It has been a busy week with the truck. I bought used wheels, new tires, replaced all 6 shocks and 3 tire rods. I think the ball joints are fine but the truck is going into the shop tomorrow for a second opinion and a wheel alignment, maybe brakes.
I bought everything from LMC to put my spare tire under the bed. There is no instructions and I am not sure how it mounts. Does anyone have any pictures or directions?
Charlie

I still need the rear center caps.

 

That is a beautiful truck! You would cry if you saw what the salty Northeast has done to my 1990.

Unfortunately, because of the salt and rust, I had to relocate my spare tire to the bed years ago. So I can show you no pictures. The hanger is connected one end on each frame rail, and runs diagonally across the tire holding it to the bottom of the truck under the rear gas tank.

Good Luck,

-JR

 

Fine truck.

 

You should have received the following in the kit: 1 large metal retaining strap (curved to fit the tire with a hole in the middle for the setup to secrew fown the spare and a small round handle at one end) 2 pieces of threaded rod, one is bent like a hook at one end. 2 frame clips that fit the rod, 2 nuts for the rod and a separate shorter carriage bolt that fits the plastic sheen that screws down the tire.
so: take the large flat strap with you under the truck to find the holes to mount the kit. If you are under the truck on your back with your feet sticking out under the tail gate the forward hole will be om the driver's side frame rail a few inches behind the rear axle and such. the rear hole is actually in the last crossmember of the truck frame about 18" inches toward the passenger's side from the middle. just use the metal tire rtaining strap to lign up and you will be able to find the holes. then just: 1 put the clips on both holes, 2. pass the long straight piece of threaded rod through the bottom on the strap with the carriage head facing down and screw it through the clip you just installed. (it may not even require actual bolts, just those clips) now just screw the hook ended piece of threaded rod through the clip you just put on the rear crossmember. (The hook and the Keyhole cutout on the end of the tire retaining strap are a kind of quick release for the spare) put the hook shaped end on the threaded rod through the keyhole cutaway. Now adjust and level the hang (of the strap) under the tank to match the width of your tire by screwing or unscrewing the threaded rods. Give it a test fit with the tire before attaching the tire to the strap. Attach the tire to the strap with the carriage bolt and plastic "wingnut" that came in the kit. do a final adjustment of tension against the gas tank by turning the hook shaped threaded with a screwdriver.
2 little notes: put neverseize on the carriage bold holding the tire. the last thing you need is a spare you cant get off the strap. Also make sure the spare is sufficiently tight against the tank. If it is loose it'll move around and you'll keep wondering what the hell is going on back there on certain bumpy corners and such.

 

First: Beautiful truck. Very jealous.

2nd on the neverseize. It can take an hour to get the damn tire off if you don't use it.

The bolt that goes through the hub hole and has a giant plastic nut that goes on it, my suggestion would be to do away with it and use a real bolt. The one that (presumably) comes with the kit works sorta like a carriage bolt, so if it's rusty it's a bitch to get off. If you have a hex-head one in its place, you can just put a wrench over the end and get it out right quick.

 

Thanks for the instructions, I'll have to wait till next weekend to work on it. Sadly this truck has some surface rust all over the under side. I was thinking about spraying it with some Rust Converter paint until I can do something better. My father in law bought this truck new and has since passed away. I expect it to stay in the family for years.
Charlie

 

use POR 15 on the rust and you will never have to deal with it again. BTW the only problem with using a real bolt/nut is that if you don't have your tools in the truck you wont be able to remove the tire and you need a plate larger than the hub hole in the middle of the rim, so when I re did mine I just went with the OE and put on neverseize.

 

Umm....beg to differ on one point here a minute,

The carrier setup uses a large plastic nut for just that reason, it won't rust in place over time preventing the tire from being retrieved when needed.

The bolt and nut holding the tire to the strap is just for that purpose only, it needs only hold the tire on the retaining strap while tire is put up in place / brought down from up under the truck.

The retaining strap and threaded rods, they hold the tire once up in place and tighten. The tire is pinched, clamped between the upper brace and the lower strap when setup correctly.
That center bolt holding the tire on the strap is no longer doing any actual work.

Allows spare be removed from under truck with nothing but the tire iron. Yea use a tire iron to remove wheel on 3/4 or 1 ton....... myself I'd call a wrecker first! (I don't bother even carry a spare "local") but I digress......

 

Must of got those rims how much you pay and what size tires and brand you get love those rims man its sexy

 

darn1: I see where you are coming from, once you get the spare up there and have good tension (provided by tightening the threaded rods) the large plastic "nut" is basically useless. But it is there anyway and without it it is a mess trying to get the tire centered on the strap with only two hands, might as well just use it and treat the threads with neverseize IMHO. Also I spend a lot of time in rural Maine and NH in the summer, I have friends with camps there. Cell coverage is spotty, particularly in between the hills, so I cant rely on a Cell phone and my AAA account to get me out of where I am. I have been places in my truck "Lazarus" that I would be hard pressed to describe how to find. Self reliance is a must in some endeavors and never hurts in others.

 

Wow that's a nice truck. You should be proud to drive that around.

That's all.

 

You can put the plastic nut on a regular bolt, as it's a very common thread size. I realize the center bolt doesn't do any real work after the strap is locked, but you still have to remove it to get the tire off. I just mentioned it cuz of a few bad bad experiences where taking off the tire took up to 1.5 hours and left my arms totally burned afterwards- not something you want to happen on a narrow road or if it's cold outside.

I realize that in THEORY the plastic nut won't get stuck, but in PRACTICE it DOES. This is because rust and dirt from other things fall into it, jamming the soft threads.

That is a good point about carrying tools though, I guess since my truck isn't as nice as the one in question I just never go anywhere without them.

 

I say throw that original tire holder in the scrap pile and get one from a 97+ truck. It has a little winch to pick the tire up and hold in place. the 80-97 tire holder has to be one of the DUMBEST things i have ever seen

 

I wouldnt use the center bolt/ plastic nut, they WILL get stuck and be a PITA on the roadside. The older trucks didnt use them. You don't have to unscrew the eyebolt that holds the spare in either. If you have it posioned right you can put a jack under the spare carrier, jack it up 1/2" or so then slide the eyebolt over a little to line up with the slot then drop the spare down.

 

The plastic nut on mine got stuck, bad. Ended up using a hacksaw to cut through the bolt to liberate the spare. It now rides in the bed. The bolts moved out fine, only after soaking in PB Blaster for a day and some light heat from a torch. No way would I want to fight with this system on the side of the road. The winch-style ones work great until they jam up from corrosion as well.