http://www.primedesignracks.com/rotationalVan.htm

here check out the web sit they have a drawing of one and how it's laid out i think this will work better for what your wanting all you have to do is just size it for your xj

 

I just got a call today, and I got this job! So now, my tax return can go to my parents to get rid of my mini debt, get a new rear u-joint, then fix my crazily obnoxtious exhaust, then wait for some of this mud and snow to dry up a little. After all that, I'm gonna start making this thing.

 

Congrats man!

 

i was screw around tomorow on my computer and make a 3d C.A.D modle with a little more detial than those paint drawings lol

 

why not just mount a tire carrier to the hatch? i mean a swing up tire carriers going to limit your hatch unless you send it 45 degrees past the hatch. i mean its cool an all. but function over beauty right? why have a bunch of tubes and pulleys runnin them when you can mount it straight to the hatch and put bigger struts on the hatch and maby one or two more for strength. just an idea. if you don't like this one im working on a drawing for you haha.

 

The swing up will go higher than the hatch, so it won't limit it's travel. And I actually prefer that it not only functions well, but it also looks good doing it.

I will have a locking mechanism just like on a driveway basketball hoop, but this one will be easier to disengage.

I don't think I will be able to use the garage the garage door spring, so if it works out properly, then it should only have 2 short travel close assist shocks.


And I would really appreciate a CAD drawing of this (if it doesn't take much time) I have autocad2010, but I just got it about a month ago, and it's for a class, so I am just learning how to use it.

 

heres my drawing i just went of yours for the lift mec. the round dish is where your tire would bolt to and the long shaft would go down to the bumper to lock it in place. i made it useinf 1" steel pipe. i didnt take measurements so its not all to scale but it is 2 feet wide so that your tire would cover up almost all of it. i didnt include hinges yet but i might make it more detialed when i get the time (hinges, lock,ect)

 

I could never get bends like that! lol I dont have a bender, and I plan on giving it angles. Great drawing by the way!, I'm just starting to learn how to do 2D stuff. And I am thinking about using 1"x3"x1/8", to keep it low profile and lighter weight. With the short lengths I will be using, this should be plenty strong enough, the longest peice that will support a lot of weight might be 3' if that.

 

thanks!yeah i wasnt sure if u would be able to bend it or not my tire rack is made of square stock as well and it works great

 

I just got the metal today, and started cutting parts for the roof rack portion of it. I have work tomorrow, then off on Thursday because it's spring break. I should be able to get pics up then. Total spent on metal so far is $80, which I don't think is that bad. I plugged in what I wanted on metaldepot.com and it was nearly $20 more, not including shipping.

 

Good luck man I will follow

 

I took a few pics, but then I changed some stuff, so no current pics, or anything worth showing yet. I havent had much time to work on it this weekend, because I helped my dad split firewood and stuff.

If eveything goes as planned, than I will no longer have to attach anything to the hatch but a rubber bump stop thing. The safety latch that I am making will hopefully also work as a latch to keep it in the down position, as well as preventing it from falling down when its up.

 

What metal are you making it out of?

 

1"x1"x.083" for the rack part, and 3"x1"x1/8" for the swing up part. I also have 2"x2"x1/8" angle for attacthing it to the roof rail holes.

 

What if you attach the hatch to the rack. I mean you build the rack the way you want it, hingeing off the roof rack, then just put a couple of spacers between it and the fiberglass hatch so its bolted directly to the thing, take of the hinges on the top of the fiberglass hatch. Now your swing down locks into place with a key and you can mount your beef shocks where they already have mounts. You'll just have to reinforce the fiberglass hatch there, Or run a peice of steel into the fiberglass hatch from the rack where the shock mounts to the door.........Woah.....I might have to build one too..........but I'll let you try first