Spare Tire Question

[Brian]

As you can see I run a ’79 Scout. Normally I would have enough bed length to accommodate a 36” spare tire and tool box. However, 6 years ago I bobbed the rear about 12-13” and converted to propane and installed a 40 gallon LP tank. I’m finally getting around to coming up with a serious way to carry my spare. In the past I’ve gotten by with a ratchet strap cinched to the roll bar holding it in place. I’m trying to avoid a rear bumper carrier to stay as short as possible and for the inevitable drop off a rock ledge ripping it off.

I thought I’d go for the flat mount in the bed, but from the back of the LP tank to the tailgate is about 1-2” too short, and I can’t shut the tailgate. I considered deflating my spare to shrink it so I could shut the tailgate, then carrying a 5 gal portable air tank to inflate the spare if needed. My understanding is a 5 gallon tank would easily inflate a 35-36” tire with at least 30 psi to get off the trail or home if need be.

Has anyone else used or seen such a ‘solution’ for a spare tire? Other than the portable tank letting me down by leaking out, what other cons can you think of?

Thanks a bunch for any input!

[Jim]

Rambling thoughts...

I'd probably go 12vDC portable inflator before 5gal air tank. Perpetual air.

A CO2 setup would take slightly less space than a 5gal tank and would inflate many more tires than a 5gal air tank.

[glacierpaul]

Have you looked at getting a different tank or tanks? Manchester Tank Manchester Tank: Motor Fuel Products (http://www.mantank.com/green/motorfuel.htm) I am assuming you have the 1 tank set up, maybe going to the 2 side by side, and a nicely fabbed cage around those with a adapter for the spare? Edit: a pic of your set up would be cool. I am a master plumber so LP set ups are intriguing.

[RidgeRunner]

Can you do a "Baja" style mount like this:

http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/5319/rearbumper4ek6.jpg

That stays inside the tailgate with the front of the tire over the LP tank?

[glacierpaul]

Can you do a "Baja" style mount like this:

http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/5319/rearbumper4ek6.jpg

That stays inside the tailgate with the front of the tire over the LP tank?
Yeah, that is how I was thinking over the 2 tanks, good find Dave.

[Brian]

Baja style was on the list, as well as the swing down style since they seem to lean over the tail gate to a degree. Thanks for the ideas, and here are some pics of the set up currently.

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o132/scout345/DSCF7744.jpg

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o132/scout345/DSCF7745.jpg

[Patrolman]

Just as a note, there is no way that a 5 gal air tank is gonna get you to 30psi unless you are already at 29psi. ;)

Get a decent compressor. Less space and more reliable source.

[scout man]

An OBA setup is really easy on a scout if your interested, as long as you dont want air conditioning. If it came stock with AC, its an extremely easy conversion, if not, its still pretty simple. Just grab an AC compressor from a junkyard scout, and the bracket with it if yours doesnt have it already. Take the tubing too, as the connectors at the AC end are hard to find. My OBA cost less than $40 and is powerfull enough to run air tools. I can fill a 35" tire from 15psi to 40 psi in under a minute. Let me know if you go this route, and Ill give you a good writeup on it.

My other idea if you want to get creative (my creativity gets the best of me sometimes) is kind of a modified Baja style. I would build a bracket to float it above your propane and toolbox, with the front of the tire higher, and the rear down low. Hinge the front somewhere above the propane tank, and put a latch down at the floor near the tailgate. Grab some of those hydrolic assist rams, like from the rear of a minivan, and use them to help hinge the tire up when you want to get in the toolbox or replace the propane. kind of like a trunk lid. Hope that made sense, let me know if it didnt.

I know you said you dont want a tire swing, but here are some pics of mine in case it helps spawn some ideas for you. If you cant tell from the pics, it hinges to the side for normal operation, and to remove the tire or gas, it hinges down.

[glacierpaul]

That is a pretty sweet set up Steve!

[Brody]

What everyone said about the air tank/spare: won't happen.

The OBA/York set up is quick, dirty, cheap and works. There is a huge amount of information here:

On Board Air Installation Articles and Links (http://www.frontrange4x4.com/forums/showthread.php?5054-On-Board-Air-Installation-Articles-and-Links)

You can also go with a mount like I did with the back of my heap (also bobbed and missing space). I mounted the tire onto a tube that in turn mounts to the roll cage bar through bushings. Up and out of the way, swings down if I need it to off the back, as well as being able to be tilted up if I need more storage like for camping:

[Brian]

Nice setup there Steve and I had originally envisioned something like Brody has there. Yeah my Scout originally had a york compressor on it. I removed it to get at something else and somehow lost track of it over the years. :mad: I’ll be going that route eventually. In the mean time I think I’ll try and fab up some sort of tie in to the rear roll bar runners. Something sorta like |-O-| (as viewed from the rear) with the tire remaining approx where it is in the pics.

Thx again guys!

[Brody]

As another suggestion, you could do something closer to what Steve has, but substitute the existing tailgate with a tube carrier. Since it sits pretty high, you won't have to be too concerned with it if it sticks out a bit and it gives you a lot of flexibility. Brace the side of the tail gate with something off the roll bar and simply stick the spare a bit farther back in the same spot.

Just a thought, especially if you wanted to mount it upright rather than flat like I did mine. I have a stand off bar that allows me to raise my tire and brace it at the same angle as the returns of my cage. This allows me to use the area that is normally under the spare for camping junk. It normally rides flat and low like in the picture.

Sorta like this where the tailgate is removed completely: