[Shinner]

Originally Posted by BESRK

We'll see how it performs this weekend. We're going to the Virginia 4WD Assoc annual run. He's running around with a 35" TSL on a steel wheel hanging from it.. without rattles so far

How's the test going?

[BESRK]

My buddy hung a 36" TSL mounted on a steely and had no problems. No shakes or rattles and it never popped open on any of the hillclimbs.. and he didn't baby his CJ ....here he is below...


EDIT: It's been about a year and my buddy's carrier is still going strong. Hasn't unlatched even under pretty extreme angles.. check out his video clip below..

http://www.zippyvideos.com/6644869871477566/scott_rock_face_/*besrk







.

[Shinner]

Originally Posted by BESRK

My buddy hung a 36" TSL mounted on a steely and had no problems. No shakes or rattles and it never popped open on any of the hillclimbs.. and he didn't baby his CJ ....here he is below...

Sweet! When do you start taking orders?

[BESRK]

Probably in a couple of weeks. I've been trying to keep up with just making basic bumpers.. what started out as a side-job has turned into more than 40 hours per week. I'll slack off on my eBay bumpers to make a couple of tire carriers. Just gotta catch up with the orders I already have..

[Shinner]

Originally Posted by BESRK

Probably in a couple of weeks. I've been trying to keep up with just making basic bumpers.. what started out as a side-job has turned into more than 40 hours per week. I'll slack off on my eBay bumpers to make a couple of tire carriers. Just gotta catch up with the orders I already have..

Great.....hang yer shingle here when you're ready. I'm subscribed to the thread so I'll get a notice

[yeep]

very nice work. i will definately buy one. let me know the final cost with the accessories added. one question...what is the distance between the reciever and the bottom of your tire? the reason i ask is i cannot use my hitch to pull a small trailer because the bottom of the tire hits the tonge of the trailer. i have to put the spare on the trailer to carry it with me. btw..its a 33" tire.
let me know
pete

[BESRK]

That was a concern after I did my wife's carrier. Since the actual tire mount flips over (and I have her's on the lower setting), there is some adjustability in it for tire height. I'll probably add about 2" more to the overall height than my wife's rack just to make sure. I'll measure my wife's and get a distance from bottom of tire to top of receiver hole..

[yeep]

That would be good. i'm planning on going to 35's in the near future. i'm building a SBC as we speak, going with new rear axel and a new trans. might as well go bigger on the tires too.

have you got any idea of the finished weight? if you do i could figure freight to south georgia. do you ship UPS?

thanks
pete

[BESRK]

I do ship via UPS Ground. The bumper weighs about 65 lbs and the dimensions are 58x10x8 inches. The carrier A-frame weighs about 40 lbs and the dimensions are 42x24x4 inches. It would require two seperate boxes and then you would have to slide the A-frame onto the spindle and tighten it for assembly.

[zachv]

Besrk, very nice work and attention to detail. Very impressive. Like Rio said--watch your time wages. If you have $250 in materials and 10 hours labor(remember to factor in shipping/packaging) and you are selling them for $400, then you are saying that your time is worth $15/hr. I have to pay my helper $15/hr.

Also, and this is not a negative, but you may want to rethink the latch system you have used. I am not a big fan of the Desatco latches, but that is not the biggest thing. The way you have that latch pulling, laterally in relation to the bumper, means that you are pulling the spindle/hinge off axis the whole time. If you were to rearrange it so that it pulled perpindicular to the bumper, ie. towards the center of the Jeep, you will lessen the stress on the hinge. There have been some failures with members on JU using that method of retainment so I thought I would mention it. Personally, I do not feel the Destaco-type latch can adequately hold the rotational forces of the tire carrier so we use a t-handle screw latch that we manufacture. Also, if you can make a snubber that the tire carrier rests on when closed as high on the tailgate area you will preclude much of the front-to-rear movement you have. I know you mentioned that, but I thought that I would mention that it is a great idea, and will also lessen the stress on the hinge/spindle.

Again, it looks great! I hope I did not offend with the comments as they were truly meant to be constructive. BTW, shoot me an e-mail if you get a chance--I have a great idea for the bumper mounts that will make it much easier for you.

[BESRK]

zachv.. I'm never offended by good constructive criticism. Thank you. I'm always showing my stuff to my Jeeping buddies and asking, "What do you think about this?" They've learned to tell me, "Good idea" or "Dude, that ain't gonna work". As for the De Sta Co, they have a latch with an "anti-release" mechanism that I like. Also, I think I'm gonna mount the latch so that it's out on the end of the A-frame arm and angle it so that it pulls "forward" and "down" to positively lock the A-frame end into a piece of angle iron. On my wife's carrier, the A-frame is just locked up against the angle iron in one axis (forward). Yeah, I think I'm gonna stick a small bumpstop up high to eliminate any fore/aft movement. I'll include a bump stop with any carriers that I make. I'm gonna PM you zachv for that idea on mounts.. I'm always thirsty for ideas. Can hardly sleep with all the ideas bouncing around in my head

[BESRK]

Hate to say this but... I've got to put the bumper business on hold for awhile. I've been working out of my garage and evidently one of the neighbors called the police because I'm always welding/grinding and working on Jeeps. They showed up and said I can't do that kind of work in a residential area... business license.. blah blah.. Not sure what I'm gonna do now. I hate to commit to a full-on shop rental because I'm still active duty Army and my obligations kinda preclude me from making a full-time commitment to the bumper thing. Oh well, maybe a little later down the road. I'll still honor any warranty work on any bumpers that I've already sold (just have to do it with the garage dooe closed) dang!!!!!

[Shinner]

Originally Posted by BESRK

Hate to say this but... I've got to put the bumper business on hold for awhile. I've been working out of my garage and evidently one of the neighbors called the police because I'm always welding/grinding and working on Jeeps.

Bassas! Burn their house down. I swear, whenever I do buy a house, it's gonna be in the middle of nowhere (or at least a mile or 2 to the nearest neighbor). People suck.

Originally Posted by BESRK

They showed up and said I can't do that kind of work in a residential area... business license.. blah blah.. Not sure what I'm gonna do now. I hate to commit to a full-on shop rental because I'm still active duty Army and my obligations kinda preclude me from making a full-time commitment to the bumper thing. Oh well, maybe a little later down the road.

Sorry to hear it man....real sorry.

[BESRK]

That's allright though. When I do start back up... it's gonna be full on production from a shop.. with a business sign and all. I've learned a lot during the last 6 months (mainly on the business aspect of everything and supply conservation). Plus, the bumpers paid for a new shop drill press (3/4" chuck), a plasma cutter, a new Lincoln Promig 175 and a wet metal cutting bandsaw...

[Shinner]

Originally Posted by BESRK

That's allright though. When I do start back up... it's gonna be full on production from a shop.. with a business sign and all. I've learned a lot during the last 6 months (mainly on the business aspect of everything and supply conservation). Plus, the bumpers paid for a new shop drill press (3/4" chuck), a plasma cutter, a new Lincoln Promig 175 and a wet metal cutting bandsaw...

All the best of luck to you, I'm sure that in the end it will be very successful for ya. Your stuff looks top rate and word of mouth will definitely spread.

Now I gotta start my search for a bumper again....I'd been holding off until you got your design finalized. Damn.