Daves Jeep Jk Rock Crawler Rear Bumper With Swing Out Tire Installation Guide
- June 7, 2024
- Daves
Table of Contents
Daves Jeep Jk Rock Crawler Rear Bumper With Swing Out Tire
Our Jeep JK Wrangler rear bumper with tire carrier is definitely in a class of its own. Designed specifically for those looking for a one-hand operation when trying to open the tailgate on your Jeep. The tailgate and tire carrier swing open seamlessly with one hand, which is convenient when you have an armload of groceries or gear in the other. No latches or pins to undo.
Before you paint or powder coat, mount the rear bumper/tire carrier assembly (minus grease and bearing seal) to ensure that it fits properly without risking damage to your paint or powder coat.
Also, remember once painted or powder coated, the holes may become tighter due to the thickness of paint or powder coating.
INSTALLATION PROCEDURE
- Park Jeep on level surface.
- Remove the spare tire and the spare tire mount from the tailgate. Save hardware for further installation.
- Disconnect the third brake light harness, which can be accessed through the rear panel of the tailgate.
- Remove plastic tailgate vent from tailgate.
- Begin with removing the four bolts securing the rear bumper to the frame. Save these bolts for the installation of the new bumper.
- If equipped with rear factory tow hooks, removal of them will be necessary at this time.
- Next, slide the L-shaped mounting brackets into the frame rails lining up with the factory holes in the frame.
- Install your new rear bumper over the ends of the frame lining up the holes with the factory holes in the frame.
- Install the supplied 5/8” bolts through the frame and into the L-shaped brackets. Thread in but leave them loose. Then install the four factory mounting bolts. Once mounting hardware is started, bumper can be leveled and squared up with body. Once satisfied, mounting hardware can be tightened.
- Prepare tire carrier installation by packing the bearings with a good quality wheel bearing grease and smear an adequate amount inside the bearing housing and on the bearing races.
- Flip tire carrier upside down and install the lower bearing and install lower seal with a suitable driver. NOTE: If no seal driver is available, a piece of tubing or large socket could be used to install the seal. Be careful to drive the seal in evenly and not to damage it. Once seal is installed, lubricate the lip of the seal with some wheel bearing grease.
- Flip tire carrier back over and install upper bearing into housing.
- Install the tire carrier onto the spindle shaft on the rear bumper. Careful not to damage the threaded shaft or to damage the seal when sliding on. It may be necessary to seat the upper bearing down in with your fingers. Once bearings are seated, you can install the supplied washer and locking nut onto the spindle shaft. Torque lock nut while swinging tire carrier open and closed until you feel a slight resistance when opening and closing. The swining movement of the tire carrier will also help seat the bearings. There is no torque specification for this nut. You just need to get it as tight as necessary to properly seat the bearings and provide smooth operation without any play in the tire carrier. Once the tire is installed and the Jeep has been driven around, this nut may need to be torqued more to adequately get the play out of the bearings.
- Bearing carrier cap can be installed. NOTE: Lube o-ring with grease first, then snug cap up. Careful not to mar the aluminum.
- Swing tire carrier open and then tailgate plate can be installed on tailgate with original spare tire mount mounting hardware and tighten.
- Install tire carrier bump stops and tighten with supplied nuts.
- Close tire carrier up against the tailgate plate. Both bump stops should contact tailgate plate at the same time. If not, shimming of bump stops may be necessary with supplied fender washers (see step 18).
- Fender washer shims may be necessary between bump stop and tire carrier (if not necessary, skip to step 19).
- This is the key piece to the opening and closing of the swing out tire carrier. The heim joint (rod end) link has right hand and left hand threads for ease of adjustment.
- Swing tire carrier open. Install link and attach tire carrier first with misalignment bushings. Install bolt, washers, and lock nut, center in slot and tighten hardware. Open tailgate and tire carrier to ease attaching the other end to the tailgate plate.
- Attach other end of link to tailgate plate with misalignment bushings and align with a drift punch. Then install hardware and tighten.
- Adjustable link needs to be adjusted to create preload on bump stops and tailgate plate when tailgate is shut. This adjustment may need to be adjusted a few times, especially after the spare tire is mounted. You just want to make sure that when you shut the tailgate, that there is some resistance with the tire carrier, which will squish the bump stops slightly when tailgate is shut. Once satisfied with adjustment, jam nuts can be tightened.
- NOTE: Rod ends may need some periodic cleaning and lubrication with a lubricant such as WD40. WD40 is great because it actually will help disperse water from the rod ends when wet. The dirt, periodic washing, or wet environment the rod ends are exposed to may create a slight creeking sound when going over bumps and body flex with the frame.
- Spare tire mount is fully adjustable up and down to accommodate stock tires or up to a 40” tire. Mount is also adjustable in and out to accommodate a variety of tire widths and wheel offsets.
- Install spare tire mount on carrier at your desired location for your particular tire size with supplied mounting hardware and tighten. Then set the in and out adjustment to have a slight preload of the tire against carrier when lug nuts are tightened. Tighten nuts.
- NOTE: Lug nuts are not included.
- Center hole in spare tire mount is designed for a standard 2” round LED light for a third brake. This can be easily wired into your factory wiring in your tailgate.
- NOTE: Light is not included.
- Your installation is now complete.
Don’t forget we highly recommend installing the whole assembly (minus grease and bearing seal) prior to painting or powder coating. Also, remember once painted or powder coated, the holes may become tighter due to the thickness of paint or powder coating.
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