Born Free Leap'n Lions RV Club Info & Discussion Forum

I just got some new tires, I'm keeping two of the old ones mounted on the wheels, just in case I ever need a spare. I hate to give up room in the under sofa compartment, and recall posts of some BF owners storing the spare on the roof. My question is how do you get it up and down, without marking up the BF body with tire or wheel scuffs? Those things are really Heavy!!
Do you use the ladder as a guide and use a rope to grunt it up or down? I use my front and rear trailer hitches for other stuff, mounting a spare there is a no go for me.
After winter retreats, I may crawl under the BF, and see if there is any way to mount a spare down there instead, amongst all the stuff already there. Weight low or forward is always better than strapping it up on top at the back, how much better could be questioned.

ewagman wrote:I just got some new tires, I'm keeping two of the old ones mounted on the wheels, just in case I ever need a spare. I hate to give up room in the under sofa compartment, and recall posts of some BF owners storing the spare on the roof. My question is how do you get it up and down, without marking up the BF body with tire or wheel scuffs? Those things are really Heavy!!
Do you use the ladder as a guide and use a rope to grunt it up or down? I use my front and rear trailer hitches for other stuff, mounting a spare there is a no go for me.
After winter retreats, I may crawl under the BF, and see if there is any way to mount a spare down there instead, amongst all the stuff already there. Weight low or forward is always better than strapping it up on top at the back, how much better could be questioned.

Ed,
I have a suggestion if you have space in cab-over not used for sleeping or entertainment center. Remove cushion, put spare in a corner, run lag-eye bolts into the plywood, then use nylon strapping to secure. Kim approved this.
Ralph

My spare tire went up with a tilted ladder and a rope. The strongest participant was lifting it up and the second one (not so strong) was just holding the rope.

I used this method for my previous BF (rear bath 350 chassis). Over a pothole it created very gentle movement like a passenger ship. With the current one (rear side bed 450 chassis) i have not experienced such "adventures".

PS I did not find a suitable place for spare tire under the rig. If you find it please share with us.

What about carrying the tire in front?
Pros and cons?
http://www.etrailer.com/fmr-2011_Ford_V ... RV+Cutaway

I have carried a spare tire and rim under the front side of the storage compartment under the Flexsteel sofa for a total of 13 years now, Luckily I have never had to use it but that is OK because it ise there if I ever need it. Its location there has never caused a shortage of storage space in my current 2002 BF 26' RSB.

Trying to get a really heavy spare tire up and down off of the roof could be dangerous in my opinion.

whemme wrote:I have carried a spare tire and rim under the front side of the storage compartment under the Flexsteel sofa for a total of 13 years now

Bill, I read before that you kept your spare there, but I thought it was an unmounted tire. Since my old tire is already mounted on a wheel, (I bought two new wheels with the tires) I do not plan to unmount it. Will it fit through the compartment door the way the wheel sticks above the tire sidewall? Weather cooperating, I will measure and try this soon. Just getting a mounted tire and wheel out of the back of my WRX was an effort, let alone 10 feet straight up.

The front hitch is reserved for my bicycle rack. I can really feel two bikes up there when I'm driving. That's with a 13 pound Kuat Alpha rack and lightweight (not ChinaMart) bikes. The spare tire and a holder would weigh far more, and there may be engine cooling concerns with a spare tire defecting the air too. The back hitch is reserved for heavier stuff and watercraft towing. We do use the overhead bunk too.

Ed and Beth,

I have posted a photo below of my spare tire on a Ford factory rim in the storage compartment under the Flexsteel sofa. You will notice that I actually store a folding two-step ladder above the spare tire with a section of carpet between to stop any rattle noises. So to answer your question is there enough room to fit the spare time installed on the rim, the answer is yes!

Only about 25% of the tire extends past the front edge of the compartment opening.

In the photo will also note a bunge cord supporting two of the rear legs of the ladder up against a sofa cross tube.

Like Bill Hemme I too store my spare tire and rim under the couch in exactly the same location. I store on top of the spare a small plastic table and a small lawn chair. Unlike Bill I had occasion to use my spare three months ago when I had a flat while passing through Cleveland, OH. I too think storing a spare on the roof can be dangerous. Especially if you are past 65 years of age!

For years I carried a mounted spare in the back of the toad, but this left litttle room for even a large order of groceries. So I unmounted the spare and tried to find room on the top, thinking that the road service guys are used to heavy jobs, and are usually innovative enough to figure out an impossible HOW. The trouble is that in the BFT there is not enough room to secure a mounted spare
or even an unmounted spare. So my decision was to continue the road service contract and if the road service guy can't fix the tire I would have him overfill the remaining dual and crawl into town with my hand on my wallet. If the flat is on the front, we always have that extra tire on the duals. My biggest worry now is what to do with the new spare tire and the wheel that takes up room in the barn. A dirty trick to leave that problem with the widow.

ED, you have a 26RSB as do I. I currently have one mounted spare on the front using a front hitch and a spare tire mount. Have not had any issues with heat, in fact didn't notice any change in the gauge at all after mounting the tire.

This also improved the front to back weight distribution. You may want to try this and figure a way to move the bikes to the back.

I also have an unmounted spare on the roof, tied down with a couple ratchet straps and covered with a tire cover.

Now..I am planning a summer trip to Alaska including traveling the Dalton Highway where it is recommended you have *2* mounted spares, so I am planning to get the roof spare mounted.

How to get it up and down?? I have just purchased a small winch that reportedly winds and unwinds and I am hoping that will solve the problem..should know in a few weeks after arrival of the winch and getting the tire mounted. Also, I may need to use a blanket or tarp to ease the move and prevent tire marks on the RV.

My spare mounts in the rear trailer hitch 2X2 box and still allows the hitch to be used for towing. I question the wisdom of carrying the tire on the roof. I wonderabout the effect on the stability with having that much weight up high on the vehicle.


Regards, Roger

I have a BFT, so can't put one on the back. Also I can't get one on and off the roof. So I have one mounted on the front using a front hitch and a spare tire mount. Have not had any over heating problems. It also seems to have helped with the front end handling.

TheBizMan wrote: It also seems to have helped with the front end handling.

My experience as well

I also would like to see such a video.
Or if not a video, a series of pictures loading the TIRE onto the roof would really be nice.

In my humble opinion, the BF Factory should make provisions for a Spare Tire.
And they should furnish a Spare on the new rigs!!
Maybe something like Lazy Daze MH with the Fiberglass Cover shown here.




Please note... Only the older LD motorhomes carried the Spare Tire here.
On the newer LD, it is all fake. The cover is still there and swings open with a hinge to expose the flush backside exterior of the MH.
When you buy a new LD, it does include a Spare Tire.
But the Spare is only stored loosely in one of the side compartments.
I went to the LD Factory in CA in 2011 and saw all this first hand.