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tailgate/spare mount

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tailgate/spare mount
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Drewski

Jeeper
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Location
Sugar Land, TX
Vehicle(s)
1980 CJ-5 304 V8, T5, Dana 300, '09 GMC Sierra Z71
Hey y'all, attached is a photo of the rear of my 80 CJ5 .

I'm curious about how common tailgates were and if this was either a 'delete' job or if it came stock without one.

Also, I'm going to want to mount a spare but I've read on here that the sheet metal isn't up to snuff when it comes to holding a heavy tire. Do you think the holes in the top rail are original or were they added by a PO? There are some tabs screwed on that you can see inside of the taillight assemblies as well. What could those be?

I'm not against having a new bracket made or ordering one that sits on something more sturdy. Suggestions? Thoughts?
 
I would suggest trying to build it as rigid as you can so it can take things like bouncing around in the rocks. you could use the rear bumper as an extra support pivot and try to mount the spare high up as to take things like steep drop offs with out banging against it. Also adding gas tank mounts could help. I think the '79 CJ5s did not have a drop down tail gate, but not really sure about a tail gate delete in the other CJs around that year.
 
Yeah, I think that's a good idea-using the bumper as a support. Not really sure about gas tank mounts...seems like they'd cover the taillights and/or fuel cap?
 
My '83 CJ5 didn't have a tailgate and the factory spare tire mount was on the back. There were braces on the inside where it mounted. I ran a 31-10.5 spare without any problems.
 
Ah, yes there are two braces at about a 45* from the back to the floor. I took out the rear seat as I don't need it. Think that would be fine for a 33" or go for a custom bumper job?

Still curious about the top rail and the holes/tabs.
 
If I remember right you should see two holes in the braces that run down the inside of the tub for the bottem bolts and the top bolts to those two holes you are asking about. And I would have run a 33" spare on mine.
 
Mine's an '80 CJ5 with no tailgate. I have carried a 33 X 12.5 spare on the factory carrier for as long as I've owned it and I have done some pretty rough trails with no problems.
 
Drewski said:
I'm curious about how common tailgates were and if this was either a 'delete' job or if it came stock without one.
Click to expand...

You'll find more tailgates on CJ's then fixed panels. The tailgate was standard and the fixed panel optional. 1971 was the first year of the fixed panel/rear tank, most back then were offered on Renegade models. 76 thru 83 saw more fixed panels and fewer tailgates. Only the base model CJ's had them at that time.

You have a lot of diamond plate there, hope the rust under it isn't too bad. I see the top 2 holes have bolts in them, and the lower 2 are covered by the diamond place. I see someone added 2 L-brackets on the rear as well.
 
I've had both gated and gateless CJ5 's. I'm a sucker for a tail gate.

But the tubs are two different animals. A CJ tub with a gate is not designed to support a tire flopping away on the back. Attaching a tire swing gate on the back of your CJ is inviting trouble. That is why most swing gates attach or have their major attachment points on the bumper or frame.

With that being said a gateless tub is designed to support a tire on the back. It's easy to see the additional framing in the back panel designed to reinforce that area for a spare.

I suppose that leaves the fact that CJ's were designed to hold a spare on the right rear side/corner. History has it that a spare flopping around back there is VERY hard on a tub. Even a factory sized spare. But there isn't much area for side support with the hole a requires.
 
My '80 CJ7 has a tailgate with "JEEP" stamped into it.
 
Not all CJ's with a tailgates came with a passenger side tire mount, some were offered on the driver side. The side tire mount was plenty strong with the factory wheelhouse baffle and body support pad to handle a stock or slightly larger tire. The only reason for moving from a side mount to a rear mount was running tight trails and catching the tire on a tree or running a larger tire.
 
A lot can be said about the CJ tailgate and spare tire, both pro and con. I really have to agree with mounting the spare in the rear to avoid getting it banged up on the trail. Even there it gets in the way on the bottom of a steep drop off. The tailgate is great for having a place to put your Coleman stove though.
 
So we're on the same page. If I'm restoring a CJ w/tailgate to factory specs the spare tire is going on the side. Doesn't make sense to mount it elsewhere when all else is period correct. Likely just a grocery getter at that. I'm talking early CJ.
 
There is a part of me that wants to react negatively to having my post be rebuked that aggressively. All I can do is state my case as clearly and logically as I can.

I will say this. When I got my CJ I wanted to mount the tire "where it's supposed to be." Rob at Willys Works strongly advised against it. Of course the tire would be in poor position for tight trails and that seems like the likely reason for moving the tire to the rear. Then Rob took me out to his junk yard and showed me what running with the tire on the side does to a tub. Mostly a floppy side or fender section, popped or warped rear corners, side cracking at the floor and especially in the tail gate frame area. That jogged my memory of my Grandfathers Willys flat fender with welded and reinforced tail gate area. Sorry, but I saw it with my own eyes. But then again I could be wrong.....

With that being said, with modern smooth streets and smoother suspensions a side mount would likely never damage your CJ.

But that is an argument for '75 and older CJ's. The '76 model year saw the side mount go away and the beginning of the Wranglerification of the Jeep line.
 
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Maybe there was a reason they were in the junk yard? My 46 2a has had the same side mounted tire for 70 years with no issues at all.
 
Thanks for the replies gents. I think I'm interested in making my own bumper-supported rack. Can any of you point me toward a good thread or maybe some up-close photos of your own or others you've seen?
 
There is no comparison between the steel in a 46 and newer CJ's. Yep, they were in a junk yard because they were worn out, sure enough. I'm sure there is some sort of point in there somewhere. I'm simply passing on information given to me by a man who started professionally working on jeeps when you were 6 years old. Sorry, but I trust what he has to say especially when he backs it up with examples.
 
Not entirely correct. The 40s and 50s wheelhouse baffles, is the same thickness as the 70s baffles. I have a spare baffle from a 2a and 70's CJ. This and the side panel gives support to the side mounted tire. The flatties were built using 24G, 16G, and 13G. Back then the tolerances weren't tight like they are now a days. If I'm the type of guy who regurgitates what others say, and not have an honest option of my own then I would say 18G on both older and newer CJ's. However, my opinion on side panels would be 17G on the early CJs and 18G on the newer stuff.
 
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