Spare tire carrier

[davepetroski]

I noticed this ACE today at a truck stop. How are they mounting the spare tire and where do you buy this kit?


I attached 2 photos as examples

[thor293]

WHOAAA! I would never nor could I imagine what it is fastened to! Especially with a 19.5" wheel which weighs in the neighborhood of 130# with tire mounted. I bought this one for my tire, it is a Roadmaster and runs about $595 but that is cheaper than when the weight of that tire and wheel ruins that back wall. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Long & Winding road]

Yeah to do it right you would really have to add supports inside the wall to hold the extra weight. Over time it will just tear up your wall.

I like the hitch mount tire carrier - but I have a bike rack on the back of mine half the time.

Others have rigged up a tire carrier under the rearend of the RV behind the bumper/hitch - simular to a pickup truck spare tire carrier.

[thor293]

Originally Posted by Long & Winding road

I like the hitch mount tire carrier - but I have a bike rack on the back of mine half the time.

Others have rigged up a tire carrier under the rearend of the RV behind the bumper/hitch - simular to a pickup truck spare tire carrier.

Yeah, I struggled with the bike rack thing and didnt want to add another dual hitch so I decided to just carry the bikes on the back of the toad.

[Pete'sMH]

I use the Roadmaster mount as well. Expensive but wonderfully made. It’ll outlast several RVs. Allows you to carry the spare without having to lift it up to the mount and you can still use a cargo carrier, bike rack or even a toad. It’s a good solution especially for 19.5 or 22 inchers.

[gnach]

Originally Posted by davepetroski

I noticed this ACE today at a truck stop...snip...
I attached 2 photos as examples

In his defense, he has no rear compartment and maybe thru-bolted under the bed. I'd love to. I'm hanging mine off the hitch.

[gte534j]

Just curious as to why you would want to carry a spare wheel instead of using something like a fix a flat can and a tire repair kit? Also, do you carry a heavy duty jack? I dont think i would have the space in my Thor vegas 24.1 RV storage for the jack.

[tigwelder]

what if tire has a 4 '' cut. is fix a flat going to fix it?

[gte534j]

Originally Posted by tigwelder

what if tire has a 4 '' cut. is fix a flat going to fix it?

For sure not! I do have roadside assistance for such sever damage as a 4" cut. Just not sure i want to carry around the tire+jack+tools for a not as likely event.

[gnach]

Originally Posted by gte534j

For sure not! I do have roadside assistance for such sever damage as a 4" cut. Just not sure i want to carry around the tire+jack+tools for a not as likely event.

Try getting roadside assistance out in the boonies without cell coverage, just saying. 20 ton bottle jack, BTW.

[thor293]

For those who travel to not so populated areas where first you may not have a signal, second it hard telling how long it will take someone to get there and third just the security of having the spare. I carry a 20 ton bottle jack, takes up very little space. Piece of mind is priceless. Now if I didnt have a spare my option would be if on the rear, just remove the blown tire, if on the front, remove one of the rear duals on the lightest side and put on the front until I could get to a repair facility.

[thor293]

Originally Posted by gnach

In his defense, he has no rear compartment and maybe thru-bolted under the bed. I'd love to. I'm hanging mine off the hitch.

The 30.4 has the bed against the back wall so that is a very valid point. I personally would not feel good about a 150# tire tugging at my back wall though. After all we are only talking about 1/4" lauan and foam core.
PS, the 32.1 has a rear bath so the bolts could be hidden under the sink

[Chance]

Originally Posted by davepetroski

I noticed this ACE today at a truck stop. How are they mounting the spare tire and where do you buy this kit?Attachment 14174Attachment 14175


I attached 2 photos as examples

It’s possible the tire carrier was a do-it-yourself project. Hanging tires off back wall is/was common with 16” tires that weigh about 75 pounds, but I have only seen a few 19.5 tires mounted that way.

The side view looks to me like a fairly large plate was used to distribute the tire’s weight on wall — maybe as large as 18~20 inches in size vertically. If width is about the same, it could span two wall studs, making it fairly strong.

My old “C” had 16” tire mounted off back wall, but used a much smaller hat channel which is what I’ve seen used most often on back walls of C motorhomes. And as gnach suggested, it had a backing plate on inside. For a heavier 19.5” tire I’d want something stronger, which is what makes me think this may have been a custom built carrier.

[thor293]

Originally Posted by gte534j

Just curious as to why you would want to carry a spare wheel instead of using something like a fix a flat can and a tire repair kit? Also, do you carry a heavy duty jack? I dont think i would have the space in my Thor vegas 24.1 RV storage for the jack.

Just a side note, I doubt a can of fix a flat would be able to inflate your tire enough to drive on, just a thought. Barring a catastrophic failure a can of fix a flat is better than nothing though!

[tigwelder]

who is going to hold that tire when someone is removing the bolts?

[gnach]

Originally Posted by thor293

... Barring a catastrophic failure a can of fix a flat is better than nothing though!

2 or 3 cans and what a mess!

That is a serious mounting plate. UniStrut inside could span across the back. The rear bumper on the Vegas is not worthless. I'd like to see a swing-away tire and storage carrier mounted like the off road guys do, like Smitty-bilt or Aluminess. Especially for going to Alaska. A custom built bumper would be quite pricey but I think the existing could be reinforced to work.

[Chance]

Originally Posted by tigwelder

who is going to hold that tire when someone is removing the bolts?

That part is easy. You can weld studs that support wheel when installing or removing, and then bolt it down with lug nuts. That’s how I built my present spare carrier.

My previous C was a little different if I recall correctly. The carrier had a lip on it that i could hook the wheel’s center hole on so I could then use bolts.

For a heavier wheel I’d use both — support and studs — to make it easier. Much like a wheel is installed on a rear axle.

[The Gritz Carlton]

His wife is in the shower holding it with a rope. It helps keep unwanted noise out of the cab as well while traveling.

[paulwadley]

I just bought a spare tire carrier that attaches to my existing trailer hitch. I did have to buy a trailer hitch extender so that the spare tire/rim would not touch the rear of my coach. I added anti wobble brackets to keep the entire spare tire holder at the hitch to keep it from moving around and making noises while driving. I didn't want to travel across country without a spare tire. I was able to locate a factory take off rim for my Mercedes Benz Sprinter Chassis for $47.00 which included shipping from Kentucky to California.

[sawdust]

I added a “T” shaped tire carrier fabricated from 3 inch channel. Its bolted to the bumper and also bolted through the back wall of the RV. Careful measuring to locate a wall stud in the back wall where the shower access is was the key. I was able to work through the access door for the shower and drill through the vertical channel, a wood spacer needed to keep the tire away from back wall, back wall and.interior stud anchored everything in place. I also added a quarter inch steel bar inside to stiffen everything up. Overkill is the word.No wiggling or wobbling under way and it’s solid. Survived a thousand mile trip so far. Our trip to Alaska next year will really test it and I’ll let you know how it worked.
You just have to have faith when you drill that first hole through the back wall. LOL
In hindsight I would have mounted the tire lower Than I did. It’s a load to pick up and bolt in place. I had more trouble finding a spare rim that fit and was reluctant to pay $75 for a used one. The extra hole for the Dually made me scramble.