mep1811
Gentleman Adventurer
I've had mine underneath like that for years and it has never caused an issue with clearance.
Spare tire carrier
- Thread starter lost-adventurer
- Start date
I've had mine underneath like that for years and it has never caused an issue with clearance.
Looks like single mount point, meaning jus the bottom. Be sure the frame is strong enough to support it when open, I would guess the back bumper would need to be 4X4 and 120 wall to survive over the long haul. You have a short angle for departure with the trailer so the tire really should not be a problem.
The most common area of a trailer hitting is on the rear bumper. But some of these pictures with the tires under the front of the trailer and hanging down a good 10 inches looks to be disaster waiting to happen.
You will most likely notice it back there, counter with your battery in the front. I would not do it with water, as when you leave it tows fine, when empty not so much. It appears to be a pretty small trailer, so counter weighting should be fairly easy.
I have never been a fan of the tailgate type, after my first one. It gets in the way, people run into them in the night, for me it was just a giant PIA. But with the size of the trailer, you did not have a lot of options. This is far better than one off the trailer hitch, you add more in the way on departure.
It looks good, hope it works like you want it to.
The most common area of a trailer hitting is on the rear bumper. But some of these pictures with the tires under the front of the trailer and hanging down a good 10 inches looks to be disaster waiting to happen.
You will most likely notice it back there, counter with your battery in the front. I would not do it with water, as when you leave it tows fine, when empty not so much. It appears to be a pretty small trailer, so counter weighting should be fairly easy.
I have never been a fan of the tailgate type, after my first one. It gets in the way, people run into them in the night, for me it was just a giant PIA. But with the size of the trailer, you did not have a lot of options. This is far better than one off the trailer hitch, you add more in the way on departure.
It looks good, hope it works like you want it to.
lost-adventurer
Lost and loving it...
Thank you. The counter in front is my ARB 30Q fridge and ArkPak.
I'm seriously considering the under frame spare tire mount too. If I shift it back between the tongue rails I can keep about 15" of ground clearance. For some that may not be enough but I've never encountered a situation where it would be an issue. Worse case would be removing it temporarily if I had too to clear an obstacle.
http://aspenxtrails.com/videos/
See Carveacre Trail video.
This shows numerous areas where the tongue of the trailer hits, front cross bar hits and rear bumper hits. 35 inch tires, roughly 20 inches of clearance. I have ripped holes in my water tank before I put skids under it.
Now I use my tear drop differently than most do, but we do call these things expedition trailers, IE going where no man/trailer has gone before. Hanging down under the trailer on this particular trail would have destroyed the tire or pretty much any tie down system for it. I feel the lowest area should always be the axle, and with a torsion axle it is within 4 inches of the bottom of the trailer.
Trails I know would be a problem would be the Rubicon, John Bull, Carvacre, certain areas of Kokopellie(Rose Garden Hill). And a lot around Moab. Keep the under part clean, the departure angle clear/great and you have a very useable trailer pretty much any where I think.
I know our trailers on the west coast require different things, but not building for the absolute worst possible scenario limits the use of the trailer. Living in Missouri, Tennessee and South Carolina for a time I learned that I needed narrower trailers, quicker turning radius and light weight due to trees. We do not have those problems out here so much.
See Carveacre Trail video.
This shows numerous areas where the tongue of the trailer hits, front cross bar hits and rear bumper hits. 35 inch tires, roughly 20 inches of clearance. I have ripped holes in my water tank before I put skids under it.
Now I use my tear drop differently than most do, but we do call these things expedition trailers, IE going where no man/trailer has gone before. Hanging down under the trailer on this particular trail would have destroyed the tire or pretty much any tie down system for it. I feel the lowest area should always be the axle, and with a torsion axle it is within 4 inches of the bottom of the trailer.
Trails I know would be a problem would be the Rubicon, John Bull, Carvacre, certain areas of Kokopellie(Rose Garden Hill). And a lot around Moab. Keep the under part clean, the departure angle clear/great and you have a very useable trailer pretty much any where I think.
I know our trailers on the west coast require different things, but not building for the absolute worst possible scenario limits the use of the trailer. Living in Missouri, Tennessee and South Carolina for a time I learned that I needed narrower trailers, quicker turning radius and light weight due to trees. We do not have those problems out here so much.
lost-adventurer
Lost and loving it...
Last weekend I completed the White Rim trail with the trailer. Putting the tire under the trailer would have been a disaster. We climbed rocks, went down steep embankments too. Even with the 33's, the spare would have dragged several times.
While I'm NO ! where near the build point many folks are I too see an issue with the tire under the trailer... I envision my draw bar/tongue in the dirt often. I'm quite positive that I'll be wanting more departure angle also so the rear bumper will be almost a skid system as well. I guess if one knew all the places they were going all the time & the roads were without drops & tight break-over angles then maybe, but where's the adventure in the... I also subscribe to the single spare one size fits all thought... the plug kit for me would be a "have to" with one spare or ten... I hate changing tires. Hell I've used them to drive on the Baja...
Curtis in Texas
Adventurer
I have been planning on building a swing out tire carrier on my off road trailer that not only swings out, but the tire will tilt up flat and lock so it can serve as a dinner table when I put a round plywood countertop cover on top of it. I could even sew the plywood table top into the canvas tire cover so I'd never have to remove it. But I'm concerned about road dirt on my dinner table.
This will mean I can have my trailer spare tire a little closer to the ground too!
Since the plan is for the kitchen to hang off the side of the trailer I figure having a eating table next to the kitchen would be ideal. Not to mention a perfect place to set up some folding bar stools for a "round the table" bar for my friends to hang out and pour drinks. The cooler would be real close to the tailgate so I wouldn't even have to get up for a freesh drink. The size of the table would only be dictated by the size of my storage for it on the trailer floor.
I see no reason why the spare tire cannot have more than one function. I already hang my two burner stove there and the cutting board/ food prep and plastic sink are next to my trucks swing out tire carrier. I use a Solar Water Bladder on the roof rack for hot water at the sink.
Just an idea I've been kicking around!
This will mean I can have my trailer spare tire a little closer to the ground too!
Since the plan is for the kitchen to hang off the side of the trailer I figure having a eating table next to the kitchen would be ideal. Not to mention a perfect place to set up some folding bar stools for a "round the table" bar for my friends to hang out and pour drinks. The cooler would be real close to the tailgate so I wouldn't even have to get up for a freesh drink. The size of the table would only be dictated by the size of my storage for it on the trailer floor.
I see no reason why the spare tire cannot have more than one function. I already hang my two burner stove there and the cutting board/ food prep and plastic sink are next to my trucks swing out tire carrier. I use a Solar Water Bladder on the roof rack for hot water at the sink.
Just an idea I've been kicking around!
