Aligning the spare tire carrier?

[mdainsd]

To the point were I am trying to install the spare tire carrier. Just the brackets were an ordeal. Note; I am installing an original onto the Bronco. It had a lame aftermarket one when I bought the truck.

The two pins on the swing portion are not aligned with each other. The lower one is tweaked out of position a few degrees. How are people dealing with realigning them? Unfortunately the carrier is all painted up and ready to go so whatever I need to do I would like to not have to strip it and re-paint.

?

 

[DirtDonk]

A long time ago, I bought a long threaded steel rod in the correct diameter from Home Depot. Something like 5/8 or 3/4 inch perhaps? Don’t remember, but it was a couple of feet long and I used it to align the holes before I tighten down the corner pivots.
Seemed to work pretty good.

Unfortunately, for me, the last time I did it I also sealed the hinge brackets with silicone (which is what you are supposed to do anyway). And then got called away before I thought to put shaft the aligning rod in.
Needless to say, the silicone locked it in place before I aligned it and it’s just far enough off to not get the carrier in.
move the lower bracket. I also happen to get it Also needless to say, it’s going to be a pain!
Haven’t fixed it yet, so can’t post the solution. But it’s going to involve a lot of slicing without scratching paint, and many choice words used.

 

[mdainsd]

The holes in the brackets are 5/8 diameter. I think I will just go pick up a piece of tubing or some-such and try to at least get the brackets close. There is no wiggle room with them after getting the bolts in. Then maybe find a way to clamp the lower area of the carrier and see if I can tweak it back without bending the pin. The bolts all need to get painted, but not until the fool thing fits.

 

[DirtDonk]

Yes, keep tweaking before painting! You’ve got the right sequence.
Even when factory installed and in perfect shape, they were a very tight fit. When the plastic bushings are installed, there is very little to no wiggle room.
If your carrier is bent in any way, you may be in for a chore.

 

[Oldtimer]

As Paul stated, use bar stock / all thread / pipe to verify hinges on body are aligned.
Then pin lower carrier pivot to lower hinge, and nudge / twist / bend carrier until the upper pivot is aligned with upper hinge?
The carrier should flex before pin will bend, and the lower corner sheet metal should withstand some pressure before buckling.