M35A3 with 395 spare wheel in stock location?

[HDN]

As I mull over whether to switch from 365s to 395s, I'm thinking about where to put the spare tire since I've read that it won't fit in the usual spot. My first thought was to put it in the bed, mounting it flat against the front center of the box similar to the M37. Then if I got a flat on the side of the road and called a tire service, I'd have to help the tire guy unload the 400 lb sucker from the bed or figure out some way to make it easier (I don't want to mount a bed crane - I like my flat floor!).

As I searched the forum for solutions, I saw that fellow member @VPed managed to fit a 395 spare in the regular location on his M35A2. From the data plates, it doesn't look like the M35A3 has different axle spacing from that of the A2. Is there something I'm missing with this mod that others have not been able to pull this off with the A3? I'd rather put the spare where it was originally intended to go on the truck if possible.

 

[gringeltaube]

Dimensions there are all the same, between models. Problem is you only have about 44" measured from the toolbox back to the 1st rear axle tire, if you are already running 395's. That means the toolbox needs to be modified/shortened to make enough room for a tire that's almost 46" in diameter. And then the spare tire carrier needs to be re-positioned further out and to the front, accordingly.

It is doable, but not very practical - so most carry their spare in the bed. Or just keep the original 14.5R20 size for a spare.

 

[VPed]

Mine is a M35A2. I do not know if my tool box dimension are different from an A3.

 

[tobyS]

I'm building a structure that has room for a 395 and will have a hydraulic winch up high for an A frame rear crane. It gets rotated up and has a steel roof box that will attach and go about one foot in front of the windshield. I plated the frame and made a weld saddle under the structure for strength and will be adding diagonals and tanks. ,etc. It also functions as rollover and cab protection. An M105 bed attaches to the back, uncut frame.

 

[HDN]

Mine is a M35A2. I do not know if my tool box dimension are different from an A3.

Sorry it took me awhile to measure this, but my truck's tool box from the back of the driverside fender to the end of its door is about 31-1/16". From the pictures of A2s I've seen the toolboxes don't look any different.

I'm wondering if the modification you made to the spare tire holder allows the tire to pivot enough on the holder that clearance issues are avoided. I don't have a big enough piece of cardboard to mock this one up. Plus I'm not sure how much difference there is with the C-channel spacer on my truck's spare tire holder.

 

[Sgt Jiggins]

I'm really curious what comes out of this. Because I had thought about doing exactly what you're looking at doing, HDN, only to come to the same conclusion that gringeltaube had about putting it in the bed. At which point I figured I'd plumb in a 2nd fuel tank in that location instead. And I don't really want to completely hijack your thread with that idea, but that's kinda what I'm hoping to figure out from this...

 

[HDN]

If I can't get a 395/85R20 spare to fit there, I was thinking of trying to mount a 365/85R20 there instead, or even the standard-size 11.00x20 or 9.00x20. I just don't want to put a spare in the bed if possible.

 

[VPed]

Plus I'm not sure how much difference there is with the C-channel spacer on my truck's spare tire holder.

The purpose of the c-channel spacer is to clear the parking brake drum.

 

[HDN]

The purpose of the c-channel spacer is to clear the parking brake drum.

Thank you for clarifying that! I did find one of your posts detailing what you did to get the 395 to fit in the stock location:

Super-Single spare tire swing/gate mount!

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...

www.steelsoldiers.com

That sounds like more of a project than I'd like, so I'll probably just stick with a smaller donut-style spare. Thank you for detailing your mod