Spare tire carrier under rear end.

[perryg114]

Would it cause a disturbance it the Airstream Force if I put a spare tire carrier under the rear of my trailer where there is lots of room since it is a center bath model it is relatively unloaded compared the the rear bath models? I picked up a spare rim and tire for $106 at a local trailer place. I don't know that I would run it full time but it beats the heck out of running on three wheels. It came with a D rated 225/75-D15 trailer tire.

Next question is where to find a carrier or do I need to make one.

Perry

[sandlapper]

It would be low, might drag it off, especially on a 31'. Front would be better. Ours is up in a "well" at the front end, in a carrier. If you don't have the well, back of the TV may be best bet. John

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by perryg114

Would it cause a disturbance it the Airstream Force if I put a spare tire carrier under the rear of my trailer where there is lots of room since it is a center bath model it is relatively unloaded compared the the rear bath models? I picked up a spare rim and tire for $106 at a local trailer place. I don't know that I would run it full time but it beats the heck out of running on three wheels. It came with a D rated 225/75-D15 trailer tire.

Next question is where to find a carrier or do I need to make one.

Perry

Don't do that.

The ground clearance will go south.

Spare tire carriers already exist, that fit very neatly underneath the front end of the trailer, and made by Airstream, that do not change the ground clearance.

Andy

[overlander63]

If you don't have the one in front, it's relatively easy to install. Most Airstream dealers sell the carrier, all you would have to do is cut the belly pan between the A-frame and front crossmember, and put the aluminum up against the floor and bolt the carrier in place. Yes, the crossmembers already have the threaded holes in hem.

[perryg114]

Well the same clearance problem will exist if the tire is located in the front will it not? Either way you have to remove the skin and make a pocket for it to fit in. The skins are already off in the rear right now and that is the reason I want to put it back there. I can't see it sticking down much below the original skin level. The tire would fit almost all the way to the floor between the beds.


Perry

[Alumaholic]

I am surprised Andy didn't mention the risks associated with hanging anything that far aft on a vintage 31.'
There is no frame to speak of back there. The floor is literally supported by the shell, I believe.
A heavy spare that far back could cause frame separation and tail droop.
Imagine the floor as a long lever arm, with the fulcrum at the axle. Every jolt and jar would be tearing the floor assembly from the shell.
Let's see if Andy will confirm, or deny, this observation.
P.S. I've seen folks destroy their Airstreams by attaching big storage boxes and generator storage racks to their rear bumpers.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Alumaholic

I am surprised Andy didn't mention the risks associated with hanging anything that far aft on a vintage 31.'
There is no frame to speak of back there. The floor is literally supported by the shell, I believe.
A heavy spare that far back could cause frame separation and tail droop.
Imagine the floor as a long lever arm, with the fulcrum at the axle. Every jolt and jar would be tearing the floor assembly from the shell.
Let's see if Andy will confirm, or deny, this observation.
P.S. I've seen folks destroy their Airstreams by attaching big storage boxes and generator storage racks to their rear bumpers.

Mounting anything on the rear? HECK NO, PERIOD.

The spare tire mounted in the front, cannot possibly lower the front clearance, since the tire itself, sits on a platform, that pushes the tire against the bottom of the interior floor.

The underbelly is cut out within the A-frame. That metal is then fastened to the bottom of the floor. Sealing with Vulkem is a must.

When done correctly, if the font of the tralier is on the ground, without a jack, you still cannot touch the tire carrier with the ground.

Andy

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by perryg114

Well the same clearance problem will exist if the tire is located in the front will it not? Either way you have to remove the skin and make a pocket for it to fit in. The skins are already off in the rear right now and that is the reason I want to put it back there. I can't see it sticking down much below the original skin level. The tire would fit almost all the way to the floor between the beds.


Perry

The spare is supposed to go at the A-frame. The tongue jack base and WD brackets will be torn off before the spare tire carrier contcts the ground.

[perryg114]

Mine is an 81. I have a full box beam and no bathroom and no holding tanks back there. I am probably 1000lb lighter back there than the rear bath models with the same frame. The 70's model 31's had just a single C-Channel beam instead of a full box beam. It was just an idea guys.

Perry

Originally Posted by Alumaholic

I am surprised Andy didn't mention the risks associated with hanging anything that far aft on a vintage 31.'
There is no frame to speak of back there. The floor is literally supported by the shell, I believe.
A heavy spare that far back could cause frame separation and tail droop.
Imagine the floor as a long lever arm, with the fulcrum at the axle. Every jolt and jar would be tearing the floor assembly from the shell.
Let's see if Andy will confirm, or deny, this observation.
P.S. I've seen folks destroy their Airstreams by attaching big storage boxes and generator storage racks to their rear bumpers.

[bobnmary]

it would be fine, since you have the belly skin off already, just make a bracket out of some old angle iron and weld it between the frames. btw, i see you are in new market. i am in opelika.

ps. some of these guys are a little intense. i think some of them might be yankees. i was at desoto s.p. last week, it was ok but too many people.

[sandlapper]

Do yourself a favor, buy the carrier,mount it under the front, out of the way, could even help with tongue weight.
ps. South Carolina was the first state to succede from the Union (and the first to sign the Declaration of Independence)

[wolf146]

you mean "secede" !! wolf146

[Not Done]

Um, I'd be slow to ignor the advice of those with over 10,000 posts and have essentially made their careers around Airstream.

[sandlapper]

Wise man once said, " If you're gonna be stupid, ya better be tough"

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by sandlapper

Do yourself a favor, buy the carrier,mount it under the front, out of the way, could even help with tongue weight.

Perry,

We have never had a clearance problem with the front carrier on the Classic.
IMO that would be the way to go.

Bob

[Aviator]

Am I understanding some of the above posts correctly in that the front carrier position does not impact ground clearance? My drive is rather steep, and I find I need to lower the tension on the WD in order to raise the rear enough to not scrape when backing up the drive. However, if I lower it too much, the safety chains scrape where they cross under the front of the A frame.

I have a spare mount, but have not mounted it due to concern of getting hung up on the spare and carrier.

In this scenario, would installing the spare carrier in the factory position result in a ground contact issue?

[Aage]

If it did, you could just hop out, remove the spare, hop back in, and park.

[perryg114]

I still might do this as an interim thing because I just got through rehabing the rear end and it is ready to put a tire carrier back there. The front mount position might be better but I don't have 2 months to pull the skins, pull all the pink nasty stuff out, POR15 the frame etc. etc. etc. I have a spare that I would rather not put in my tow vehicle.

Ok let me ask you this, where do I get a tire carrier or do I just make one?

Perry

[Aage]

Originally Posted by perryg114

Ok let me ask you this, where do I get a tire carrier or do I just make one?

Perry

Any parts stocking AS dealer either has it, or can get it for you.

[Aviator]

New, a tire carrier cost approx. $150 plus shipping from an Airstream dealer. I did have some quotes higher than that when I was looking.