Where to mount spare tire

74SovereignInt. · 11-23-2002, 11:41 AM

Ok, I have a twin axle but feel that I should carry a spare. Is it required in some states that it be carried on the outside? If so, where is everyone carrying theirs. Is there room to do it under the tongue? Is there a bracket to mount it to the rear bumper?

Where could I get the proper bracket assuming that one is even available?

I would appreciate all your suggestions

Pahaska · 11-23-2002, 11:56 AM

I have a dual axle, also, but in Texas, it may be a hundred miles to the next service and several hundred to the next replacement tire. I added a spare carrier.

You can buy a bracket from A/S; that is what I did. Cost me about $150, delivered. It goes under the front belly of the International (which has no belly pan). You would have to do some southern-engineering, but I think you could probably mount it under your A-frame. Othersise, you would have to make a cavity in the belly pan to accommodate it.

I can supply some photos of mine if it would help.

hex · 11-23-2002, 02:49 PM

The 1974 does have the underbelly.

On page 29 of the 1974 A/S-T/T Service Manual there are 2 pictures and a 6 step write up; Spare Tire Carrier Installation.
There is no part number listed for the carrier.

Do you not have the Manual?
I believe that the guy I got mine from has some copies left. Let me know if you are interested.

I have no scanner or I'd post that page for you. I could fax it to you next week if need be. But first I guess you gotta locate the carrier.Actually it looks like a handy guy could fabricate his own.
However I don't know if the drawing shows all components.

John you're real handy, what do you think it would entail to duplicate the one you bought?

Pahaska · 11-23-2002, 03:26 PM

Some 1" square tubing, some 3/8" rod, some flat stock about 1/4" x 2" x 12", nuts and bolts, and a welder to make the carrier itself. Some "Home Depot" flat stock to make the front hanger. There are only three welds on the carrier plus whatever it takes to make a front hanger for the particular installation (which could be none to several welds).

Not really much to the carrier itself. I can supply more photos and some measurements if he wants o pursue making one.

I'll attach a photo that shows my front hanger (A/S furnished). It is a "Y" shaped weldment and a "U" shaped flat piece with holes. The diagonal piece is the end of the spare hanger itself. On my new International, all frame holes were predrilled and there were threaded nute plates for the rear of the hanger. The padlock is for security of my spare in storage. I haven't done it yet, but I'll hit the head of the shiny bolt with a weld that will prevent removing it.

74SovereignInt. · 11-23-2002, 05:30 PM

Pictures would be great. Thanks for offering. I would think that there would be a clearance problem with mounting it under the a-frame, do you agree?

Pahaska · 11-23-2002, 05:48 PM

On reflection, I suspect it would be too low there. I have observed spares mounted inside the A-frame itself on some trailers, but this may not be possible with yours.

overlander64 · 11-23-2002, 06:07 PM

Greetings 74SovereignInt!

While there are a number of differences between my '64 and your '74, I am enclosing a photo of the spare tire carrier that has been with my Overlander since it was new in '64 (a dealer added accessory). It is very similar to the spare tire carrier that a friend with a '60 Overlander has, and his too, has been with the trailer since it was new. The one caveat that I am aware of regards adding the extra weight to the rear of the post '73 Airstreams over 25 feet. Most of the '74s that I have seen have the underbelly spare tire mount.

Good luck with your project! I am facing the same project with my '78 Minuet.

Kevin

74SovereignInt. · 11-23-2002, 06:59 PM

Only a hour or two after my question and you guys already have me looking in the manual where I remember seeing this before (yes I do have one, thanks).

This is great, I can see how easy it is to modify the underside (it seems like I would just remove a section of belly pan and raise it against the floor, with proper sealing of course) and basically bolt one in. It even seems as though the mounting points are already prepped.

I don't think I'll have time to do this before we leave in a few weeks but I can see it being done in the spring.

One concern I have, would any states between Illinois and Florida ding me for not having a spare mounted on the outside of the coach? I could leave it inside the coach while driving. Any thoughts.

More images of the front mounted carrier would be great if it wouldn't be too much of an inconvenience.

overlander64 · 11-23-2002, 09:54 PM

Greetings 74SovereignInt!

I don't believe that you will encounter any problems with law enforcement if you don't have an externally mounted spare. If your rig is safety-laned at a check-point, they will be more interested in the presence of adequate safety chains, a break-away switch, and operational signal lights. For a period of two-years after the welds in my Overlander's spare mount failed, I carried the spare on the cargo floor of my Suburban - - I was only stopped once for s safety check, and no questions were asked about a spare.

Enjoy your journey!

Kevin

hex · 11-23-2002, 10:04 PM

Kevin is there a story behind the welds failing?

Any idea of why they did? What speed were you going,if at all?
Seems like a tire dropping down fron first could reek havok in a number of ways. Namely acting as a brake/rudder or being forced upward into floor.
Hoping you had none of the above bad case scenarios.

overlander64 · 11-23-2002, 11:52 PM

Greetings Hex!

When the Ruths repaired it as part of the Polish/exterior restoration, they indicated that it was likely a stress induced fracture - - the welds were 35 years old at the time of the failure). The weld broke on a particularly rough section (approximately 125 miles) of secondary highway in the Badlands of North Dakota. I know that I was traveling less than 55 MPH but faster than 45 MPH when the mount failed. All evidence says that the tire stuck the pavement then rebounded bouncing over the Oldsmobile Cutlass Cierra that was less than 10 feet from my trailer's rear bumper landing about 5 feet behind the Cutlass at which time the tire veered onto the shoulder and rolled several hundred yards along the right-of-way.

I had disassembled, sanded, primed, and painted all of the rear bumper parts prior to departing on this trip and there was no indication of problems with the spare tire mount at that time. I knew almost immediately that something had happened as I was in radio contact with other Wagon Wheel Caravan members - - the report was that something flew off of my trailer - - the original thought was that it was a vent cover - - it was only after I had pulled to the shoulder that we realized that it was the spare tire. With stopping time involved, the spare tire landed almost 1.5 miles from where I pulled onto the shoulder.

Kevin

InsideOut · 11-24-2002, 01:25 AM

FYI...Our spare sits behind the tanks on the tongue in the front.

Shari

Pahaska · 11-25-2002, 12:26 PM

Here's the mount on my International. I don't have the wheel and tire yet.

Pahaska · 11-25-2002, 12:31 PM

Here is the front of the spare hanger. remove the lock to drop it and release the tire.