Super-Single spare tire swing/gate mount!

[JimmyThompson]

As I sit here pondering how to mod' the Deuce, I notice that nobody has a super-single mounted as a spare tire anywhere. This got me to thinkin'. Does anyone know of a company that makes a "swingout/gate" style of tire mount beefy enough to support the weight of a 14.50 R20 tire? My initial brainstorm was to mount it on the rear of an M105 trailer and treat it just as you would a Jeep (swing out the tire when you entered the back). I realize this tire weighs a good bit, (not sure how much either, anybody wanna throw that tid-bit of info at me) and could be rather cumbersome-to-impossible to lift without a co-mounted hoist. Now THERE'S an idea... A hand operated hoist/winch connected to a swingout spare tire carrier!!!

Your thoughts?!!?

 

[wreckerman893]

Your thoughts?!!?

I think a 1400x20 mounted on a HEMMT or 5 ton super single rim scales out at around 500 pounds. It would take some good steel and fab skills to do that kind of mount. Where you mounted it would have to be able to support the weight without the metal fatiguing or warping. Big tires are cool but have their own challenges. My M927 has the larger spare tire mount behind the cab but using the chainfall to raise and lower it is a huge PITA. I usually take it to my local tire place and they unload it with a forklift. I have thought about mounting it under the rear of the bed (the M927 has a long overhang behind the axles) but there would still be the problem of getting it raised and fastened up under there.

 

[Heath_h49008]

No need to do too much design work... we are talking a hinge, a mounting flange with a winch of some kind, and a latch of some kind to secure both the tire and the arm.

Hinges: Wheel bearings can take the load and are cheap/free depending upon scrounging ability. One high, one low... "A" frame or "gate" structure between the two.

Arm Structure: the weight isn't on the end, it's on the point where the load is placed closer to the middle, so structure accordingly.

Winch to lift 500lbs into a secureable position.... I'm sure Harbor freight has something under $100 that can do the job you could attach to the actual swing arm, but the idea of a bed-crane that can reach the mount also works and would have more utility. ("Free" crane!) After all, if you have to be able to lift 500lbs as high as the tailgate anyway, it might as well be useful for something besides just a tire.

Latch to secure the swing arm: You are securing 500lbs plus the structure itself in the event of a good jolt from an impact... so make that a bit on the beefy side.

The structure at the hinge point will be significant.

 

[215Dave]

I too am flirting/ brainstorming the idea of mount a singled out spare SOMEWHERE. I like the idea of a crane in addition, just haven't committed to which end of the bed mount it. I've been drawing up some ideas on paper. If my idea goes into a working model, I'll def post the drawing and some pics of build. Definitely trying to keep if beefy and simple....

 

[Heath_h49008]

There is another option...

If the swing arm was the boom of the bed crane.

Two birds... one big steel stone.

 

[JimmyThompson]

AWESOME input!!!

I may even decide to put it on the driver-side rear of my M109 and the little door is rarely used! Given that the winch would need to be "centered" over the mounting plate's studs, I suppose I could have a slightly smaller pipe/round-bar with indexing holes with a cotter pin to then extend the hoist over to the door opening. While I'm tossing that idea around, why not do the same with the vertical tube and have the ability to raise the hoist up too?!!?

 

[VPed]

I have a 395/85/R20 Goodyear MVT on a stock deuce wheel mounted in the stock location. All it took was about one hour with a recip saw and rat-tail file. I trimmed the rear tool box support arm by cutting away some of the rear flange material. I trimmed a small amount of the inboard bottom edge of the steel mud flap. I elongated the front keyhole slot where the spare tire holder bolts to the spare tire winch. You have to elongate enough so the tire does not hit the parking brake drum. You also have to use the outboard end of the rear keyhole slot so a big washer under the nut is called for there. I have about an inch of clearance to the brake drum and about an inch to the front-rear tire. it does scrub very lightly on left turns where the front rear axle shifts to the right but no problem. I have had it that way for several months and many miles, both on and off road. I did replace the winch cable with new as the original was dicey.

 

[camoyj7]

John (6x6guy ) made this one. Works pretty good. http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?91746-Bumper-mounted-tire

 

[JimmyThompson]

I like the simplistic approach. I may secure a bracket similar to the link above to the corner of my box. That way I don't have to fool with it when I want to get in and out of the box. I don't have a boarding ladder anyway. I have been thinking of just making one and have it fit between the frame rails like JesusGatos did his U-Haul ramp (totally jealous).

 

[eagle4g63]

To the OP.....if you are talking about the 14.50 like you typed.......that is just a factory A3 tire.......they fit in the stock location.....just like on all the A3's out there.

However......if you MEANT to type 14.00 that is another story......and also like said you can mount a 395 in the stock location with a little tool box trimming......TmAmerica and I have both done it.

 

[JimmyThompson]

Good Eye eagle4g63!!!

I did mean to type 14.50, I didn't even think about it fitting like the A3's. Coincidentally, I am giving serious thought to running a port-side fuel tank so I'd have the same need.

 

[eagle4g63]

Well than, if a drivers fuel tank is in the works, than by all means you need to move the spare(I also did that on my last truck) I can say without a doubt a 395 is NOT something you want to put into the bed.......unless you have a hoist of some sort

So back to the idea of a swing gate: after you figure the design, keep in mind the "post" that you will be hinging this on, it will want to be "pulled" to the direction the tire is swung to, think stick a pencil in the dirt, now push it to the right and the left, and back......that "post" will have tremendous flex at the mounting spot, if you count on just the bed corner, you will rip it off.

Now if from under the bed you make a nice bracket down to the frame and have a nice support plate flat under the bed corner, than you can mount what ever you want through the bed and into the plate.

I bolted a Harbor Freight hoist to the floor of my deuce bed in the corner and through the small stiffeners under the bed, and with a tire(395) it wanted to flex the entire bed floor up in the back......I can also tell you a drum of oil is lighter and it still flexes with that. I still need to make a brace set up under my bed to the frame.

 

[212sparky]

Look at this idea http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?t=91746

 

[welldigger]

I'm going to install a civi 2" receiver hitch on the back of my deuce. Then I'm going to fab up a bed crane that slides into the 2" receiver. That way I can store my 395 in the bed and have a way to get it in and out. Also the crane can be used for other lifting needs.

 

[eagle4g63]

I'm going to install a civi 2" receiver hitch on the back of my deuce. Then I'm going to fab up a bed crane that slides into the 2" receiver. That way I can store my 395 in the bed and have a way to get it in and out. Also the crane can be used for other lifting needs.

Have you seen TmAmerica's rear hitch? I have one on my truck and love it. Not the best pic, this was while installing it and no paint yet.

 

[w3azel]

I'm sure a rear mounted tire carrier would really benefit the bobbed truck guys off road. I think the biggest problem is supporting all the weight and have it out of the way so the tailgate can drop. I think it would be easier to cut the tail gate in half and make it a swing open, or build a huge bumper.

 

[welldigger]

Ya I have seen his kit. I do like it and it looks to be very well made. I already have a hide-a-hitch off of......something.....laying in the yard that is the exact width of the frame. It also will tuck up closer to the pintle. I like keeping everything as high up as I can. I realize I will need a longer drop hitch but that's no big deal.

As far as the crane goes my goal is to make it modular. I would like to pull a few quick pins and disassemble it into manageable pieces. I'll then build a storage rack either in the bed or possibly where the pioneer rack is. The crane will also have an adjustable drop leg to add direct support to the ground so the receiver hitch won't have to support the full weight of the load. Cause I know the 395 on an a3 wheel is well north of 300 pounds. I want to engineer something that can lift 500 to 600 pounds but not make the crane itself retarded heavy.

 

[Heath_h49008]

So, you just need an old engine hoist. Ram, adjustable arm, pins, use the slide in-leg as your slide-down grounded foot. Easily managed as parts, and easy to find as source material.

 

[DUECE-COUPE]

My spare is mounted to the roll bar with a section of steel pipe, and the spare tire lift plate. I built a davit out of a truck bed crane from harbor freight. It swings on pivots welded to my rollbar and stored in my tool boxe till I need it and is strong enough to pick up the tire from the ground and swing it in place. I used it for putting a 105 bed on a trailer once, and pulled a 75 ft well out of the ground for repair. VERY USEFUL!!

 

[JimmyThompson]

Well than, if a drivers fuel tank is in the works, than by all means you need to move the spare(I also did that on my last truck) I can say without a doubt a 395 is NOT something you want to put into the bed.......unless you have a hoist of some sort

So back to the idea of a swing gate: after you figure the design, keep in mind the "post" that you will be hinging this on, it will want to be "pulled" to the direction the tire is swung to, think stick a pencil in the dirt, now push it to the right and the left, and back......that "post" will have tremendous flex at the mounting spot, if you count on just the bed corner, you will rip it off.

Now if from under the bed you make a nice bracket down to the frame and have a nice support plate flat under the bed corner, than you can mount what ever you want through the bed and into the plate.

I bolted a Harbor Freight hoist to the floor of my deuce bed in the corner and through the small stiffeners under the bed, and with a tire(395) it wanted to flex the entire bed floor up in the back......I can also tell you a drum of oil is lighter and it still flexes with that. I still need to make a brace set up under my bed to the frame.

Might you have a photo(s) of your support plate?