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Carrier Before
1. Carrier Before - Our blank slate of a tire carrier. Years of abuse, neglect and destructive testing has yet to bust its chops - but we wanted more.
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Before Paint
2. Before Paint - The final design before paint. It’s a tight squeeze behind our 35-inch spare.
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Mock Up
3. Mock Up - Final test fit before we paint the bare steel. Our carrier swing arm is narrow, so we had to mount the jack at a 45-degree angle to allow it to open without hitting the body or hanging out the side of the Jeep.
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Foot Mount
4. Foot Mount - Using some spare rubber pieces, a bottom foot keeper takes some of the strain off the rest of the tire carrier.
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Bolt Retainer Install
5. Bolt Retainer Install - These small bolt keepers allow some movement in the bracket while mounting the jack without having the bolts fall out. The best method to install these is to press them on by hand with a large socket.
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Urethane Isolator
6. Urethane Isolator - To mount the jack, sandwich it between two isolators, add the washer and choose between the wingnuts or nylock nuts. Both are supplied in the kit.
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Hi-Lift Handle Keeper
7. Hi-Lift Handle Keeper - Don’t forget to keep the handle of the jack from flopping around. We picked up this urethane unit when we got our jack.
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Final Carrier Open
8. Final Carrier Open - Fits like a glove… a large, heavy, metal, glove!
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Final Carrier Closed
9. Final Carrier Closed - It’s a tight squeeze, but there is enough clearance.
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Final Carrier
10. Final Carrier - Easy access to our jack and the rear of the Jeep. Mission accomplished.
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Finished Look
Story and photos by Bryan Irons
Hi-lift, Farm Jack, Ratchet Jack, etc… Whatever name you wish to call them, the Hi-lift jack has been a universal tool in the off roaders arsenal for decades and will continue to be. To be honest, yours truly has used one more in the shop than on the trail. But, that doesn’t stop me from packing it along every trip. With a family of four, trail gear, food, clothes, spares and other essentials, finding room for our “seldom used” rescue tool to be strapped down is getting hard.
Our rear bumper and spare tire carrier is a nice, stout, rattle free custom piece we don’t want to lose, however we needed a way to mount a Hi-lift outside of our rig. While cruising through some other jack mounts available online, we came across Poison Spyder Customs “RockBrawler” mount. Initially intended for their RockBrawler line of bumpers, the lightweight, rattle free design looked easily adaptable for our setup.
High quality plated hardware, lightweight design, and urethane bushings made this the hot ticket for us. We could have spent the better part of a weekend running around getting parts and fabricating brackets, but this route allowed us more time to work on other parts of the rig.
Originally intended to mount horizontally, we mounted ours on a 45-degree angle and added a third foot mount with a piece of used rubber to keep any rattles at bay. You will need to secure the handle somehow, or pick up a Hi-Lift handle isolator to keep the handle from becoming a flying object.
Although we didn’t use the included instructions, they seemed well laid out and easy to follow. For those concerned with having your Hi-Lift stolen, Nylock nuts are also included to make it a little more difficult for thieves. We now have a safe, rattle free mount that creates some much needed interior space.
Poison Spyder Customs, (951) 849-5911, www.PoisonSpyder.com
Hi-Lift Jack Company, www.Hi-Lift.com