Spare tire left on the road behind me

[BC10]

I've been messing with the stock OEM spare tire brackets the past few weeks. Issue that I run into is that once I think I have secured my spare firmly under the bed, I then drive off, but the spare tire eventually pops out and ends up on the road.

I've tried switching the holes that the bolts are in, with no success. Maybe my spare is to wide? But I am able to latch it on under the bed...

Some info:
The spare is on 15" rallyes, tire size 265/75/15.
I have a 68 Short bed Stepside C10

Any input is much appreciated. Thanks!

[sick472]

I'm not familiar with the OEM spare tire bits and pieces, but wanted to make sure that your spare did not have a slow leak hence reducing it's girth and working it's way out of the holder.

[BC10]

Originally Posted by sick472

I'm not familiar with the OEM spare tire bits and pieces, but wanted to make sure that your spare did not have a slow leak hence reducing it's girth and working it's way out of the holder.

Could be a possibility, but it happened with my other spare as well.

[Boog]

Maybe a pic of how it's mounted will help.

[BC10]

Originally Posted by Boog

Maybe a pic of how it's mounted will help.

Absolutely agree, I'll do that tonight when I get home. Thx

[54blackhornet]

Please leave it off until you get it figured out okay 👌

[gmc684x4]

Several guys posted last week there upgraded spare tire mounts either using a newer teuck mount or one from an rv

I would be interesred but i have a gas tank planed for that real estate

[BC10]

Originally Posted by gmc684x4

Several guys posted last week there upgraded spare tire mounts either using a newer teuck mount or one from an rv

I would be interesred but i have a gas tank planed for that real estate

Got a link?

[sick472]

Originally Posted by BC10

Got a link?

Here's the link that I think gmc684x4 was talking about. We are retro-fitting in the cable type spare tire winches. Just an alternative...

https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...d.php?t=739743

And, I have always thought the spare tire should have the valve stem where it is accessible so that tire pressure can be checked and topped off without having to drop the tire. Most cases, that means facing down. Surely the General did not design it such to force it to be upward and inaccessible...IDK.

[Boog]

I remember seeing a spare tire rack that had a flat blade of metal that extended up through the center hole of the wheel to center it and keep it from sliding off the rack. I don't have a pic but something like that could be easily added to a rack without it therefore the wheel could not slide off even if the securement bolt loosened up.

[SWEET7T]

Originally Posted by sick472

And, I have always thought the spare tire should have the valve stem where it is accessible so that tire pressure can be checked and topped off without having to drop the tire. Most cases, that means facing down. Surely the General did not design it such to force it to be upward and inaccessible...IDK.

I completely agree with this. However, the 80-something Dodge truck spare carrier bracket that I'm using forced me to carry the stem pointed upward. I can't remember the orientation of the other old trucks that I once had.

As for tightness, I crank that sucker down and compress the sidewalls some.

BC10, the little 'flag' that you turn to tighten the carrier is easily accessible on mine. I carry a short length of scrap round bar that fits in that hole, then spin it loose/tight. It's about the size of a 12" ratchet extension.

[mr48chev]

I'm going to say that you just flat don't have it tight enough. You have to tighten it down until the bars compress the sidewalls of the tires. Literally taking the end of the lug wrench and turning it until you can't turn any more. Just snugging it up in a "I don't want to mark my sidewall" tightness isn't going to cut it.

[BC10]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

I'm going to say that you just flat don't have it tight enough. You have to tighten it down until the bars compress the sidewalls of the tires. Literally taking the end of the lug wrench and turning it until you can't turn any more. Just snugging it up in a "I don't want to mark my sidewall" tightness isn't going to cut it.

You might be right. I might just need to use a straight jack to compress it more, and then tighten it. Thanks! I'll report back.

[BC10]

She seems pretty dang snug after using a floor jack, and then wrenching it tight. But now I'm wondering how I will get it out, if I ever need it?
I still might look to do some minor mods, to stabilize and keep the tire from swinging out, if it ever gets a loose. I'm still a little nervous about it all to be honest. Thanks for all the help!

[randy500]

The right rear hold up bolt should be in the hole at the very back of the frame.
The “seat” in the carrier bracket is probably pulled through, the nut shoudl sit in a conical hole much like a lug nut and not be able to pull through, or move around at all when cinched up.

[RichardJ]

The brackets on the crossbar should engage the center section of the wheel.
Turn the wheel over.

['68OrangeSunshine]

I would run a chain or an aircraft cable thru the rim, around the tire and back to the upper frame. Maybe secured with a small padlock.

[BC10]

Let me try all these tips, will report back.

[special-K]

Adapting to a modern lift type would be a nice feature, but these tire carriers work and have been working since the trucks were built. If you have it mounted properly then the issue is not tight enough, as Mr48 suggested. By the pictures it doesn't look nearly tight enough. Like he said, the sidewalls should be compressed

[gmc684x4]

Yes that is the one

[BC10]

Alright, time to report back.

I tried moving the right long bolt to the hole closest to the back of the truck, but the angle was off and didn't allow me to tighten. After sitting on the ground for almost half an hour trying different angles, and lifting the bracket up with a floor jack, I gave up. So the passenger side bolt is back where it was before.

After flipping the tire over, and trying for another 1/2 hr, I noticed that one of the two metal retainers that holds the rim in place (piece #2 in the above diagram), had gotten flatten by the rim of my spare, so I bent it back up, but a little to much, so now the bracket is off and sits higher on one side of the rim.

Thats it for today, I'm going to bend and readjust the retainer on the bracket, use my floor jack directly under the middle of th me spare bracket and tighten this bastard up as much as I can.

I believe the chain on the frame to the spare idea, is the route I will go for safety purposes. Now I'm hoping my back will straighten back up, by the time I wake up tomorrow. Lol
Will report back after I try again.

[tim_mc]

When we were kids my dad would just throw the spares in the bed. I think he had a snow tire spare for all seasons. Simpler times for sure. Not an option today. Another option is to mount it in the bed, cover and lock it.

[Steeveedee]

I put my spare in the bed, behind the left rear tire. But I have a camper shell as a "security cover". Maybe I'll put another fuel tank in the spot where the spare used to live. This old man ain't gonna go crawling under the truck to get to the spare. I've had enough crawling on the ground in my life!

[tim_mc]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

This old man ain't gonna go crawling under the truck to get to the spare. I've had enough crawling on the ground in my life!

Amen to that! Another reason I opted for the in-bed spare. Also, if one of the rear tires are flat then it's probably even harder to get out.

[Boog]

^^^^ It is. And every time I had a flat it was raining or muddy where the truck was sitting.