How did you build your rear mounted spare tire holder

[alan H]

I have a perris pacer that came with a tongue mounted spare. I have seen pics of some rear mounted tires . Are these a factory option or self designed. I currently care the spare under the perm rear bed to help lower tongue weight . This loses a tremendous amount of storage. The rear bumper is a fiberglass material so i was looking for some ideas as many units appear to have the tire mounted to the fiberglass shell.
I have called scamp but they have never returned my calls. If anyone has done this or ordered a bracket that mounts above the bumper i woild greatly appreciate any advice or pic

[papa-t]

Our Scamp has the tire mounted on the rear with three bolts. You can purchase one from Scamp parts; Spare Tire Bracket & Nuts $22.00 plus shipping. You would just have to drill the holes in the rear. The plate would be mounted from the inside with the bolts sticking through to the rear. Of course you would need to use some sealant also. Hope this helps.

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by alan H

I have seen pics of some rear mounted tires . Are these a factory option or self designed.

Most spare tires come mounted on the rear of the fiberglass body from the factory as standard equipment. Many thru-hull bolts are attached through a large plywood piece to provide stiffness and strength so that the bolts don't rip through the fiberglass. This is all done under the "rat fur" or "elephant skin" or whatever your interior wall covering material is. The one papa-t references is a pretty standard design.

[Donna D.]

Yeppers. Frederick is correct. The rear end of my Scamp has a big ole piece of plywood fiberglassed in and the spare tire piece that papa-t referenced is bolted through that piece.

What you don't want is a spare hanging off a wimpy bumper. Every bump you'd hit causes the spare to move back and forth and that in turn could cause the bumper/frame to flex enough to develop cracks.

[papa-t]

I havn't seen behind the rat fur. So I certainly wouldn't want you to mess anything up. So the one pictured could be used against the FG with the plate I would guess. Scamp could answer that question for shure.

[mary and bob]

I would build something off the trailer frame if possible. Like a rear receiver, attached to at least 2 frame members. Attaching through the fiberglass without adequate molded in reinforcement doesn't sound very good to me. Just my opinion. Our tow vehicle, a Honda CRV, has an outside mounted spare, so the trailer spare fits in the Honda inside spare well. Was there a problem with the tongue weight with the tire on the tongue?

[Thinh]

...Here is mine, self made for a 1300Trillium, just a share...

[alan H]

Wow.....how did anyone ever figure out what I was talking about with all of the misspelled wording in the title. Anyway thanks to all for your quick response. Has anyone over used the bracket that Papa t suggested and mounted it thru a board on top of the ensolite without fiberglassing it in...in other words just sandwiching the fiberglass between the tire on the outside and the wood/bracket on the inside

[RogerDat]

Originally Posted by alan H

Wow.....how did anyone ever figure out what I was talking about with all of the misspelled wording in the title. Anyway thanks to all for your quick response. Has anyone over used the bracket that Papa t suggested and mounted it thru a board on top of the ensolite without fiberglassing it in...in other words just sandwiching the fiberglass between the tire on the outside and the wood/bracket on the inside

Don't know the Perris Pacer but if you have brackets screwed into the back for a swing down dining table that becomes a bed you probably have a piece of wood under the ensolite. Might be worth checking.

You could consider putting the wood under the ensolite in the back so that the wood is hidden. I have not found it too hard to work ensolite loose from the wall using a plastic and a metal putty knife/scraper at least in the pieces I removed to re-do front bunk mount. Pretty easy to glue back when done, helps if you don't totally remove it from the wall. Just peel to were you need access, with some ensolite still attached to wall it avoids ensolite contracting so you have to glue it back in sections stretching as you go.

I think you need the wood to be large enough to spread the load out over a broad area.

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by alan H

Has anyone over used the bracket that Papa t suggested and mounted it thru a board on top of the ensolite without fiberglassing it in...in other words just sandwiching the fiberglass between the tire on the outside and the wood/bracket on the inside

I haven't used the bracket, but I have used the technique you describe for other heavy applications. It works just fine- the purpose of the plywood is to strengthen/ spread the load over the fiberglass- "glassing on" doesn't really provide any more strength.

Do be sure to use through bolts/nuts and not just wood screws, though- and squinch 'em up well.

[papa-t]

Thats why I love this forum. One persons opinion leads to "been there done that" suggestions. The plywood would certainly be of great importance to stablize the structure. I just assumed that plywood was at the rear due to the dinette area. If it's not you would need it as suggested above. Good luck.

[Donna D.]

The plywood piece on the back of my Scamp is about a foot square. Since it's under the reflectix and the rat fur... I can't see it, but if I run my hand over the rear I can feel it. I can't imagine there's any reason for it being fiberglass to the body other than the fact it keeps it from moving. If you think you'd be happy having it exposed... it should work just as well as being fiberglassed and hidden. Done right, it wouldn't be Fugly... maybe add a magazine holder (etc.) to it at the same time... like you did it on purpose?

[RogerDat]

And there is always paint or stain to go with interior that works with the suggestion that Donna made on adding an accessory to the wood so it looks like it is all by design.

You might want to consider a double layer of plywood. One closest to the wall with holes for bolts and the plate, a second over that to act as a "cap" that hides the hardware.

[floyd]

If your Perris Pacer has 4-bolt wheels, you will need a bracket with two mounting bolts instead of the three shown in the late model Scamp part.
They may have the old style, but it would be easy and much cheaper just to fabricate your own.
They do make a ready made bumper mount bracket, but it would require bumper modification braced to an extra frame crossmember.

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by floyd

... 4-bolt wheels, you will need a bracket with two mounting bolts instead of the three shown in the late model Scamp part.

They do make a ready made bumper mount bracket, but it would require bumper modification braced to an extra frame crossmember.

My Fiber Stream uses 4-bolt wheels, and it is raised for extra ground clearance, so a below frame spare mount works for me using one of the simple brackets Floyd mentioned. It is quite long in that the bracket was designed to go around a 4" hollow bumper in addition to through the tire's lug holes.


It's just a U-bolt with 2 lug nuts. After these pictures were taken I had it welded to the center frame member, though it functions without being welded.

[Tom Jefferies]

Hello Thinh
Thanks for the photos of your Trillium 1300 frame. I know my inquiry was not about the spare tire mount but somehow that is what the discussion thread went to.
I am interested more in your frame photos. It looks very different than my 1973. Yours looks like the back section has been modified to fit your trailing arm suspension.
With my original frame I have opted to keep the leading arm configuration on my new axle.
That way the axle fits the frame and the wheels will line up with the wheel wells.
I will post updates as the project progresses.

[Thinh]

Originally Posted by Tom Jefferies

Hello Thinh
Thanks for the photos of your Trillium 1300 frame. I know my inquiry was not about the spare tire mount but somehow that is what the discussion thread went to.
I am interested more in your frame photos. It looks very different than my 1973. Yours looks like the back section has been modified to fit your trailing arm suspension.
With my original frame I have opted to keep the leading arm configuration on my new axle.
That way the axle fits the frame and the wheels will line up with the wheel wells.
I will post updates as the project progresses.

..For your references:


http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ium-62234.html

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by Tom Jefferies

Hello Thinh
Thanks for the photos of your Trillium 1300 frame. I know my inquiry was not about the spare tire mount but somehow that is what the discussion thread went to.
I am interested more in your frame photos. It looks very different than my 1973. Yours looks like the back section has been modified to fit your trailing arm suspension.
With my original frame I have opted to keep the leading arm configuration on my new axle.
That way the axle fits the frame and the wheels will line up with the wheel wells.
I will post updates as the project progresses.

Tom, You have a very unique frame on your Trillium. I have come across other leading swing arm suspensions on a Trillium. They were all made of bent plate welded in pieces, none, other then yours has a bent 3x2 square tube member to transition from the kitchen floor to the dinette floor. The vast majority of them have two 3x2 square tubes that are stacked and welded together. The mold of your trailers lower half would have been unique to that frame, since the transition is sloped vs. the sharp, square transition that almost every other Trillium has.

I personally have one of the bent plate frames, and a couple of the square tube frames. I will try to get pictures of them tonight.

I am hoping I can convince you to add your trailer to the Trillium serial number list:
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...tml#post680419

That way your frame design can be put into context with the other designs.

There are also earlier designs that, I think, used 3x3 square tube, and the rear bumper was a bolt on design.

I have attached a picture of your frame, from your album, for comparison to the pictures I plan to post.


I have also attached a couple of drawing of a Trillium 4500 frame, that I posted in this thread:
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ium-49133.html
This shows the more common kitchen floor to dinette floor transition.