NoSparkplugs

Ever since I've had my truck the spare tire has always been in the box. This was the work of the previous owner and I haven't had a problem with it until last night. Some jerk decided to not only get in my truck's box but also take the spare and roll it down the street leaving it in someone else's yard . Needless to say I need to get this spare tire sorted out.

I'm pretty sure I don't have the bracket that the tire hangs off of since I can sit up straight when I'm on the ground behind the rear diff. The local pick-your-part here has almost nothing for Dodges but I may be able to score one off of an 84 Ram 150 sitting at my grandparents farm (provided it fits a 235/85R16 tire)

So can someone please post pictures of the factory spare setup?

Thanks

BearKiller

The under-bed spare mount is worse than getting a wheel stolen, once in a while.

If you absolutely must go with an under-bed mount, rob one of the winch-type off of a later model.

I think anything after 94 should have it.

The Ford diesel crowd have been swiping them from under some years of Aerostar vans and they work for our wheel/tires.

HarborFreight has an in-bed universal spare mount for $10 that is pretty neat.

Also, you can weld/bolt up something that you can hang a lock in that will keep the spare where you left it.

One big drawback to under-bed spares is that no one ever checks them, until they have a flat and find the spare is also flat.

NoSparkplugs

Thanks, I'm going to go check the local pick-n'-pull since I know they have oodles of those aerostars sitting there. I'm also going to check out that Ram 150 at the farm, never know, or I could go down the road and ask my relative with his 92' CTD for his since his truck is strictly a farm truck hehe

TexasHardcore

I've got one from my old D-250 laying in the garage somewhere, you can have it for the cost of shipping if you don't find one elsewhere.

MoparMarv

The day I bought my truck I have a tire go bad on the way home. I had to take the tire out from under the bed. Came out ok. I finally put it back in once I had the new tires on. I greased it up. Its not easy to get up and in. Floor jack helps the process. its basically a bar with some hooks that go to the frame. If you get flats alot I would just mount it in the bed if you can. I know I would if that were the case.

BearKiller

I was just looking in a catalog that came in the mail, some days ago.

They had about three pages of various swinging tail-gate spare-tire mounts.

Some were designed to lay low for trailer pulling.

Others put the spare out to the rear, so no bed space was lost.

You could trick them out with all sorts of goodies, such as Jerry Cans, HandyMan Jacks, Shovels, Axes, etc.

I like the old in-front-of-the-grille mounts to get the spare out of the way.

Some think the spare in front limits air-flow, though.

Raspy

The only thing good about the stock spare tire mount is that the tire is out of any other place you might leave it or mount it. But it is a major hassle to put it in place. Plan on getting dirty, laying on the ground and hugging the spare.

As prevoiusly mentioned, a floor jack helps a lot. And make sure the stem is down so you can check the pressure.

The mount is very simple. Just a long bar that hangs in the frame on one end with a pivot and then slips over a threaded rod on the other. The tire lays on top of it. You push it up into place with the tire and put a nut on the rod. Simple in theory. The winch type on the later trucks are way better.


John

bigragu

how about mounting it on top of the cab, or bolted on the passenger side door, like crocodile dundee guys do?

wannadiesel

Our doors get ripped off in high winds, they don't need any help from a spare tire.

NoSparkplugs

Well I got a winch style holder and bracket from an Ford Aerostar for $12 today, now I just gotta convince my buddy with his trusty mig welder to help me fab up some brackets so it'll work nicely. I'm wondering if I should modify the aerostar bracket to work or just make my own and bolt the winch on to it? What do you guys think?