Spare Tire Hoist

What Is a Spare Tire Hoist?

A spare tire hoist — also called a spare tire winch or spare tire carrier — is the mechanical assembly that stores your spare tire beneath your vehicle's chassis and allows you to raise or lower it on demand. Many trucks, full-size SUVs, and RVs keep the spare tire mounted under the rear of the frame, out of sight and out of the way. When a flat strikes, the hoist is the only means of retrieving it.

The system works by securing the spare tire to a cable wound around a winch drum. By inserting a crank rod — often the same tool as a lug wrench extension — into the access point, you can pay out the cable and lower the tire to the ground. It sounds simple, but a corroded, stripped, or broken hoist can leave you completely stranded with a usable spare you simply cannot reach.

Why a Working Hoist Matters

The spare tire hoist is one of those components that rarely crosses your mind until the moment it fails — and that moment is almost always the worst possible time. Corrosion from road salt and moisture can seize the cable or freeze the winch mechanism. Over time, the retaining clip that holds the tire retainer can wear out, allowing the spare to drop unexpectedly. Routine inspection and proactive replacement of a worn hoist assembly are far less stressful than discovering the problem roadside during a flat tire emergency.

Beyond passenger vehicles, RV and trailer owners face a unique set of demands. A travel trailer's spare is often stored on the A-frame or underneath the unit, where road grime and vibration take a constant toll on the hoist hardware. Choosing a hoist rated for the weight of your specific spare — including heavy-duty truck or RV tires — is essential for safe, reliable storage.

What to Look for When Shopping

• OE Replacement vs. Universal Fit: Direct-fit replacement hoists are engineered to match your vehicle's exact mounting points and cable length, while universal units offer flexibility for custom or RV applications.
• Cable Length and Offset Design: Longer cables and offset-cable designs improve access clearance, especially on RVs with deep frames where a centered cable would be difficult to use.
• Material and Corrosion Resistance: Steel housings with protective coatings hold up better in high-moisture, high-salt environments. Inspect cable construction as well — braided steel cables resist kinking and fraying far better than twisted alternatives.
• Weight Capacity: Always confirm the hoist is rated to handle the full weight of your mounted spare, particularly for trucks running oversized tires or RVs with larger wheel-and-tire assemblies.

Top Brands in Spare Tire Hoists

PullRite is best known for its industry-leading fifth-wheel and towing hitches, and that same engineering focus carries into their spare tire hoist solutions for heavy-duty towing applications. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in Mishawaka, Indiana, PullRite maintains rigorous manufacturing standards that make their hoist hardware a trusted choice for serious towers and RV enthusiasts.

Skyward Automotive Products offers direct-replacement spare tire hoists engineered to restore OE functionality on popular truck platforms, providing a straightforward solution for drivers who want a reliable like-for-like swap.

Hella brings its reputation for precision-engineered automotive components to the spare tire hoist segment, offering quality replacement parts that meet OE specifications for compatible vehicle applications.

RV Designer is a go-to resource for RV accessories and hardware, and their spare tire hoist offerings are tailored to the unique mounting and weight requirements of travel trailers and motorhomes, making them a natural fit for the RV owner looking to replace or upgrade their under-chassis spare storage system.