Adding a tool box to the bumper.

[RhondaMyers.com]

Now the bracket has to be painted.

[Pete'sMH]

I'm concerned about the weight you have on your bumper. Did you strengthen it? I inquired of Thor about options for carrying my new spare and was told NOT to mount it to the bumper as it is not strong enough. Obviously adding a tool box plus a spare adds even more weight. So far my best alternative is the Roadmaster 195225 which I'm sure would work fine but seems like overkill for a class C coach. It's complex, heavy and expensive. Still looking..... if, however, you have strengthened your bumper, I like it!

[RhondaMyers.com]

The support ties back to the frame and the tool box is very lightweight. The spare tire is also tied back to the frame.
The tool box will hold hoses, nothing heavy. The bumper should be fine.
If not, we will rebuild it.
We bought it new in Aug. and started rebuilding it from the time we brought it home. We swapped out the seats with heated leather seats that are extra stuffed. The passenger seat swivels, and the driver seat has massager.
The dinette was removed and rebuilt with a very comfortable sofa that takes up less floor space. Now the driver seat has more space behind it.
I cut the folding mattress apart so I can use the bed when we are on the road or use it as a lounger to watch tv. Added a TV to the bedroom.
Now if we can just travel enough to make it all worth while.

[Chance]

Originally Posted by Pete'sMH

....cut.... So far my best alternative is the Roadmaster 195225 which I'm sure would work fine but seems like overkill for a class C coach. It's complex, heavy and expensive. ....cut....

Overkill for a Class C would depend on how much one feels comfortable lifting.

A 16" Class C wheel/tire should weigh around 70 to 75 pounds, and lifting it 3 feet of the ground may not be that easy for many of us as we age. I can still lift my 75-pound tire onto door-mounted carrier and hold it while bolting it down but it's not as easy as it use to be.

When dealing with a much heavier 19.5 or 22.5 wheel/tire, using leverage like the Roadmaster provides is a necessity. It should cut required lifting force nearly in half.

I agree that over $500 is expensive if lifting leverage is not otherwise needed. I do like that the Roadmaster wheel mounting plate is vertical and welded straight to 2" vertical square tube. On dually wheels this works great because offset allows wheel to bolt directly to plate without having wheel sticking back unnecessarily. I've never seen a standard hitch tire carrier built specifically for duallies -- most seem made for SUVs and off-road use. It should be easy to build one if one can weld though.

[Chance]

Pete, this picture shows how the Roadmaster keeps wheel attachment simple and tight to upright tube. It's different than the Curt carrier being used by some. Out of curiosity I did a search and can't find any standard (non-pivoting) wheel carrier designed like this for dually motorhome tires. I guess there isn't enough demand.

[shiftinglands]

Originally Posted by RhondaMyers.com

The support ties back to the frame and the tool box is very lightweight. The spare tire is also tied back to the frame.
The tool box will hold hoses, nothing heavy. The bumper should be fine.
If not, we will rebuild it.
We bought it new in Aug. and started rebuilding it from the time we brought it home. We swapped out the seats with heated leather seats that are extra stuffed. The passenger seat swivels, and the driver seat has massager.
The dinette was removed and rebuilt with a very comfortable sofa that takes up less floor space. Now the driver seat has more space behind it.
I cut the folding mattress apart so I can use the bed when we are on the road or use it as a lounger to watch tv. Added a TV to the bedroom.
Now if we can just travel enough to make it all worth while.

Hi there, we picked up our Freedom Elite a month ago and was thinking about cutting the mattress for a lounge. How do you keep it attached? It's a great idea and I love all your mods. Cheers to happy travels!!

[RhondaMyers.com]

The fitted sheet and mattress pad keep it in place at night.

[RhondaMyers.com]

We cut out a corner section to make it fit around the side by the window.

[Pete'sMH]

Originally Posted by Chance

Pete, this picture shows how the Roadmaster keeps wheel attachment simple and tight to upright tube. It's different than the Curt carrier being used by some. Out of curiosity I did a search and can't find any standard (non-pivoting) wheel carrier designed like this for dually motorhome tires. I guess there isn't enough demand.

Well after MUCH internet searching and even talking to a couple of fabricators I concluded that the Roadmaster is the best option. It's pretty spendy but I'm determined to carry a spare and do it safely. At least the spare itself ended up being pretty cheap. I found a refurbished Ford dually wheel for $70 delivered and an orphan tire at a local dealer for $75 installed and balanced. It's a Hankook that proudly proclaims on the sidewall that it was manufactured in Indonesia and designed in Singapore! Hopefully I'll never need it or that it'll at least get me to a Michelin store if I do. I'll post a photo when it's installed.