Aluminess tire carrier install - Help!

mikracer · 10-31-2015, 02:49 PM

I've been trying to install the Aluminess tire carrier and the stock hinge pin is being a huge PITA. I have drilled out about an inch up, but the thing still wont budge when being hit with a mallet/punch. I used a 5/16 bit for most of it and the 3/8 just for the first 1/2 inch. Its boring out the sleeve so I'm not sure if I want to try to keep going much further. Can anyone who's installed one of these give me some advice on what I need to do to get this hinge pin out?

Here's a pic of the drilled out portion.

Pntyrmvr · 10-31-2015, 04:04 PM

Hi,

One member on here took the same problem to his Dad who fixed it quickly with a few blows from a BFH. His reasoning was that his Dad didn't own it and wasn't afraid to risk damage by beating on it like it needed to be beat.

BFH- big f___ing hammer.

If you still can't get it to budge an air chisel with the pointed attachment should do it.

Regards,

Gavin

mikracer · 10-31-2015, 04:09 PM

Thanks for the reply. I decided that I would drill a little more which did the trick. A couple more blows with the rubber mallet and it popped loose. It's all buttoned up now...

Pntyrmvr · 10-31-2015, 04:12 PM

See what one member meant about nothing to lose by his Dad smacking it with a BFH. I respect you using a rubber mallet, but that choice to avoid sheet metal damage is exactly why you had to keep drilling.

Crazy how respect for it makes us hold back.

Glad it's working.

Enjoy that cold one.

Gavin

CaptainVo · 10-31-2015, 11:37 PM

Those damn things were a huge pain to remove. For the swing away box on the right side I had to hand drill a 3/8 hole to get everything to fit. Which reminds me I need to sell the extra tire carrier I have.

86Scotty · 11-01-2015, 08:02 AM

Jin, I just saw this but wish I had sooner. Sounds like you got lucky actually. Mine was not budging no matter what I tried. I pulled the whole door latch off and took it to the mechanic at work. He considered it a challenge of course and had it out in minutes by putting it in a big vise and using, of course, a BFH. Soon after this I told the story to the Aluminess guy at Expo East and he schooled me. He uses an air hammer/chisel with a pointed tip. He said he's done a million of them and it only takes a minute with the right tool. Story of my life.

witoke · 11-01-2015, 08:35 AM

Mikracer, be sure to use a good thread-locking glue on the bolts holding the upright to the hinge. There's something funny about the vibration pattern and without it you'll be losing bolts at a regular rate.

ANZAC · 11-01-2015, 09:32 AM

For the record, I used an air hammer/chisel on mine to get it out. Just in case someone finds this thread later and is stuck.

mikracer · 11-01-2015, 09:41 AM

I should note that I PM'd Redoval prior to posting this since he had just installed one on someone else's van. He said to drill up about an inch vs 1/4 inch on the install instructions. If you don't have an air hammer/chisel, you will need to drill out at least an inch. If you have an air tool, the 1/4 inch to get the rivet off would probably be fine. I would guess that I swung my mallet a couple hundred times trying to get that pin out.

UJOINT · 11-01-2015, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ANZAC

For the record, I used an air hammer/chisel on mine to get it out. Just in case someone finds this thread later and is stuck.

Thats what we do. Actually made a custom air hammer attachment just for this!