Wayward spare tire and bracket

[Pender]

It appears that the spare tire and bracket didn’t want to accompany the rest of us on our journey south from Whitehorse, Yukon. Somewhere, likely on Hwy. 37, the assembly is resting in the ditch. It looks like the bolts came loose…

 

[jack sparrow]

Hey Pender,


It was just added weight any way...... right????
Hey thanks for the heads up, I'll have to check the bolts on mine before I leave out this weekend.


Just think, it may save a person that comes across it one day.


Cheers to ya..... and Happy Trails....... Jack

 

[Ron in BC]

Well that's a nuisance, especially far from home.

There were a few events a few years ago. Never liked the design of the spare tire bracket. Two bolts inline don't offer much resistance to side-to-side movement. Also, when they're removed folks have often found rusty water draining out of the bumper, the bolt allows water in.

I don't have that situation anymore. I went with a forward undermounted spare. Out of the way, very secure, and frees up valuable real estate.

Ron

 

[Pender]

Thanks, Jack.

I was planning to have the missus watch ‘The Love Bug’ such that she might be able to mimic Buddy Hackett ‘hiking out’ to get Herbie over the finish line.
(I doubt that would fly, tho’ nothing ventured…)

 

[Pender]

Ron,
I believe I’ll go with the under tongue mount when I get home. Princess Auto has a sale on the wheel/tire kits for $120. I’ll pick one up in Abbotsford tomorrow, and have a look for a Lipperts (sp?) winch while I’m there.

 

[Centex]

It appears that the spare tire and bracket didn’t want to accompany the rest of us on our journey south from Whitehorse, Yukon...

That's certainly a bummer, but thanks for sharing the 'warning'.

.... I don't have that situation anymore. I went with a forward undermounted spare. Out of the way, very secure, and frees up valuable real estate.

I hadn't really had any concern about the OE mount until I removed it to make-way for my rear-bumper mount mini-spit AC mod and took a closer look, which did prompt a bit of a frown. Rusted bolts already after only a year of exposure :nonono:.

I copied Jim Bennett's 5.0 forward undermount with winch as described in this post.

 

[Iowa Dave]

My bolts were rusty but strong enough. I drilled 2 5/16 inch holes , one in each end of the bumper after rusty water came out of the tire bracket. Replaced the original bolts with grade 5 bolts. After a couple years I flexed on the bolts and they were strong. Suppose it would be judicious to take one nut and bolt off
and see if rust had stated again but I doubt it with drain holes in the bumper.
Iowa Dave

 

[escape artist]

My bolts were rusty but strong enough. I drilled 2 5/16 inch holes , one in each end of the bumper after rusty water came out of the tire bracket. Replaced the original bolts with grade 5 bolts. After a couple years I flexed on the bolts and they were strong. Suppose it would be judicious to take one nut and bolt off
and see if rust had stated again but I doubt it with drain holes in the bumper.
Iowa Dave

Hi: Iowa Dave... I wish my spare tire would let loose cause it always seems to be round my middle!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie (usually)

 

[Iowa Dave]

Talk to me Alf. I’ve not tried very hard to lose it and it sure as hell ain’t gonna fall off in its own. This spare tire I have is about the size of a 7.60 by 15 from a 1950 Buick and weighs up like a heavy duty split rim. Hope you’re having a great spring.
Iowa Dave

 

[jack sparrow]

Hi All,


God bless all you brave hearts that mount that spare up under the front end of the trailer.


Food for thought is: IF that spare ever got loose under there, could you imagine all the damage it would cause at highway speed if by chance it didn't overturn the trailer in the process of trying to come out the back end. I'd hate to think....... as we all know......... anything is possible given the right condition and time.


Just my two cents.


Cheers to ya ........ and Happy Trails......... Jack

 

[Centex]

God bless all you brave hearts that mount that spare up under the front end of the trailer.
.... IF that spare ever got loose under there, could you imagine all the damage it would cause ....

Perhaps my confidence is misplaced but given hundreds of thousands of pickups with millions of miles having a very much larger and heavier spare under-mounted and dependent on a single winch-cable for retention does give me confidence in that system (e.g. the purpose-built Lippert Spare Tire Winch used by Jim Bennett and myself).

I'm sure someone has lost a truck or trailer spare mounted in that fashion at some time, but I've never heard of that occurring, I'm comfortable with the 'odds'. As demonstrated by the OP, nothing is 100%.

IF a spare tire goes 'wayward', no matter where mounted, that's obviously a very serious thing. Personally, I'd be much more concerned about harm / damage to others and property in the vicinity than to my own rig.

YMMV, no worries!

 

[Pender]

I have a buddy that had the front u joint blow on his MG drive shaft… thank God there wasn’t a pot hole on his track.

 

[mfschu]

I'm not surprised, my original bolts holding the spare tire on were weak and luckily I noticed when the first one broke. I replaced with slightly larger bolts of the stronger grade variety and haven't had any trouble since.

 

[iamunique127]

I'm gonna check my bolts when I go out to the trailer today. Years ago I drilled drain holes in the bottom corners of the bumper.

 

[GinoandLinda]

I'm sure someone has lost a truck or trailer spare mounted in that fashion at some time, but I've never heard of that occurring, I'm comfortable with the 'odds'. As demonstrated by the OP, nothing is 100%.

YMMV, no worries!

One of the most terrifying experiences I have had was when a spare tire came loose from under a pickup truck in front of me on I40 while I was touring on my motorcycle. Even though there was about 75yards between me and that truck, the tire bounced and rolled and bounced and rolled in practically every lane of that Interstate (4 lanes at that point) as I tried to evade it while still managing not to get hit by traffic behind me that didn't know the situation unfolding up ahead and was still moving at top speed. Truly a butt-puckering experience.

No one likes loosing something off their RV or vehicle. It is inconvenient. It is also inconvenient and dangerous to the folks that are behind you. Please take extra care with stuff that is secured outside your rig. I know stuff happens and cannot be avoided, but periodic inspection and being proactive is always worth it.

Not faulting anyone by any means. Just wanted to bring awareness to the thread.

 

[Ron in BC]

Perhaps my confidence is misplaced but given hundreds of thousands of pickups with millions of miles having a very much larger and heavier spare under-mounted and dependent on a single winch-cable for retention does give me confidence in that system (e.g. the purpose-built Lippert Spare Tire Winch used by Jim Bennett and myself).

You and me both. I don't know about others but mine has a very strong safety chain and I'm confident that it will never drop free.

Such a good place to put a rarely used item up and out of the way.

Ron

 

[Iowa Dave]

When our scout Troop did “Adopt aHighway “ for the years I was Scoutmaster we found spare tires, hub caps, load binders, and freight cribbing every time out.

One of my mow crews mowed the green space under the elevated I380 as it ran through Cedar Rapds. They had just unloaded mowers one day when a truck tire came over the railing and luckily missed them by about 10 feet.

About a year later some young guys wanted to build a BMX course in that same area. I advised against it. I was labled as “non progressivie”. To cover my ass I entered my reasoning into the council minutes. No BMX was built. And nobody got killed. It’s amazing how much stuff is along the highways. Talk to a DOT mowing person some time.
Iowa Dave

 

[Drives1937]

I thought I had lost my spare tire, but I remembered I put it in the basement.
Actually, I just finished mod and moved the spare tire to under the rear of the trailer. I would not recommend this unless your tailer has been lifted. I added 4 1/2 inches to the distance to the bumper and flipped the bumper and added a 2-inch square tube to the bottom. The hitch is on the top now and I plan on adding aluminum diamond plate to accommodate 2 Gerry cans for additional water. Back up lights are also in its future. The spare tire carrier is from a 1972 Chevy pickup suspended by two carriage bolts (why reinvent the wheel) which is attached to the frame with two custom brackets.

I still have the old spare tire mount and the hardware. If you are coming to the Quartzite rally in February I could bring it there for you. It's yours free of charge.

Ken in AZ

 

[Ron in BC]

I would not recommend this unless your trailer has been lifted.

Ken in AZ

I'm not understanding that. Mine isn't lifted and there's no issue. Also on a lifted
trailer the axle clearance is still the lowest area of ground clearance.

Ron

 

[iamunique127]

The spare tire carrier is from a 1972 Chevy pickup suspended by two carriage bolts (why reinvent the wheel) which is attached to the frame with two custom brackets.

Ken in AZ

Thanks for the seque. The only spare I have ever lost off a vehicle has been the one suspended by a bracket under the rear of my 1968 Chevy C10 pickup. I don't recall the particulars of why the bracket dropped the spare but I do know that I was never able to get it to reliably hold the tire again. I ended up carrying the spare in the bed of the truck and, ultimately, on a mount in front of the grill.

I'm sure you've got yours mounted better than the original on my old truck.

I once owned a trailer made from a vehicle frame and differential. On a hunting trip, with the trailer loaded for the week, I was surprised by the driver's side wheel and axle bouncing down the road past me. Thank goodness no one was hurt and there was no damage but that was the end of the trailer.