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The challenge I'm having is that someone completely removed the spare tire hanger under the back and I can't find a replacement.
I ordered what should of been the right one, but it showed up with a round shaft on the crank, which doesn't fit the square ends on the spare tire kits.
No one I've found so far has any info on a working replacement. Anyone have a suggestion on what to get to replace my missing one?
Welcome from Florida. You can try a junk yard and look for one with the correct end. You can get a crank with the round end to match the hanger you have. A third option is that you can modify your crank to fit the new hanger.
Rear door mount tire carriers for the 96-up vans are not particularly common - I have never seen one; because of the under-floor location there's no need for upfitters to move them like on previous generations.
The laziest answer is just get whatever crank fits the unit you have.
Well, the laziest answer is chuck the spare in the back and live with it. I have seen a bolt to the floor inside tire carrier but only a couple of times in vans outfitted with several rows of bench seats.
OP doesn't mention where he is, but if he's in the salt belt a junkyard one is a non-starter. Both mine were un-usable and even the spare that came under the one is complete junk, the rim is rotted out.
I just went to the junk yard and switched to a back door mount. Use Lock nuts tight on other nuts to prevent theft. Just have to carry 2 wrenches
I'd like to see a image, I've sean home made door carriers not a gm.
I've actuelly thought of making a roadtech style tire carrrier a tube welded to the side of trailer hitchwhere hitch can still be used.
the express van and the 97x have jammed up tire holders, GM came up w/ a great idea to save space but **** poor quality of parts.if you do stow inside secure it w/ a seat belt don't just lay it in the back.
Ray is thinking of 1995 and back vans. The factory stow spot for those is inside the right door, so conversions moved them to a carrier on the back to use the interior space. The Express style vans the tire is mounted like pickups, under the rear floor. I have never seen an Express van with an outside rear tire carrier. There's not even an easy way to mount one, where the older one attaches to the hinges on one side and bolts to the door lip on the other. The doors and latches are so cheap and flimsy I'd be afraid the extra weight of a tire would break them that much sooner.
I think if I had to fix one, I would look at mounting a plate under there with a couple of wheel studs on a lowered platform, and just use some chrome lugnuts that cover the entire stud to bolt the wheel in place, the same way one would go on a rear carrier. Probably take a decent fab guy a couple hours to make something up.
Unfortunately, a lot of folks don't think about that spare tire until it is needed and then if ignored long enough and in the salt belt, appears like it came from a junk pile.
That should be a routine maintenance item.
Lower the wheel, lube the assy, check the air pressure and make sure it is as clean as possible so it can be easily removed if necessary.
Some salvage yards have a communication tie in with many others and may be able to locate what you need., check around.
Ray is thinking of 1995 and back vans. The factory stow spot for those is inside the right door, so conversions moved them to a carrier on the back to use the interior space. The Express style vans the tire is mounted like pickups, under the rear floor. I have never seen an Express van with an outside rear tire carrier. There's not even an easy way to mount one, where the older one attaches to the hinges on one side and bolts to the door lip on the other. The doors and latches are so cheap and flimsy I'd be afraid the extra weight of a tire would break them that much sooner.
I think if I had to fix one, I would look at mounting a plate under there with a couple of wheel studs on a lowered platform, and just use some chrome lugnuts that cover the entire stud to bolt the wheel in place, the same way one would go on a rear carrier. Probably take a decent fab guy a couple hours to make something up.
I think you may be right on my memory lapse. On my 07 I think I put a cover over the tire and uses a ratchet strap to hold it against the wall behind the wheel well. Had the 30 gal tank and I don't remember a mount. Besides,I wanted the ground clearance
I picked one of these up at the junk yard (if I remember correctly it came off a newer small jeep liberty), years ago, never got around to installing it on the door.
at time of removal wasn't able to remove the backing plates they where glued in w/ extra strong glue.
plus I was planning a thicker more sturdie back plate.
Ray caldwell why did you paint over your lights?or is that tape that is peeled off after paint?
Last edited by the Brain; February 3rd, 2022 at 11:14 AM.
January 30th, 2022, 7:22 PM
'99 Express 1500 Spare Tire Hanger Replacement
