M101A2 spare tire mount

[Barrman]

I like the factory inside the bed mount for the spare tire on the M101A1. They are expensive to find these days, take up bed space and put more weight I can't pick up at the front of the trailer though. However, since I only have a 6 lug odd pattern M715, 6 lug Suburban or a 6 lug M1009 to pull my 8 lug M101A2 with. I have to carry a spare. I have just had the spare sitting on the trailer tongue up next to the bed front held on by a ratchet strap for the past two years.

I have been thinking for a while of using a regular pick up truck cradle type mount under the rear of the bed. Just never seemed to get around to it. Then I came across a 1988 Chevy 1 ton wind up winch type spare tire mount on a truck spending some time at my place in transit from a GL sale in Alabama headed to OKC.

With the owners permission(Thanks Joe), I took it off the truck the other day. A few measurements later and it looked like it would work. A pair of 3/8" holes, two 4" long 3/8" bolts and the winch was mounted on the trailer. A 5/8" hole in the center rear of the frame and a little cutting of the stock drive tube had it all together. Attached are pictures of the mounted winch, the tube with a tire iron that turns it stuck in and the tire all the way up.

All 260 pounds of me can still jump on the back of the trailer without the tongue coming up and I can now use one had to pick up the tongue to roll the trailer around. I like it.

 

[shootiniron]

Sweet! You just took the brain power out of my next project.

 

[Warthog]

Looks great Barrman. Glad I could help the cause.

 

[86m1028]

Looks great

One question though... could you not mount it further forward so it didnt stick out the back ?

 

[OLDCHEV4X4]

Good job. I too thought about doing this ,but I would have to remove my stabilizer leg. Decisions, decisions.

 

[Barrman]

I put it on the rear side of the rear most bed cross member. I wanted to put it on the front side of the same cross member. However, my drill couldn't fit on the front of the cross member due to the frame cross member in the way. I drilled the holes from the rear and because of the drill size, the forward hole is up just a little bit too far. With the bed off, I could have done it. Maybe an angle drill would have done it too. My angle drill only goes up to 5/16" bit size though.

The tail gate goes down all the way and does not touch the tire the way it is mounted now.

 

[Nick]

Nice, I like it too, but with my rear stabilizer leg, I couldn't do that. And since i dont plan on moving mine much by hand, I went for the outside the box on the tongue option. Had alotta compliments on how it looks. Especially since I have the ndt's on it.

Still like it though

Nick

 

[mrfishaholic]

Awsome, I might try that on my M105A2 I am building as a useful rig.

 

[jesusgatos]

Good job. I too thought about doing this ,but I would have to remove my stabilizer leg. Decisions, decisions.

Offset the stabilizer leg to one side?

 

[jets1959]

Mounted mine on the front. Made the bar longer so I can build a rack to hold two batteries, two propane tanks and an ammo can for trailer tools and junk.

 

[art]

I also mounted my spare underneath in the front.
I welded a bolt the same size as the lug nut in the square tubing.
Art

 

[jets1959]

I also mounted my spare underneath in the front.
I welded a bolt the same size as the lug nut in the square tubing.
Art

I just use a 1/2" ratchet. Doesn't take long to go up or down. Could probably use a 1/2" speed handle with a universal, but I don't have one.

 

[cucv1833]

I like the rear undermount. I will have to look into this. My spare is just tied down standing up inside the bed which is a little heavy and taking up room. I may try to do like Barrman or mount outside front on the tounge and install a proper adjustable jack stand. Any other pics would be helpful.

 

[Barrman]

TSC sells clamp on boat trailer front jack stands with wheels on them for around $30.00. I spent maybe 10 minutes mounting mine and love the ability to roll the trailer around without picking it up.

The folded up stock landing leg is now a great 5 gallon water jug holder.

 

[Nick]

I like the rear undermount. I will have to look into this. My spare is just tied down standing up inside the bed which is a little heavy and taking up room. I may try to do like Barrman or mount outside front on the tounge and install a proper adjustable jack stand. Any other pics would be helpful.

Take a cruise thru my M101 album, link below. It has pics of my front mounted spare. I know the guy that built the holder, if interested I can see if he has any left.

 

[robertss]

Finally rigged up my underbed mount. Used a Chevy 2500 4x4 P/U spare tire crank. Still have to work out the crank tube arrangement. Also, it doesn't have anything to rest against to keep it level when it cranks up and contacts the middle x-member that the winch is mounted to. It wants to tilt forward so I have to come up with some sort of additional bracket or stop.

Also, if you do this mod, make sure you get a spare tire winch with a big enough catch to fit the hole in the rim of your trailer. On the first go around, I bought a 1/2 ton P/U spare mount and it wouldn't catch the hole in the 8 bolt rim.

 

[jets1959]

Finally rigged up my underbed mount. Used a Chevy 2500 4x4 P/U spare tire crank. Still have to work out the crank tube arrangement. Also, it doesn't have anything to rest against to keep it level when it cranks up and contacts the middle x-member that the winch is mounted to. It wants to tilt forward so I have to come up with some sort of additional bracket or stop.

Also, if you do this mod, make sure you get a spare tire winch with a big enough catch to fit the hole in the rim of your trailer. On the first go around, I bought a 1/2 ton P/U spare mount and it wouldn't catch the hole in the 8 bolt rim.

I used two pieces of flat steel 1 1/2 inch wide by 3ft long. Ran them from the front brace to the next brace back. Angled them slightly so as to ride on the rubber and not contact the rim. The end of the flat steel extends past the second brace and gives more support to the tire. The tire doesn't wobble.

 

[robertss]

Hey Jets, can you snap a couple of pics of your bracing? Did you weld or bolt? I'll most likely bolt in whatever I do, since i have no welder and havent tried to weld since High school.

 

[jets1959]

Just bolted them in. Sorry I am away from home for the next three weeks. I can get pics then.

 

[robertss]

i have not replaced mine yet.

EDIT: I thought I was responding to another user's post, now mine doesn't make sense!