Spare tire mount options with FWC

[Bombsight]

I plan on running 35-37" tires on my rig and those won't fit underneath the truck as far as I know.

What options are there out there?

So far, I like the Tiregate VT system (seen in pic below).

Can anyone confirm if the Tiregate VT will work with a GMC 3500HD Sierra / FWC Hawk combo?
Does the Hawk slide into to bed far enough for the Tiregate to fit?

Tiregate quality product scale of 1-10?

 

[Stalking Light]

Don't know anything about Tiregate, but I use an Aluminess rear bumper with swingouts for a spare and for a cargo box on my Tacoma. They make bumpers for a number of different trucks.

 

[Taku]

There was a photo series someone had on WTW about a very nice rear carrier that mounted on the tailgate points a few years ago. I used to have it bookmarked, but those bookmarks disappeared with the rest of the hard drive. I believe it was on a Tacoma with photos along the Lolo Trail in Idaho. Maybe someone can find those - it looked like a nice mod.

 

[rotti]

Can anyone confirm if the Tiregate VT will work with a GMC 3500HD Sierra / FWC Hawk combo?
Does the Hawk slide into to bed far enough for the Tiregate to fit?

Just measured mine on a 2012 Chevy 2500HD. The camper sticks out about 2" past the body/tail lights.
This picture may help:

 

[Bombsight]

Just measured mine on a 2012 Chevy 2500HD. The camper sticks out about 2" past the body/tail lights.
This picture may help:

Bummer! ... Unless somebody has another solution, I guess I'm going to have to drop the bank and get something custom fabricated.



Thanks, rotti

 

[Advmoto18]

<p>I wonder if you can slide the camper out with the Tiregate installed?&nbsp; Tough to tell in the first picture.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>No issue with my Aluminess bumper with tire carrier and box and no issue getting the camper in/out of the bed.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Not sure if you will have an issue with either carrier with the camping sticking out a couple of inches.</p>

 

[jesmor3]

I had a Wilco TireGate PreRunner model that the previous owner had put on my Tacoma. Great quality and I was surprised by the robustness and build quality of the assembly when I disassembled it. I didn't like how the gate tilted down a bit when pulled out but A) that's difficult to avoid they compensated by designing in chamfered entry points when closing the gate and C) you may not have this issue on different models. Overall I liked it but doesn't fit with a camper so I sold it.

Source: I owned one, I'm a Mfg Eng
Association with Wilco: None
[emoji106]

 

[ntsqd]

There's the one that I built: http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/8110-so-i-built-a-spare-tire-carrier/
perhaps that is the what Taku is recalling?

 

[Taku]

No, although I really like that build also. This one had swing outs on both sides with a fold down small table and i think a wheel carrier. Of course, memory might be a bit rusty!

 

[Ace!]

Roof mount?

 

[Wallowa]

Ace,

Not yet being an owner of a Hawk but looking forward to what will be needed to carry on adventures, weight and distribution of weight is of more concern to me than volume or storage space.

Admittedly my '05 Tundra contributes to my concerns over total weight but carrying a spare on the roof will not just make raising and lowering the top tough but it will move the CG up and affect handling to some degree. I am mulling over such weighty items as a receiver Warn winch for use at front or rear and at least 5 gallons of fuel. I see all the rear mounted tires/storage boxes and again wonder about load distribution.

When I get our Hawk I will weight each tire/axle and the total to think out where and if I can add substantial weight beyond the minimum gear to "get home". My plans are to avoid pavement and seek out off-road so of necessity it ups the ante.

Hope your trip was a good one!

Phil

 

[Ace!]

You're absolutely right about putting the weight up high, raising the center of gravity; however, most people don't give a second thought to adding hundreds of lbs to the front or rear, creating a very heavy "lever" of sorts. Handling is diminished 100% of the time and the load isn't at all centered with a heavy bumper and large rear tire/wheel combo. It can also create traction issues with a lot of weight on or past the rear bumper when climbing as the lever tends to keep the front end less weighted and more likely to then spin. Best to center the weight as much as possible between the front and rear axles for best traction.

I will admit to being somewhat tongue-in-cheek about the roof mount. Although, for most people, they aren't off-camber enough that the weight on the roof (which is somewhat centered, but higher) will impact them enough to cause the vehicle to roll over. On a full size truck with a total roof area of a Hawk, that tire isn't going to do much. It will though cause a lot of drag every time you drive down the road.

A good tire repair kit is a lot less weight and probably just as likely to get a person out of a bad spot more often than not. Other than that, just putting the largest tire that fits in the stock location is probably the next best thing.

 

[Ace!]

Your idea about the receiver is a good one, in my opinion. Best not to have all that weight on the front or rear if you can help it. That way you can carry the winch when and where you feel most needed.

Edited to add: Yes, it was a good trip, although cut short slightly. I couldn't really keep going per the route I had intended as weather was an issue. I did get four days of seeing a part of Oregon I haven't had the chance to explore enough. I sure put the Hawk and my truck through their paces. My tires chewed on a lot of volcanic rock over the last couple days. I saw more deer in one day over there than I ever have on this side of the Cascades. The coyotes sang to me at night too, which was nice. I used 4-low more I think in those four days than I have over the rest of the 10 years I've owned my truck (probably a bit of an exaggeration, but there were hours of crawling at a snail's pace). Worst part of the trip...all of my coffee mugs were broken at the end of the first day. I had to drink coffee from a soup bowl (thank goodness for Corelle).

 

[Wallowa]

Ace,

If you took photos and mapped the route, please either post or PM me.

Man, do I miss the coyotes waking me in the morning and lulling me to sleep at night! Very lucky to once hear wolves howl up here, what a thrill; please nobody comment about the "killer wolves".

I also concur 100% with your load comments. As stated with my Tundra it is a critical issue for off-road prowling.

Bummer about the coffee mugs and soup bowl solution was a good one...I would have cupped my hands and drank my coffee if necessary!

Phil

 

[Ace!]

I didn't take very good pictures, mostly of the truck, out of focus and at odd times. But, there are a couple in my gallery.

 

[ntsqd]

No, although I really like that build also. This one had swing outs on both sides with a fold down small table and i think a wheel carrier. Of course, memory might be a bit rusty!

I've seen that, the fold-down table in particular, on a or added to a commercial made unit. I want to say on the rear of a Frontier owned by a founding or near founding member of Expi. J. Hansen may recall his user name, had a lot of cool little tricks built into the truck and an RTT on a custom rack that placed it flush to the roof when folded up. Family biz is/was exotic hardwoods.

 

[newtofwc]

Pardon my ignorance—but do tires like this typically get shredded beyond normal temporary repair procedures (i.e. Plugging, sealants)?

 

[ntsqd]

I've seen desert racers roll in on nothing but the sidewalls, all of the tread is completely missing and I've seen them come in on nothing but a carcass - all of the rubber missing but the cords are whole and intact. I've never seen a rock crawler or an "expedition" rig do that to a tire off-pavement. I'm sure that it can happen, just that in my experience it is pretty rare.

Still, sidewall cuts are a difficult repair. Need to have a 'boot' big enough to cover it all and if it is big enough you'll need to break out the stainless wire and your suturing skills. Then you'll need a tube to put back in as well as a way to put the tube in. All of that effort just to get you to someplace where it can be dealt with properly. Easier to carry a spare or two.

 

[BWSracing]

I was able to fit a 35x12.5 in the stock location on my 2014 ram. No idea if to have the room, it was very very tight but was successful.


Sent from my iPhone using Wander The West

 

[PaulT]

Worst part of the trip...all of my coffee mugs were broken at the end of the first day. I had to drink coffee from a soup bowl (thank goodness for Corelle).

Another solution that I keep as part of my grab-N-Go kit for emergencies is a stainless cup that fits over a Nalgene 1 quart/liter bottle. That way it takes up almost no room, protects the bottle and retains its shape. Can't be without a coffee cup. No!

Paul