Peter, thanks for the tip on Metalsupermarkets! I will be going right by the Burnsville store when I leave here so will check them out. Yep, with a flat the jack won't go under the axle at all.
Alaskaboy, no air brakes, no air compressor big enough for an impact wrench.
Kerry, did you get that gas powered impact wrench? If not, have you found a solution yet?
I went out this morning to remove the bad door latch from the camper and to put in the new one. Even though the key was broken off, it was just long enough that I could get a hold of it with a vise grip, which was good because the dead bold was locked. I unlocked that and just for fun tried to open the regular latch again. It opened normally! I couldn't believe it but was sure glad I tried it once more before destroying the lock! The only thing I can guess it that the other day when it wouldn't open I sprayed it with WD40. It didn't help any then but maybe it did after sitting for a day and a half! I think the new latch is heavier, it is the same brand but a different number series so maybe it is a better latch, so I might go ahead and replace it anyway.
I got one of the solar panels out today and looked at that to figure out how to mount them. I also tried to figure out where to mount the spare tire. I don't have anything under the bed on the passenger's side so thought about mounting it there. It seems like it should be easy to design a hinged platform with the hinge attached to the frame. With it lowered, the tire could be easily rolled and laid onto the platform and then the whole the whole thing raised up and secured with a chain or a latch of some kind. I was thinking I could make something out of angle iron and just bolt it together but my brother-in-law thought it should be welded together. Anyone have any thoughts about this? The only problem I see is that the tire sticks out beyond the edge of the camper by about 1 ½ or 2 inches. I don't think this is a real problem because the mirrors stick out a number of inches beyond that.
Another option would be to have some kind of a mount that would fit between the cab and the camper, there is just enough room there. I think I saw this on Expo sometime last year, but don't remember for sure. This would be more complicated and probably beyond my ability, and I am sure would require some welding (which I can't do). I might put an extra tire there (not mounted on a wheel). I did get Good Sam Emergency Road Service, it is $79 for the first year on a current special, so decided that was worth it. They will change tires for RVs, as well as mount the tire if needed.
The easiest solution for the spare would be to put it in the bike garage but I don't really want to give up that much space in there, as well as have to remove it every time I put the bike in or take it out. I will probably end up doing that for now as I am going to run out of time before I need to leave for California.
