Spare Tire Carrrier Bolt Removal

[tucsonjwt]

Does anyone know how to remove the spare tire carrier bolt? I am getting ready to install a new hitch and need to remove the bolt. It looks like the only way is to pull it up and forward, but the bolt seems to be about 1" tool long. This is the long bolt on the passenger side where you turn the large nut to lower the tire, not the pivot bolt on the driver's side. See pic

[Getter-Done]

It was probably dropped in the frame before the bed went on in the assembly process.

You could bend it and then straighten it when you get it back out.

If you thread several nuts on the threaded end to keep from damaging the threads.

Then place a short piece of pipe on the top end.

Use a long piece of pipe on the bottom end for a controlled bend.

Then take the nuts back off.

It won't take much of a bend to get it out.

Hope this helps.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Getter-Done

It was probably dropped in the frame before the bed went on in the assembly process.

It was. All of the spare tire bracketry was installed on the chassis line and left loose until after body drop. The next operation after the cab bolts were tightened was where the guy would tighten all the pickup box bolts, hang the spare and tighten the carrier.

You could cut the bolt and replace it with one a tad shorter, or with "all thread" threaded rod (if you are not concerned about authenticity).

K

[Killer Bee]

if you're going to cut and replace, maybe just cut a couple threads off for removal clearance and keep original bolt..

I wouldn't bend it if planning to keep or reuse, tricky getting an old bolt perfectly straight again and threads never seem to be right afterwards..

are bed mounts sound enough to loosen one or two up without breaking? Doesn't look like you need a whole lot more room..

good luck!

[kwmech]

Mine wiggled around and I got it to come out without bending it. It was tight, but it came out. Knock the square washer loose and try again

[tucsonjwt]

Thanks for all of the input. I was thinking along the lines you guys are suggesting. I have a dump hoist with scissor arms welded to the bed, so I can't unbolt the bed mounts and move the bed up.

Thanks for the assembly method confirmation, Keith. I was hoping you would post and let me know how it was installed at the factory. I guess I could use all thread with a double nut, lock washer and big fender washers on top. I am not a welder, so welding a piece of flat stock on the top like the stock bolt is not something that I can do.

When I looked at the installation video of the Class V hitch I want to install I saw that the bolt they were using had a significant bend, so am guessing that they bent the bolt to get it out. The kit for the B&W hitch they were using has an L bracket which they used on the outside of the passenger side frame rail to move the bolt out of the way since the hitch covers the standard bolt location. I already moved the location of the driver's side pivot bolt about 1" forward previously to accommodate the Class 3 hitch that was on the vehicle.

LMC wants $16.95 + $8 shipping for a replacement bolt, and I would still have to bend the new bolt to install it.

While we are on the topic of the spare tire carrier, what is the proper method of removing spare? I always loosen the big wing nut until I can slide the nut into the big bracket slot and support the spare tire and bracket with my left leg until I can grab the end of the bracket with both hands and drop the spare tire. There must be a less cave man style of removing the spare tire. I was thinking of carrying some blocks of 4x4s to support the spare tire and bracket instead of using my leg, then remove the blocks one at a time to progressively lower the spare.

I see that some guys are using a latter model winch type of spare tire carrier. That does involve some fabrication and modification to accommodate a square body truck. I would consider that if it wasn't a major project. I have read that the winch does get rusty over time and you might end up with a winch that won't lower. Even here in the southwest desert you can see from the condition of that bolt that rust does happen on underbody fasteners, although not to the extent that it does in the rust belt.

Here is a link to the installation video of the hitch I am planning on using.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDObUPHVvvM&t=110s

[Getter-Done]

They make a Glide out spare tire carrier.

I have wanted to make something like this for a while now.

You can buy them $$$

Here's one link on E bay.

Link: https://www.ebay.com/itm/26604889560...Bk9SR47F25a2YQ

[tucsonjwt]

The glide outs look pricey but sweet. I have never seen one installed, but I am thinking that it would interfere with a trailer hitch even more than the standard spare tire carrier.

[1976gmc20]

Hmmm - I don't know except I've taken off several of those and got 'er done without any problems that I remember? My solution after a few flats was just carry the spare in the bed. I just looked at the bolt from the 76 and it's not bent so I got it out okay somehow.

One time I was up alone on a shelf road on the side of a mountain and had a flat. The factory option padlock was rusted shut so I had to use vicegrips and crescent wrench on the front (driver side) bolt. (so what good is the lock?) Anyway that contributed to a really fun day since the flat tire was sitting on the edge of a 1500' cliff. I guess the inside would have been even harder up against the cliff wall.

[Just call me Sean]

I don't like messing around with an under the truck spare and I didn't want it in the bed either so I made this:

[1976gmc20]

I sure loved my old 65 stepside. It had the cut out fender and the bracket on the driver side for the spare tire.

[Rich84]

Those are cool. I wish I had one.

[1976gmc20]

Originally Posted by Rich84

Those are cool. I wish I had one.

I was a damn fool for selling it. We had moved into town and I went back to school and I felt guilty for keeping up two vehicles when we could walk or bike most everywhere anyway.

It would have been great for starting out the girls to drive about ten years later.

[Killer Bee]

so how did it go? get the old bolt out unharmed? cut or bend?

the suggestion to loosen square washer sounded good

crossing fingers for happy ending

[tucsonjwt]

I was able to get it out with a lot of wiggling and tapping on the bottom of the bolt. The top did have to scrape along the bottom of the bed. The threads were a bit chewed up about 1.5” up from the bottom of the bolt - I think that was from where the bolt swung into the slot in the carrier bracket above the big wing nut. Loosening the square nut would not work because it is welded in place. I worked another nut all the way up and down the bolt with WD 40 to clear the damaged threads, since I did not have a die that size.
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