The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Correct bolts for side mount spare holder?

HI....we need a little help my 54 3100 has the spare tire mount on the side with the dimple fender. The PO took it off for painting and when reinstalling used plain hex bolts and washers looks like crap. What type of bolt would be correct and where can I find them or next best make them? THANKS for you help! Steve :rolleyes:

My 53 came with the side mount spare tire carrier and it was bolted on to the bed and looked like it was as original. It was fastened just as you described, hex head bolts and washers. Most were so rusted they broke off even after soaking with Kroil, but I got one or two to use to match up when we reassemble.
Mike

Steve,

I am guessing with this answer: the Factory Assembly Manual has a poor picture of the side-mount spare tire assemblies (Section 10; Sheets 3.00-3.01). I think that the two bolts through the top of the frame rail and the two bolts through the bed side (above the floor) are flatish-domed phillips-head bolts.

This is the way they came on the three assemblies that I have worked with (who know if they were original-style bolts by the time I got them).

Tim

They are called pan head phillips. They have a internal star type lock washer. Next to the bolt heads on the 6 bolts that hold the carrier to the vertical rails a thick washer with a large outside diameter was used. They are often replaced with incorrect hardware. The 53 used a flat strip on the inside of the bed as a stiffener/washer. The 54 used fender type washers on the inside of the bed.

OK, you guys are the BEST! NOW...the bolts the PO used are 3/8" would that be correct if they were OEM? These pan head phillips is the star lock washer placed under the head and then a fender washer? I guess I'm asking for the correct order of assembly of the mounting hardware to at least look OEM. The PO has the bolts going every which way?....Hope you can help me out and we thank you for your time! Steve

The Factory Assembly Manual shows the hardware for 54/55, just as described by MM472.

Ive been following this thread as im at the same point with my side mount spare as who,me?Steve is.
Thanks for the detailed pics,Tim.
One question,,on the very top left of the "exploded view" pic. it shows a "plate" at the front of the bed rail,,with a rolled half circle in it. Its got a big arrow pointing right to it.
Any guesses as to what that plate is? My pickup had it,or has it,,but ive never seen it on any others.
Steve,,,my spare holder had the same mix/match hex head bolts also. Im thinkin of some stainless hardware for re-attaching it,,something i can polish,,,mmmmm,,pretty.
Happy Truckin,
Marty

YEP...great picture and what is that piece my truck does not have one? Marty...SS bolts only way to go. I'm going to have my bed Line-X and the running boards also. I have another question what are the dimensions of your truck bed /box and did Chevy in 54 ever use a metal floor on the bed? The floor in our truck is metal and it looks Chevy? What did the PO do?????? THANKS, Steve

I will post a picture of the lower reinforcement plate tomorrow (I disassembled a side-carrier last week).

5/16- 18 would be the correct size.
The plate is part of the side mount set up. it ties the front bed panel in with the bed sides and should not be left out.

I'm going to have to put together a side mount carrier for a '64. Is the hardware the same as described above for the '54? Thanks.

All 1947-1955 Chevrolet/GMC truck pickup beds were wood. There was no metal bed option. It is possible that a cab and chassis model was custom fitted with a metal bed by another company.


Here is a directory of photos of the side-spare assembly lower brace.

If you have a 54 1/2 ton side-mount spare, would you please measure the distance between the two lowest holes in the vertical braces and post that measurement here? I have two sizes: 10" apart and 10.5" apart.

Do not know on the 64
The center line on the mounting bolts should be 10 7/16

Some repop parts from a recently completed ebay auction
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=010&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&viewitem=&item=200118166385&rd=1,1

Dang, great pictures? Where does the lower brace fit? Would you happen to have a picture of the whole installation.... that would really help as my PO plugged and welded holes here and there. Also, could some one please measure the interior of the actual truck bed height, depth, and width as now I don't know if the PO used another larger bed as the floor is metal....Thanks for your help tclederman, mm472, and Marty....Steve

Hi Steve,,the interior of my 54 bed is ---78 1/8 from front bed panel to tailgate.
50 1/4 side to side.
17 3/4 deep. All these measurements are with a Carpenters tape. Yours may vary.
I put polished diamond plate in my bed,it was cheaper than the wood kits and will last forever.
Happy Truckin,
Marty

The lower brace is under the bed. It contacts the bed wood and the bed side. It is directly under the wood and angle strip welded to the bed side. Another carriage bolt is added to the angle strip so it has 3 bolts from the top and 2 from the side. If this part is left out a great deal of strain and flex is on the bed side.

MM472,

Thanks for the measurement of the distance between the lower mounting bolts.

Tim

MM472 Thanks for the info. I'll buy you a six pack of whatever for a picture of said brace in situ....
Marty, Thanks for the measurments I'm glad someone was home to help you read the carpenter's tape. My bed is metal so Line-X for me but, I would go your route if it wasn't.....wood is too much maint. for a working truck! Truckin Happy! Steve

Wheres my 6 pack,Steve? And a 6er for all my friends that helped me read the tape?

Marty....send a picture of that brace on "DA" truck and you win a six pack....I hope you can still fit under that/ those trucks... beer is bad for the waist line but good for the brain! T/C Truckin Happy, Steve

I know this post is quite old but I was hoping to see a picture of the bolts that are seen from inside the bed and on top of the bed rail (54 and 55 first). Tim posted a Link to some photos but the link is no longer valid. Does anyone have a picture they could post?

Thanks,

Joe

1954, 3600 spare mount.
Got the history from the original owner who is in his mid 70's
and lives three miles south of me. Says this is the original
way that the truck came when his dad bought it new for him in
1954.
http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/1954_bed
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Thanks Denny!
Those look like Truss Head bolts on the box and a Pan Head on the upper rail for the stiffener bracket. Just what I needed to know, thanks again.

Joe

Joe and Denny -

Denny's photos showed the original bolts, but the mount is for his 3604, not for your 3104. The 3104 mount has the two braces at the top. The 3604/3804 mount has the two braces at the bottom. I don't know the difference between Rail Assemblies #3705613/3705614 for narrow tires and #3705615/3705616 for wide tires on the 3104 and 3604/3804 trucks shown in the FAM.

> 3104 FAM
> 3604/3804 FAM
> My 3104 (1) - configured for 6.50X16 tire
> My 3104 (2)

FWIW, my spare touches the fender. LT 215/85R-16. Originally had 6.50X16 (heavy duty rear spring)
> My 3104 side mount spare

- Lonnie

Thanks Lonnie,

I didn't even notice that. I do have the correct mount just wondered what the bolts looked like that attached it to the bedside and what the bolt looked like that held the 3707579 bracket to the top bed rail.

Joe