wquiles
Well-Known Member
I been wanting to make something like this:
or this one:
But I also wanted to make something stronger enough that could be used to carry a heavy spare tire as well, like this one:
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The rest of the thread has the work-in-progress photos, but here is one photo of the finished project (late June 2022):
*****************************************************************************
So I spent months looking at videos, photos of about 10 different options, including some DIY designs, trying to come up with a version that had the features I wanted for my Toyota 4Runner. I actually started thinking about this project in late Summer, early fall of 2021, so it has been almost a year since I had the original idea for this project.
For the moving arm, even though my implementation is a little different, I went with the excellent design from Taboo Customs:
Hub and Spindle Kit-Side Mount-Double Shear P0498
I started cutting metal around Jan-Feb of 2022 - this is a factory Curt 12" piece:
After I measured using my 4Runner as the target, I used an on-line calculator to compare the flex of various cross sections/shapes/wall thickness for the fixed and moving arm:
Hollow Rectangular Beam Deflection Calculator
I settled on 4"x2" by 1/8" wall tube:
Mockup:
For the portion that will go into the 4Runner hitch, I wanted it short and slanted to make the exit angle as high as I can reasonably make it:
or this one:
But I also wanted to make something stronger enough that could be used to carry a heavy spare tire as well, like this one:
*****************************************************************************
The rest of the thread has the work-in-progress photos, but here is one photo of the finished project (late June 2022):
*****************************************************************************
So I spent months looking at videos, photos of about 10 different options, including some DIY designs, trying to come up with a version that had the features I wanted for my Toyota 4Runner. I actually started thinking about this project in late Summer, early fall of 2021, so it has been almost a year since I had the original idea for this project.
For the moving arm, even though my implementation is a little different, I went with the excellent design from Taboo Customs:
Hub and Spindle Kit-Side Mount-Double Shear P0498
I started cutting metal around Jan-Feb of 2022 - this is a factory Curt 12" piece:
After I measured using my 4Runner as the target, I used an on-line calculator to compare the flex of various cross sections/shapes/wall thickness for the fixed and moving arm:
Hollow Rectangular Beam Deflection Calculator
I settled on 4"x2" by 1/8" wall tube:
Mockup:
For the portion that will go into the 4Runner hitch, I wanted it short and slanted to make the exit angle as high as I can reasonably make it:
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