Hi all.I've been thinking about mounting a OEM spare tire carrier on my 79.Has anybody done it and and tips Thanks

 

Put a inside one on. The swing carrier cracks the quarter panel.

 

Not if properly installed and you take care not to drive off with it unlatched. The FAQ's get into these questions a bit as well. The issue is that the hinge mounting is up inside the rear quarter and accessing that area to install the mounts requires at the very least body work. I wish I could recall the gallery I was looking at recently that showed the passenger rear quarter off the Bronco and the location of the brackets that must be installed to do what you are wanting to do. I know the photo exists though.

 

I'm on my 5th 79 Bronco. All but one had the carrier outside. 3 out of 4 were cracked. Have had them with as little as 5,000 miles on them (less than a year old). Had 2 87's also. One new, 1 used. New one wasn't, used one was cracked. yeah, I know how the quarter is made. Only takes one idiot to walk by and trip the release while you are not around. When you got out it was fine, so you figure it's ok when you go to leave. Turn a corner or take off kind of quick and the tire either rips the panel or caves in the tailgate. happened to me twice. Including on the one I have now, http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/d...P0069Small.jpg

 

Yea Thanks for all the input.I like the look/fuctinality/cool tire cover LOOK A TON.But I don't want damage.I guess I'm gonna pass

 

If you really want one, there's a way to do it. It also depends on the size of the tire that's on it. My '81 has 28 years and a couple hundred thousands of miles on it, and there's not a single crack.

If you are going to do it, you definitely do have to reinforce the inside of the quarter panel to take the weight. If you just bolt it to the sheet metal, you'll screw it up pretty bad.

An outside tire carrier gives you a bit more internal room, and they look rugged, which I like.

Res238, sounds like you've had some pretty poor luck with them, and with some twisted people too.

 

See maybe the earlier units didn't have it but later, the mounting for the external spare had gusseting INSIDE the the rear quarter that was factory installed and WELDED in place. So adding one without causing damage would be a problem. The worst problem I've ever had was the alignment of the carrier and the tailgate latch which can cause the sheet metal of the tailgate to actually tear at the edge where it rounds over to the gate glass. But that was actually an easy fix.

If you really want an external carrier and don't want to mess with the body work, consider a bumper mounted unit. There are aftermarket ones available or you could fabricate your own.