DIY bed mount / spare tire / bottle jack all-in-one

I found a very solid and secure way to mount my oversized spare tire in the bed that is

• inexpensive
• SOLID (for heavy off road use)
• Easy to remove in case I need to use the bed to haul items
• Not so large that it takes up most of the bed (leave room for other adventure items like a cooler and storage containers)

I do not want my oversized spare tire mounted under my bed for several reasons. I Also found that the OEM bed Matt is a BIG help with this project as it keeps everything nice and solid in the bed with plenty of grip. And holes are easily cut into this to accommodate for the additional D rings added.

• It’s not easy to get to, especially in off camber/gnarly environments
• It can rub the diff at full compression
• It technically decreases departure angle or breakover angle because it is like a large wart underneath the truck

I don’t want a tire gate tire carrier because those bumpers are considerably expensive and add a lot of weight and length to my already long truck (albeit a DCSB)


-I want the spare in the bed but I don’t want to spend a fortune on a heavy steel tire carrier in the bed that takes up a ton of space


-I want a setup that I can remove in minutes when I want/need to use my bed for hauling large items


-I don’t like Hi-Lift jacks and I don’t want to store one in the bed, they’re a pain and they make my feeble arms and back hurt


$35 Bottle jack

Alltrade 640912 Black 3 Ton,All-in-One Bottle Jack

$60 Powerbuilt 3 Ton, Bottle Jack and Jack Stands in One, 6000 Pound All-in-One Car Lift, Heavy Duty Vehicle Unijack, 640912

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ULZGFU


$75 Heavy duty y-strap

https://sdhqoffroad.com/collections/sdhq-straps/products/sdhq-2-3-way-adjustable-spare-tire-strap


$20 (optional, as needed) Cali-Raised LED tie down bed bolt rings.

https://caliraisedled.com/collectio...ucts/toyota-tacoma-upgraded-bed-tie-down-pair


$14 (additional bed tie down D-rings)

https://caliraisedled.com/collectio...ucts/toyota-tacoma-upgraded-bed-tie-down-pair


$5 miscellaneous hardware (bolts/nuts/washers for D-rings)

1. Add/drill additional D rings into your bed where needed. See pictures, specifically I needed to add 5 additional D rings to my bed but only 2 of them had to be DRILLED.
2. 1 d ring added to each far corner of the bed at the bed bolt against the cab) I used the Cali Raised plug and play d rings and they are very strong and easy to install.
3. 1 D ring drilled to the middle of the bed, right in the reinforced triangle of the underside of the bed skeleton)
4. 1 d ring I added to the bed drainage hole already present up against the cab directly in the middle front of the bed (then I drilled additional drainage holes on either side of this so that standing water can drain from the bed)
5. 1 hole drilled about 12-16 inches down the bed from the furthest most middle hole in step 4. This d ring and the one from step 4. Are used to secure the bottle jack down nice and tight so it doesn’t rattle around or move at all.——————
6. Mock up your bottle jack, ratchet strap it down with the head of the jack at your desired setting (I chose the 3rd hole/highest resting setting for my needs and desired angles)
7. Pad/cushion the head of the jack so it doesn’t mar up your wheel. (I used road-bicycle foam bar tape, this can be purchased on eBay or Amazon for like $5, or just use your own solution)
8. Rest the wheel on the jack & lay the Y strap over it, adjust accordingly and use the ratchet mechanism to get it good and tight.
9. Lock it up in any way you choose. I am using a long cable lock through the wheel and even the jack base plate, with a padlock to one of the corner Bed mount d rings but there are many options for his.
10. Enjoy your spare mount and the way it looks and functions and how little it cost you.

As of June 2019 I am using this same setup with the following changes

-315/75r16 tire now mounted
-no longer using a ratchet strap to hold the jack down. Only using the weight of the spare and the tension on the Y strap.







here’s my latest iteration of this setup. I have a 37” spare at the back of the bed, with my HD bottle Jack strapped down next to it by the Y strap. Love this setup. So darn minimal and solid.

 

Update as of 6/2019 I am using this with a 315/75r16 with no issues. I even ditched the ratchet strap holding the jack down & am using only the weight of the spare and the ratchet straps to hold it down.





Finished product



Here are the corner bed bolt d rings added thanks to Cali rasised $20 pair



Here is the Y strap d ring added to the reinforced sturdy little triangle under the bed.

 

Sounds like it LOOKS pretty cool.

Edit: thanks for the pics. Looks good!

 

I trail tested it and so far, it holds up like an absolute rock solid champ. More than looks. It’s all form and function!

 

Thanks for the idea going to look into this or something close

 

Holding strong and steady. Rotated my tires yesterday and took the spare out of the bed and put one of the others up there.

 

Still holding strong.

 

Any issues with that jack? The Amazon reviews make it seem like it leaks a lot. Otherwise, I really like your set up.

 

No issues whatsoever. No leaking.

 

And the one I bought was from Home Depot. I don’t remember seeing it on Amazon

 

Thanks. I'm upgrading the suspension and wheels this week. I'll have to swing by Home Depot and check it out.

 

My store didn’t have them in stock. Only online.

 

Good to know. Thanks.

 

subd for future reference
thanks @singletrack_ftw

 

Same for mine. I ordered online

 

Lol!

 

The more I look at this the more I love this. I know it kinda takes up bed space of which I now have less but dammit it looks cool.

 

No reason. Just aNother pic of the setup

 

My strap gets here tomorrow so I'm excited to get it finished. Went with a red one to match my red powertank. Of course will post pics when completed.

 

So I (in a rush) tossed my d rings when I did my TC bed stiffeners and don't know the sequence of washers/lockwashers...anyone care to shed insight (seeing that you used it or a similar one for the bed anchoring point.