Spare Tire Cover

[HDRider]

I learned something today.

 

You have to take the bumper off to remove the spare tire cover.

 

I sure am glad I am home on a cool sunny day, and not on the shoulder of I40 in the rain. 

[Geronimo John]

That's a new one.  It certainly was designed to just lift the license plate and remove the big nut.  The cover can then be removed with the spare tire still attached to Ollie.

Kindly post a picture.

GJ

[HDRider]

5 minutes ago, Geronimo John said:

That's a new one.  It certainly was designed to just lift the license plate and remove the big nut.  The cover can then be removed with the spare tire still attached to Ollie.

Kindly post a picture.

GJ

I'm past the picture taking.

 

It is not the spare tire in the way.  The bumper is in the way.

 

I'll take a pic when I put it back together.

[HDRider]

I am terrible when it comes to reading instructions, especially when it seems like a simple task.

 

I just checked the Owner's Manual.  No mention of the bumper. 

 

[Geronimo John]

Yep, that's the way it's done by about 1500 of us.  (1500 is my guess as to the number of us with 16" tires.)

Some thoughts come to mind.  

• With the downsize of the tires from 16" to 15" was the design changed for the tire removal that would cause your difficulty?
• If it was, if you were to reduce the pressure in the spare tire to allow a slight reduction in the diameter would that make a difference in your situtation?
• Was your spare tire changed to a larger size?  (Not likely with a 2023 OTT.  I believe that from about 2018 to the rim size change, the spares were the same tire as the 4 on the axles. But that is just an assumption.)

Best of luck.

GJ

Edited 23 hours ago by Geronimo John
typo

[Geronimo John]

29 minutes ago, HDRider said:

I am terrible when it comes to reading instructions, especially when it seems like a simple task.

I am too.  What usually gets me to actually read the instructions is I run into a brick wall.  Just as you did.

Then I'll post it to the forum.  Just as you did.  So no worries.

Please do post a pick, one of us out here will figure it out.

GJ

Edited 23 hours ago by Geronimo John

[dewdev]

@HDRider

Jeff:

I do not think the bumper needs to be removed. On my OTT, Elite II,  the trailer hitch receiver needs to be removed.

[jd1923]

Strange, is your bumper not flush to the rear deck?

I’ve slid ours off a half dozen timesI The bike rack mounts are removed on ours, but unless they changed something, the bumper is flush and could not be in the way. It should wiggle off after the center nut and washer are removed.

Edited 17 hours ago by jd1923

[Geronimo John]

You gotta love this forum!  Frankly it was a primary reason we bought our LE2.  

[jd1923]

18 minutes ago, Geronimo John said:

You gotta love this forum!  Frankly it was a primary reason we bought our LE2.  

Before June 2023 I had no idea what an Oliver was! Found ours 4-sale locally and a few days later I brought it home in time for Chris' birthday. Another four days later, I joined "The Forum!" 😎

[rideandfly]

Here's additional photos of the spare tire removed on our LE2:

[HDRider]

17 hours ago, dewdev said:

@HDRider

Jeff:

I do not think the bumper needs to be removed. On my OTT, Elite II,  the trailer hitch receiver needs to be removed.

I really should not have said bumper.  It is the bar across the top of the bumper where the trailer hitch is attached.

[topgun2]

19 minutes ago, HDRider said:

It is the bar across the top of the bumper where the trailer hitch is attached.

Now, the original question makes more sense!

Bill

[Patriot]

41 minutes ago, HDRider said:

I really should not have said bumper.  It is the bar across the top of the bumper where the trailer hitch is attached.

We re all here to help Jeff, no worries! 👍🏻

[HDRider]

I never use the hitch coupler.  I may just leave that bar off.