Who the hell designed the spare tire carrier? Did they ever actually try it out before mass producing these trucks?

Lowering the spare is easy enough, but putting it back has two critical flaws:

1) How is one supposed to get that tire up over the bolt (too heavy, not enough room), and still have two hands (or even one!) free to put the cross bar on and start threading the wingnut? This is virtually impossible for one person to do on the side of the road unless you carry around a floor jack and jack stands....thats how I managed to do it by myself in my shop.

2) Given the difficulties listed above, the least they could do was design it so that you can check/fill the air pressure in the spare without having to remove the spare completely!!

If any of you guys know some trick, please enlighten me. I can usually come up with a reason why the designers might have done something a certain way, but Im really stumped on this one. I think they were just cheap and didnt think about it at all!!!

 

I remember when my truck was first bought a few years ago. She had the tire up underneath and when we got looking at it we came to the conclusion that that is one useless spot to put a tire. Thus we removed it completely and haven't thought twice of it since

 

Its not a useless spot, actually its a great spot, its just there is no way to lift the tire up there. Many other trucks use the same spot, but they have some sort of cable & crank to raise and lower the tire.
Its as if they designed the entire truck, and then realized that they forgot the spare tire, so they just put a big bolt under the bed. Really pathetic in my opinion.

 

yeah alot of them use it... all of them, lol... but like you said, the setup is all wrong. That and if I remember right, the tire hung low enough for all cars behind me to see... not cool

 

I installed a spare tire "winch" from a later model Dodge and ditched the crossbar. You can find them on eBay every so often - I paid around $25 for mine and it took about an hour to mount it.

 

what dan said

 

The winch is a good idea, what are some good donor vehicles to look for in the junkyard?

 

Take the tire out and throw it in the bed. Put your extra fuel tank in it's place.

 

94 up some of the import truck have them and rv repair shops have them

 

Thats what was done to mine somewhere in its earlier life and I wouldn't be without a second tank now.

 

just saw this thread and wanted to comment on a possible solution................toyota pickups of the 80's and 90's had a chain and winch type affair to lower and raise the spare , i think it could be easily adapted to our trucks with some lengthening of the chain . if i get the time i will investigate this further.
you should be able to find these easily in the salvage yards

 

I lay on my back and use my knee to support the tire. I can do it by myself, but it's way easier with a floor jack.

 

^^^With a 2wd it's easier of course but when you have 4wd's jacked up there, like mine(Gotta love those extra Leaves), a little extra help whether it be a winch or whatever, always helps. All and all I still say remove it unless you plan on being really far away from home.

 

You guys can have my spare tire , lol since we have no tools to get it down with , to get the old tire off and put the spare on.

I have a jack under the seat , but that's all... does the E rating stand for run flat? , i hope so....


Our 1990 150 gasser had that retarded setup that you fellas have , a floor jack put that tire up in there just nicely.

 

For you guys wanting the winch setup, my 89 s-10 and my dads 91 full size both had a winch type device.

There was a hole in the rear bumper by the license for the tire iron to slide in and catch the gearing on the winch and you lowered it that way.

I just removed my spare and run without one. I was tired of the spare never holding air (manly because it has never been used).

10ply tires are awesome!!