Forum Discussion

bullsnot's avatar
bullsnot
Explorer
Feb 20, 2016

Spare tire winch question

I recently purchased a used toy hauler. The spare tire was laying in the garage. I didn't bother to ask why. I was more worried about other things. Just figured the previous owner never put it back in its place after a blown tire.

I went to put it back in its place under the garage. I quickly realized there was something wrong with the winch. It doesn't work at all. No problem it's a fairly cheap part.

My question is though looking at the new winch there appears to be an attachment point where something else bolts on to the winch for a bar to insert into a hole in the side of the RV and raise and lower the tire. What does this look like? I looked at my winch and the previous owner welded on some sort of handle that you have to crawl under the RV to access. That clearly won't transfer.

I know it's a strange question but how do others with a toy hauler raise and lower the spare?
  • My spare tire carrier used three vertical posts that kept the tire laterally in place. A triangular frame hinged off two of the verticals kept the tire horizontally in place with a bolt in the third vertical holding the frame.
  • Ivylog's avatar
    Ivylog
    Explorer III
    I added a spare tire to an equipment trailer by using a hand come along and a pulley. Sounds like the pulley would go where the winch is now and the come along at the edge of the trailer. Slower than a winch, but how often do you have to use it? In 10 years I've used mine once for eight tires.
  • Sounds like you need the shaft from the winch to the cranking point somewhere outside the confines of the tire. I have used 1/2" emt (electrical conduit) to get from the winch to the edge of the trailer, but that depends on if you need a mounting point for the end of the emt. Drill for a pin at the winch, and use a 1/2" bolt with a 3/4 head which is standard for most applications on the other end.
  • Thanks guys for the suggestions. I ended up figuring out a way to do just what Camorhino suggested. I got some pipe from Home Depot and drilled for a pin to attach to the winch and drilled and placed a bolt in the other end. It works perfectly with my hand crank from the side of the RV.