New member , asking about 33x12.50x15 on spare tire carrier.

[428kidd]

Hello all, my name is Lance , I am a new member , but have fooled with old Ford most of my life. I have a quick question. I have a 70 Bronco that I am running 33x12.50x15 inch tires on. My question is can I use the factory spare tire carrier with out damaging the quarter or the carrier etc. Any advice or insight is always appreciated. Also let me say thank you for letting me join.

 

[ared77]

Welcome! You are on the best site for all things Bronco. And maybe even just for "all things"!

 

[DirtDonk]

The general answer is yes, maybe, and no.
I hate to put it that way, but the truth is many Broncos have run 33s on their stock spare tire carriers over the years and had no problem. But just as many have tweaked corners because of it.

Some of the key factors are, how often you get on washboard roads that really beat things up with vibration. Or how often do you actually open it and leave it unsupported by the latch.
And of course if the latch lets loose and it swings out wildly once or twice, all bets are off!

One of the partial solutions we used to talk about was to use a narrower 33 x 9 1/2 on a narrower lightweight aluminum wheel. Still get the usable 33 inches to work as a spare, but shaves some critical weight off of the back.

 

[ared77]

There you go, DirtDonk is just one of the great reasons to be on here!

 

[428kidd]

I don't ride alot on rough roads, and in reality I probably won't 4 wheel it alot. Just may run the spare when I travel with it. I already have the tire mounted on a aluminum factory 96 wheel. Below is my unit.
https://postimg.cc/N2xJLbnr] [/url]
https://postimg.cc/HjCTcxKp] [/url]

 

[DirtDonk]

Oooooh, Boxwood Green! My favorite.

Sounds like you’re on the right path. Many times even a flat tire does not actually go flat on our rigs. The common truck tires have such stiff sidewalls that you need to measure the pressures to tell it’s flat.

Running without a spare sometimes has not caused many of us much trouble yet.

 

[428kidd]

Also for those using a 33 x12.50 looks like I'm going to have to add some material to the mount that I got from Tom's Bronco. Anyone have any first hand knowledge?
https://postimg.cc/RJRm97Qg] [/url]

 

[DirtDonk]

Not sure if it's everyone, but I can't see the pics in their linked form. I see the preview in your post, but clicking on it just gives me a "blocked" warning.

 

[428kidd]

Not sure if it's everyone, but I can't see the pics in their linked form. I see the preview in your post, but clicking on it just gives me a "blocked" warning.

See if that helps , still says blocked , not sure why but at least there a larger picture.

 

[Rustytruck]

I have 33' x12.5 50 x15" on a stock tire carrier over 20 years with no issues, but my tire carrier is tight no rattles and the proper s bushings in place. looks like your tire carrier is incomplete. one issue is the restraint cable you don't want the tire carrier swinging wildly out beyond the tail lights that's where the tire assembly puts the most strain on the corner post.

 

[428kidd]

I have 33' x12.5 50 x15" on a stock tire carrier over 20 years with no issues, but my tire carrier is tight no rattles and the proper s bushings in place. looks like your tire carrier is incomplete. one issue is the restraint cable you don't want the tire carrier swinging wildly out beyond the tail lights that's where the tire assembly puts the most strain on the corner post.

Thanks any pictures of what all I'm looking for? Any one out there have any of the missing parts etc? Mine seems tight , but didn't have a tire mounted on it when I got it, so I'm trying to figure out what all is missing etc. Thanks Lance

 

[DirtDonk]

See if that helps

Yes big help! Thanks.

 

[nvrstuk]

You'll be fine with a 33x11. I used my stock tire mount and I wheeled the daytlights out of my rig with the stock tire carrier for decades... literally.

When I bumped to 35's I STILL used the stock carrier for a while but I tied the qtrs into my rear cage hoop so there wasn't ANY chance of spreading the corners.

I then built an "indestructable" lol spare tire mount with a trailer spindle and proceeded to snap it in half when I landed on the spare coming off a steep sand dune berm.

 

[428kidd]

So I trail mocked the spare tire up . Kinda of surprised it did fit . I am going to do some welding to the bracket it sits on. I'm going to add a 1/2 inch with a turn up so that it will catch the wheel when it's sitting up there. The bushings seem good and tight in my carrier and with the tire mounted it opens and shuts very nice . So here are some pictures. Also the spare tire cover I got is 100 percent American made and top notch quality.
https://postimg.cc/FdJrxM43] [/url]
https://postimg.cc/mt3rJWFS] [/url]
https://postimg.cc/bG5YkzKq] [/url]
https://postimg.cc/4HkJ2WfM] [/url]
https://postimg.cc/PLJrCLV6] [/url]
https://postimg.cc/FYDHFbpd] [/url]

 

[DirtDonk]

Tire cover looks like it fits really nice.

By the way, in case you were not aware, that hole in the tire support is for a lock. Normally instead of a standard nut there is a very large wingnut that holds the center plate to the wheel. When tight you can swing that nut around just so that it lines up with the hole and install a lock.
Some wing nuts are just that, and installing a padlock simply blocks you from loosening it. Some I’ve seen actually have a hole in the wing of the nut and so the padlock shank can actually go through both.

 

[428kidd]

Tire cover looks like it fits really nice.

By the way, in case you were not aware, that hole in the tire support is for a lock. Normally instead of a standard nut there is a very large wingnut that holds the center plate to the wheel. When tight you can swing that nut around just so that it lines up with the hole and install a lock.
Some wing nuts are just that, and installing a padlock simply blocks you from loosening it. Some I’ve seen actually have a hole in the wing of the nut and so the padlock shank can actually go through both.

I didn't have the correct wing nut when I mocked it up. I ordered it today at a sum if $23.00 and shipping lol , but it is the right one. I just wanted to see how it fit and went on. Thanks again and I will keep y'all posted, thanks Lance.

 

[BGBronco]

33/12.5 on my Bronco. No issues or rattles but mainly street use. The only thing I don't like about the spare is that it makes it a pain to really use the back / tailgate.

 

[428kidd]

Added some material to my bracket with a upwards vent to help hold the wheel when on the Bronco before being tight. Next to paint it.
https://postimg.cc/z3FxhXBT] [/url]
https://postimg.cc/t7jr7VXX] [/url]

 

[428kidd]

https://postimg.cc/jnKXX1Mv] [/url]
https://postimg.cc/qh2w2rxz] [/url]

Got my newly modified bracket painted will try to install and update as I can.