How can we carry a mounted 22.5" spare tire ?

[Scooter]

We just bought a 2003 Dolphin LX 6355. W22 chassis. No spare tire and no rack with which to carry one. We need to carry one, in my view.

Have seen a tire carrier that mounts on our 2 inch trailer hitch. It might work if the pin holes line up, spacing against the rear, etc. It is at Trailer hitch, hitches and bike rack (800)298-8924. Part# c31006. Anyone used this. Or similar?

There is one compartment that MIGHT work. Not quite a pass-thru, but there is a 10 inch slot, plenty wide, that goes further into the interior. The tire measures about 10 inches wide. Maybe the slot can be cut wider if necessary. Not sure. Some serious measuring needed.

How do you carry a 22.5" mounted spare?

ANY ideas or comments will be appreciated.

[az bound]

I do not believe carrying a mounted tire to be a good idea. Maybe an unmounted one. The reason is there are three different rims on the W.22 and they are not interchangable.

[scgator]

I looked at the hitch mount that you were talking about in your post; the design is workable, but that particular mount is in no way substantial enough to support the weight of a mounted 22.5 bouncing on the rear of your coach. I would suggest you take the picture and design idea to a local welding and fab shop. They could build you something much better for around $200.00 (fair price). I really like your idea of carrying the spare, but you just won't be able to find an "off the shelf" item that will do the job adequately for you.

I have done some things like this before; my latest is an adaptor that fits in the receiver of my pickup that will hold a 10' beach umbrella for tailgatin' parties. Total cost for materials $12.00.................

[Indian Creek]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scooter We just bought a 2003 Dolphin LX 6355. W22 chassis. No spare tire and no rack with which to carry one. We need to carry one, in my view. Have seen a tire carrier that mounts on our 2 inch trailer hitch. It might work if the pin holes line up, spacing against the rear, etc. It is at Trailer hitch, hitches and bike rack (800)298-8924. Part# c31006. Anyone used this. Or similar? There is one compartment that MIGHT work. Not quite a pass-thru, but there is a 10 inch slot, plenty wide, that goes further into the interior. The tire measures about 10 inches wide. Maybe the slot can be cut wider if necessary. Not sure. Some serious measuring needed. How do you carry a 22.5" mounted spare? ANY ideas or comments will be appreciated.

Ask all your MH friends and aquaintances if they carry a spare. That should help with the problem. My answer would be to find a good, reliable, emergency road side service such as "Good Sam."

[njs42]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Indian Creek Ask all your MH friends and aquaintances if they carry a spare. That should help with the problem. My answer would be to find a good, reliable, emergency road side service such as "Good Sam."

X2---for me Scooter. Congratulations on the new Dolphin I have the exact same one----equipt with "a good reliable road side service plan".

Good luck what ever you decide---see you on the road.

[scgator]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Indian Creek Ask all your MH friends and aquaintances if they carry a spare. That should help with the problem. My answer would be to find a good, reliable, emergency road side service such as "Good Sam."

The only problem with ANY road service, is that they ALWAYS come with premium prices; and if you need a tire it is very much premium price; I still believe that a mounted spare could and would be beneficial. My friends may not carry one, but I do; I even carry a complete "extra" set of belts. If you ever need one, do you really want to pay the road service to go and hunt one for you???

[JimmyLeggett]

I have the tire service on my Good Sam maintenance plan. I have a flat, I call Good Sam "ERS" and they take it from there.
The idea of trying to change a 22.5 inch tire on the side of the road has no appeal at all.

My two fleetwoods did not carry spares, had location for them but no spare
my 09 Damon does not have a space for a spare and they are quick to point out that the owners don't need to be doing something that dangerous all by thier lonesome.

[JimmyLeggett]

I carry spare fuel filters (and a gallon can of diesel to prime them with), spare set of belts, spare air filters. and since all of these items are under the coach, i also have a mechanic creeper in the basement. and a well stocked tool box.

But no spare tire. My spare tire add on to my Good Sam plan covers the cost of the tires and delivery, etc.

[scgator]

It may not just be that an owner would want to change a tire themselves, as knowing they have the correct tire ready for the road service when they arrive. It costs a lot less to have a tire simply changed instead of mounted.

[donhoward49]

I bought a new wheel and used one of my old tires as a spare. It took the local shop two weeks to find a wheel. How long would it take road service to find you a wheel and tire if you needed one on a Sunday?
the only time i needed GS road service was a Sunday and he came from one hour away and was helping another before helping me. He did not carry extra tires or wheels with him. If you never need one it is still good insurance. JMHO
We placed my spare in a storage compartment, drivers side second one back.

[njs42]

Scooter---Another thought-----if you have not weighed your rig yet I would suggest you do before you begin attaching stuff. By the time you get tire, rim, jack, blocks and what ever kind of wrench set up you need to change a 22.5 tire you may squander some valuable space and weight.

As for me I'll keep the advantages I find in my roadside assistance plan.

[Scooter]

We are in Good Sam ERS. As far as I can tell they will NOT remove your flat, dismount from wheel, patch/plug, remount on wheel and put back on RV. They WILL be happy to change a existing, mounted tire on a wheel.

If you have a flat in the rear.....and no ready-to-go mounted spare....they tell me you can't be towed. The one remaining dually will be damaged. They will be happy to furnish a tire/wheel....at my expense.....but only during working hours.

Is what I am hearing correct?

[goldwingerx2]

I don't carry a spare for a number of reasons: I could not get the lug nuts loose if I wanted to without large breaker bar - weight of everything I would need jack, tools and spare. I have over 100,000 miles with no tire problems - does that mean I will never have any NO. But I have an ERS and if I had carried a spare it would have weathered checked and I would still need to by a new tire. So I will spend a big bucks on the ERS tire and not on the spare and replacement tire because my spare has deteriated. JMHO each have to do what we are comfortable with. I have never carried a spare for the Goldwing and have had good luck with the ERS when we did have a flat on it. They were there in reasonable time and took good care of us and it never cost more than the price of a new rear tire which was exactly what list price was on it.

[JohnRR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by az bound I do not believe carrying a mounted tire to be a good idea. Maybe an unmounted one. The reason is there are three different rims on the W.22 and they are not interchangable.

I'm not sure where you got that idea from they are in fact all the very same.

The only way there is a difference is the aluminum wheels where the fronts are polished on the outside (flatter surface) and the outer rear are polished on the inside (cupped looking) surface and may or may not have a steel wheel for the inner dual or a machined surface wheel if aluminum.

The advantage if you have your own tire and wheel is if you have say a workhorse 22.5 with the 8 hole pattern and damage a wheel you may find it will take some time to get a replacement wheel.

There is normally a big area under the rear of the frame where a mount bracket can be fabricated to carry the tire & wheel out of sight while being very accessible to get to even with a toad. It would not be something you could load or unload yourself but a reasonably good tire service person could.

You would have to content with the extra weight in the back.