Spare Tire Placement

[AbbyinTN]

I need to re-position my spare tire. What are all my options for mounting my spare tire? I have the enclosed underbelly. It would be ideal if I could re-purpose the factory spare tire mounter in another location...has anyone tried flipping the mount on the back bumper so your tire would be under the trailer? I have reinforced my back bumper. Thanks.

(Mods & Upgrades is my favorite sub-forum...I learn a lot)

[ctbruce]

Not sure what reinforced the back bumper means, but unless you replaced it, the metal is not very strong.

Instead, look at the BAL spare tire holder. It sits under your rig and can be pulled out for access.

[rhagfo]

Where are you trying to relocate from?I don't think using a bumper mount designed for vertical us to horizontal would be a good idea as the twisting force on the bumper tube would be much greater.

[66joej]

^ Agree with Chip. BAL makes a carrier for enclosed underbelly trailers. I installed one on my TT.

[flybouy]

If your a moder and tinkerer than you might think about acquiring a tire hanger from a pick up truck in a junkyard (ok, ok, I know the new pc term is RECYCLING Center). I've read where people have modified them and mounted to the A frame on travel trailers. I don't think using the bumper mount horizontally would work do to the torsional forces induced.

[Ken / Claudia]

Easy if you have a pickup or SUV with room for it, place it there. Once had a SUV and carried the trailer spare on the roof rack. Now I lay it in the PU bed. No cost, mods etc. Better than the rear bumper. Seen a Cougar TT while hunting last week. Spare angled back toward TT, mount and bumper bent. Likely cause backing into something.

[JRTJH]

Most travel trailers don't have enough ground clearance under the rear bumper to "just flip the existing spare carrier". Anything placed under the rear square tube bumper is very likely to be torn off going over the first "curb rise" at any local gas station. Most trailers have less than 4 or 5 inches of clearance, certainly not enough for a spare tire. Moving forward (under the trailer) closer to the axles gives sufficient clearance for a BAL spare tire carrier and is where most install the after market carrier. Several trailer manufacturers have started installing the BAL carrier as "OEM" equipment. Mine is 5 years old, works great and I've never had any problems with it. That would be my recommendation. Average cost is around $80-100, depending on where you buy it.

[scottz]

My unit came with the spare mounted underneath, just behind the rear axle. I don't know what brand the winch was, but it was junk. The first time I used it, the gears stripped out. I went to a junk yard and picked up a spare tire winch from a Ford Super Duty. It is much stronger and better built than the original.

You could do the same. All it takes is a spare tire winch and some angle iron to fabricate a carrier. If you don't have the tools, make friends with someone that has a welder and saws.

Even after I beefed up the whole thing, I put a safety strap around the spare (did the same on the pickup). I can just imagine the damage it would do dragging under the rear of the trailer at highway speed.

[AbbyinTN]

Thanks for everyone's input. I can definitely see the error in some of my ideas like the clearance being too low in the rear...with the underbelly enclosed it limits how flush it could be mounted to avoid dragging. Our last trip we put it in the back of the truck but we have not put a tri-fold cover over the bed of the truck yet and we are very leery about leaving valuables in plain sight...we were both city kids and cannot help being extra cautious. I like the Bal spare tire mount but I saw where someone drilled holes in their fresh water tank (you know who you are:hornets: ) and I could totally could see myself doing that! Ideally I would like to put it under the tongue of the trailer. A junk yard may have a pickup truck mounting device that would work???

[concours]

We did reinforce our rear bumper so that the square tube would stay attached but the whole bumper slide out is just simply a poor design that's not to be trusted we have 2 bikes on the bumper but don't have it slid out we mounted a rack to the tube which has been fine for thousands of miles. As for the spare we have it on a BAL undermount which is just behind the rear axle, that has also been no problem for thousands of miles