Installed a later model spare tire hoist

[rsgt]

I installed a spare tire hoist from a 98 Chevy truck. I use a piece of C- channel I had to mount it to but you could use a piece of 1 1/2 x 2 1/2 angle iron also. Just have to do some measuring to get it where you want it. Here are some pictures.

[NaturalSnapple]

Very nice! What's the length of the C-channel that you used?

[53burb]

awesome!!

[Myoldtruck]

Im interested in this, need more info and pics. I cant figure out how to use my stock set up, just a bear to get the tire in. I ended up mounting the spare in the bed for now.

[yuccales]

Very nice!

[Frank_Zappa]

Thanks rsgt. This is a great idea and I am going be doing the same. I wrestled with the stock spare tire carrier not to long ago and it was not fun at all. Close to torture actually when done in the field.

[demian5]

More weight over the rear wheels is always a help.

[rsgt]

Here are some more pictures. The C-channel I cut to 30 1/4 inch. I drill a 3/8 hole on each end and on the frame and use a 3/8 grade 8 bolt on each side to bolt it to the frame. You will have to make a hole in the licence plate bracket to installed a crank handle.

[NaturalSnapple]

Thanks for the quick write up! I really need to do this as my spare is floating around in the bed right now and the stock location is such a pain to access.

[sick472]

Thanks for the inspiration rsgt! I hope you don't mind me adding to your thread with my similar approach...

I used a Lippert 159056 RV Spare Tire Winch (60-80$). I only had to drill one hole in the truck's rear cross member for the mounting of the winch. One hole was already there and I am assuming it was an original hole. I added 2 pieces of aluminum angle, one in front of that cross member and one behind. These angles give tire something to tighten up against and used existing holes to mount to as well. The only downside to my approach is that you have to reach under the truck behind the passenger side tire to let it down. I did not want to drill the crank rod holes so that it came out the back. I am sure I will cuss this setup when the time comes to use the spare, but this approach requires much less drilling and fabrication. Here's the pics...

I had to drill the closest hole for the winch, the one just above where a crank handle would attach. The winch is as centered between the frame rails as my eyes could tell.

[sick472]

I made a crank rod extension out of an old jack handle. I think the crank rod at the winch was 1/2" and the jack handle fit a little loose, but it needs to because the existing hole in the frame where the extension needs to get to is not in a perfect line. I short piece of 1/2" schedule 40 pipe would work instead of a jack handle, but be more loose fitting whereas a 1/2" sch 80 pipe would be better. Either way will work fine.

I also used an assembly of a 1/2" bolt, a few washers, a spring out of an oil filter, & 2 nuts to penetrate the frame. The spring is not a necessity, but I thought it would help keep it from rattling. The jack handle extension was drilled to match the winch pin hole and the bolt assembly was drilled to match the jack handle cotter pin hole on the other end.

[sick472]

You can see the forward angle I added in the fisrt pic. I thought I could get away with only that one, but after putting the tire in, it was obvious that a big enough bump would cause the tire to bounce up at the rear. I added the second one that you can see in the second pic...

I little background in case it matters. The frame is a 1970 with a fleetside bed, the rim is off a 76 C10 that is a 15x7, and the tire is a 215/70R15. It is about 26.5" in diameter (smaller than the tires on the truck, but it's what I had and will work fine as a spare).

[scrapmetalart]

this is a great idea. thanks for sharing

[HO455]

I did this on my 52 GMC at least 10 years ago. I searched the wrecking yards for a set up that would be easy to install. The unit I found was great fit and it only took a bit to get it mounted. I now wish I would have looked more closely at the cable style like the ones shown here. The unit I found uses a chain to raise and lower the wheel and it works fine, but when the tire is raised up the extra chain sits in the rim and rattles. We made a little mat for the rim to help quiet it down but occasionally you hear it jingling.
Just food for thought.

[68 TT]

Having learned this the hard way I will tell you to take out that stock pin & clip retainer that holds the drive tube to the gear box drive rod and replace it with a grade-8 bolt and compression type lock nut.

When the clip fails (note I didn't say if) the drive rod will not move because the pin holding the drive tube fell out some unknown time ago. This won't allow you to lower the spare tire when you really need it and the gear box drive rod is next to impossible to reach with a spare tire in place unless you wheel has very large openings in its design.

I would also suggest taking the housing apart and cleaning it out then packing it with new grease. It will give you a chance to inspect the condition of the entire cable and the condition of the internals.

I like the design and simplicity of these parts and retrofit them all the time but have had two fail on vehicles that they came in stock. On my 98 Tahoe the cable failed while I was driving down the street. I have taken to putting a cable lock around the tire and trough the wheel and over the crossmember as both a secondary safety measure and as a theft deterrent measure since there is no easy way to lock the drive mechanism of these that I have seen.

[HO455]

Originally Posted by 68 TT

Having learned this the hard way I will tell you to take out that stock pin & clip retainer that holds the drive tube to the gear box drive rod and replace it with a grade-8 bolt and compression type lock nut.

When the clip fails (note I didn't say if) the drive rod will not move because the pin holding the drive tube fell out some unknown time ago. This won't allow you to lower the spare tire when you really need it and the gear box drive rod is next to impossible to reach with a spare tire in place unless you wheel has very large openings in its design.

I would also suggest taking the housing apart and cleaning it out then packing it with new grease. It will give you a chance to inspect the condition of the entire cable and the condition of the internals.

I like the design and simplicity of these parts and retrofit them all the time but have had two fail on vehicles that they came in stock. On my 98 Tahoe the cable failed while I was driving down the street. I have taken to putting a cable lock around the tire and trough the wheel and over the crossmember as both a secondary safety measure and as a theft deterrent measure since there is no easy way to lock the drive mechanism of these that I have seen.

After reading this having to hear to the chain rattle doesn't seem too terrible.

[Hubscrub]

I built a crossmember for the one on my wife's truck that supports both sides, the way it was factory mounted. 5 bucks at the junkyard so I bought a few for my projects.

[BigBird05]

That is a great idea! My truck doesn't have any of the original spare tire mounting parts left.

[Steeveedee]

All you young bucks can go ahead and lay on or kneel on the ground/mud to get that tire out. I bought a bed mount bracket and put the spare tire on the left side just behind the wheel well. The AAA service guy will truly appreciate that, if I get a flat tire. I've laid/knelt/rolled in enough mud/oil/grease/sand/rocks to last me a lifetime.

[toolboxchev]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

All you young bucks can go ahead and lay on or kneel on the ground/mud to get that tire out. I bought a bed mount bracket and put the spare tire on the left side just behind the wheel well. The AAA service guy will truly appreciate that, if I get a flat tire. I've laid/knelt/rolled in enough mud/oil/grease/sand/rocks to last me a lifetime.

I did one even better. I bought load range E rated tires, Have not had one flat on the road in 14 years. Heck I even picked up a large fence post screw in my tire and it did not go flat.

I could hear it going down the road. tick, tick, tick, tick

[RichardJ]

Outstanding!

[custom10nut]

I LOVE that idea. Now I’m gonna go out looking for one to put on my truck.
This setup will be much easier to find than one from our era trucks.
What year range did this come on?