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dadmomh's avatar
dadmomh
Explorer
Mar 22, 2014

Spare tire carrier

We finally got our TT to the scale on this trip with our DS#1. Traveling with him includes a wheelchair and way more stuff than our normal trips. We were a bit heavier than we expected, but still well within safe range. The surprise came with the tongue weight...we need some pounds up front. The layout makes shifting things around near impossible, but DH wondered about a spare tire mount that goes either the tongue or the very front of the trailer, but haven't found anything other than the rear bumper mount. We don't need more weight in total...just rearrange. Has anyone found such a mount? We don't want to have anything welded that would effect the warranty. Ideas??

BTW...the trailer sits well and tows well, but we need to find about 200# to go up front.

17 Replies

  • Just for curiosity sake, what where the weights? Where you weighing tongue with the WDH bars unhooked?

    How about water, black, and gray locations and levels?
  • Huh... I just found this Lippert under chassis storage unit that also carries a spare tire. If it's more weight you definitely must have, this is good for 75 lbs. But if you want it up front on a TT, it might hang down too low. The storage compartments would be good for sewer fittings, chocks, etc. Only $519 plus shipping for the double box version with tire carrier. :W

    under chassis storage
  • Lance TTs have the spare in the tongue A-frame. I think there's another brand that does too. Not sure if you could just bolt one in or you'd need to do a bit of welding. You also need to remove the standard battery box supports. The battery(s) would have to be moved somewhere and then you be taking away the tongue weight you want to add. Warranty-wise, this may or may not work and I would confirm with the dealer. Could get rather costly too I would think unless you did most of the work yourself.

    BAL makes a spare tire carrier that goes underneath called the hide-a-spare. It comes in 4 different versions depending on your type of frame. Available here on sale for $199 totalHide-a-spare or here at reg. price for $160 totalHide-a-spare (cost may vary depending on your ship to location)

    You could mount the BAL carrier as far front as possible, just rear of the A-frame. I think this would be the better way to go and would be close to the amount of weight added by having the tire in the A-frame. It's a simple bolt on too. You'd need to locate it so it doesn't conflict with the stabilizers. I'd like to install one if I can talk DW into it.

    Some have gone to an auto wrecking yard and removed the spare tire carrier from under a pickup truck and adapted that. Do-able but not a simple bolt-in job.

    Just what is your tongue wt. and GVW of the TT? The factory specs say dry hitch wt. is 739 lbs and dry wt. is 5676 lbs which works out to 13%. I would expect it to go up when fully loaded. It doesn't list GVWR but it should be 6701 lbs (CCC + dry weight). Not knowing the TT's actual weight, you want a minimum of 10% of the GVWR or 670 lbs, but the factory amount is above this.

    How much additional weight have you added for DS's special needs? You'd have to add quite a bit to upset front - rear balance that much. And then I'd be questioning whether or not you've exceeded the GVWR, which you don't want to do.

    People often say you can shift weight around by loading things differently. Personally, I just don't see how that can really be accomplished by any amount that will really make a difference. It's not like you can load all your food and supplies on your bed and then move them back into the kitchen when set up at the CG.
  • I have the mount that places the spare flat under the trailer frame .
    It cranks down with the 3 /4 " socket wrench that the stabilizer jacks use to go up and down .
    mine is immediately forward of the trailer axles .
    but you can mount the spare well forward depending upon your frame crossmember location .
  • Move it under the front of the trailer. 95%of spare tires are never used so why not get it out of site under the trailer. I saw recently that CW is selling a mount for under the trailer. I made one pretty cheap out of some box tubing and angle iron.
  • There are mounts that hold the tire under the tongue. It has a cable that pulls the tire up, and holds it tight. Try a RV dealer. They should have one. My TT does.