Carrying a Spare Tire and Wheel or Not

[komac]

We bought a new Four Winds Hurricane class A last May. It's a 30Q with the 8.1 Vortec engine, workhorse frame, 19.5 wheels, and the large capacity storage "room" in the rear. Several months ago, while traveling in rural north Georgia, I hit a road hazard and destroyed my right front wheel. After several days of delay, I was able to get a new $500.00 wheel shipped to me, and I bought a new tire. In addition to mounting the new items, the local tire repair shop straightened the rim of the original wheel and then re-mounted the original tire. We inflated that tire to 65 lbs, and it is still holding 65 lbs of pressure. As a result, I now have a spare wheel and tire in the rear storage area. But it's very heavy and takes up a lot of space on the floor. I'm inviting some thoughts about whether it's worth keeping with us on the road. Our typical camping is in state or national parks, and we often boondock. I have good road service insurance with both AAA and Camping World. Please share your thoughts and experience. Thanks. Komac

[InPursuit]

If you plan to carry a jack able to lift a fully loaded rear dual set and a means of breaking the impact driven lug nuts too.. then sure I suppose it would make sense to have a spare tire on board.

I'm sticking with ERS and VISA cards.
They take up a LOT less space.

[Seajay]

i have been using a motor home since 95 and all my coaches have had a spare tire that was attached to the coach. It has been my experience that I would not leave home without the spare in place and properly inflated. We travel extensively and there are a lot of people out there on the road just waiting in the bushes to take a big hunk out of your wallet if you have a problem between ''nothing and nothing''. We were out in Utah and had a blow out on the toad and I wanted another ''spare'' for it and a ''bandit'' refused to sell me one tire. He said he had to sell me four tires first and then he would sell me a ''spare''. I can see many situations where you are at the mercy of 'Joe Jughead' needing a tire replacement and you could pay twice the going price for a tire because you dont have a spare. I carry a spare and if I have to, I can install the spare. I also carry an air compressor that will inflate my tires to proper p.s.i.

Lesson learned. If you R.V. be as prepared is possible because there are ''people'' out there just waiting for you not to be prepared...

you will have to pay me ten cents for this valuable information if you use it. Good info aint cheap..... You can pay me the next time you see me.

ps.. imho 65 PSI in a spare on a rim that has been straightened out is not much good. this is a little over half the required psi in the tire and i would not use a ''straightened out rim'' if the tire will only hold 65 psi....

[Smokyjoe]

I have had 3 flats in the last 10 years. In all 3 locations there was not a tire available. If I hadn't carried my own spare,not mounted,I would have waited days to get one. Price would have been more then double.

[Tom-NC]

HI,
I have always carried a spare and was glad I did. Both my Class c's had a spare tire and now my 04 Class A has a spare too.

On our last trip I used the spare and was glad I had it because we were in Canada and you can imagine how much a tire would cost there.

My Coach is on a 03 Workhorse Chassis and there is a place between the rails to mount your tire. Mine is mounted under the coach betwen the rails and has a drop down system that allows the tire to drop down rather than falling on the road service guy.

The gentleman said that you would need a heavy duty jack to change a tire. Besides that you would need someway to losen the lugs on the wheels as they are torqued to 450 lbs which requires an impact gun that will handle that.

My suggestion would be to mount your spare between the rails under the coach and then belong to a Road service company such as Coach Net or Good Sam ERS and you would be all set not needing to worry about buying a tire when you have a flat.

Enjoy!

[melvonnar]

My wife is setting here reading this post; she said if you don't have room for the spare tire; leave your wife home and put a spare tire in her place. lol

[NLOVNIT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by InPursuit I'm sticking with ERS and VISA cards. They take up a LOT less space.

I wholeheartedly agree.

Even if we did have the space to carry a spare, there's no way either I or Dave could change a tire on our coach. They're just too big. I wouldn't want to carry around jacks substantial enough to lift the coach or the tools needed to get the lug nuts loose/tightened. And, heaven forbid I break a nail trying it.

Lori-

[Diplomat Don]

If you have a lot of time and money.....Use your Visa card and ERS. If you don't want to be at someone's mercy and wait days for the PROPER replacement, carry at least an unmounted spare.

I'll be retired in a few months and time will be less of an issue, but I still don't want to be stuck in Craphole, USA and not have a spare. I always tell people to conduct a little test when it comes to the decision of carrying a spare. Get the brand and size of your tire and call around your town and see who has one in stock. If it's readily available, great, but many of the RV tires have to be ordered, especially the 22.5's.

[1ciderdog]

Options for not carrying a spare: Assuming you can get the wheels off yourself - If an outside dual goes flat remove it and drive slowly (very slowly) to a repair facility. If a front goes flat take an outside dual and put it on the front and as above drive slowly. If an inside dual goes flat drive real slow to the repair shop. That's what we used to do in the good old days.

[Gary - K7GLD]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diplomat Don If you have a lot of time and money.....Use your Visa card and ERS. If you don't want to be at someones mercy and wait days for the PROPER replacement, carry at least an unmounted spare. I'll be retired in a few months and time will be less of an issue, but I still don't want to be stuck in Craphole, USA and not have a spare. I always tell people to conduct a little test when it comes to the decision of carrying a spare. Get the brand and size of your tire and call around your town and see who has one in stock. If it's readily available, great, but many of the RV tires have to be ordered, especially the 22.5's.

And THERE'S the best advice you'll get!

IF you get stuck out in the boonies with a flat or damaged tire, there's precious LITTLE likelihood the emergency truck will have, or be able to get one quickly that will match what you have - so then you'll either be forced to buy a tire of another brand and type, or else WAIT a few days for a properly matching ordered one to arrive and be installed.

And what good are all those nifty credit cards gonna do you then?

[GaryKD]

Hi komac,
I think some of the posts missed your OP question. As I read the OP it asks if carrying a fully mounted spare tire is worth it. Never did you inquire about the wisdom of changing the tire yourself. And you have ERS. Congratulations, you are like me! I've carried a fully mounted spare tire to avoid the situation mentioned in the OP. My recommendation is to carry the fully mounted spare tire. Keep ERS as the labor to change it. The old saying is that if you have it you'll not need it.

[bldrbob]

I just went out and checked the thickness of my credit card versus the tire. I think I'll keep my mounted spare.

[Rich and Cork]

Since you have AAA, just have them change the spare when/if ever needed.

[Voyager35L]

I have a 35 foot Winnebago, the compartments would not hold a spare...what other options do I have?