Spare Tire Carrier

[Guy58]

I have a 1967 Chevy 1/2 ton stepside. It did not have a spare tire carrier when I purchased it. There is no evidence of it ever having one. I have a few questions. One. Is there any reason I could not install a Cross Strap under the tail end of the bed on my stepside? Two. Where the spare tires mounted under the bed on stepsides in 1967? Three. Is there anything special about the Cross Strap bolts? In the LMC book I have they are $12.95 and $16.95 a piece. I really hate to give anybody that much money, $29.90 total, just for a couple of bolts. Four. Does anyone know what size these bolts are?
Thanks for your help in advance,
Guy

[68gmsee]

You may have to hit the junk yards to see if you can find what you need. I think the reason they're costly is that the parts are pretty specialized for that use only.

I have a 68 GMC fleetside with no mount either. I've thought of taking it off the 69 Chevy and putting it on my GMC and then look for a chain type spare tire mount like they have in newer trucks for my 69.

I had an 85 Toyota that looked like the mount would fit my truck but never swapped it. Good luck.

[PanelDeland]

I think I would look for one from a newer truck to retrofit.They have a cable that lifts and lowers them.I doubt my old back is up to putting the old style back up in place.The newer ones just use the jack handle to crank them up and hold them in place.Much easier and you dont have to tighten a bolt to keep them from rattling,just crank it up tight.

['68OrangeSunshine]

I have a '68 C/10 stepside. I bought it in 1973 so I know what is still original on it. It has a spare tire with a crossmember that hangs down on a 1/2"(~) bolt on the drivers side and is held up in place by a another bolt that has a special nut with an eye for a padlock. This mounts on the lower frame just behind the differential. Other early stepsides had an indentation in the drivers side rear fender for mounting the spare there. [Maybe 4x4s?]
Possibly some POs wanted the underframe space to mount a Blazer type fuel tank either to augment the behind-the -seat tank or replace it.
The only evidence of a stock spare installation, if it was deleted, would be some 9/16" [or so] holes in the rear frame between the differential and the rear bumper.
Bolts might be 3/4" diameter. LMC illustrations are correct. I remember getting the "Cross strap retainer" padlock nut from a Chevy dealer back in the day. It had nylon threads -- maybe for vibration mounting -- and the original had disintegrated. I remember grumbling at the price then. I now back it up with a wrap of chain around the frame and secure it with the padlock. That way if the nylock nut turns to powder again, the chain's still got it.
This type of spare carrier was not limited to stepsides. You can check vintage fleetsides, too.

[Guy58]

Thanks for all your help. This site is great. I am going to install the spare tire carrier from 1967 onto my truck. I will purchase the cross strap, front & back brackets, and the retainer nut, but am thinking I will get the bolts I need from a hardware store. Does anyone have any pictures of this type of carrier? Or can anyone share with me measurements of the locations from the end of the frame to where on the frame the two bolts would have been mounted? And thanks again, all of your help gives me the confidence to press on with my restoration.
Guy

[cdowns]

when i mounted a spare tire carrier i just used lengths of threaded rods from home depot cut to size if i remember right i think they were just 1/2" couse threads// you do need the specialized nut on one end for it to work like factory tho