Spare Tire

stevenal wrote:

Vinsil wrote:
Raise the camper! You already have a flat and most don't carry a jack strong enough to lift a truck with a TC on it.

Don't not complicate it.

Isn't the factory jack rated to raise a truck loaded to its GVWR? Easy to raise the camper as you say, but what if you were carrying gravel?

Got me, I don't use the tiny thing myself, dangerous enough without a load IMHO.

I'm also well over my gvwr as well.

Thanks Grit Dog.
Spare only going to be out front 2-3 days at the most for a weekend of camping/fishing, so camper will be a modest size, nothing big and heavy as the only thing I would upgrade would be a little beef at the rear. Will only be me in there anyways, alone time hahaha. Nice and quiet. Since kids are older and don't want to fish anyways.
For longer trips/vacations with the wife I'll be pulling the TT.
Thanks for all the advice guys.

Dude asked about where to put a spare tire, not how in the world is he ever going to put a camper on THAT truck! Btw nice clean looking pickup in your sig..! 90s models GMs are some of the best out there!
Oh, and the 300lb thing.....not correct. You'll lose the dead weight of the spare, maybe plus a tad for it being a bit behind the rear axle.
Assuming 80lb tire/rim, mounted 3' fwd of front axle, 12' c to c on the axles the spare tire will take 20lbs off the rear axle. That's the resultant force required at the rear axle location to off set the tire weight that is now cantilvering off the front axle.
Static moment diagram.

Bedlam wrote:
Something that has not been mentioned is the height of 35" tires may make loading and unloading of a truck camper difficult due to the height. The GM's will not fit 33's without modification or a lift kit, so I assume this truck is sitting on tall tires and a lift.

These 35" tires may not be rated sufficiently for carry a camper with all the features that are desired and you may need to scale back your wants or go to heavier rated commercial tires.

Your lift may may also not be the best choice for hauling a camper. Many are designed to allow for more wheel travel by using softer suspension components. This will result in unwanted sag and sway when loaded.

Another point is that if he has aftermarket bling wheels many are not rated for the loads a 3/4 ton truck will see.

That was the reason I hunted around until I found the oddball sized (305/70-18), load range E, 35" tire that would fit on my stock F350 wheels.

Won't be going too big. No slide outs and try to stay under 2600lbs dry. Springs are HD 3/4 ton, no soft springs on this truck. Would still do bags and/or Stable loads. Tires rated for 3500 lbs each on steel rims.

Something that has not been mentioned is the height of 35" tires may make loading and unloading of a truck camper difficult due to the height. The GM's will not fit 33's without modification or a lift kit, so I assume this truck is sitting on tall tires and a lift.

These 35" tires may not be rated sufficiently for carry a camper with all the features that are desired and you may need to scale back your wants or go to heavier rated commercial tires.

Your lift may may also not be the best choice for hauling a camper. Many are designed to allow for more wheel travel by using softer suspension components. This will result in unwanted sag and sway when loaded.

Another option would be to tow a small covered trailer and put the spare there along with other stuff. Bicycles, lawn chair etc.

burningman wrote:
But this isn't a Ford!
I'll believe that moving a spare tire forward takes 300 pounds off the rear when I see it. Even though you're moving it from the almost extreme rear to the extreme front, that's a pretty optimistic number.
Perhaps it's true if your front bumper is extended about fifteen feet forward!

True BUT the OP states he hasn't ever even checked to see if it would fit on his truck. So the FIRST step is to get the tire under there and see.

Vinsil wrote:
Raise the camper! You already have a flat and most don't carry a jack strong enough to lift a truck with a TC on it.

Don't not complicate it.

Isn't the factory jack rated to raise a truck loaded to its GVWR? Easy to raise the camper as you say, but what if you were carrying gravel?

But this isn't a Ford!
I'll believe that moving a spare tire forward takes 300 pounds off the rear when I see it. Even though you're moving it from the almost extreme rear to the extreme front, that's a pretty optimistic number.
Perhaps it's true if your front bumper is extended about fifteen feet forward!