3011DS Spare tire safety hazard
 

Has anyone had the wonderful experience of having to access their spare tire on a 2016 3011DS. In my opinion it is a safety hazard. The people at Forest River that decided to design its attachment to the chassis should be terminated. I wonder if anyone has been injured trying to access it to replace a flat.

THANKS AGAIN FOREST RIVER.

FR provides 1 yr of Coachnet. Ford provides roadside assistant as well. Most RV insurers offer roadside assistance as part of your policy. It is also easy to find “Road Rangers” and alike sponsored by some insurance companies. So with all that help available, why risk injury?

I agree with Duckogram although it probably doesn't help with your current/prior frustrations...A good roadside assistance service might even save marriages in certain situations ;)

I think I have read where some folks have modified it on the Forester with a hoist type of contraption. I'm sure some more experienced folks will chime in shortly.

So I guess you agree it's a bad design. No matter who has to take it off the 6" bar held by the 3/4" nut it's still a bad design. Oh by the way in some remote areas none of your road angels are available. Then what.

Thank you. I'd be very much interested in the modifications. Nothing like being out in the middle of no where with no cell signal and finding out that it takes 2 strong people to get your spare off of its attachment to the chassis. My fault. I should have investigated where the spare was before I had the problem. You know the old saying about hind sight. It still does not take Forest River off the hook for the bone head design.

Many of the other Class C manufacturers don't even give you a spare. I would rather have one difficult to access than none at all.

Wouldn't buy one without one. What good does it do if you have one and can't use it🤷*♂️

No, you guessed incorrectly. It is not convienient, that is a given. However it does the job it was intended to do. Now if you are seriously concerned and seek a solution, there are alternatives;

https://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ml#post1829879

Troy Engineered Components and Assemblies

Lippert (lci1.com) and Dorman (https://www.dormanproducts.com) make numerous winches that may be adapted.

If you are not serious and just want to dramatize, I enjoy reading that too. It’s cheap entertainment.

This is Good/Proper advice,cable lifts makes Lowering/Raising Spare Tires "EASY"!:signhavefun: Youroo!! :us-flag-waving:

No drama. Brought up the subject to stimulate conversation in case there are none of your angels available. Some of us who are capable of doing our own repairs rely on ourselves for these emergencies. There you go. Your second post, for those of us who don't want to rely on help to show up, is helpful. I will definitely take a look. Thank you. I'm glad I could bring some entertainment into your life.

Repurpose winch from GM SUV?
 

The GM SUVs (Yukon, Tahoe, Suburban) and full-size pickups have a spare tire winch. You might be able to pick one up fairly cheaply at a junkyard. Don't forget to take the tire tools from the vehicle, as they include the needed crank and extension.

When deciding how to mount it, don't forget to attach the crank and extensions so you can make sure they extend beyond the side/rear of the motorhome.

Larry

We don't have a spare on our Dynamax Isata 5. Kinda scary when you think about it. If we have a tire issue, what do u do? Tell them when u call that they have to bring a tire?

No, not that
 

No. You have to tell them when you call to come get your flat tire/wheel, take it into town and mount a new tire on it, balance it, and bring it back out to you.

Larry

2016 forester 3011DS spare
 

I have that year and model, I have seen where the spare tire is and how to access it. It is not practical at all. But if you think about it, do you actually carry a jack that can lift 3-4 tons? If so where do you put it? I carry an impact wrench capable of removing the nuts and removing the spare, but I have no means of lifting the unit. I am glad there is a spare and if need be I'll find some help even if I can't reach the 2 companies I have to do that for me...I did mention it to Forest River.

I had to do something. After Two flats and two roadside changes, the screw was stripped. I can see how. Hold the tire and cross bar up, you gets the nut on best you can. I added the winch not necessarily for my safety but for the safety of the roadside tech. It was scary watching them drop a 95lb tire.
IMHO Forest River can and should do better in this regard.

I have a 2014 Sunseeker with the cable/crank lifting setup that came as an option on it from FR. Easy-Peasy to lower and lift. Get you an adequate sized bottle jack and you are ready for roadside tire swaps. Just keep the jack in one of the basement compartments. I've probably changed tires on my class C units 5 times in the past years. Scariest part is the cars going by if you have to work on the driver's side.

I would love to see pictures on your setup if you ever get a chance. Was not told that it was an option.

X2

I bought a 12ton air assist bottle jack from Harbor Freight. Small. Air compressor I carry does an effortless job of jacking up the RV without me under it. Great investment.

First, consider yourself lucky that your rig came with a spare tire/rim. Probably half or more class c rigs don't come with one at all. That saved you $400.00 bucks or more out of your pocket.
As for it being a hazard...no more so than climbing up on your roof several times a year. Probably less as you may never need the spare. No, not easy to get it down, but with a bit of planning can be done saftely.
Now that you have your spare, your still not out of the woods. Do you have the proper tools/equipment to change a flat yourself. If your waiting on your roadside assistance, be aware that several of them will not change a flat if it's an inside dual tire thats flat.
Also, let me know how you fare in calling your roadside assistance and the time it takes them to arrive. Many areas of the "outback" areas of the US don't even have sell service. In Canada, Brit Col., and the Yukon...lots of luck trying to get cell service...very spotty at best. I have seen a rig with a flat wait for 2 days for a service to respond, stuck on the roadside in the Yukon.
We carry a spare tire/rim, 20 ton bottle jack with a proper axle saddle, a 1/2 inch drive 600 ft lb battery impact wrench, a compressor if needed, and this 70 year old senior can change a flat and be on our way in 30-45 minutes. I've used the equipment to help several stranded rv'ers who were sitting on the side of the road waiting for help because they had a spare, but no equipment to mount it.
Your either fully prepared for a roadside problem, or your not.
Grumpy