Spare wheel carrier instalation in Ford Transit Cutaway based RV.

[C36hull268]

Most of RVs based on this model come with no spare and no carrier. They tell you to call road service to get it delivered and installed when you have a flat. Well, if you are traveling highways of Yukon, Northwest Territories or Alaska there is not even a cell reception in most areas and those roads often are not paved, so rock punch is a common occurrence there. Add to this 350-500 miles distance to nearest primitive service available and it'll convince you to have a spare and rely on yourself, not on any service. Here are the only two parts you need - CK4Z-1K353-D - Carrier - Spare Wheel and BK3Z-1424-A- Anchor Plate (and of course the spare) to have a spare in it's place. Attached are the pictures of the parts needed as well as mounting holes for the winch (CK4Z-1K353-D - Carrier - Spare Wheel). The Anchor Plate is the same for all Transit models. I came through 5 dealerships in my area and could not get this information, nobody there knows anything about it (and this is around Chicago!). As soon as they type in my VIN number in their system they say spare cannot be installed in this vehicle. Obviously it's not right. I got the parts and I tried - it all seem to fit. I have not installed it and not lifted the spare there yet, but cardboard mock up fits. The reason I have not installed it yet is that the frame has two 1/2" hex shaped mounting holes that match winch (CK4Z-1K353-D - Carrier - Spare Wheel) mounting holes and my guess is some special nuts should be installed in those holes. And this is my question. Maybe somebody knows what nuts should be there? I'll try to go to the dealerships around here again, but I'm nearly positive I'll get no answer there. This forum helped me to identify the carrier part numbers so I have more hopes to get an answer here.

Thank you.

[C36hull268]

The nearest dealer says that not nuts, but 6MM diameter X 10MM long rivets hold that carrier. Something is missing - 6MM rivet cannot go in 1/2" hole.

[C36hull268]

To install the carrier two M10X1.5 special die-cast aluminum nuts (Ford part number W703095S450) and two flanged hex head M10X1.5 - 25 MM long screws (Ford part number W500633S442) needed. The hex head screws are not any special, other than they are flanged, regular hex head screws with washer can be used. Those nuts have a hex on the outside that fits in the chassis' hex holes. After nut is inserted and screw is tightened the front part of the nut (between nut’s flange and the inside thread) gets crashed and nut now stays in place even if screw will be removed. Loctite compound to be used on those screws (they are not tightened to a high torque as they are Aluminum). The muffler holding bracket is mounted in the same way. The Anchor Plate has to be attached to the rim with two M12X1.75 nuts from the side of the rim opposite to the one where the nipple is. (Even in some places it says directly opposite. I tried – if it’s done this way the Anchor Plate will hit the chassis’ bracket and carrier conduit’s end fitting before the wheel is lifted in place and you’ll end up with the wheel not pulled tight against the frame, but freely swinging. Also Anchor Plate is too long and does not fit inside of that offset flat to the rim’s surface.) So in case with dual rear wheels’ rims that have big offset that offset should be down. And the wheel should be mounted with the nipple down. As you see on the pictures the Anchor Plate has a recess to fit the rim’s profile. The Anchor Plate is common for all Ford Transit models, so I believe the wheel should be hung with offset down no matter if it’s dual wheel rim or not, but that’s my assumption. In case of RV chassis I do not think a single wheels on the rear axle are used in any Transit based RV model. Cable in conduit that comes out of winch makes a 90 degree bend and fits (snaps) with it’s end fitting in chassis’ bracket. To raise and lower the spare I use 8” long ½” square extension . I’m thinking to make 27MM hole in the outside wall of the RV right behind the rear wheel in line with the carrier access whole in the chassis. If I inset 7/8” PVC pipe (~26.6MM OD) through that whole as well as through the access hole in the outside wall of chassis all the way to the carrier I’ll protect the carrier socket from the road dirt and with a long extension I’ll be able to lower the spare with no obstructions standing next to the rear wheel. Right now I have to do it from the rear wheel's well, that's not convenient. It’ll be necessary to go under the rig to unhook the cable anyway, but at least it’ll be easy and convenient to turn the winch. And from the outside I’ll plug that access pipe with a decorative plug. But that is not done yet.

[plutoz]

Just wondering if you considered a bumper mounted spare tire carrier like this one?

Ultra-Fab 15-954730 Universal Tire Carrier

Pretty inexpensive, and seems a lot easier and more convenient than crawling around under the rig to get at your spare tire too.