Trailer stake pocket spare tire carrier ideas?

[Smokeydog]

Want to make a spare tire carrier that will fit the stake pockets of any flatbed trailer. Support 16”, 10-14ply spare. Position either inboard with tire on deck or outboard. Bolt or clamp with lugnut size fastener to not rattle or easy to steal.

Store bought types look too flimsy.
Scrap pile steel. Have old front hub bearings from front of truck. Same 8 lug bolt pattern. Cut off the wheeldisk from bearing. Thinking about stake post design. Very interested in what others have come up with.

 

[jimh406]

Use box steel that fits. Drill holes and weld a bolt or bolts on that are long enough to go through the rim bolt holes. One of my trailers uses a bolt welded to the tongue, and my UTV tire holder is similar although it isn't weld. It just has two nuts on either side of the plate. My UTV uses a large wing nut, but also has a round plastic plate that the bolt goes through. My trailer uses a large nut and washer to hold the tire/rim on and just tightens onto the steel of the rim.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

something like this ??

Stake Pocket Spare Tire Mount

This is a portable spare tire mount that fits most trailers with standard size stake pockets. Includes tensioner bolt.Drive-in wheel studs sold separately.3.5" spare tire base square tubing offsets the mounting plate 7.5" from the trailer

parts.pjcanada.com

while $90 isn't toooo bad, seems easy to 'clone'.

looks like you press in 'studs' to put the spare on but I'd need a crane to lift an empty 9 bolt rim onto it, let alone a rim with rubber !
biggest concern for me would be to keep it SOLID as ANY movement isn't a good thing...

 

[Lil Foot]

I bought one of these:

Removable Spare Tire Mount

Trailer Parts & Accessories

www.loadtrailparts.com

 

[Smokeydog]

something like this ??

Stake Pocket Spare Tire Mount

This is a portable spare tire mount that fits most trailers with standard size stake pockets. Includes tensioner bolt.Drive-in wheel studs sold separately.3.5" spare tire base square tubing offsets the mounting plate 7.5" from the trailer

parts.pjcanada.com

while $90 isn't toooo bad, seems easy to 'clone'.

looks like you press in 'studs' to put the spare on but I'd need a crane to lift an empty 9 bolt rim onto it, let alone a rim with rubber !
biggest concern for me would be to keep it SOLID as ANY movement isn't a good thing...

Studying the reviews of versions like that. Agree, needs to to solidly mounted. Problem increasing with bigger and heavier tires. Don’t want much space between tire and trailer to increase overall width. Also shorter lever arm.

Custom clone for a 14K trailer.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I have not made one, but if I was going to, some things I would consider are ...

1. Make sure that the stake pocket and "attachment arm" are "beefy enough" to handle the "leverage" of the tire pulling on it, if its mounted outside facing.

2. Make one that is nearly "vertical" with the stake pocket, or if possible like you suggested, tire is "inboard facing" or on the deck/railing.

3. Consider just welding it directly to the trailer and eliminating the stake pocket variable altogether.


Using a scrap hub is an excellent idea.

Be sure to take pics and post your results.

Edit: I missed the "of any flatbed trailer" part so, disregard #1 and #3

 

[Dustball]

For stuff like this, I like to use Google image search for ideas.

stake pocket spare tire - Google Search

 

[Smokeydog]

Good project to use little drops from the saws and plasma cutter. Welded together enough for test fit.

Not cleaned up yet. This will hold the spare within the fender width, close to the trailer frame.

One 7/8” bolt to attach. Rock solid. Overlaps the top of frame rail 2”. Shimmed up the stake pocket to level out.

Nuts are welded. One wrench or socket.

The wheel hub was an old part from Dodge truck repair. Cut the bearing off. That part is ductile cast steel? Easy to bandsaw cut. Worried how strong the welds might be so also bolted with 1” bolt too.

Over 20 parts so far.

 

[mcmxi]

Worried how strong the welds might be so also bolted with 1” bolt too.

Ah ... I was wondering what that bolt was doing through the center of the hub given that everything is welded.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

hmm... not tooo close to trailer with a tire on it ??

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Looks good and sturdy to me.

Nice job!

 

[Lil Foot]

Mine is pretty close....

 

[Smokeydog]

Finally installed. Holds strong and tight. Close to bed rail so does not go beyond fenders. One 7/8” bolt to install or remove. Drilled a wheel stud for a padlock.

 

[Lil Foot]

Two spares?

 

[GrizBota]

Very nice. I like that the paint choice matches some of the other toys. A guy only needs to have two flats in one trip once to want two spares. Been there.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Looks great man!

 

[Lil Foot]

A guy only needs to have two flats in one trip once to want two spares.

Never been there.
Guess I've been lucky.

 

[Smokeydog]

Not sure if I’ll keep that front spare. Is chained and locked to jack. Does hinder access to jack spring jack foot. Being able to hook/unhook quickly has its merits. Long distance tow might carry two spares.

 

[GrizBota]

Never been there.
Guess I've been lucky.

Better lucky than good sometimes. I got lucky until I wasn’t. Had to rescue the wife about 200 miles away as a result. She was on the side of the road way too long. Got back home at 1 am. Don’t need a repeat. Traveling on Sunday afternoons makes it a good time to get an independent help, as in it won’t happen.

Leaving a rig on the side of the interstate overnight in the PNW means it will be vandalized.

May luck be with you and the wind at your back.

 

[NorthwoodsLife]

Better lucky than good sometimes. I got lucky until I wasn’t. Had to rescue the wife about 200 miles away as a result. She was on the side of the road way too long. Got back home at 1 am. Don’t need a repeat. Traveling on Sunday afternoons makes it a good time to get an independent help, as in it won’t happen.

Leaving a rig on the side of the interstate overnight in the PNW means it will be vandalized.

May luck be with you and the wind at your back.

Yep. I try to carry 2 trailer spares. Especially on a 4 wheeled trailer. Had a tire blowout on our travel trailer. I put the spare on while on the side of the hiway. Very dangerous, btw.

3/4 of a mile later another one blew. No more spares. Sunday afternoon. Most tire shops are closed. Luckily Walmart had a tire (any brand will do at that point), and I had to unhook the trailer from the truck, also on the side of the road. Wife took the wheel to Walmart. Great folks at Walmart were quick and made it happen fast.
Back on the road.

The next week I bought 4 new tires of my choice and brand. Kept the Walmart tire as a spare. Ordered a 2nd spare tire and wheel.