Spare tire cover

[Payton]

Anyone else not get a spare tire cover with their Brand new trailer? I would think it would be standard. I've gotten the run around for a year on this topic. The dealership telling me to contact the manufacturer and vise versa. Until the dealership tells me yesterday that it is not standard equipment and I have to pay $21 for one. Wish I would have been told this right up front. Really think for $21 it would be standard on a $30,000 camper. Just saying.

[TJO]

It's amazing how many little things they cut to make the almighty dollar.

Cheers Tom

[chuckster57]

Spare tire covers seem to be going away from what I see. None of my divers going back to 1989 came with one and they weren’t cheap units. We have some low cost units that have a matching rim spare and cover and some very high end with steel rim spare and no cover.

Looking at from the manufacturer point of view $21 saved on each unit is significant when you count how many units.

JMHO: customers complain about not getting lots of things as “standard equipment”. If $25.00 is going to break a persons budget, maybe they shouldn’t have bought an RV.

[B-O-B'03]

Mine came with a cheap, vinyl, "Keystone" labeled cover and after a hail storm the first year of ownership it looks pretty crummy.

Time to shop for a new one, thinking $21 sounds pretty cheap.

-Brian

[JRTJH]

I just looked at photos of new Keystone units online that are listed for sale. About half of them have a Keystone spare tire cover. Of the other half, a few have a dealership spare tire cover and the rest (almost 50%) don't have a cover at all.

I'd guess some dealerships remove the cover until sale to prevent theft, I'd also guess that about half the Keystone trailers are sold with a spare tire cover and about half are sold without a spare tire cover.

The dealership I bought our Springdale from (Camping World) changes out the spare tire cover for a Camping World cover, same with the dealership where I bought our Cougar. When we picked it up, the Keystone cover was folded up in the passthrough storage area and a dealership cover was on the spare with the dealership's logo/name "proudly displayed" across the back of our new trailer.

To me, having a Keystone cover, a dealership cover or any other "sales oriented cover" is nothing more than free advertising for the dealer, the company or whomever is "pasted across that circle of fabric"...

A personal dislike of mine is those plastic dealership stickers that get stuck on most new cars sold today. In years past, they actually drilled two holes in the trunk lid to bolt a chrome one on your new car. At least it's not that bad any more, but advertising is advertising.

I'd say, just go buy the spare tire cover you prefer and choose not to become a "rolling billboard for Keystone".... YMMV

[jsmith948]

Some years ago (maybe 10 or 12) my dear departed brother and his wife had a Forest River Flagstaff TT. The spare wheel cover was a metal and fiberglass/plastic affair that completely enclosed the spare wheel. Had to undo an over sized wing nut to access the tire. It was all painted to match the trailer with a chrome ring around where the tread of the tire would be. It was really nice to look at, but a pain to actually use - and heavy.

I have to agree with the above posts - we want LIGHT - we want CHEAP - so that is what the manufacturers are mostly building.

Go to Camping World and buy a cover - less than $30.:facepalm:

[B-O-B'03]

Here you go, less than $10.

Camco Cover (https://www.walmart.com/ip/Camco-Vinyl-Spare-Tire-Cover/46529848?)

-Brian

[Number 4]

OR... spend a few extra bucks on a custom design, then watch them smile and wave as they pass on the left.

[Ken / Claudia]

When I got home, I took the spare off the cheapo bumper and keep the spare in the garage. I put it into the truck bed when towing. The cover is somewhere in the garage. I have picked up way to many spare tire covers that blew off on the freeway.

[MerlinB]

A personal dislike of mine is those plastic dealership stickers that get stuck on most new cars sold today. In years past, they actually drilled two holes in the trunk lid to bolt a chrome one on your new car. At least it's not that bad any more, but advertising is advertising.


I couldn't agree more. When I get a new vehicle home that I have bought from a dealer the first thing I do is remove that free advertising decal.

I did the same thing to my Cougar. I went to the four locations where it says "Cougar by Keystone" and I removed the "by Keystone" part.

My Cougar came with a steel spare wheel and a "Keystone" branded tire cover. That cover got replaced with a custom cover. See photo.

I gave the Keystone cover to a friend of mine who bought a trailer that had no cover. It was not a Keystone trailer but he said he had no problem with having "Keystone" on the back of it. :lol:

[travelin texans]

I couldn't agree more. When I get a new vehicle home that I have bought from a dealer the first thing I do is remove that free advertising decal.

I did the same thing to my Cougar. I went to the four locations where it says "Cougar by Keystone" and I removed the "by Keystone" part. :lol:

I've bought several new vehicles & rvs, not one of them have left the dealership with any advertising for said dealer. I've told them every time that if they are willing to pay me for advertising leave them on otherwise remove them before I leave the lot.
My new Jeep came with a spare tire cover wrapped up in the back, got home, unwrapped it, very nice cover, like the design except the huge name of the dealer covering half the cover, it's still in my shed & ordered a custom one.
It's not that I'm dissatisfied with the dealers, I'm not going to be a rolling billboard for them for free.

[sourdough]

Ours came with a Keystone labeled spare cover but they are just cheap. The elastic was worn out/stretched by the end of our first trip.
The vinyl material had already started to crack and peel. Bought a new, solid black cover from Bestop off Amazon I believe. Much better quality, no advertising and is still new looking and tight going into 5 years.

[GMcKenzie]

Mine came with a Keystone cover and the dealers cover over it. So it had both still on the tire.

[Payton]

My wife found some at camping world cheaper

[ADQ K9]

First modification I did to the trailer was to remove the spare tire and cover from the rear bumper. Spare tire is in front storage compartment. Cover and mount are in the shed never to be used by me again.

[Rixtoyz]

Ours came with a vinyl cover that said Keystone. Third day out we came back and it was gone! Someone wanted it more that we did - at least they didn't take the tire!

[LeeB43]

I bought a used 2014 Kodiak from Camping World and traded that in on a 2019 Bullet from the same Camping World. Neither came with a cover of any kind. I purchased my own for about $20.

[Rber1234]

Ours came with a vinyl cover that said Keystone. Third day out we came back and it was gone! Someone wanted it more that we did - at least they didn't take the tire!

Maybe that was next but you came back too soon. :whistling:

[Tireman9]

I have previously covered, in detail (link removed) the advantages and the "why" we should be storing our tires inside or under our RV or under light colored covers. It is the HEAT that kills tires and the aging effect on tires is exponential with an increase in temperature (doubles each 18°F) you could end up with a tire failure with ZERO miles as seen in this example.

https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zNiwBVp4e4A/XJfU5r60m0I/AAAAAAAAD24/rzLv4_S-RKYVLzwEUUaQ2Hi9h4-PFa4xgCLcBGAs/s320/Trailer%2Bspare%2Bfailure.jpg (https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zNiwBVp4e4A/XJfU5r60m0I/AAAAAAAAD24/rzLv4_S-RKYVLzwEUUaQ2Hi9h4-PFa4xgCLcBGAs/s1600/Trailer%2Bspare%2Bfailure.jpg)

I have pointed out, along with temperature data, in my blog post on why white tire covers are good and much better than black covers.


This shot shows what can happen with a black cover that effectively places the spare in an "oven" where cooling air can't offset any of the Sun's heat.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oy92DC1n4RU/XJfXUTs4uQI/AAAAAAAAD3M/KtvbLe7Hf6ceDSjG3aHt5FQ8F_giD5EugCLcBGAs/s320/sparetireexplosion.jpg (https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oy92DC1n4RU/XJfXUTs4uQI/AAAAAAAAD3M/KtvbLe7Hf6ceDSjG3aHt5FQ8F_giD5EugCLcBGAs/s1600/sparetireexplosion.jpg)

You will note that in both the above examples the top side of the tire (location with most direct Sun heating) is the location of the failure.


These folks do it right.
https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bWgfv9KL4gU/XJfVidxFRvI/AAAAAAAAD3A/cjvuF2oI22cjH3SsugIIErp4wYIHbyjlgCLcBGAs/s320/Trailer%2Bspare.JPG (https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bWgfv9KL4gU/XJfVidxFRvI/AAAAAAAAD3A/cjvuF2oI22cjH3SsugIIErp4wYIHbyjlgCLcBGAs/s1600/Trailer%2Bspare.JPG)


I know of no tire shine or protectant spray that provided protection from heat.

[KCSA75]

OR... spend a few extra bucks on a custom design, then watch them smile and wave as they pass on the left.

My MIL bought this for me for Christmas. Put it on this past weekend.

[sourdough]

I have previously covered, in detail (link removed) the advantages and the "why" we should be storing our tires inside or under our RV or under light colored covers. It is the HEAT that kills tires and the aging effect on tires is exponential with an increase in temperature (doubles each 18°F) you could end up with a tire failure with ZERO miles as seen in this example.

https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zNiwBVp4e4A/XJfU5r60m0I/AAAAAAAAD24/rzLv4_S-RKYVLzwEUUaQ2Hi9h4-PFa4xgCLcBGAs/s320/Trailer%2Bspare%2Bfailure.jpg (https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zNiwBVp4e4A/XJfU5r60m0I/AAAAAAAAD24/rzLv4_S-RKYVLzwEUUaQ2Hi9h4-PFa4xgCLcBGAs/s1600/Trailer%2Bspare%2Bfailure.jpg)

I have pointed out, along with temperature data, in my blog post on why white tire covers are good and much better than black covers.


This shot shows what can happen with a black cover that effectively places the spare in an "oven" where cooling air can't offset any of the Sun's heat.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oy92DC1n4RU/XJfXUTs4uQI/AAAAAAAAD3M/KtvbLe7Hf6ceDSjG3aHt5FQ8F_giD5EugCLcBGAs/s320/sparetireexplosion.jpg (https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oy92DC1n4RU/XJfXUTs4uQI/AAAAAAAAD3M/KtvbLe7Hf6ceDSjG3aHt5FQ8F_giD5EugCLcBGAs/s1600/sparetireexplosion.jpg)

You will note that in both the above examples the top side of the tire (location with most direct Sun heating) is the location of the failure.


These folks do it right.
https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bWgfv9KL4gU/XJfVidxFRvI/AAAAAAAAD3A/cjvuF2oI22cjH3SsugIIErp4wYIHbyjlgCLcBGAs/s320/Trailer%2Bspare.JPG (https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bWgfv9KL4gU/XJfVidxFRvI/AAAAAAAAD3A/cjvuF2oI22cjH3SsugIIErp4wYIHbyjlgCLcBGAs/s1600/Trailer%2Bspare.JPG)


I know of no tire shine or protectant spray that provided protection from heat.


Hadn't really thought about that but it makes perfect sense. We replaced ours with black because 1) that's what it came with and 2) it matches the trailer. I will be looking today for a light colored cover similar to those we use on the tires on the axles. Good food for thought.

Edit: Just ordered a new, lighter spare cover - don't want my "new" Carlisle spare to bake sitting on the spare mount.....:(

[Tireman9]

My MIL bought this for me for Christmas. Put it on this past weekend.


Cute but did you miss the part about what a black cover does to your tire?