I have been asked to post pics about this and as the original request was on the “what have I done to my camper” post which is already gargantuan in size, I will summarize here and link it there.
To start off, I wanted to add a spare tire (yes I am a belt and suspenders guy) but was afraid to put another one on the rear bumper due to weight issues and the bumpers thin construction. There is already a tire there and a bbq grill setup. This bal unit looked like a good fit. Since the tire is only located on the curb side, the street side was wide open. After measuring and searching, I found the cart that dimensionally would fit and had the right amount of holding capacity (my tanks are 35 gal x3 and this cart has a 42 gal capacity). Location of the bal was not perfect but it was the only location I could use. Too far aft and it would drag on through dips or bumps. Immediately behind the axles is the grey/black water storage and way forward was the fresh water tank. That left immediately in front of the axles. I got the bal unit that was designed for i beam frames and a sealed bottom. When totally assembled, the bal squishes the tire and the waste tank up into the coroplast.
Install....
The bal kit supplied me with a bag full of self tapping screws which would make the install very quick with a drill/driver but I worried about the screws backing out with time and vibration. I used washered bolts with nylock nuts. Figured that was the most stable setup. Had to drop the coroplast to verify all pipe, wire, and tank clearance. It also was necessary for tightening the bolts. Resecured the coroplast and assembled the unit. The waste tank does not weigh much and I think the bal unit would hold it just fine, but I chose ratcheting straps to fully secure the whole assembly to the bottom. Astute observers will notice the tank is actually sitting on the front axle, something I don’t travel with. Last fall during winterization, I dropped the tank to verify no liquids. When done I just slammed it back up there and called it good. Will drop it down this week and readjust it about 8” forward.
Concerns...
My biggest concern was the proximity to the axles and tires. Would a blowout take the whole assembly out? I honestly don’t know but with the upgrade of hardware I may still add the self tappers later in extra holes just in case. Either way, the assembly could fall whatever position on the trailer and being in front of the axles, the tires should at least chew up and soften the pieces before they come out the back.
. In all seriousness, it is very stable with the straps and I don’t lose sleep over it. I have watched the attach bolts and cannot detect any movement on their part. I have never seen one of these fall. I have seen plenty of rear bumpers fail though due to excess weight.
The waste tote has a depth of 10” as one of the pics shows. It fits just snugly against the coroplast.
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