...

[RockWoRM]

Originally Posted by jeeepguy

You stole my idea!

Nice writeup...

thanks... and sorry!

But honestly, I had'nt seen or read any other posts when I thought this up. Kinda like my bumper... all my own, but looks like just about any other. The swing is a TKHfab, though, added to what I already had.




WRM

[jeeepguy]

Its a great mod. Did mine about 2 years ago when I got my Bulletproof bumpers. As good as they are, I was still getting some vibration when I had my 35 hangin' off it, so I added the DeStaco latch to it. Only difference is that I added mine to the top. Worked better with my setup.

But as I said before... nice writeup.

Great minds think alike.

[RockWoRM]

Originally Posted by RockRaider

I have a 33" mounted on the swing out and was wondering how heavy a wheel you think that latch can support ?

I'm running a 35 x 12.50 spare, and its fine. Good latch's, IMHO.




WRM

[atomicmoose]

Good idea Worm.

[Zach571]

I built my tire carrier two years ago and I have no rattles, but I think that may be due to the direction in which I mounted my latch. It pulls the swing out tight to the bumper, and I put some plastic on that mount so it isn't metal on metal.



I also used a 4wd front hub for the pivot, so I just lock the hub and it holds it open for me.

I would be concerned with attaching the frame to the tailgate also, might end up stressing the tailgate with the body and frame moving seperate from each other and putting that force into the tailgate.

Zach571

[RockWoRM]

Originally Posted by Zach571

I would be concerned with attaching the frame to the tailgate also, might end up stressing the tailgate with the body and frame moving seperate from each other and putting that force into the tailgate.

Zach571

I breifly thought about that when I started, but all the weight is on the bumper in my set-up. I sure there is a little stress on the tailgate, but IMHO, not enough to ever matter. I just takes care of the top end vibe. The YJ tail gates were orrigally designed to carry a fac. spare anyway, as I see it, so little bit should'nt hurt a thing.



WRM

[atomicmoose]

Originally Posted by RockWoRM

I breifly thought about that when I started, but all the weight is on the bumper in my set-up. I sure there is a little stress on the tailgate, but IMHO, not enough to ever matter. I just takes care of the top end vibe. The YJ tail gates were orrigally designed to carry a fac. spare anyway, as I see it, so little bit should'nt hurt a thing.



WRM

Besides, it would only stress it as much as the bumper would move...which isn't much.