Check your spare tires

[Dave&Ginny]

When I left home 1300 miles ago, I checked the spare tires and it was up tight against the carrier. Today I noticed that it had unwound a little so the tire has actually dropped about 5 inches. If I hadn't seen this, I'm sure over time I would have lost the spare tire.

I think I'm going to figure out a safety chain to put on the tire.

[AlanN]

Dave, I'm getting a quote for a custom box from my knapheide dealer which will ride between the wheel wells/hitch and the front of the bed. My thought is to store both spares in there if they'll both fit. Clean and dry and nothing to work its way loose. I try to have at least one good idea a year and ordering this low-profile Knapheide utility bed may be the one for 2014! I'm loving the tool and photo gear storage!

[Marilyn H]

Originally Posted by Dave&Ginny

When I left home 1300 miles ago, I checked the spare tires and it was up tight against the carrier. Today I noticed that it had unwound a little so the tire has actually dropped about 5 inches. If I hadn't seen this, I'm sure over time I would have lost the spare tire.

I think I'm going to figure out a safety chain to put on the tire.

We just discovered yesterday that our G spare tire is gone! No idea where if came out - we only drove 200 mi.

Just wanted to ping this thread so others are aware of the issue and take appropriate measures - I sure will!

[NW Snowbirds]

We replaced the spare tire winch under warranty in July. On the next trip out the winch started to unwind twice and drop the tire. Twice we were flagged over by passing motorists and caught the problem before the tire and wheel hit the pavement. I will fashion a spare tire retainer from cargo straps to install before the next trip.

Did your cable break or was the metal retainer still mounted to the cable meaning only the tire is missing? Or was the entire winch assembly gone? We reported on the other forum that the winch was only fastened to the steel framework with two 1/4" x 20 mild steel bolts and IMHO as an engineer, that is insufficient to suppot 70+ lbs of wheel and tire bouncing down the rough highways. I replaced the fasteners with larger size grade 8 bolts and nuts.

One other possibility that has happened on another RW is that the entire steel frame which bridges the winch to the coach frame has broken loose. The cause is the self tapping bolts that attach the carrier frame were over torqued when assembled and the heads break off of the bolts from stress and vibration. I know of one unit where the frame detached from one side going down the highway. Is your cross frame still attached? The solution to this is to drill out and remove some of the 16 self tapping bolts and replace with nuts and bolts.

[Marilyn H]

We only lost the spare tire and luckily no damage was caused underneath. The winch did come loose once before and we had been monitoring it, but it was one of those things that we apparently missed on the day it went missing.

[Dave&Ginny]

I'm sorry to hear that you lost $500 somewhere on the road. I sure hope nobody got hurt behind you. Like the NW Snowbirds said, the screws holding the steel frame that the winch is attached to is only being held up to the frame with cheep self tapping screws. A couple of mine were already broken off. These need to be replaced with much stronger bolts.

[Dean]

hi dave. could you please give me a calli have some questions about the wheel bearings and brakes on your rv. having issues with my bearings.thanks dean 908 482 3334

[GWHoll]

We just picked up our 2012 36FL this morning from the dealer. We saw that the spare was up in its spot when we left. Got down the highway about 30 miles and someone pulls up beside me rolls down their window and tells me "hey you lost your spare tire a while back." Great - had know idea where, so did not try to go look. Just hope someone behind me did not get hit or hit it. Does not appear to be any damage under the rig. Dealer claims they will replace. Hope this is not a sign of things to come.

[mhs4771]

They're not easy to get off, So something must have broke or it wasn't mounted as it should have been. We put 35000 on our '11 36RL including the Alaska Highway and Top Of The World Highway, and 12000 on our '16 36MB including all over Newfoundland and spare hasn't moved.

[Ford truck guy]

I noticed that after my first couple of trips , mine was about 1" lower... I tightened it up and never had to touch it again...

[Rick and Mindy]

I seem to remember a couple of years ago several owners switched out the mounting self-tapping screws to bolts because someone's spare mount had fallen out from under their rig. I have checked mine and the self-tapping screws seem to be holding fine. They are put in at an angle, not sure if that has anything to do with it.

[Shane Wood]

When I first got mine home from a 200 mile drive it was loose and down about 2" I tightened back up and has been good in the last 6000 we have put on it

[Dave&Ginny]

With the Redwood, mine would vibrate loose and slowly lower while traveling. So I would check it with the rest of the tires a couple times a day. You could also put a safety chain on the spare to prevent it from dropping too far.

Another thing to watch are the screws themselves that hold the spare tire carrier in place. I had almost all the self taping screws break over time.

[Jeff&Karen39MB]

I read the post awhile back in Florida, was getting a clunking when walking across floor and looked at mine, found some already broken, drilled them out, removed all self tapping and replaced with stainless nuts and bolts, so I figured it was a matter of time before a problem.
If those self tappers come loose, the movement of travel will snap the heads off, and where one goes so goes the others.

[Geo9350]

I have been reading thru a lot of posts on here and I have learned so much from you all. Reading this thread I wondered out to the RV since I still have it on the street getting it ready to park it till I can buy some tires and rims, anyway looking at the tire rack up under the RV is empty right now because the spare is on with the other three tires, blew two so far. I looked at the bolts holding the bracket to the frame and sure enough three had the heads broke off. So off to the store I went and bought new bolts and nylocks, 18 each, two for the real and 16 for the bracket. Wow that was fun, took me hrs to get the broke ones out so I could put in new bolts. But I am very thankful to Dave and Ginny for posting this a long time ago and all those that responded to it. This forum is a wealth of information, you can learn so much on here from all the experience you all have. Thank you all so much.

[gvtahoe88]

Originally Posted by Rick and Mindy

I seem to remember a couple of years ago several owners switched out the mounting self-tapping screws to bolts because someone's spare mount had fallen out from under their rig. I have checked mine and the self-tapping screws seem to be holding fine. They are put in at an angle, not sure if that has anything to do with it.

They are at an angle because the guy could not drill a straight hole. Just some more great craftsmanship by these ding dongs that build these things. Would people buy any other product with so many problems as RVS have???

[mhs4771]

For a number of years we were buying cars that weren't much better, until Foreign competition forced them to change or go out of business.

[spindrift]

Originally Posted by mhs4771

For a number of years we were buying cars that weren't much better, until Foreign competition forced them to change or go out of business.

Have I told you I have my first shipment of Korean RVs being unloaded from their containers in Long Beach?

And yes, I'm taking that idea to Shark Tank, so hands off!

[Shane Wood]

Originally Posted by spindrift

Have I told you I have my first shipment of Korean RVs being unloaded from their containers in Long Beach?

And yes, I'm taking that idea to Shark Tank, so hands off!

Tom
Are you guys in ca

[spindrift]

No, Shane, we're in Kentucky but I did some work in the area some time ago.