Sure looks to me like spare tire will drag??

L

Lickitysplit

Member

• Oct 16, 2007

• #1

Anyone had a spare tire mounted underneath the Bighorns drag when pulling through a dip or low spot in the road ?? Sure looks like they would drag in certain situations. Thanking you in advance for any feedback!!
Jeff

 

jimtoo

Moderator

• Oct 16, 2007

• #2

I have been through some mighty big dips and humps and never have had mine drag. I did have it scrap slightly at a truck stop once when I was backing into a parking place and did not see a hole in the parking area about 2ft deep. It did not hurt anything, just kinda put some marks on the tire as it was gravel. I guess that's why no one else was parked there.

Jim

 

F

Forrest Fetherolf

Senior Member

• Oct 16, 2007

• #3

Jcrowl,

Pulled over 20K miles, didn't drag the spare or rear electric jacks. The jacks will make ground contact before the spare tire. Check the spare tire cross supports for excessive sag, Heartland replaced mine because of a 6" sag. Not a good design because of the span of the "L" metal cross supports, sagging two inches is probably normal.

Forrest

 

E

elwaller39

Evans & Lana

• Oct 16, 2007

• #4

Yes I have had our spare tire drag many times going through dips or I have my wife make sure the dip is not too deep that I will do damage to the coach and that is an issue for us. You may what to put a chain around the spare tire so you do not loss it going through a dip. Evans & Lana

 

R

RubiconAg

Active Member

• Oct 17, 2007

• #5

we had to pull ours off completely due to our drainage ditch at the front gate. Even at that we still have to put a 4x6 under the tires to lift rig so we don't drag the rear bumper. After the second time its easier now to locate where to place the board.

 

C

ChopperBill

Well-known member

• Oct 17, 2007

• #6

A few weeks ago we were on a serous boon docking trip and I had Renee follow me in on her ATV to check us out. Had to cross a huge berm and I radioed her to keep and eye out for the spare and it was no problem. I kept the TV in 4 low and just crept along. The Mor/ryde suspension worked awesome!

 

L

Lickitysplit

Member

• Oct 17, 2007

• #7

Thanks All, I think you answered all of my suspicions. We will be very cautious when we recieve our new Bighorn!!
Thanks again, Jeff

 

D

dieselengineer

Charter Member

• Oct 17, 2007

• #8

That is one the first mods I did was to relocate the spare to inside the front storage compartment. The off roading I do, the stock position the tire as getting hit. Was going to move it to a pocket in the under belly, however being inside out of the weather was better for the tire anyway. I was think about adding air bags, so when I get to a camping place, I would just inflate the bags, rise the coach, good ground clearance and also will take the bounce out after setup along with side to side leveling. Be a lot easier then driving on a board for ground clearance issues.

 

fhollan

Well-known member

• Oct 17, 2007

• #9

Mine has never dragged. However, earlier this year I noticed the spare was hanging uneven after a Michigan trip. We went through some bumpy construction areas. This caused one bolt to loosen up and the bracket to slightly bend. I couldn't even get the spare down. I tightened it up as much as possible, and had to let the dealer finish it when I had to get the rest of warranty work done. So now, if I encounter bumpy areas again, I keep an eye on the spare.

 

Oldlthrneck

Just an Old Jarhead

• Oct 29, 2007

• #10

We have been packing up and getting ready to leave, in the last few days. I crawled under the rig to check everything out and found the tire hanging about 3 inches down from the bracket and one of the bracket bolts loose. I tightened up the bracket and cinched the tire up snug. We are fulltiming and can't afford to lose the space in the storage compartment, but this is definitely one of the things I will keep an eye on while we are traveling.