Built For Two Questions

Post your general and technical information, questions or responses in this forum. Viewing messages is open to all with no registration or log-in required. Prior to posting a new message or a response to an existing message, registration or login is required. Please do not post FOR SALE or WANTED ads in this section!

Moderator: bfadmin

Roadtech

Post by Roadtech »

Virgil & Lassen: You both have come up with two ingenious solutions to the no spare problem with the Born Frees.
Virgil and Anne Dutton
Posts: 107
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 11:59 am

Post by Virgil and Anne Dutton »

Designing is not only my vocation, it is my avocation. I cannot leave a challenge alone. When I was in town yesterday I went by the Born Free dealer and looked at the models without a rear door. It looks to me like a spare tire bracket could be designed which would allow for towing as well as provide access to the compartment which is located there. The problem is that I leave home for a three month journey next week and will not have time to work on the design until September. I will work on it then if the challenge has not been solved.

Virgil
2006 22 ft BFT diesel
Mary Ann

Post by Mary Ann »

Hi! I too was worried with the lack of a spare on my 2005 BFT, especially after having a leak in a rear tire, while at home, and being unable to get anyone to trouble shoot it, unless I had a spare. I then tried to buy a matching Michelin tire, and found it to be totally unavailable in my area of Florida. I finally found a trucking business, which was happy to trouble shoot my leaking tire. The problem was a simple one....the tube for putting in air was defective. He got me a new one in metal and installed it. Leakage problem solved. He got on line and found a resource for the matcing Michelen tire and a wheel. It took several days for delivery, but then he placed it in my under the sofa storage area, with no additional hardware, and I have over 8 thousand miles on my rig....fortunately with no need for the spare, but feeling secure because I have it. I did not have my BFT configured with the usual twin beds, but upgraded to the sofa, and two chairs and I love it! In consulting with the factory, I was told the bumper was not strong enough to hold a spare tire and wheel, so I didn't consider that option. Hope this info helps.
Mary Ann
User avatar
whemme
Posts: 2110
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:05 pm

SPARE TIRE & WHEEL

Post by whemme »

A spare tire and wheel will probably weigh close to 80 lbs which is a heavy item to put on the rear bumper of most Born Free 26' units - especially the Rear Bath units which when loaded run close to or over the rear axle rating without added yet another 80 lbs to the rear of the coach which will add approximately 120 lbs* weight onto the rear axle.

*The 120 lbs approximation comes from the multiplier effect of the rear overhang which also would reduce the load on the front axle by 40 lbs at the same time.

I think most owners would be happly placing that spare and wheel in the storage compartment under the Flexsteel sofa. If placed in this area and moved as far forward (towards the front of the coach) as possible, you will find that it will fit there nicely and actually only the rear half of the tire will be visible when the compartment door is open. Also, as long as your coach does not have a diesel engine in it, this end of the coach has some extra weight carrying capacity to spare.
Last edited by whemme on Fri May 26, 2006 7:03 pm, edited 4 times in total.
Bill Hemme - Spencer, Iowa
E-mail: whemme@earthlink.net
2002 Born Free (Ford E-450 V10) 26' RSB
2016 VW Golf GTI - toad
Roadtech

Post by Roadtech »

Will a spare tire fit in the storage area under a twin bed in the Built For Two?
User avatar
bcope01
Posts: 1290
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2005 6:55 pm

Post by bcope01 »

Mary Ann wrote:In consulting with the factory, I was told the bumper was not strong enough to hold a spare tire and wheel...
Mary Ann: My next question to the factory would have been, "Then why did you put a class 3 hitch rated at 500 lbs. tongue weight on it?" My personal option is that the rear bumper is plenty strong for a spare tire if the tire mount is tied into the rear bumper properly. Don't all us BFT owners use the rear bumper as a step to access our coach? The last time I checked, I was closer to to 200 lbs then I was to ~80 lbs. :D
whemme wrote:A spare tire and wheel will probably weigh close to 80 lbs which is a heavy item to put on the rear bumper of most Born Free 26' units - especially the Rear Bath units which when loaded run close to or over the rear axle rating without added yet another 80 lbs to the rear of the coach which will add approximately 120 lbs* weight onto the rear axle.
Bill: I think, due to the shorter rear overhang on the BFT, that the weight multiplier would be much less and therefore not critical. I guess the best solution would be to get the coach to the scales and weigh the axles with the spare tire lashed on. My personal feeling is that it would be OK to carry a properly mounted spare on the rear bumper of a BFT. With the limited storage in our BFTs, many of us lash almost ~80 lbs. to the rear ladder anyway. :D

Bill
Barb & Bill
2004 Born Free 22' Built for Two (Sold)
no longer towing a 2008 Smart ForTwo

Escondido, CA
User avatar
whemme
Posts: 2110
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:05 pm

Post by whemme »

Bill and Barb,

You will note that my post was referring to the 26' Born Frees with the long overhang and not the shorter units like the BFT. My opinion is that a 24' or shorter BF would handle the weight of a spare tire and wheel mounted on the rear bumper OK, but I would use caution especially on 26' Rear Bath units. I keep a spare in the compartment under the sofa directly behind the driver's seat in my 26' Rear Side Bed unit.
Bill Hemme - Spencer, Iowa
E-mail: whemme@earthlink.net
2002 Born Free (Ford E-450 V10) 26' RSB
2016 VW Golf GTI - toad
Virgil and Anne Dutton
Posts: 107
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 11:59 am

Post by Virgil and Anne Dutton »

The spare tire will fit under the twin bed of the BFT. It is an easy fit in the horizontal plane, however the vertical height is marginal with the bed actuator. The tire and wheel, when lying on on its face, has a height of about 9.5 inches. In the storage compartment the distance from the floor to the bottom of the actuator is about 9.75 inches.

Virgil
2006 22 ft BFT diesel
Mary Ann

Post by Mary Ann »

My BFT is outfitted with a "double"bed sofa, not the standard twin. The height is no problem in my compartment. I have several things piles on top of the tire and wheel. I don't claim to be any kind of an expert of weights or bumpers, just wanted to relate my experience, the advice received, and the result for me.
Mary Ann
Virgil and Anne Dutton
Posts: 107
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 11:59 am

Post by Virgil and Anne Dutton »

I agree that a spare tire should not be mounted to the bumper because the fiberglass bumper is not strong enough to support the weight. The spare tire mounting bracket I made is attached to the bumper support structure which I believe is more than strong enough to support the weight.
The compartment height under the twin beds is more than enough for the spare. It is the close proximity of the spare tire and rim to the bed actuator that I was refering to. This actuator is located inside the access door. Once you would get the spare moved forward in that compartment there would be ample space and the actuator would then be to the rear of the spare tire. I have not tried to put the spare in that location but believe it could be done. That space, to me, is too valuable to sacrifice for the spare tire.

Virgil
2006 22 ft BFT diesel
Virgil and Anne Dutton
Posts: 107
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 11:59 am

Post by Virgil and Anne Dutton »

Regarding this subject see the other forum subject titled "spare tire" and my comments regarding the carrier I designed and will have built for anyone who would want it.

Virgil Dutton
2006 22 ft BFT diesel
Post Reply

Return to “General and Technical Information, Questions, and Responses”