The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs Inside Spare Tire?

Do any of you panel and Suburban owners have your spare tire mounted INSIDE the rear cargo compartment? Did Chevy ever do this from the factory? Or has anyone fabricated an inside spare tire mount? I'm considering doing this and looking for ideas.

This was never done from the factory (panel/suburban 47-55st).

There is no useful/functional space for this in a Suburban with original seats in it.

There would be several/ways-places in a panel truck.

Presumably, you do not have the under-body carrier, or you do not like it?

I have owned, and I have seen, Suburbans and Panels with owner designed inside spare holders. I wrote a tip on installing a winch type underneath. The 69-72 Chevy Blazer was available with a GM inside holder. Available from time to time on Ebay. A DIY would just be a hat shaped bracket attached to side wall with a bolt or three to accept tire.

If this is a 47-55st Suburban:

Good luck to any of the 5 non-front-seat Suburban passengers climbing over a spare tire inside a 47-55st Suburban.

Or, good luck mounting the spare behind the third row seat.
If you somehow cob-up a holder behind the third seat, you lose almost all your inside rear storage area.

I think Tim thinks it's a bad idea for Suburbans but I see you have a Panel Truck. The underside winch style is a pretty good gig. My tip/post was for 55-59 Panels.

“There would be several/ways-places in a panel truck.”

I can imagine a few good places inside a panel truck.

But, if I had (and I did) have an underbody spare holder, I’d use it.

I wrote this article several years ago.

Thanks gentlemen. I probably should have mentioned that I have a rear gas tank which prevents putting the spare tire underneath. Hence considering the inside spare for several reasons: 1) It's mostly unused space, 2) it's protected from theft and the elements 3) it's accessible for maintenance (ever have a flat tire and discover that your long-neglected underneath spare has 5 lbs of air?). The weight on the passenger side also will help compensate for the absence of the fuel tank on the right side. And as my signature line states, it's a panel truck so no need to worry about passenger access.

When you get it done, please post photos.

I've always kept my spare inside my panel (1953 half ton) It's behind the driver seat and tied from the seat belt assembly, which is on the floor, to the board that is halfway up the side.

I put my jack and all tire tools in an old truck/suitcase that had a bunch of travel stickers on it. Bolted it to the floor in the back. An old wooden box would look good too. Looks like you are carrying "cargo" in your panel along with the tire. Tire covers are easy to make. One round piece of vinyl and one long rectangular piece sewed together.
Add elastic or a draw string.

This looks like a simple solution:

That is what is called a hat shaped bracket.