Van is coming up 7 and spare wheel was used in anger in France about a month ago. French motorway recovery guy got spare out of carrier and on to van no probs. French version of KwikFit changed blown out tyre but wouldn’t change the other tyre or spare so they fitted the new tyre and put the spare back on the carrier. Called KwikFit out to change both running tyres and demote French fitted one to the spare. New tyres fitted, wheels balanced but when it came to getting the spare off the carrier so the French tyre could be put on it nada!! Carrier wouldn’t budge. Looking at where it secures to the chassis there were 2 very shiny looking split pins holding it there. Looks to me like the French KwikFit lot removed the carrier completely, put the wheel back on it and then fitted the whole unit back to the caravan.
I now have a tyre in the garage which needs fitting to spare and I’m wondering whether to remove the whole carrier, remove the wheel from it and get the tyre put on it and then try to find out why the carrier has seized and try to free it or simply bite the bullet and cough up another £150 for a new carrier?
Anybody had experience of seized up spare wheel carriers and successful / unsuccessful freeing up of same. Views / advice appreciated.
it just needs removing from the caravan and using a mixture of heat and hammer get it freed off, then a clean up with sand paper and finally greased up and putting back on. either ay i would be getting the spare tyre put bck on the wheel, at last you could travel with it inside the caravan until you sort the carrier out. guareenteed you wont have need for it unless you dont have it with you!
They are notorious for the tubes rusting up, had trouble with mine so cleaned and greased it every couple of seasons. I also fitted R-clips to the fixed end so I could remove it in an emergency if fully seized or needed removing on the kerbside on the continent.
I have since found space under the fixed bed above where it lived, it then went off with the scrap man.
Dave.
------------- Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day,
Teach a man to fish and you can get rid of him for a whole weekend.
Awkward things to use especially if you are on the continent and have to slide it out on the side of the road which is the offside there.
Our last Bailey had a wind down one which was a bit better. Still tight to get out from under the chassis rail.
Current Phoenix has it under the rear fixed bed which is easier to access.
------------- DS-There's more to life than football!!!
I had a similar problem with my slide out carrier. I eventually got it out. I thought I'd hate to try this on a motorway in the rain. The carrier was soon unbolted and down the dump. I tow with large estate so when we go away the spare wheel goes in a old awning bag and sits on the folded down back seats with my small HALFORDS trolly jack and my extenderble wheel brace. Bikes lay on top. Easy to get at.
Just to add that when we arrive on site and set up the caravan spare goes under the caravan until our return trip. Although the small trolly jack stays in the boot for use on car wheel.