Spare Tire Mount..Rear Bumper Best Location?

We have a 24 foot Itasca Class C on the Ford E450 chassis. Winnebago installed the spare up underneath between the frame rails in the rear just like where most pickup trucks carry their spare. IMHO, this is the 2nd best place for the spare on a Class C if it will fit there.

My 1st choice place for a Class C spare to be mounted would not be anywhere at the back, but on a spare tire rack mounted in the front. This helps keep the spare tire weight from unloading the front suspension - like it does if mounted at the back due to it's weight leveraging affect. Even though the spare doesn't "weigh that much", any lightening of the weight on the front suspension from stuff hanging off the rear is not advisable on a Class C due to it's negative effect on highway handling. Of course carrying the spare in the front not only doesn't unload the front suspension - it does just the opposite - it helps add a little more weight on the front.

Here's the 12-ton jack we carry in our Class C. Even though a 12-ton jack is a bit overkill on capacity, I bought this jack because it's a 2 stage jack, which gives it a long jacking-height capability. You never know what you might be faced with - such as lifting on soft ground, lifting on ground with ruts in it, having to lift on the frame instead of an axle or the springs, etc.:

https://www.amazon.com/Torin-T91208-Stage-Bottle-Jack/dp/B00028FB8Q

Double Post------sorry

Check this out.
Spare plus hitch

That double-piston 12-ton looks ideal! There are easier things to find than those. Good job, Phil!

Horizon170 wrote:
Check this out.
Spare plus hitch

Nice, but expensive...

Horizon170 wrote:
Check this out.
Spare plus hitch

Phil raised the point of the weight of the spare out on the rear bumper, unloading the front axle... This carrier seems to weigh about as much as a spare for our Class C's, so it puts TWICE the weight of a spare, well aft of the bumper.

Whether weight distribution front-to-rear is an actual problem depends on the design, wheelbase, and loading of the specific coach can't be known without weighing it. Still, I can't justify adding the weight of a Second Spare, anywhere on a Class C...

For a jack, scout around and find a Sprinter in the wrecking yard or one listed on Ebay, they come with a nice bottle jack hidden under the front passengers floor, inside the cab, along with the tool kit. It is two stage and goes quite high, has a curved saddle for the axle and is typical German quality. Also don't forget chocks, I carry four good rubber chocks with me for parking on slopes, emergencies, etc.



As far as the spare tire goes, My Winnebago View has one mounted on the rear wall of the coach. It is on a bracket that has steel plates inside and welded to them are carriage bolts that pass thru the wall and a bracket on the outside. I too don't like the weight on the rear but putting it on the front is an invitation to overheating the engine and not the greatest looks.



Not my View, but exact same vehicle. I put a new cover on mine that is ABS plastic with heavy vinyl sewn to it to encircle the tread and have the bungee to hold it on. I got one designed as a cheap replacement for a Mercedes G wagen spare cover, complete with logo.

Charles

Mine came mounted on the C channel type bumper, just right of center. No issues. We have a 2003 Jayco Greyhawk.

All interesting discussions. 2003 Winnebago Mini 24V here. Spare is mounded underneath between frame rails with bolt on bracket. Nightmare to lower if I ever had to on the side of road. Always carry moving blanket because you can not access it unless you are lying underneath vehicle. I agree that on square bumper is not strong enough. Might be ok if the tire mount was directly on the frame extension where it connects to the square bumper but not ideal. Now you all got me thinking a front mount would be better. Has any one seen a front bumper mount available?

fourthclassC wrote:
All interesting discussions. 2003 Winnebago Mini 24V here. Spare is mounded underneath between frame rails with bolt on bracket. Nightmare to lower if I ever had to on the side of road. Always carry moving blanket because you can not access it unless you are lying underneath vehicle. I agree that on square bumper is not strong enough. Might be ok if the tire mount was directly on the frame extension where it connects to the square bumper but not ideal. Now you all got me thinking a front mount would be better. Has any one seen a front bumper mount available?

Two steps
1st Front Mount Hitch
Second Hitch mounted tire carriers that have been mentioned in earlier responses.