Spare wheel carrier removal... or not!

May 11, 2021
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It's a nice morning this morning and I have some time spare, so I thought I'd prep the 'van for an upcoming break. Tyre pressures, wheel nut torques, that sort of thing. Whilst I was at it I thought I would do that thing that lots of people are doing and remove the spare wheel carrier to save some payload and relocate the wheel to a locker. There're several kilograms to be saved, apparently.

So I went out, got under the van and... no carrier! I have a 2014 Bailey Pegasus GT65 so some of you may be ahead of me now... they don't use the Al-ko metal carrier frame, they use a winch with wire rope that simply pulls the wheel up to the underside of the 'van. I removed the wheel anyway and put it in a locker as I can see that removing it under sub-optimal conditions would still be a right faff. I was very pleased that the winch worked well and is in great nick, but it's not very big and I'd guess weighs under a kilogram so not worth removing, for fear of putting it somewhere safe and losing it.

I'm ashamed too say this is the first time I had interacted with the spare wheel at all, in 18 months of caravan ownership - I should really have at least practiced how to use it by now. Nonetheless it's done now and sits nicely in the rear locker, accessible from the outside so no need to lift the bed on the inside should it be needed (in fact no need to go in the van at all now).

What I still haven't done and perhaps should at least take a look at is jacking the van up.
 
Jul 18, 2017
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It's a nice morning this morning and I have some time spare, so I thought I'd prep the 'van for an upcoming break. Tyre pressures, wheel nut torques, that sort of thing. Whilst I was at it I thought I would do that thing that lots of people are doing and remove the spare wheel carrier to save some payload and relocate the wheel to a locker. There're several kilograms to be saved, apparently.

So I went out, got under the van and... no carrier! I have a 2014 Bailey Pegasus GT65 so some of you may be ahead of me now... they don't use the Al-ko metal carrier frame, they use a winch with wire rope that simply pulls the wheel up to the underside of the 'van. I removed the wheel anyway and put it in a locker as I can see that removing it under sub-optimal conditions would still be a right faff. I was very pleased that the winch worked well and is in great nick, but it's not very big and I'd guess weighs under a kilogram so not worth removing, for fear of putting it somewhere safe and losing it.

I'm ashamed too say this is the first time I had interacted with the spare wheel at all, in 18 months of caravan ownership - I should really have at least practiced how to use it by now. Nonetheless it's done now and sits nicely in the rear locker, accessible from the outside so no need to lift the bed on the inside should it be needed (in fact no need to go in the van at all now).

What I still haven't done and perhaps should at least take a look at is jacking the van up.

Don't you have a breakdown service for the caravan?
 
Nov 11, 2009
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There may be times or places when if you can change a wheel yourself it is best. Also some other activities can involve jacking a caravan, so if you are able it’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with how to do it.
 
Mar 14, 2005
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I am fit enough to do it myself and I think that if you call the "services" to replace a caravan wheel, you will be at the end of the list.
.....
If having paid extra to include assistance with a trailer, I discovered that my callout had been deliberately delayed just becasue it was trailer, I'd be taking them to court for breach of contract.
 
Jul 18, 2017
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I am fit enough to do it myself and I think that if you call the "services" to replace a caravan wheel, you will be at the end of the list.
Good luck on that one, make sure tou have enough gas to make a brew waiting for them.
I have never waited even an hour for a caravan wheel change however I have waited up to 4 hours with a broken down car! Besides you ar eon holiday so why the rush to pull a muscle?
 

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