Spare Tire Rack Modification

[Bill]

The forum's tire guru, WMTire, reminded me a few years ago that the nominal "size" of a tire (14-inch, 15-inch, etc) refers to the size of the hole in the middle of the tire. Nothing else. So you can have a 14-inch tire that is quite narrow, or really really wide. And it can have huge diameter like a tractor tire, or a diameter that is not much more than 14 inches. If you have seen pictures of cars called "low-riders", you have seen this.

Bill

[oldstick]

I believe that is correct, it is actually the diameter of the wheel rims that are being referred to as 14 or 15 inch or whatever size, just like on cars. Then as Bill stated, there are mustiple sizes and styles of tires that might fit onto a given 15 inch wheel.

[Deb Mac]

Thanks to Bill and others for their approaches to the 15” wheel problem. I went for a similar approach, but opted for a permanent weld at a local welding/spring shop I was familiar with. Faster to get done so a little easier on the wallet than trying to track down the channel iron. Just extended the rack an extra 1” using 1/4” steel. Likely a section of leaf spring which was readily available on site.
A nice solid weld that took them a half hour that seems to work quite well.
Tomorrow I’ll haul the tires over to the storage yard (brakes are all here now too so I can get her back on her feet and off the jack stands) and load the spare back up on the rack.

[Deb Mac]

Got to try the updated spare tire rack today… tire install day! Works very well. A little hard to get started when sliding back in, but once it’s moving, went well. Happy to know that I will be able to change a tire if I have to!
Thanks for all of the suggestions.

[Wavery]

Good job. You'll be happy you did that when you rotate your tires too.

[Deb Mac]

You got that right!!