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Mine in my '77 (Ford) had a slot, the slot was a bigger hole at one end through which a long bolt protruded with a loop in it, and a lock on it that would not fit through the slot aqnd hole. The long bolt part had a fat washer like just under the loop thay would fit through the rond hole part of the slot. To get the tire that was resting on the steel beam like retainer, one removed the lock, then just moved the bolt thing from slot to round part of hole and down came the spare on the beam part ... as I recall. Since buying the truck in May of '86, by June the spare was in the bed and I have no idea wghere those pieces are. I do recall cutting the lock off mine with a 4-1/2" angle grinder.
I have a 50 foot long 3/8 proof coil chain in my basement, In the '90s was a wet rainy midnight shift, on I-81 down near the lower Natural Bridge exit, was a GMC or Chevrolet pickup, young fellow ... and his young lovely bride, and a baby in the cab. I pulled up to help, he was changing a right rear tire in the mud and grass off the right shoulder there beyond the guard rail end. There was a long chain wedged under the guard rail end terminus where it went down to road level, and there with it was a beam and bent bolt with a bent nut thing, It had a lock still on it. He explained as he worked that did not have a key for the lock, so he hooked the chain around the guard rail and jerked the spare out before I got there. The jerk had pulled the chain in between the guard rail and roadway, pinching it there but good. We tried to get it loose, but could not, So finally he loaded his soaking wet self into the cab with a "F**k it" and they left, I never even wrote his tag down. It was out of state all I knew. He was wet, tired, cold, frustrated too, We had looked under the truck, no serious damage to the frame rails. After he left, I was clearing with dispatch on the radio, and seeing that chain all wet and shiney just laying ther, I figured someone would wreck trtying to stop to get it if I left it there. I hooked it to the frame under my '96 Caprice police car, gave it a just a little gas in reverse, the chain slid out from where it was pinched to the ground. Nice chain, but by time I picked it up and put it in my passenger floor, he was probably 20 miles gone. Nice chain too. Did I mention pretty family too?
I know, more than you needed, but I'm just chilling after my 50 minute tread-mill walk.
I eliminated my under bed hardware as I purchased one of those custom rack carriers that mounts to the tow hitch and custom mounted the tire while fabricating it for much easier access to the spare tire, as you all can see my dilemma when venturing with the camper -
Last thing I wanna do is wrestle with some 50 lb tire underneath the bed of my truck with a heavy loaded camper dealing with potential wet or saturated ground, fighting loose dirt, very low clearance, rusty hardware despite anti seize or lithium greasing it, etc.
Plus, I have immediate access to the diff plug when I need to check oil level or condition without some tire in the way while potentially barely rubbing against the sway bar or diff housing......This is the only way to go for my camper rig upon carrying a spare tire !
Like talked about use the OEM (straight +45*) tire iron and loosen the J bolt eye loop looking bolt up a bit. It should be on the very back part and on the bottom of the support bracket. Do not to loosen it all the way until it comes undone. In fact if you do, it can drop the tire and bracket and smash ya good. So loosen it up like 5 complete turns. Then some brackets have a end place (piece of pipe like tubbing) to put the lug wrench in and give you more lifting power. It might NOT have a place...so keep reading.
Once it is loose, lift the lower bracket AND tire together (='s HEAVEY, so be ready) then see the key like slot and large washer on the end of the J bolt eye loop? While holding the weight up (you can use the jack here to help a bit). Then turn the loop and slide it over to the large hole (for the washer) to go thru the key like slot in the lower bracket. Then lower it all and again do NOT smash yourself.
The eyelet bolt that goes thru the "key" slot of the bracket.
Found some more and one with the place to put the lug wrench to get more lifting leverage. But I think that was a late 80's mid 90's idea. And some even have a slide out handle. Does this make sense with the J bolt and the key slot description?
Yes, It's coming back to me now. Good pics there. I think I gave mine away. I recalled a lock on one, but I don't see provision there for one, maybe it was the one on the boy's truck I was remembering? I think I done good just recalling what I did.
Keep them long bolts greased up with never seize and your jack lubed. Make sure spare faces down so you can check tire pressure. I believe complete instructions are in owners manual. OT but has anyone done a swap to a crank down conversion?
I have seen a newer cable drop down set up put in place on here somewhere on FTE. But with the fuel tank right there, I think it is put in on the end of the bracket or made to fit below the fuel tank. But I think that is getting the tire awful low.
