The nip and tuck of a skinny spare

[Gerdo]

I'm running 265/75-16 tires. I have built a rear bumper and swingout tire carrier. I'm currently out on a road trip so I shoved the spare back under the rear and pulled the swingout. The swingout tire carrier does have a high cool factor but it is a pain in the butt when you are in and out of the hatch a lot. I know the guys with LCs have raised their cross brace and tire winch. I removed the two tire bumper braces and cranked my tire up. It did raise it but far from enough. I need another ~4". The tire hits the frame above the axle and the body just in front of the bumper.

The fix? My thoughts are:
A narrower wheel (6" wide)
A skinny tire 235/85-16 (1.2" narrower)
Notch the frame, over the axle, to inset the tire
Notch the body box to inset the tire
I may also need to remove/move the frame cross member and mount the tire winch to the floor pan.

Has anyone done something like this?
Any thoughts?

 

[LINY4Runner]

To my knowledge I don't think it's ever been done, but I'd love to see what you come up with! :thumb3:

 

[Gerdo]

Upon further review...
It would real difficult. The hatch latch is also resting on the tire.

 

[Qyota]

Here's an idea. Could you "squish" the tire enough to fit in there if it was deflated? If you are carrying air with you anyway...why not run with a flat spare? When you need it, drop it and pump it up.

Just a thought.

 

[IanB]

I'm in and out of the hatch all the time with my dog, and I don't find the rear tire swingout to be that bad at all. Way less work than re-engineering your under-truck tire carrier, lol. And WAY cooler.:guitar3:

 

[Bandit Runner]

I think Steve at Sonoran Steel did what you are asking about, on his old 3rd gen. There was a link on his old website, not sure if its on his new one or not. He was able to put a 35" tire under there. I think he removed the crossmember and built a new one so the tire sat higher.

I plan on using a 255/85R16 for a spare under there, when I move up to 35's here in the next few weeks. Its a little smaller and skinnier, so it should fit nicely.

Good luck.

 

[Pikeman]

Steve at Sonoran steel did this type of mod and was running a 35" spare under his truck. He cut the factory cross beam out and fabbed a new one that went all the way up against the body and then mounted the hoist to that. It can and has been done successfully in the past. It was listed on his old site but not sure can find it on the new one.

 

[Gerdo]

The diameter is not an issue. It"s the height (as its laying, Width of the tire) .
With another look, It's not going to happen unless I get a crazy narrow tire. The tire rests against the hatch latch.

 

[cj80cruiser]

The diameter is not an issue. It"s the height (as its laying, Width of the tire) .
With another look, It's not going to happen unless I get a crazy narrow tire. The tire rests against the hatch latch.

3" body lift? :naughty:

This may be a little more radical than what you're wanting to do but I'll just throw it out there anyway.

What about cutting a hole in the bed of your truck and dropping in a custom wheel pan that drops down about even with your frame. Yeah it would stick out above the floor level even with or without the 3" body lift and I guess you would have to get some custom carpet work done as well unless you bedlined it. One positive is that you wouldn't have to crawl under your truck to get the spare

I doubt you'd wana do all that but maybe it'll atleast spark an idea.