Spare Tire Mod

[Cummins12V98]

I increased my load range from "H" to "J" buying new Continental 235 17.5 tires and Alcoa Rims. I have heard stories about people loosing their spare. At a combined 95# I would hate to think of the damage and potential death that combo could do.

Found a pc of 2x2x28" long Aluminum square tube at a friends shop. I cut some inner tube and attached to each end for a cushion between the tube and tire with 3M Yellow sticky door seal adhesive. On one end of the mechanism mount I removed the bolt and added a pc os 3/8" threaded rod double nutting it in place. Once I raised the tire in place I ran a nut to within a couple inches of the tube and cut off the rod cleaning up the end. I then removed the nut and replaced it with a 3/8 nylock nut then drilled a small hole below it then ran a pc of stainless wire thru the hole to make sure the nut could not back off.

[Cummins12V98]

Potentially saved a life or more and several hundred to replace tire and wheel. Something that has been in the back of my mind for a while, glad I finally did it.

[Cummins12V98]

ford truck guy wrote:
I like that idea Ron,

That has always been my fear as I've heard a couple stories of people loosing their spares while driving due to the weight of heavier tires..

The mechanism just flat out failed... I try to check mine every time I move.

SO....... The 3/8" all thread simply went into a regular bolt hole holding the system up??

I think the bolt was 1/4 or 5/16" so I drilled that hole out to accept the 3/8" all thread rod.

[Lwiddis]

Good protection for your fellow motorists.

[joshuajim]

Years ago in a previous trailer, it had an undermount spare. We were going to a remote site in the NorCal Redwoods. The last .4 mile into the campground was a 10’ wide “path” where at one point the redwoods on both sides were less than 1’ of the trailer. So we always stopped at the entrance to scope out the “path” to see if anyone was coming as there was no place to pull off and let someone pass due to the close proximity of the trees.

As we were there, a pickup pulls up and asked if we lost a tire. I look under the trailer and the spare was gone. The cable holding it had snapped.

Now the lucky part. The tire was in front of the axles. When it fell, it must have remained completely flat to pass under both axles. Has it tipped up, it could have flipped the trailer.

That would have been quite a ride.

[fj12ryder]

Good idea: belt and suspenders.

[ford_truck_guy]

I like that idea Ron,

That has always been my fear as I've heard a couple stories of people loosing their spares while driving due to the weight of heavier tires..

The mechanism just flat out failed... I try to check mine every time I move.

SO....... The 3/8" all thread simply went into a regular bolt hole holding the system up??

[larry_barnhart]

Good idea.

chevman