AJ120 Rear Bar / Dual Wheel Carrier

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

looking good aj.

is it not possible to reduce the rear over hang anymore?
i was looking at using some C channel that fits over the chassis, and the reciever underneath like the old Hayman reese towbars.

i will be watching. cheers

It would be prettty hard to reduce the overhand anymore, you will see when I get more pics that the pivot for the swing arms only clears the bodywork by a few mm's. If your main aim was to improve departure angle and not have a wheel carrier then I suppose there are ways to do it, but you would need to sacrifice other things; for at the end of the day very little gain.

This rear bar actually sits a little higher (the bottom edge) than plastic bumper, but it also hangs out slightly further so probably about the same departure angle, maybe ever so slightly improved but I haven't measured it.

Cheers Andrew

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Will the final product need the tail end chop or is that for the prototype only?
Cheers
DocK

Yes cutting the rear bumper and the wheel flares will be needed, I am not normally a big fan of mods that are so permanent but its really the only way to get the bumper back to the wheel arch!

It is only the plastic flare that needs to be cut, so worst case if you wanted to reverse it you replace the flare.

Cheers Andrew

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

This will make it look very neat Andrew but I've found with mine that standing on the aluminium tread plate is a great way to get up to the roof rack. Are you putting anything under the plastic trim to fill the void so that standing on it doesn't cause a problem?

The palstic trim will still have the poly foam underneath it, the foam needs to be trimmed a bit but it will still be solid to stand on, same as original. I stand on mine all the time to access the roof rack and that should stay the same.

Cheers Andrew

[Trekrider Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Trekrider]

It would be prettty hard to reduce the overhand anymore, you will see when I get more pics that the pivot for the swing arms on clears the bodywork by a few mm's. If your main aim was to improve departure angle and not have a wheel carrier then I suppose there are ways to do it, but you would need to sacrifice other things for at the end of the day very little gain.

This rear bar actually sits a little higher (the bottom edge) than plastic bumper, but it also hangs out slightly further so probably about the same departure angle, maybe ever so slightly improved but I haven't measured it.

Cheers Andrew

I found the same with mine, the bar has to be further back to accommodate the stub axles but the whole bar sits higher underneath. I think the departure angle is slightly better but you couldn't really go any further without doing something with the rear fuel tank.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Good work AJ. I would be interested in one of these units because as stated, other bars don't extend all the way along the wheel arch.

The following interchangeable options would be good:

1. One spare wheel mount only,
2. Two spare wheel mounts only, and
3. One spare wheel mount and one twin jerry holder

What lights are you looking at using, LED would be good. Also addition and or brighter LED reverse lights would be good. Similar to these:

http://visionled-lights.com/led-reve...ty-light-.html as an example

Cheers

Winston.

Regards the arms, yes ultimately I hope to have multiple options, much as you have described. Personally I expect to run 1 spare mounted in fromt of the original position and a single jerry can holder on the left. I usually have the camper in tow with a second spare on that. Of course if I want to change that setup for any given trip I know a bloke who can help me out with different arm options

As for lights, I never considered anything but LED lights, this has been a major stumbling block for me. I am actually pretty tight for space on the rear of the bar and finding suitable lights has not been easy. In fact I cant get lights like I wanted (small round grommet mounted) so have decided on basic rectangular light that I will recess into the bar. Haven't settled on reverse lights but probably some small bullet style lights.

Cheers Andrew

[gumboot Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close gumboot]

Yes I have heard that you are looking to replace a rather 2nd hand looking rear bumper following the last CityView trip Robert

Yes dont remind me Craig, battle damage unfortunately. I tied to hook a trailer up the other day and my tailer plug is up near the rear fuel tank now
This is why Andrews bar will be so good, if it runs all the way to the wheel arch and with flexible mud flaps, it will eliminate many of the rear bumper issues 4wding I suggest

[foxclan Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close foxclan]

Looking really good and strong Andrew, no supprises there of coarse.
Great courage in hacking into the plastic like that but it has payed off with the marriage of the bar to the wheel arch.
Very neat so far watching with intrest.
Cheers
Troy

[winniliss Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close winniliss]

Thanks for the reply Andrew,

Whether the lights are recessed or not I don't see as an issue. If you can let us know what size we can work with in regards to mounting the lights, members could do some research and give you an idea what they like

Winston.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

I like the idea of having the lights recessed as I think it will look neater, and although only a little it means less steel.

I have pretty much settled on a light but if people are keen to search then the area to work with is 175mm x 110mm. There are other factors besides size to consider as well, they must be ADR compliant, how they mount willl come into it and of course price.

Hella make a light that would be ideal, unfortunately you need to sell a kidney and mortgage the house to get a set

Cheers Andrew

[DocK Member Find all posts View Profile Close DocK]

Love the reversible wheel mount idea! Great bit of thinking. Mmmmm....anyway to mount a hf antenna to the bracket?

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Love the reversible wheel mount idea! Great bit of thinking. Mmmmm....anyway to mount a hf antenna to the bracket?

Maybe. but it's not going to be easy, running the wires and having to re route them when it turns, also the antenna is going to need to be able to be mounted on either side, and the angle of mount is reversed as well.

I have a HF to mount myself but at this point I am thinking a bracket where the spare used to mount is the easy option for this.

Cheers Andrew

[Trekrider Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Trekrider]

I have a HF to mount myself but at this point I am thinking a bracket where the spare used to mount is the easy option for this.

Cheers Andrew

I just picked up my HF today and was also thinking that where the spare wheel mount used to be would be the go for mounting it. I already have cables going to one of the swinging arms for the reverse light and UHF aerial, I don't think it would be practical to mount the HF there as well.

[DocK Member Find all posts View Profile Close DocK]

Maybe just leave the kaymar hf mount in place on the rear wheel spacer as it is then wont complicate things any further! Great work Andrew thanks for the updates.

[Hazza Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hazza]

I've been watching with great interest. Love your work Andrew. This may well be another purchase from you so put me down on the list.

Hazza

[Beach Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beach]

Watching with great interest.