F-350 2 full size spares on the cabin roof
- Thread starter Paul B.
- Start date
TooTall'sTruck
Observer
I have used old Thule roof rack bars that mount on the drip rails, to hold one 235/85-16 spare tire.
Why two above?
One under rear anymore?
What size tire?
How strong are you? I am 6'8" and burn diesel, and I was able to lift my spare on the roof from the bed of the truck, I can also pull it down from the door sill if the bed is full. If you are 5'6" don't try it.
Look into the military or russian 6x6 truck style of spare tire carrier, it rotates a basket hoop over about a 140* arc and is mounted behind the cab, dificult to engineer a system to get it onto the roof for sure.
I am interested in your plans and goals, as I am going to build a rack for my truck eventually to carry a spare over my 1992 F250 standard cab. Drip rails will be utalized untill I need more weight support from the body and sandwich plates.
Picturtes of your truck?
Why two above?
One under rear anymore?
What size tire?
How strong are you? I am 6'8" and burn diesel, and I was able to lift my spare on the roof from the bed of the truck, I can also pull it down from the door sill if the bed is full. If you are 5'6" don't try it.
Look into the military or russian 6x6 truck style of spare tire carrier, it rotates a basket hoop over about a 140* arc and is mounted behind the cab, dificult to engineer a system to get it onto the roof for sure.
I am interested in your plans and goals, as I am going to build a rack for my truck eventually to carry a spare over my 1992 F250 standard cab. Drip rails will be utalized untill I need more weight support from the body and sandwich plates.
Picturtes of your truck?
pappawheely
Autonomous4X4
Paul, You have a flatbed, why not mount them between the front wall of the camper and the back of the cab?
Haf-E
Expedition Leader
Check out this thread for pictures of a sliding/drop-down tire rack on that is used on ambulance G-wagens - should be possible to have one fabbed up to hold two spares that would be accessed from each side.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/143180-1999-G500-Pur-edition/page3
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/143180-1999-G500-Pur-edition/page3
eggman918
Adventurer
Paul, You have a flatbed, why not mount them between the front wall of the camper and the back of the cab?
I went with a similar solution for 12" of bed length i got 65 gallons of fuel and 2 full size spares,the tank is baffled directly under the center of the tires and they will also serve as roll over protection.....don't ask how i learned this
Seabass
Idiot
I'd love to see what you come up with. I just bought a massive hub assembly to make a swing out tool box for my rear bumper. I already have a box- but I don't have room for the spare and the box. I've got a big spare and don't think it will work well under the truck. I'm considering over cab- but dang I hate the thought of getting a tire up there. Here's some pics of what I want ( SLO_F250's build) and then what I already have.... 
I guess I'm strong enough, but I'm also 5'6". I'm sure I could get it up there by myself if I had to, but thinking out alternatives. Another thread talked about climbing up and throwing them off, then possibly storing the flat in the camper till someone is there to help. It's got a pop-up camper, mounted pretty much full time, so the bed is always full.
It's a custom bed. We're planning to mount a winch on the frame in the back. Not sure if we can mount one spare tire under. We thought there will be a second spare at the least, why not put them both up top?
Pics are coming in the build thread. I dropped it off at the fabricator's shop on Monday. Gotta go by there this morning and see if he's begun.
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Mike, you know how long that FWC Keystone is. I hadn't thought to put them there, but I'm thinking I want to keep the overall length as short as possible.
Wow! that's the way to do it. I will look into that further.
pappawheely
Autonomous4X4
When you go with a crewcab, you need to get rid of your fear of being too long, lol. I always park in the north 40 because my truck is longer than a single spot and I don't like people hitting my mirrors.
After excessive pondering of this design issue, here are my thoughts. It's likely a major PITA to get them on and off the roof. Read through many threads here and elsewhere, it seems many had 'em up there and hated it. MPG is an issue? (If that was really a deal breaker, wouldn't have an F-350.) If we hang them off the back...we need costly HD swing out mechanisms, there are taillight issues, gotta swing 'em out everytime you go in and out (my 10 year old daughter likes to play in the camper), we couldn't really access the inside of the camper when it's parked behind my house due to lateral space limitations...AND...the overall length is still extended.
The "drop down the side" rack on the Benz looks good, but can't find anything OTS like that out there. Either way, cost times 2 to buy or fab custom?
In the end? Mike's suggestion to mount them between the cab and camper is the solution I am going to explore now. (Thanks again, Pappawheely!). I'll let let you know how it goes.
The "drop down the side" rack on the Benz looks good, but can't find anything OTS like that out there. Either way, cost times 2 to buy or fab custom?
In the end? Mike's suggestion to mount them between the cab and camper is the solution I am going to explore now. (Thanks again, Pappawheely!). I'll let let you know how it goes.
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Regcabguy
Oil eater.
LOL! There's a cabinetmaker in the neighborhood with a 2000 Superduty 4 door longbed which has been his DD from new. I don't know how he does it here in San Diego. Not exactly rural. Home Depot's the worst anymore with their perpendicular parking spaces. Formerly,they had diagonal ones but in the constant quest for more vehicle access they changed formats.
deminimis
Explorer
Hey Paul,
Not sure what you came up with, but I'd second putting one (or both) up against your headache rack. Mine FB has stupid sides, so I have to slide my camper back to access the spare, but your FB may be different. I wanted to keep my vision out back unobstructed as best as possible when not hauling the camper, so I built a well. Without the sides, or desire for a clear view out back, I could have easily put both spares back there. Anyway, hope this helps:
No one is stealing it, that's for sure. You don't even know it's there:
Not sure what you came up with, but I'd second putting one (or both) up against your headache rack. Mine FB has stupid sides, so I have to slide my camper back to access the spare, but your FB may be different. I wanted to keep my vision out back unobstructed as best as possible when not hauling the camper, so I built a well. Without the sides, or desire for a clear view out back, I could have easily put both spares back there. Anyway, hope this helps:
No one is stealing it, that's for sure. You don't even know it's there:
Hey Demi,
Thanks for the feedback. After much thought and a few test fits, We went ahead and put them on a roof rack. We designed the rack to hold the 2-35" full size spares. Haven't got the rack all settled yet. We're likely heading to an exo-skeleton of some type with a ladder of some sort to get up there. (Similar to the photo.)
Thanks for the feedback. After much thought and a few test fits, We went ahead and put them on a roof rack. We designed the rack to hold the 2-35" full size spares. Haven't got the rack all settled yet. We're likely heading to an exo-skeleton of some type with a ladder of some sort to get up there. (Similar to the photo.)