Spare tire mod

[navistar]

I removed the back seat months ago because I needed carrying capacity and I rarely have more than wifey riding with me so the back seat seemed unnecessary. I haven't carried the OEM spare tire for a very long time either and I plan to install a subwoofer and amplifier in the spare tire area in the very near future. I run oversized tires, Falken ZIEX S/TZ P275/70R16 on 8-inch rims. These tires have a diameter of 31.5 inches. The VX OEM spare tire has a diameter of 28.5 inches. I realized that if I ever had a catastrophic blowout it might reek havoc on the TOD if I had to use the OEM spare so I really needed to have another Falken tire as my spare. I decided that carrying a spare tire, and one that's same sized, was a good idea. But where and how? I don't like the looks of carrying it on the roof or attaching it, somehow, to the back of the truck.

Solution: I saw a 1997 (I think) Rodeo at the local Pick 'n' Pull. It had the spare tire mount attached on the outside of the back door. I got the mount and measured it for fitment in the back of the VX. I fabricated some mounting brackets that fit flat on the floor and bolt up nicely to the mount. The floor is corrugated so it's best not to just bolt through it without a bracket. I had the mount sandblasted and powder coated in gloss black. I positioned the mount so that when the tire is mounted to it the front seats can be in the full back position and reclined without touching the tire. There is still room to conveniently stow things immediately behind the seats and plenty of storage room at the back. I cut a 22 inch diameter circular piece of .125 inch thick Masonite to fit horizontally on top of the tire and got a tire cover off Ebay. I also got a roll of rubber truck bed liner from J. C. Whitney and made a mat for the back.

If you decide to do this make sure that you find a Rodeo tire mount that fits a mostly flat rear door. Some mounts seem to be contoured to a more rounded shape. That wouldn't work well on the flat floor.

This is the powder coated spare tire mount off a Rodeo:
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/Mount.jpg

These are the 2-piece mounting brackets bolted to the floor:
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/BracketsInPosition.jpg

This is the rubber truck bed liner from J. C. Whitney:
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/RubberMatInPosition.jpg

This is the spare tire mount bolted to the floor:
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/MountInPositionWithMat.jpg

This is the tire bolted to the mount:
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/TireInPositionOnMount.jpg

View of finished installation:
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/FinishedInstallation1.jpg

Another view of the finished installation:
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/FinishedInstallation2.jpg

:bwgy:

[rowhard]

You might take a look at what I did, will give you more storage space. http://vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=18343

[VXR]

Looks good! I like it:yesb:

[etlsport]

well done, ive been toying with this idea for a while now.. been trying to figure out how to do a mix between what you did with the mount and rowhards space saving design.

[navistar]

You might take a look at what I did, will give you more storage space. http://vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=18343

I did explore the vertical mount concept but it blocks the already limited view to the rear. For stability and good anchorage (in case I am in an accident) I opted for horizontal with dual 1/4" aluminum brackets, 4 good sized bolts and double washers. It's not going to go flying around the inside after an impact. Also I just like the sporty look and aesthetic symmetry of the tire mounted this way. And, I can unmount the tire and remove the tire mount from the floor in about 2 minutes.

[crotchrocket]

looks awsome mate!

[Riff Raff]

You might take a look at what I did, will give you more storage space. http://vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=18343

x2. For permanently mounting a full-size spare within the interior without sacrificing valuable cargo space "ROWHARDs" design rules!!!:yeso:

[rowhard]

I did explore the vertical mount concept but it blocks the already limited view to the rear. For stability and good anchorage (in case I am in an accident) I opted for horizontal with dual 1/4" aluminum brackets, 4 good sized bolts and double washers. It's not going to go flying around the inside after an impact. Also I just like the sporty look and aesthetic symmetry of the tire mounted this way. And, I can unmount the tire and remove the tire mount from the floor in about 2 minutes.

Actually, there is very little impact

[vt_maverick]

Nice job! :thumbup: I don't see this as being any more or less convenient than rowhard's "space-saving" design; both have advantages and disadvantages. rowhard's design preserves more horizontal floor space but does so at the cost of vertical space that might have been used for carrying wider/taller cargo that needs to lean over sideways to fit. Navistar's design eats more horizontal floor space but let's you use the full width of the cargo space that remains. There's no question that rowhard's solution cuts visibility (just look at the pics) but whatever is lost can be regained with $3 blind-spot mirrors. Both are great alternatives and honestly I don't know which one I'd choose.

Pics for comparison:

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/medium/IMG_0167.JPG http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/FinishedInstallation2.jpg

[tom4bren]

I like your ingenuity fellers. I just gots one question:

Does the spare tire smell EVER go away???

[VX KAT]

That's looks great! If you feel like making more...I'll be the first to buy one!
I was thinking of putting mine there and then using ratchet straps in an "X" pattern to secure it to each of those silver tie down points back there. Bet yours is stronger, being attached to the actual metal floor.

[tom4bren]

KAT,

You may be able to just use the parts that mounted the donut in the rear door. I'll have to look at the pieces tonight and see if it'll work.

Tom

[RallyDude]

I'm surprised that the vertical designs have all been mounted on the passenger side. If mounted on the driver's side, visibility would be a non-issue.

[rowhard]

True, but I think I had a clearance issue with the door with the big tire

[vt_maverick]

I'm surprised that the vertical designs have all been mounted on the passenger side. If mounted on the driver's side, visibility would be a non-issue.

That's where mine was on my old Jeep Cherokee. Killed a TON of interior cargo space though.


True, but I think I had a clearance issue with the door with the big tire

I thought the rear door opening and cargo area were symmetrical?

[stangri]

I think they mean that you wouldn't have to open the rear door all the way if the tire is on passenger side. If you have other stuff in trunk it's easier to remove the spare full size tire if it's on the passenger side as well.

[Riff Raff]

I'm not one for carrying any FS spare unless venturing off-road to the extreme outback wilderness. However; ROWHARD's design of vertically mounting the FS spare in the right-rear corner offers a somewhat balanced weight distribution with the driver, as it is diagonally opposed with the driver across the vehicle's frame. Mounting the FS spare in the left-rear corner would be improper weight distribution in relation to the driver's own personal weight. Afterall; the driver is a constant weight factor in the equation, but a passenger is an optional weight factor.

In regards to a right-rear located vertical FS spare blocking rear blind spot visibility, that's an invalid point IMHO. While driving my VX the other day, I intentionally tried to look over my right shoulder out the right-rear 3rd quarter window to check traffic for a possible lane-change. What an extremely dangerous and wasted effort that was-- the little 3rd quarter window of the VX is absolutely worthless for checking traffic at speed, as the VX travels too far down the road when trying to determine a valid safety zone for a safe lane-change. The $3 convex spot mirror on my passenger-side outside mirror is a far more safer lane-change traffic check device; and requires far less eye-n-head movement, thereby maintaining quick traffic reference back thru front windshield. The inherent cacoon-tunnel design of the VX cargo area makes rear window visibility virtually worthless, and the VX should be treated the exact same as driving a Panel Delivery Truck. Just my 2-cents.

:bgwb: