Under trailer spare tire storage

[Poison Ivy]

Hello, this is my first post. I have ordered a Surveyor Lux 267rbss with an under trailer spare carrier. Anybody have anything good or bad to say about this feature. I hope it doesn't hang too low and reduce my ground clearance. I'm following the script for rv ownership. Tent camping... pop up camper... hybrid trailer (Jayco x23b) and now to a hard sided trailer. I think I'll not go forward to a 5er or motorhome, but who knows? My Cincinnati dealer said 7 weeks so I'm really excited. Any good camping close to Cincy?

[5picker]

I don't have your unit but my last two 5th wheels have had the spare mounted underneath. The first one towards the front and the current towards the rear.

No issues whatsoever.

[Capt. Mike]

Originally Posted by Poison Ivy

Hello, this is my first post. I have ordered a Surveyor Lux 267rbss with an under trailer spare carrier. Anybody have anything good or bad to say about this feature. I hope it doesn't hang too low and reduce my ground clearance. I'm following the script for rv ownership. Tent camping... pop up camper... hybrid trailer (Jayco x23b) and now to a hard sided trailer. I think I'll not go forward to a 5er or motorhome, but who knows? My Cincinnati dealer said 7 weeks so I'm really excited. Any good camping close to Cincy?

If the spare tire is far enough forward (preferably in front of or immediately behind the axles), you won't have a problem with it. If it is very close to the rear bumper, it could pose a problem hitting the pavement once in a while when the trailer is on a short downhill grade.

Good campgrounds near Cincy? Try Little Farm on the River in Rising Sun, Indiana.

Little Farm RV Resort

[clarkbre]

No issues here. Mine is mounted about under the entry door ahead of the axles. No ground clearance issues at all.

[DustyRoads]

I have one. Surveyor uses only the one for underbellies that are not enclosed. So if your underbelly is enclosed it hangs below versus sitting on top.
It damage the side wall of my spare after 2 years. I had to replace my spare last year. Dealer attempted to make modifications. That didn't help. I checked tire and it started to have marks like last spare.
So I called Surveyor they say no one else has complained. I then called BAL they say it can be mounted that way also received no complaints. I have ordered the correct brackets and will be installing.
Once I complete it I will be sending Surveyor before and after pictures and pictures of the sidewall of my tire. I don't think they will be of any help. Big design flaw by Surveyor.

[SlowrideHD]

Originally Posted by Poison Ivy

Hello, this is my first post. I have ordered a Surveyor Lux 267rbss with an under trailer spare carrier. Anybody have anything good or bad to say about this feature. I hope it doesn't hang too low and reduce my ground clearance. I'm following the script for rv ownership. Tent camping... pop up camper... hybrid trailer (Jayco x23b) and now to a hard sided trailer. I think I'll not go forward to a 5er or motorhome, but who knows? My Cincinnati dealer said 7 weeks so I'm really excited. Any good camping close to Cincy?

I have stayed at Eastfork State park about 25 miles east of Cincinnati. It's a huge park that the state has let run down a lot. It has a lot of pretty campsites with good electric but only water hydrants spaced around a couple places on each loop. They have a very limited number of full hook up sites.

[eaglecrest]

I have previous experience with twin axle front tire hitting something and it blew. The second either hit the same object or couldn't take the weight and blew as well. Learned then and there you need two spares. I have an under carriage carrier and I moved it to the left side and went on Amazon and bought a second and mounted it on the right side. Well worth the cost if you have a problem like I had.

[Jerseygirl9889]

Originally Posted by Poison Ivy

Hello, this is my first post. I have ordered a Surveyor Lux 267rbss with an under trailer spare carrier. Anybody have anything good or bad to say about this feature. I hope it doesn't hang too low and reduce my ground clearance. I'm following the script for rv ownership. Tent camping... pop up camper... hybrid trailer (Jayco x23b) and now to a hard sided trailer. I think I'll not go forward to a 5er or motorhome, but who knows? My Cincinnati dealer said 7 weeks so I'm really excited. Any good camping close to Cincy?

We have the 267rbss. We have had no issues with cleaeance and it is located between the pass through storage and trailer axles.

[tahoe1840]

I liked the idea of mounting the spare under the rig so much I fabricated a lift and installed it under the front of our 5th wheel. The tire rides higher then the axcel so there is no problem at all. By mounting underneath it reduced the overall length of our rig by over 12" which has made the difference twice so far in our travels. Previously the spare was mounted on the flimsy rear bumper.

[debit]

I agree with "Dusty", and removed my spare tire before it was damaged.
Instead, I bought a spare tire holder that mounts to the back bumper, but have not used it. Currently, I carry the spare in the back of my truck, just like I carry the spare for my boat trailer.
I could not every imagine crawling under the TT to retrieve the spare tire.
So yes, a bad design by Surveyor.

p.s. nice weather at Tahoe - snow!

…………………..
Ram 2500 / FR Surveyor251rks

[Jfkmk]

I watched the rv guys struggle with my under-the-frame spare when installing my WDH and decided I would keep it in my front pass thru storage area. It was a pain to getter spare off.

[Poison Ivy]

Thanks to all for the discussion. I called my dealer in Cincy to remove the rear rack and tire carrier from my build order. He said it was too late to do that because my 267rbss has been built. I'm just waiting for the call to schedule the pick-up and pdi and of course write the big check. I guess i'll just live with the design flaw, but it will bug the crap out of me. FYI-- my build time was right at 30 days.

[billydan91]

I was messing with the tire mount realizing they used the model designed for trailers without underbellies. It’s kind of a pain to get the tire off and it looks like the side walls are damaged. My dealer said that’s how they come and to try and call forest river.

[DustyRoads]

Originally Posted by billydan91

I was messing with the tire mount realizing they used the model designed for trailers without underbellies. It’s kind of a pain to get the tire off and it looks like the side walls are damaged. My dealer said that’s how they come and to try and call forest river.

Good luck with that!! Neither Surveyor or BAL thought it was a problem. So I am trying to inform as many people as possible.

[Capt. Mike]

Originally Posted by billydan91

I was messing with the tire mount realizing they used the model designed for trailers without underbellies. It’s kind of a pain to get the tire off and it looks like the side walls are damaged. My dealer said that’s how they come and to try and call forest river.

Whether that's how they come or not, if the tire is damaged and the unit is still under warranty, the dealer needs to call Forest River.