I’ve had the spare tire holder sitting in my garage since I got the truck, just sitting in a corner gathering cob-webs with all the other spare bits I’d obtained from the previous owner. No idea where it goes, how to install. Why didn’t he install it?
Once when I had some POR15 left over I painted the rusty thing with it a glossy black, why not. Just was careful not to get it into the winder mechanism.
POR15 on the spare tire holder in Feb 2013.
When I was at TorFab I hit up Tor for the install Beta and he gave me the bad news: Normally the rear frame of the truck is an open “C”, the C facing inside. My frame is custom and the “C” has been closed with a welded plate. The spare tire holder bolts to the frame, to the bottom side of the top of the “C”. Since I don’t have a “C” anymore I’ll need to find an alternative.
Now I’m preparing for the big trip I do want a spare tire but don’t want to take up a bunch of space with it, I need to get that spare tire holder installed.
Come up with a plan, I’ll bolt it on with hefty bolts!
First, cut off the ends so the span fits between the frame rails.
Angle grinder made short work of this.
Really amazing how quickly a cutting disk can do this. Metal? Sheesh!
Then bolt some angle iron onto the frame, bolt the tire holder to that?
Go to the Home Despot, buy 3/8″ angle iron, buy stainless bolts, washers and nuts.
Cut angle iron and then paint it all with VHT epoxy paint.
3/8″ steel angle cut to size with the super tool!
Stuff waiting to dry in the sun.
Angle grinder can cut these in about 15 seconds.
The whole ensemble after painting with VHT epoxy.
3/8″ stainless bolts, washers and nuts.
Next evening the paint is pretty dry, not dry enough to paint again but dry enough to go under the truck.
Order is important here.
1) Drill holes in angle iron brackets using drill press.
2) Estimate where the brackets go on the frame, mark where holes go.
3) Drill holes in frame.
4) Thread bolts from backside of frame into brackets (with washers), and tighten a bit.
5) Put spare tire holder onto brackets.
6) Drill through bracket and tire holder span
7) Attach bolts from span to bracket
8) Tighten the crap out of everything.
9) Paint it all with Fluidfilm AR, especially the winder mechanism.
A bit tricky to get the bolts through the frame from the inside, I hold the bolts with a socket. Needed to enlist my son and his little hands to help
Once everything is bolted together its VERY strong. Dang.
Home crafted spare tire bracket – bracket, stage right.
My home crafted spare tire bracket… bracket.
Putting the wheel on:
I realize I don’t know how to work the winder. There is a slot but I’m not sure what is supposed to be used to turn it, or if its even reachable with the tow hitch.
Under the drivers seat there is a post jack, behind it on the drivers side passenger footwell are a pair of clips and a rod with hook on the end. The hook fits into the spare tire mechanism, but the that piece is too short to reach out from under the car… I dig around in my spare bits and on the floor is another rod! With a square attachment. I assume there is supposed to be a crank thing but its not to be… I use vice grips and crank the wheel up. No problem. Super secure. I’ll check the bolts after a few days.
Fluidfilm AR on spare tire holder. Stuff is pretty solid, like frozen snot.
CanadianBJ 