Touching your LD October 20, 2020, 01:10:48 pm And I really mean "touching". And Looking!After returning from our 4,850 mile Adventure this past week, our LD "Ms. Daisy" was in much need of a wash, wax, tire airing, battery water top up (for those of us with lead acid batteries) and other laborious tasks.Many of us may relegate the washing, waxing, airing up tires, and checking the roof to others for various reasons: health, wealth, need it done now, or another legitimate reasons. Nothing wrong with this method. It's just not YOUR EYES and Hands.IMO I do think the tendency for many of us after a current or long relationship with your LD is to do what's necessary (on your mind at the time) and take care of other projects as they present themselves. For me, I just get lazy.I tend to forget some of the items I really need to address unless I do in fact wash and wax our lady. Touch and look. Rubbing your hands on your rig while washing, or simply using a good quality brush on your rig, you do by necessity LOOK at her (or HIM). Finding a cracked hinge, missing caulking, missing tire valve cap, awning cover not fully closed, loose or broken parts that you would not have seen had you not touched and looked.After this wash I discovered a crack in the fiberglass spare tire cover. Almost invisible unless you ran your fingers over the surface. Not a 911 issue, but an issue non the less. Another crack on the rear side moldings (what's new).I'll try to do better in the future. Our lady Ms. Daisy deserves it. Most respectfully,Tony R (aka codefour) 2 Likes
Re: Touching your LD Reply #1 – October 20, 2020, 03:02:51 pm Hi Tony; Sorry to hear about your crack in the tire cover. Last week we were with the Caravan Club in Desert Hot Springs, (near Palm Springs Ca.) at a Golf/RV Resort, and another member mentioned a crack in his rig's tire cover. Could you tell me a little more about where the crack is, and how long? My 1999 TK is more than twice the age of your 2010. My tire cover has been in full sun at least half the time, depending on whether it is pointing in or out of my driveway. The cover is, as far as I can tell, a molded piece of ABS. Just curious if this was related to a specific year range or production run. The other member's rig was in the range of 2010 like yours. The leader of our Tech Talks, mentioned that he had his spare tire 'explode' inside the shell on his rig and the cover had opened. It came off the one screw holding it closed) while he was underway. I forgot to ask if he had to replace the cover. I carry my spare inflated to 85 psi, and check it about twice a year. I have a remoted hose so the tire stays attached to the rear wall. I remember that another member of the Caravan Club (about 17 years ago) had the tire stem blow out of his spare as he was putting air in. Back in those days I think it was a plastic stem (circa 1994 rig). RonB
Re: Touching your LD Reply #2 – October 20, 2020, 04:54:48 pm RonOur 2010 has been under cover when it's not roving since it was born. After further inspection there are at least 3 cracks, which I will photograph in the next day or so and post.I suspect that the Tire Cover was pushed on very hard on the exterior, but there is no exterior damage other than the hairline cracks. Pics are coming in a few days.Cheers!Tony (aka Codefour)
Re: Touching your LD Reply #3 – October 20, 2020, 08:32:54 pm About a year ago I had pulled open the "spare tire" cover to rewire the 4 post trailer plug. I noticed about a 12" long horizontal crack on bottom. I went ahead and cut a piece of 1/8" aluminum plate and epoxied it to the inside and also used throughbolts with locknuts. No further problems, but it is concerning. This faux tire cover does nothing except carry through the LD look and cover the door to remove the spare tire. Personally I would like to remove it, but would have to do something with all of the mounting holes on the left hand side hinge. 1 Likes
Re: Touching your LD Reply #4 – October 22, 2020, 04:57:52 pm Here are a few photo of the "Inside of my LD Spare Tire Cover".The exterior has a few hairline cracks. Have to look hard to see them, but they are there.The Interior of the cover appears to have an insert (the white portion). As I have never looked at the interior of any of LD Spare Tire Cover I have no idea if this was a past repair, or the way the cover is built. Perhaps someone with a 2010 can tell me.This cover looks like fiberglass. Is it? Or ABS Plastic.
Re: Touching your LD Reply #5 – October 22, 2020, 05:02:22 pm Sorry, the above POST has two Exterior photos of the hairline cracks. This should be the correct of that interior shot that appears to be a past repair. I have no idea! 1 Likes
Re: Touching your LD Reply #6 – October 22, 2020, 05:21:42 pm Hi Tony; My cover, and others I've seen have that same internal piece. A plywood stiffener to keep the shape across the tire face. (my piece looks like plywood) When I have drilled small holes through to mount my wide rear brake light, the shavings came out spiral black plastic, so I'll call it ABS. Fiberglass would be heavier and stiffer, harder to drill. I can only surmise that there was an impact somewhere back in time to cause those cracks. Otherwise I would expect a vertical crack near the hinge, because of weight. My previous comment about a Caravan member having an internal "explosion" of his spare, might cause that type of damage from the inside. More likely an outside impact here. I have thought that in my next life I would extend the bumper 4" so the bumper would hit before the tire cover. (Terry Tanner did that). But so low on the list of potential changes as to be negligeble chance of that ever happening. RonB 1 Likes
Re: Touching your LD Reply #7 – October 23, 2020, 02:06:57 pm We have the same piece (in our case it's plywood) inside the spare tire cover in our 99 MB. I put some large hooks on the plywood and use it to store our sewer hose. George
Re: Touching your LD Reply #8 – October 23, 2020, 02:25:01 pm George, can you take a photo so I can see you sewer hose install inside the spare tire cover? Sounds like a great idea to create more space, and that hose is very light not creating much downward pressure on the cover.Cheers!Tony R (aka codefour) 1 Likes
Re: Touching your LD Reply #9 – October 23, 2020, 08:43:55 pm I'll be at LD in the next few days doing my end-0f-season work. Be patient. 1 Likes
Re: Touching your LD Reply #10 – November 06, 2020, 09:44:50 pm Here's a picture of my sewer hose stored inside my "spare tire" cover.George & Jo Ann99 MB in NH 4 Likes
Re: Touching your LD Reply #11 – November 07, 2020, 12:50:41 am A great idea for an extra black water hose! It's on my to do list George. Todd maybe you should look at this for Future LD Projects.Thanks you machosTony R. (aka codefour)
Re: Touching your LD Reply #12 – November 07, 2020, 02:12:23 am Quote from: codefour - November 07, 2020, 12:50:41 amA great idea for an extra black water hose! It's on my to do list George. Your Rear-Bath has a spare tire under the rear cover, Mid-Bath models do not, the spare is stored in one of the exterior side compartments. To add interior space, to the Mid-Baths, LD relocated the spare tire.For the same reason, the 31' TB models have the spare tire located in a side compartment, the 31' IB has its spare tire located under the bed, accessed from the rear.Larry 2 Likes
Re: Touching your LD Reply #13 – November 07, 2020, 09:41:25 am Thanks Larry.It's not likely that the hose will fit in my rear-bath tire cover with the tire. Bummer.I may give it a try for fit, but you are correct, it would be a tight fit.Thanks again as always.Tony R (aka codefour)
Re: Touching your LD Reply #14 – November 07, 2020, 10:48:52 am "...the 31' IB has its spare tire located under the bed, accessed from the rear."You're correct Larry and it takes Magilla Gorilla to get the sucker out of there! 1 Likes
Re: Touching your LD Reply #15 – November 07, 2020, 05:43:56 pm Quote from: codefour - November 07, 2020, 09:41:25 amIt's not likely that the hose will fit in my rear-bath tire cover with the tire. I may give it a try for fit, but you are correct, it would be a tight fit.A length of 4" ABS drain pipe, with caps, can be bolted under the rear bumper area, in many floorplans, to be used for sewer hose storage. Our LD had a 3" ABS pipe under the rear of our LD for years, used for fishing pole storage. storage.Fishing pole storage | FlickrLarry 1 Likes
Re: Touching your LD Reply #16 – November 07, 2020, 07:38:02 pm Quote from: codefour - October 22, 2020, 04:57:52 pmHere are a few photo of the "Inside of my LD Spare Tire Cover".The exterior has a few hairline cracks. Have to look hard to see them, but they are there.The Interior of the cover appears to have an insert (the white portion). As I have never looked at the interior of any of LD Spare Tire Cover I have no idea if this was a past repair, or the way the cover is built. Perhaps someone with a 2010 can tell me.This cover looks like fiberglass. Is it? Or ABS Plastic.The spare is really tricky to get flat on the mount as heavy as it is. The tendency is to get it on a little crooked and sock down all the bolts. Then when you close the fiberglass cover it is too tight and so you end up cranking down the one bolt and it ends up cracking. Getting that spare flat on the mount is like blocking practice at football camp. 2 Likes
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