The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Spare tire options

I just got a new set of 235 85 R16 tires for my 53 Chevy 3100 and what a great improvement for the handling of the truck! My dilemma concerns carrying a spare. A 235 85 16 is too fat to fit underneath the bed in the spare tire holder. My current and very cracked and old spare fits fine ; a 650-16. Any ideas on an appropriate, safe tire size to operate as a spare? I doubt I would ever run the spare for more than 50 miles as the truck operates mostly in the local area. Thanks

Did you fit your new tires on original wheels?
Some tire sellers have 6.00-16 bias tires. One of them would make a good spare, especially if only run for a short distance. Some people advise against mixing radial and bias tires, but it would be okay in an emergency.

Swami 29 Just think back to when you last changed a flat. With modern roads and good shoulders it shouldn't be very often,I don't recall my last tire change. I did catch one in town on the way down ,walmart fixed it. John Milliman said he didn't carry a spare anymore !!

Maybe take your old spare to an experienced tire shop and see what they can suggest. When I say experienced, I mean someone who actually knows tires and not a newby that will ask a lot of silly questions like lots of the counter help at the auto parts stores.

Let us know what you come up with.

John

You should be able to extend your spare carrier bar downward, assuming the bolts fastening it to the crossbars are long enough.
Or you could buy a new 6.50-16 tire HERE. I got 5 of them for my truck at just under $100 each. Had to do a jump through a few hoops to get them to me in Alaska. They wanted $3000 to ship them to me directly, but offered free shipping to the lower 48.

on my 1956 i took out the stock spare tire carriers. got a modern hoist cable type for cheep off of amazaon. (new no issues no rusted cable) go a spare tire kit with the 3 bars you put together and the handle from a junk yard to lower and raise for 5 dollars at a junk yard.

Welded it directly to the cross bar.
we run 17" rims with 265/70/r17 tires huge and fat. the spare was a good smaller tire that we took off when going to the larger tires. 235/65/r17 on 17 in rim fits with room to spare. including straight pipe out the back and frame with trailer hitch bars behind bumper.
i could run full load towing a trailer no issue to get me to a tire shop or home if not to far away.

whole lot easier to get up and down and not have to crawl around and under etc.
I'll load up pictures when the truck gets back.

I'm assuming you're wanting something more for a piece of mind, more than anything. A 215/70/16 or a 215/85/16 would fit the bill.

I have a LT215/85/16 mounted under the bed of my 54 3100 as a spare. It fit the standard OEM rim.

1954 Chevrolet 3100 (1/2 ton trucks) Tube Tires Wheels specifications

I have used (for many years):

Cooper SRM II blackwall (on my Suburban - it has been driven a few thousand miles))
LT215/85 R16 M+S
Load Range D
for use on 16" rim

Good Year Wrangler HT blackwall (on my Pickup - it had not been driven on a road)
LT215/85 R16 M+S
Load Range E
for use on 16" rim

These vehicles/tires have on vehicles that have been garaged when not on a trip.

I think my spare should add to the look of my '48 so I cut a hole just the right size in my 2-by flatbed and stuck it in. I've never used it but I do the snow tire/road tire exchange every fall and spring on my other cars. Sorry for showing this pic again and again. It's my favorite.

Wally, That is a great shot. No apology needed.

Cheers

Picked up a good used 235 85 R16 from a local tire shop. Fits up under the truck bed fine. Thanks all for the help

the idea of the modern day "doughnut" was to limp on down the road and get it taken care of; certainly not a matched set of appearance or size. Regardless of width and profile, look at diameter and see if you can come close with a skinny spare that will fit in your carrier.

Wally ... sigh ... if you keep posting pictures like that, we may have to ban you from the site. How can the rest of us EVER compete with THAT? Wow.