Turn Offroad HD Tire Carrier Tailgate Reinforcement Questions

[4wheel_therapy]

I recently installed the Turn Offroad HD Tire Carrier Tailgate Reinforcement piece. My body panels and lines line up. My gaps are true all the way around. My concerns are:

1. The rubber seal for the bottom of the window hits my tailgate now, so it won't open without prying and manipulating that.

2. The carrier itself seems to be angled away from the tailgate toward the end by the hinges so that I can see the painted gate underneath.

Has anyone else experienced this?

(I have reached out 4 times to Turn Offroad, once by phone and three times by email, and haven't had a "resolution" yet.)

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[4wheel_therapy]

Sorry, photos didn't load on my original post.

I have seen installs from others on here, and it does appear their's also curves out from the gate by the hinges. I can't believe it would do this so that you can see the unpainted surface.

BUT I am still wondering about the gasket hitting now.

 

[4wheel_therapy]

Received an email back from Turn. They will send me pictures of their Bronco Monday.

Additionally, I guess the gasket is correct, and you now need to open the gate 140 degrees for it to clear, or cut it.

 

[Apollo]

I have the Turn tire carrier as well, that is how it fits. The gap on the end of the carrier doesn’t bother me at all, the rubber hitting is annoying. If I can’t open the tail gate fully then I just grab the glass at the rubber and it opens fine. Yes it is a problem and is very annoying.

 

[Brian_B]

1. The rubber seal for the bottom of the window hits my tailgate now, so it won't open without prying and amnipuklating that.

First, I have no idea what that word is.

Second - yeah, tailgate almost all the way open to open the rear window. That's normal, and I agree, annoying. My aftermarket top had a rigid plastic piece there instead of soft rubber... I cut it back so I wouldn't have to open it so far and now it leaks when it rains heavily. Which was a mistake... Mine was like that before the TOR carrier though - I thought it was just my aftermarket top.

Lastly. The gap at the end is normal too - it's because your tailgate has a slight curve, but the reinforcement is straight pieces welded at an angle. It's hard to really notice much since the hinges are right in front of it, and usually everyone is just gaping at whatever enormous tire you have hanging off the back.

 

[jsoa]

same issues here, accepted them as the normal. The pros out weigh the cons imo.

 

[redone17]

I was wondering about the rubber seal. That’s definitely pretty annoying. Geometry wise I can’t wrap my head around why that’s the case now. Isn’t the pivot further out which would make it clear sooner? I need to take a closer look.

I hadn’t noticed the gap. I probably shouldn’t look. But, figure once the bigger tire is mounted it will be forgotten anyhow.

I for some damn reason couldn’t get the bottom left carrier bolt into the tailgate. I gotta try and loosen them all and see if I can drive it in. I was worried I was stripping the nut end threads.

 

[Brian_B]

I gotta try and loosen them all

This is the way

Never tighten a bolt down until you have them all started. I keep relearning this the hard way.

 

[redone17]

This is the way

Never tighten a bolt down until you have them all started. I keep relearning this the hard way.

I already tried it once. But I guess I gotta back them out further and maybe start with that one. This is one lesson my father taught me early on. He’s not very mechanical - but, the rotational torque stuck with me.

 

[jsoa]

contrary to the install video, I attached the hinges to the reinforcement first then with the help of a friend we loosely mounted the hinges to the truck, then hand tightened the tailgate, adjusted as needed then tightened everything, checked alignment, loosened everything readjusted, rinsed and repeated until it was best we could.

 

[Glade Runner]

I wish I had seen this thread before ordering yesterday.

Question: if you mount the Jerry-can on the reinforcement, can you open the tailgate far enough to be able to open the window without grabbing the seal, or will that be part of my new process so I don’t hit my tail lights? (I’d like to not break my smoked Morimotos!)

 

[rufio]

Same issues with mine. Can’t open rear window without opening the tailgate way past 90 degrees.

 

[redone17]

It’s not an issue. It’s clearly documented. I got used to it. Luckily the rubber is flexible. In a pinch you can flex it enough to clear it.

 

[Charlie Mike]

I for some damn reason couldn’t get the bottom left carrier bolt into the tailgate. I gotta try and loosen them all and see if I can drive it in. I was worried I was stripping the nut end threads.

Did you ever get that bolt in?

I ran into the same issue today. No matter what I did I couldn't get it to line up. I eventually cross threaded the bolt.

I wish I would have known about the window sill before today, lol. That would have saved a lot of time and frustration. I guess I'll have to get used to it and remember not to open it too much. I don't want the Rotopax to smoke my tail light.

 

[redone17]

Did you ever get that bolt in?

I ran into the same issue today. No matter what I did I couldn't get it to line up. I eventually cross threaded the bolt.

I wish I would have known about the window sill before today, lol. That would have saved a lot of time and frustration. I guess I'll have to get used to it and remember not to open it too much. I don't want the Rotopax to smoke my tail light.

Nope. I just left it out. It’s not going anywhere.

I figured the next time I need to change the resistors on my Morimoto tail lights. I would loosen everything up and readjust and see if I can sink it.

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