Spare Tire Dilemma: Tips on how to mount spare?

[NC Rover]

Problem #1 - The current spare is much bigger than the stock spare. Therefore it does not sit on the rubber bumpers on the hood....sits outside of them on the paint.

Does anyone have an suggestions on how to get around this problem without drilling new holes in the hood and moving the rubber pads further apart?

Problem #2 - The stock bolts that hold the spare to the hood are now very short due to the wheel being higher up off of the hood. The thread size is obviously something you can't find at the local hardware store.
Anyone using another method to this?

I'm just curious how those with bigger wheel sizes have gone around this problem. Pictures would be a huge help!

thanks

[LaneRover]

The military spare carrier has llloooooonnnngggg bolts - at least mine does. That would solve your bolt problem but not your tire rubbing paint problem though.

Brent

[greenmeanie]

#1 Remove the existing pads. Replace the round pad with a neoprene or other such material strip/block that will extend out radially far enough to support the tyre. Use original holes with fender washers to secure in place. You might need something sticky to hold them down if you ever run without the tyre in place though.

#2. You could redrill the hole and tap it for a common imperial or metric thread size and then it's of to the shops for you.

Cheers
Gregor.

[NC Rover]

The military spare carrier has llloooooonnnngggg bolts - at least mine does. That would solve your bolt problem but not your tire rubbing paint problem though.

Brent

Any idea where I could find a set of these military bolts?

[LaneRover]

Any idea where I could find a set of these military bolts?

Not sure if our hosts cary them but the bolts from a rear door carrier might work. I would take a stab at going to a real good hardware store with one of the current bolts, match the threads and get some that are just the size you need.

The military carrier works more like the rear door mount with bolts that go through the lug nut holes on the rim rather than gripping the inner hole of the rim.

Brent

[madp]

Does anyone know the size of the bolts that hold on the spare tyre? I have the same problem and I just came across this website

http://www.britishfasteners.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=BTF&Category_Code=40

which stocks the BSW (Britsh Standard Whitworth) bolts, I just don't know what size to order.

[galen216]

NC Rover if you plan to off-road the truck at all you will hate the big spare on the bonnet. Most times mine ended up in the back because I could never see over it.

If I didn't have a large dog mine would be right behind the seat.

[adkrover]

I had a similar problem with my rear door tire carrier. When I added a hitch receiver, it added a piece of steel to my rear bumper that hits the tire so the bolts were no longer long enough. To extend the rear bolts (they are the same thread as wheel studs) I welded 2 lug nuts together and welded a wheel stud into one end. I could then thread the other end onto the existing bolt and installed the wheel onto the extended wheel stud. Maybe it wouldn't work on the bonnet. I also have the bonnet style carrier but don't really want to be looking over the wheel all the time so I don't use it. Maybe some day I can save up for a nice swing away Defender rear mount.

[KevinNY]

I went with a swing away rear carrier, it will hold a 35" tire.

[Tim Smith]

The military spare carrier has llloooooonnnngggg bolts - at least mine does. That would solve your bolt problem but not your tire rubbing paint problem though.

Brent

Actually it would solve his paint problem. He could just set the spare on the bolts upside down with the nuts already on and set at the right height. Then all he would have to do is get 3 more nuts to hold the spare down, sandwiched between the two nuts on the long bolts.

He would also want to keep the treads nicely oiled up or else it would take ages to get the spare tire off in an emergency... Don't ask me how I know this.

Any idea where I could find a set of these military bolts?

Off a military hood... sorry, not sure if the bolt mount can be found as a standalone item any more. At least I've never seen it.

[leafsprung]

[LaneRover]

He could just set the spare on the bolts upside down with the nuts already on and set at the right height. Then all he would have to do is get 3 more nuts to hold the spare down, sandwiched between the two nuts on the long bolts.

And then start a roadside 'Amazing Floating Tire!' attraction.

That would definitely work, but with a big tire does it impede your vision even more? I like the idea that Green Meanie mentioned with making longer 'bumpers' for the tire to sit on out of neoprene or something like it. Maybe a combination of the two would work best.

Brent

[Tim Smith]

I went with a swing away rear carrier, it will hold a 35" tire.

Yes, I'd love one of those. I'm going to try and make my own one day so I can also toss the high lift, off-road gear and speedy med kit off the back.

Mounting the tire off the back also helps balance the weight of the truck too which makes a big difference with an 88" that has a 33" spare and a warn with about 100' of wire wrapped around the drum welded to the front.

I just figured this out and can't believe how much better it rides with the spare tossed in the back.

[Tim Smith]

... That would definitely work, but with a big tire does it impede your vision even more? ...

Yeah I know. This would only make sense to a degree.

I had a hard enough time seeing past an only slightly larger than normal spare tire while driving down the road. Forget about it off road.

[greenmeanie]

Ike,
Do you have pictures of those bumperettes from the side? Are these wrap around to protect the rear quarter panels? Finally, do they come without the carrier?

One of my concersn with a 109 is that the overhang is greater which seems to amke the rear quarter panels more vulnerable to damage.

Cheers
Gregor