In the past, I carried my spare in the bed of my 53 F100. Now, I've got most of the parts to carry it underneath on the stock carrier bar hung from the frame. A part that I do not have is the big nut (I am assuming it's some sort of big wing-nut thing) that snugs the carrier bar and spare tight to the frame. I'm hoping that someone can describe the stock setup. It is not clear to me exactly how I can get a simple wing-nut to do the job.

 

This is the setup on a stock 49 F1. Not sure how it differs from the 53's and no wingnuts.

 

 

bigwin56f100:
The pieces that I have include a straight **** bolt, which I assume is what open end of the carrier fits over. This is shown in this LMC catalog page:

Truck Parts and Truck Accessories

The end (which I have) that I assumed the wing-nut fit on is a hinged bolt, very similar to what I see in the post from FortyNiner. This setup I have, instead of the "J" bolt. The wing nut looks almost as I imagined it would have to; the wings have to angle down so it can clear of the sides of the carrier. All my assumptions are based on the idea that the carrier does not have to be re-installed while lying on your back, holding up the weight of the spare and the carrier with one hand and trying to fit the nut over the swinging "J"-bolt with the other hand. I visualized loosing up the wing nut enough so that the open end of the carrier could be hefted onto the **** bolt, and then the other end is snugged up with the wing nut. Do I understand this correctly?

 

I always install the carrier onto the **** bolt, with the j hook end of the carrier still on the ground, place spare onto carrier and then lifting carrier with spare and install the wing nut

 

That's the way I do it as well. I don't think you could get the split end of the carrier onto the **** bolt with a tire sitting on it.

 

Thanks, guys. As I said, in the past, my spare has always just been carried in the bed. If looks like I'd be better off using the J-bolt than the bolt with the hinge that I have. Side note: none of any of this information has a practical application until I find a 15" rim with the hub cap nubs for a spare...

 

I went through a spell where I worked REALLY hard to find a 5th original rim, found all the mounting hardware and had it shipped to me, and got all excited that I could mount my spare like original. Then I discovered that my radial tires were too thick and too tall to fit. Plus it hit the exhaust. Lol. My point is to just watch the tire size. They have to be really close to original.

 

I wish I could find the hardware for my spare tire.....I'm not even sure what it looks like(goes just over the passenger side frame, below bed).

 

Using a nut, a heavy washer, a short length of 1/2" id pipe and a piece of anchor bolt, I fashioned a wing nut for my spare tire carrier. It's wide enough long to grab by hand and snug up, and long enough so that I can get a good grip on it and the wings just clear the sides of the carrier beam. I think this will work okay until I find the real thing. The hinged hanging bolt was what I took off an old truck in an Arizona wrecking yard where I got the spare tire carrier beam. It did the job of the J-bolt. I don't know if it was factory or something put on by the previous owner.



Now, to talk to someone about a spare wheel...

 

15"? or 16"? send me a PM I can help

 

I have a 15" innie nub wheel if thats what your looking for. PM me and we can work something out