Check the spare tire carrier

[oldballs]

I too, service my spare rig occasionally and do a rotation. And since it is a good tire/wheel as well as to prevent theft, I have a locked cable that threads to the frame in a forward mount position such that if the wheel drops it would drag the ground as the truck moves forward. That's on a '99 F-250.
Cheers,
Mike

 

[MillWeld]

I took some pictures showing the break, spare tire and crank handle I made by welding bolts point-to-point. The cable looks bright with no rust. We don't have much highway salt usage in the winter in this part of NC so the cable hasn't fallen victim to corrosion. Would you guys replace the whole winch assembly? or swage a stop on the existing cable? I've had the truck about 12years and am yet to have a flat so the crank and spare have seen little use. The spare is almost bald and flat so little good it would do me if I needed it. I should replace it too.

 

[MillWeld]

I have a locked cable that threads to the frame in a forward mount position such that if the wheel drops it would drag the ground as the truck moves forward. That's on a '99 F-250.
Cheers,
Mike

That is a very good idea - easy to implement, too.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I would replace the whole cable if possible.

Chris

 

[Gary Fowler]

Any your sure aren't going to lose that tractor, not with 8 tie-downs

 

[orezok]

A similar thing happened to me on my travel trailer a number of years ago. We were going to a campground in the Redwoods up a 7 mile 1 1/2 lane alleged road, and when we reached the last entry lane to the campground which is .4 miles long and only a single lane wide we always stop to look for oncoming traffic. The road is so narrow and the redwoods so close to the side that there is no place to pass and one unit would have to back up if you met someone coming out.

After a minute or so sitting there watcing the road, a guy in a truck pulls up behind us and sez "did you loose a tire?" The spare on that trailer was mounted under the trailer just forward of the axles. I look underneath and no spare. The cable broke.

This was really scary as it must have dropped perfectly flat on the road because it would barely clear the axles.

Had it happened on the freeway, it could have caught the axles and flipped the trailer.

 

[GPintheMitten]

I always thought, if they brought back the front mount spare tire carriers, like the 1970's trucks, they would be a big hit.

You mean like this?





I can also mount it in the rear.

 

[Wolfy]

Yes, exactly. That set up would be great, no issues with rusty cables, no taking up bed space. And the rear mount option would be great for those who have the front tied up with a snowplow.

 

[ENC]

Easy solution. Buy a dually. I have 2 spares wherever I go already bolted on. They took my winch out putting in tank and motor for hayspikes. On any given day I use a lot of my bed space so I generally leave the spare at home. If I am pulling a heavy trailer and/or going more than 50 miles from home I will toss it in the bed.

 

[herringchoker]

Herringchoker, that picture of your F100 is just awesome.

That old girl treated me well for 22 years, but it came time to move on.