Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Looking for ideas for where to carry the spare tire. Front will probably have a storage box so that is out. Don't want it inside (my CT only 6 X 12). Maybe hung on the outside of the back door (I have "barn doors"), and have been thinking about on the side behind or infront of the fender on the driver’s side. Would not stick out any further than the fender. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

Dan

I'd mount it on the side not the rear door.

How about underneath? You can go to the salvage yard and get a lift mechanism off of another vehicle.

I have given some consideration to under the CT. And for sure it would not be lower than the axel. Might be an idea. Thanks for the input.

Dan

I have seen toy haulers with the spare on the outside of the rear ramp door. This seems like the best place to me as long as it is reinforced at the mount. But then maybe the spring was designed for the increased weight, I don't know. The side mount should work with fenders although I think the rear is less obtrusive. Underneath isn't very convenient and clearance could be a problem.

Your trailer looks like mine. I made a rectagular box of angle iron, flat sides in and down, and the tire just sits in there snugly and actually rests the tread a bit on the A frame rails too. The box bolts on with 3" muffler clamp U bolts around the frame members and through the angle iron flats.
The ends where the tire tread sits are angled so that the tire tread sits flat on them. Handy, out of the way, strong enough not to be damaged and a cable lock through the tire and around the frame prevents it from leaving with somebody.
The tire doesn't shake enough to hit the checkerplate, even as close as it looks. It's in there quite securely but it lifts right out.

I mounted mine on the drivers side behind the axles. I was looking at either under the trailer or on the side. I decided against under the trailer for a few different reasons. Biggest one is hard to access to check air pressure.

I seen a rig that had barn doors in back and when the doors were open there a wood wall recessed slightly(less than a foot). The curb side of the wall had a screendoor built in and the other side had a window type A/C mounted in the top half. Right below the A/C looks like a good place to mount the spare tire.

I tucked mine under the bed. Stacked on top of the tire are two folding fences for my dogs.

I don't know what you use for a tow I use a F150
my old Travel Trailer the spare was strapped vertical inside the bed-cover along the side
I had my mobility scooter, two ramps and the spare all fit very well

Mine is inside the cabinet at front strapped to the wall. take me about 30 seconds to access it. it's out of sight out of mind. One of those hydraulic auto jack stand is beneath that tire. It's come in hand a few times setting up the camper.

drcurran wrote:Looking for ideas for where to carry the spare tire. Front will probably have a storage box so that is out. Don't want it inside (my CT only 6 X 12). Maybe hung on the outside of the back door (I have "barn doors"), and have been thinking about on the side behind or infront of the fender on the driver’s side. Would not stick out any further than the fender. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

Dan

Dan,

I'll be following your thread closely since I have the same problem. I have a tongue box mounted on my 6x10 so mounting on (above) the tongue is out. I have been considering an on the side mount behind the fender but wonder where best to attach the mount i.e., to the CT wall (is the wall strong enough)? Fabricate and weld a mount to the outside frame rail? Or possibly mount it under the tongue?

Don

I have seen rear bumper mounts. They clamp onto the bumper extend up to where the bottom of the tire is bumper heigth. This type of set up would work mounted to one of the side rails of the tongue. You would have to reach over the spare to get to the box from one side but it would work.

I saw that one smaller manufacturer was putting the spare higher up on the outside of the front, and covering it with a Continental spare tire kit like these to make it look like an accent piece:

http://www.rvandvansurplus.com/tirecovers.asp?Vehicletype=Van

Depending on your interior layout and floor rib spacing, you might also be able to make a spare tire well in the floor like some top-end car haulers have.....

http://www.harborfreight.com/trailer-sp ... 93341.html
Check this out. $12.99

Hey, roadinspector, the way that mount is designed you could mount it on the frame or most anywhere else with a number of screws/bolts. I like it. I'd like to put one on the road side of my camper flat against the side and front of the fender. The curb side is my "front of house" and it's "not cool" to put a tire mount there.