Lost our spare tire

ncason · 05-25-2010, 05:45 PM

Bill was working on the 5vr today getting ready for the Williams AZ rally and noticed our spare tire was gone. It is stored under the rig and you don't think of looking for it until you need it.

We went to Florida for the month of March so I think it is somewhere on I-95. The roads are so bumpy that over time the attaching cable began to fray and now we need a new tire and rim.

Word to the wise - check the spare and attaching hardware.

Nancy

WilleyB · 05-25-2010, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Word to the wise - check the spare and attaching hardware.

Nancy

Yes it is very good advice for everyone, unless the spare is in an enclosed area. I almost lost mine and it is mounted like older "C"'s on the back bumper. The upright member which the spare wheel is attached to cracked from flexing (vibration whatever). I wouldn't normally have noticed it if I hadn't bumped into it and it moved like it was mounted on rubber post. I welded re enforcement pieces and lowered the mounting bolt. It's been solid since.
I guess I should have posted about that but no one else seemed to be having problems.
Anyway you've made us all aware of future problems Good for you

Cheers
Willey

TandW · 05-25-2010, 06:50 PM

Ditched my continental kit a long time ago because of the destructive wobble!!

TXiceman · 05-25-2010, 07:34 PM

we had one almost stolen from under our class C while in storage. Apparently they got interrupted and left. At least they left my nuts and bolts there. After that I locked it.

Ken

TandW · 05-25-2010, 07:40 PM

Some spares have come down all of a sudden on certain pick-ups causing all kinds of traffic disruptions!! Not to mention the up-lifting experience and loss of control!

Stillwater · 05-25-2010, 08:05 PM

Should be checked on a regular basis. Anything that can come off a vehicle at highway speed can become a lethal projectile. Case in point driving through New York city we saw the aftermath of a tire that had fallen off a vehicle and ended up going through the windshield of an oncoming car across the meridian. The outcome was not pleasant.

Ray,IN · 05-25-2010, 11:16 PM

My spare, with a cable lift has a habit of loosening once in a while, like when it's air pressure drops 10 pounds.

bdpreece · 05-26-2010, 12:41 AM

Always a possibility that someone helped themselves to your spare. A few years ago in our area pickup trucks with the hanging spare were loosing them quickly unless they had a lock on them.

ncason · 05-26-2010, 01:38 PM

TandW

I should have know to be checking because our truck spare did drop off, on a very busy road in Virginia Beach several years ago. It scared us to death as it bounced up into the bottom of the truck. We were lucky as we did not lose the tire and no one got hurt.

Nancy

AFChap · 05-26-2010, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Some spares have come down all of a sudden on certain pick-ups

Pickups and SUVs ...some (don't recall which) have had recalls due to the likelihood of the cable rusting in two and releasing the spare tire onto the roadway.

dajudge · 05-26-2010, 03:52 PM

My first coach, a Southwind had a home made holder on the back bumper to hold the spare. One day I bumped into it and saw that it was loose. I took the spare off, with some help and saw that the bracket was cracked at the weld. Well I told myself, "Self, that might be a sign." I could just envision going down the interstate at sixty and that thing fell off and go bouncing along in traffic. The only time I re installed it was when I drove it to trade it in. I have found that if I have a flat or ruin a tire, I can always get one on the road.

w

powerboatr · 05-26-2010, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ncason

Bill was working on the 5vr today getting ready for the Williams AZ rally and noticed our spare tire was gone. It is stored under the rig and you don't think of looking for it until you need it.

We went to Florida for the month of March so I think it is somewhere on I-95. The roads are so bumpy that over time the attaching cable began to fray and now we need a new tire and rim.

Word to the wise - check the spare and attaching hardware.

Nancy

that would have been one big gator to avoid,

SuperGewl · 05-28-2010, 10:11 PM

You should be checking your spare at least at the start of the season if for no other reason to put air in it. I checked mine and it only had about 20# of air in it. It hsould have at least 65# because to be able to use it as a spare it has to be able to hold the trailer up.