Spare Tire mount

[78 Chevyrado]

What do you guys think about this?  I'm still up in the air about what I want as a spare tire, I MIGHT get another matching tire and wheel for the spare.    I can't put it under the tuck because of the trailer hitch; its a weld on custom job.  Also if I do buy a matching chrome wheel and BFG TA I dont want to keep them under there anyway, They cost too much for that.  

So I came across this setup and I like how it works, and I could easily unhook the tire If I need to lay something flat in the bedfloor.  I don't haul stuff in the truck much so actually this would work well, and I'd include the spare in my tire rotations.

What do you guys think?  --I also have a bedmat like in the pics so this thing wouldnt stick up as far effectively out of the floor.  As an added bonus it would stop my bedmat from moving around back there...

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/product-reviews/23805-tire-gate-flat-spare-tire-mount.html

If I don't like the T-handle, I could use a threaded rod and a regular wheel lock in it's place

[Grim 82]

Thumbs up. It's secure, discreet, and easy to remove if you need the whole bed for hauling.

[Old77]

Not bad looking! Do you have a cover over your bed at all or would it just be out there? The only thing I'd worry about is someone deciding to try to take the spare from me with it being out in the open like that. I currently don't have a spare because the original location is now where my gas tank sits but something like this may be a good solution to that problem

[78 Chevyrado]

Not bad looking! Do you have a cover over your bed at all or would it just be out there? The only thing I'd worry about is someone deciding to try to take the spare from me with it being out in the open like that. I currently don't have a spare because the original location is now where my gas tank sits but something like this may be a good solution to that problem

No cover, it would be just sitting out there...   I'm thinking of putting some kind of cover on the tire itself, just to keep it out of the sun so the tire doesnt fade and crack.

Something like this

[Old77]

That wouldn't look bad. Would be pretty cool if you could get a bowtie stitched on there that matched the color of your truck just to finish it off even more.

[beastie_3]

There are thousands of wheel covers out there, and you can order them with designs on them. I would guess the bowtie would be available.

[zieg85]

As long as you have new tires, chances are you probably won't get a flat.  I have a bald tire I throw in my 85 when I travel any distance otherwise it just sits on the side of the garage.  I wouldn't drill a hole in my truck if it was a nice as yours.  My $.02

[Stewart G Griffin]

For anyone with a 1/2 ton, i'm going to look into the astro temporary spare---it has the same 5x5 bolt pattern and i'm thinking it will fit behind the seat.  Real simple.

[Old77]

So a donut???

[jaredts]

If you like it go for it.  I don't so much.  Hacking on the bed and ending up with a big anchor in the middle of the bed--I just don't get it.  Why not stand the tire up and make a mount for it to attach to the inside of the bedside or the front of the bed where its out of the way?

[78 Chevyrado]

If you like it go for it.  I don't so much.  Hacking on the bed and ending up with a big anchor in the middle of the bed--I just don't get it.  Why not stand the tire up and make a mount for it to attach to the inside of the bedside or the front of the bed where its out of the way?

It used to have the spare mounted to the inside side of the bed, But I'm going to have a 33" spare and I think that's way too big for that and I'd have to mount it at the back of the bed which would block some of the view out the back window.

The way I'll do it, if I do do it will be to just have a homemade plate with a nut welded to it, bolted to underneath the bedfloor and no plate on top, and a piece of threaded rod going from the plate to the wheel.  then I'll use a regular lug-lock to hold it down.   Thataway when I have something to haul in the bed (which is rare since I have a trailer)  I can just unscrew the threaded rod and all that will remain will be a 5/8" hole in the floor.  I used to be picky about this kind of thing until It got wrecked...  It's so unoriginal now (wrecked previously) , and not up for sale anyway so the small hole in the floor doesnt seem so bad.   I'll probably oversize the hole enough I can put a rubber grommet of some kind there to keep the rod from hitting the bare metal.  I'm thinking too, I may space the plate back from the bedfloor like an inch so debris doesn't accumulate between it and the bedfloor, and it'll be easier to clean out.

[jaredts]

Whew, a 33's a big spare.  I guess your options are a bit limited by that.

[Da67goatman]

I would make a fold down carrier that hangs on the tailgate.  That way its easy enough to get to but doesn't get in the way.  Xtreme 4x4 did one for the Scout they built that was pretty nifty.

[Old77]

Chevyrado -- You and I think so much alike it's almost scary. If you go through with this idea I can't wait to see how it turns out! I need to do something about my spare situation too (my gas tank is sitting where my spare would originally go) and have been thinking about something very similar to this for quite some time now but just haven't gotten around to doing it.

[Old77]

I would make a fold down carrier that hangs on the tailgate.  That way its easy enough to get to but doesn't get in the way.  Xtreme 4x4 did one for the Scout they built that was pretty nifty.

Do you have a pic of this? What I'm picturing in my head looks strange on a truck tailgate so I'm thinking I'm picturing it wrong!