EVO Fascia with AEV Tire Carrier

[Coloradan]

I wanted to make the EVO Rear Fascia work with my existing AEV tire carrier, and it turns out it's possible to do without doing any real fabricating, just some cutting and drilling. To start I took the stock bumper and AEV tire carrier off and measured where to cut the fascia. I used a jigsaw with a hacksaw blade to cut a notch for the tire carrier bracket to fit on the frame.

Then I measured and cut the frame rail ends to fit the EVO D-Ring mounts.

I left half of the passenger side frame rail the stock length since that's what the AEV carrier bracket requires. After that I touched up the frame and pinch seam in the back with some black paint.

Then I installed the driver side D-Ring mount and EVO fascia.

On the passenger side, since I had removed two of the mounting points for the fascia, I added a bolt to hold the fascia to the frame and prevent rattling.

I matched the holes in the AEV carrier to the EVO D-Ring mount since they were originally a bit off, and I painted the AEV carrier bracket with a textured black to match the fascia.

Then I installed the carrier bracket with the fascia onto the frame.

I did have to install the bolt for the carrier bracket backwards so it came out through the frame with the nut outside the frame.

Finally I put the tire carrier back on.

 

[dillard09]

Job well done sir! I was actually thinking about dropping my current Expedition One tire carrier in favor of a body mount or the AEV carrier and wanted to have both d-rings. Glad to know that it can be done. Thanks you!

Do you feel that the integrity is still there on the frame where the carrier mounts after doing some cutting on it?

 

[highoctane]

That turned out great! :thumb:

 

[Coloradan]

Job well done sir! I was actually thinking about dropping my current Expedition One tire carrier in favor of a body mount or the AEV carrier and wanted to have both d-rings. Glad to know that it can be done. Thanks you!

Do you feel that the integrity is still there on the frame where the carrier mounts after doing some cutting on it?

I definitely feel that the integrity is there, I only notched the frame on the carrier side.

 

[JK07]

Nice! I have the AEV carrier too so this was helpful thanks!

 

[BamBamDeer]

Great Job! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Buster3479]

That came out great! What's really ironic, is I just removed an AEV tire and bumper carrier (literally tonight), and test fit my fascia and D-rings (I had to enlarge 2 frame holes to get the D-rings in. I was going to mount the Genright Aluminum carrier sitting in the garage, but debating this instead........... decisions decisions. Tomorrow I'll probably mock them up and post pictures of both.

Thank you for the option, and I hate you for giving me options!

 

[AllAmericanInfidel]

That turned out great! That's an awesome looking combo right there!!

 

[dillard09]

That came out great! What's really ironic, is I just removed an AEV tire and bumper carrier (literally tonight), and test fit my fascia and D-rings (I had to enlarge 2 frame holes to get the D-rings in. I was going to mount the Genright Aluminum carrier sitting in the garage, but debating this instead........... decisions decisions. Tomorrow I'll probably mock them up and post pictures of both.

Thank you for the option, and I hate you for giving me options!

And if you were closer I would take which ever one you didn't go with! Good luck on making that decision!

 

[Buster3479]

I really like what he did. Best of both worlds. I was dropping the AEV bumper to clear my new 37's without having to add more bumpstops, I didn't really hate it, it just had to go. The EVO fascia gives me the high clearance I want with super strong D-rings, and the AEV tire carrier gives me smooth one-handed operation.

The biggest concern will be dropping the rear off a ledge and hooking the tire. I think the Genright would be stronger here, but then again tied to frame and not only body might win.

I have a literally brand new aluminum Genright I was going to mount with the stop lock. I'm leaning toward the O.P.s method first, worst case if I change my mind I'm out a trimmed fascia (low $). If I go the other way first, I have holes drilled in the body on the driver's side for the Genright mount. Hrmmmmm:hmm:

 

[dillard09]

I really like what he did. Best of both worlds. I was dropping the AEV bumper to clear my new 37's without having to add more bumpstops, I didn't really hate it, it just had to go. The EVO fascia gives me the high clearance I want with super strong D-rings, and the AEV tire carrier gives me smooth one-handed operation.

The biggest concern will be dropping the rear off a ledge and hooking the tire. I think the Genright would be stronger here, but then again tied to frame and not only body might win.

I have a literally brand new aluminum Genright I was going to mount with the stop lock. I'm leaning toward the O.P.s method first, worst case if I change my mind I'm out a trimmed fascia (low $). If I go the other way first, I have holes drilled in the body on the driver's side for the Genright mount. Hrmmmmm:hmm:

True true! If you go genright your more or less stuck but if you try the AEV and don't like it you can always go genright and would be out a couple hundo.

 

[Coloradan]

I really like what he did. Best of both worlds. I was dropping the AEV bumper to clear my new 37's without having to add more bumpstops, I didn't really hate it, it just had to go. The EVO fascia gives me the high clearance I want with super strong D-rings, and the AEV tire carrier gives me smooth one-handed operation.

The biggest concern will be dropping the rear off a ledge and hooking the tire. I think the Genright would be stronger here, but then again tied to frame and not only body might win.

I have a literally brand new aluminum Genright I was going to mount with the stop lock. I'm leaning toward the O.P.s method first, worst case if I change my mind I'm out a trimmed fascia (low $). If I go the other way first, I have holes drilled in the body on the driver's side for the Genright mount. Hrmmmmm:hmm:

That was my thought. The fascia is so well priced that if ever I upgraded to a body-mounted carrier I could always buy another fascia and only be out a couple hundred dollars. Sorry for giving you options [emoji16]

 

[303jkpatriot]

This turned out so awesome! Good work man!

 

[jagrubb99]

This looks great! You would think it would look a little goofy with the frame of the carrier sticking out, but that looks super clean!

 

[CarolinaJK]

Great turnout with this. Nice job!

 

[Buster3479]

Going to go this route. Thank for providing the writeup Coloradan! Where did you mount your CB antenna, to the hi-lift mount? I see your grounding strap, at least I think that's what it is. Mine's currently centered on a mount on the tailgate. Is that the AEV hi-lift mount? I currently don't have one mounted there.

 

[Coloradan]

Going to go this route. Thank for providing the writeup Coloradan! Where did you mount your CB antenna, to the hi-lift mount? I see your grounding strap, at least I think that's what it is. Mine's currently centered on a mount on the tailgate. Is that the AEV hi-lift mount? I currently don't have one mounted there.

Sounds good! DM me if you have any questions during the install or if you have any specific questions on how things fit. I have my CB antenna mounted to the top of the mast of the AEV carrier, behind my reverse lights. I use a 2' antenna from up there and I just grounded the entire carrier to the frame. You can also use the hole in the AEV hi-lift carrier, but I already had mine on the mast so I left it there. I couldn't get the EVO CB mount to fit on the tailgate with the AEV carrier so I used the holes AEV provided. I get great reception from up there.

 

[Buster3479]

I can barely get the tailgate CB mount to work with the AEV carrier (don't remember which model, likely not EVO), but I had to grind down the knurled connector to clear. I might pick up a high-lift mount and try to put it there.

Thanks again, will probably PM you with questions today. How did you measure how to cut the fascia minimally? Did you mount it first, then put the AEV bracket over it to mark it?

I usually mount a flag where you have the antenna. If I picked up a really short antenna, it might work there as long as it clears the garage shop door.

My biggest issue is going to be getting the bracket off of the AEV bumper. Every single knurled stud in the water tank is spinning!

 

[Coloradan]

I can barely get the tailgate CB mount to work with the AEV carrier (don't remember which model, likely not EVO), but I had to grind down the knurled connector to clear. I might pick up a high-lift mount and try to put it there.

Thanks again, will probably PM you with questions today. How did you measure how to cut the fascia minimally? Did you mount it first, then put the AEV bracket over it to mark it?

I usually mount a flag where you have the antenna. If I picked up a really short antenna, it might work there as long as it clears the garage shop door.

My biggest issue is going to be getting the bracket off of the AEV bumper. Every single knurled stud in the water tank is spinning!

That's rough.. I measured from the inside of the AEV carrier frame mount and then marked it over to the fascia. I did put the fascia on so I could measure where to cut the horizontal cut since that needs to be measured from the end of the uncut frame rail where the AEV bracket mounts.

 

[HighwayTrout]

The facia plus AEV carrier looks great!
This is something I've been thinking about a lot. Going to have to order a facia and D ring mounts now.