The carry a spare debate.

[historyljc]

Originally Posted by bucks2

I don't carry a spare MH tire. I have 22.5's and know that a bazillion (actual hand count) semi trucks use 22.5 tires. I don't have to sit beside the road for 3 days because a large city tire store doesn't have a Tokymoto #312 tire with raised white letters to match the others. Let you mind think on that tire for a minute............. They can put on just about any 22.5 tire and I can drive to the closest RV park. Now I'm comfortable and happy sitting, while they special order my tire(s).

I don't have to be anywhere at any particular time. If you do, then do what makes you happy. One size is certainly not going to fit all in this case.

I can count on two fingers the number of flat tires I've had in the last 25 years. One on the road, one in my driveway. I like those odds. Wish I could get them on the slot machines in Vegas.

+ 1

[BigV]

I called around today to see about replacing both the tires on my tag axle. Every place I called that could handle the 19.5's quoted me the exact same tire.

When I inquired further I found that there is one tire warehouse in the region that everyone uses. They have two sumitomo tires in my size and nobody could tell me how old they are. I can order a pair of Michelens that they will guarantee to be this years tires for about $200 more for the pair. Takes a few days they said. We are going to be here for two weeks so that is what I think I'm going to do.

[Rick Long]

Check the service coverage of your cell phone in the state of Nevada.

I carry a mounted spare and everything I need to change it.

[dieselclacker]

Very good point Rick.:

Dieselclacker

[Steve N Sal]

We carried a spare with the previous motorhome that was mounted but it also was only a 16" tire. Now having the 22.5's it's a little different story. If we have to wait a little longer for a road service repair because of not having a spare I guess we'll have to do just that. Those things are a bit heavy expecially when your on limited CCC with our coach to begin with.

[Ken-55]

Originally Posted by zip0

My MH came with a mounted spare in its own compartment in the back. It's out of my way and I know it's there just in case.

Same here . . . my rear passenger inner tire blew out about 10 miles from home as we were returning from a camping trip cut short because the state closed all the state parks as Hurricane Irene approached.

Fortunately, I had learned enough here to realize what the large "BOOM" meant and knew how to handle it.

I coasted less than 1/4 mile to the next exit ramp, pulled to the side and got out to assess the situation. I was about 5 miles from a garage that works on cars AND trucks who I have used in the past. I had the owners' cell number because bringing my rig in often called for coordinating available parking in his lot(s). Upon his advise, I limped in to his shop, stopping frequently to monitor tire temp on the outer tire taking all the load, waiting for it to cool when it heated up. He freed up space INSIDE his garage and offered to let me wait out the storm there because I live close the Long Island Sound and our neighborhood was being evacuated BUT I needed to get inland to keep an eye on my parents . . . he called a guy in off the road and put on my spare (BTW, no charge!). After tipping both the owner & the guy who did the work I was on my way.

Needless to say, I like having a spare!!!

Ohhh, about 15 miles inland, my SO and I and the 2 dogs rode out the storm just fine parked in my parents driveway. We could have stayed in the house but wanted to experience it!

[Chuck 1935]

Unless I'm wrong,
all Coaches that came equipped with steel rimmed 19.5 tires have spares.
If the Coach came with 22.5 and Aluminum wheels there is NO spare.

[MSHappyCampers]

I'll always carry a spare!

[Always-RVing]

I have aired up two tires from flat using a 6 gallon, pancake, 150 psi compressor. You need to pull on the tire while filling. Push and tug on the tire as it seats on the rim wall. Once you catch the rim wall, the tire will continue to inflate. That has worked for me. Of course, the tires needs to be just barely touching the ground.

To manually remove the rubber from a 22.5 inch rim is easy with a large tire spoon. There are videos around that show how easy it is. So as long as the rim is good, you only need to carry the tire.

Spare high quality used 22.5 inch tires run about $100.

While you're on the subject of RV tires, I've been told that RV tires are cheaply built, and no trucker would ever have the junk on his rig.

RV tires are built for comfy, smooooth, quiet, looks good, etc. And not for long haul, durable, tough, etc.

[RedneckExpress]

Originally Posted by IRVTrekin2

A number of gas MH's that run 19.5 rims don't have the storage (pass through bins of any kind) to accommodate a spare so I just rely on the road service card.

This is why man created external tire carrier mounts .

[Dixieray53]

Originally Posted by sdennislee

I was leaning towards the no spare tire camp myself. Then coming in from Texas I hit a sink hole bent my rim and lost the bead seal obviously. THis was 1:00 Am on Sunday night. No place to get a tire much less a rim. Fortunately I had a mounted spare. I was off and running in under 1 hour. Bought a reconditioned rim the next day. I guess I'm back in the carry a mounted spare camp.

Driving my DP at 1am .... That is way past my bedtime... D

[bucks2]

SDennisLee wrote: "Sp you would buy one tire to get to the CG and then buy the right tire. Wish I had that kind of money. "

Of course not. I'm betting that virtually any tire store has a takeoff or two that are waiting for the recapper, or a used tire that they are sitting on for whatever other reason. I'm also betting that the 24 hour tire guy carries at least one with him. Or if he doesn't already carry one, he'll get one before he drives 400 miles out in the desert to my flat tire call.

My S&B neighbor was a 24 hour repair guy for Gordon Trucking until about 3 years ago. He carried spare mounted and unmounted for their rigs. Along with a ton of other commonly needed spare parts.

Someone else wrote that he could find a place without cell phone coverage. My money is betting that my tow car can find cell coverage.

Now, if you're driving at 1am, on the outskirts of nowhere, with no cell coverage, and there are no other vehicles out there, and your tow car is broken, and there's a snowstorm on the way, and the biggest deal of your life requires you to be there at 0800, then you got me. I should have carried a spare. Umtil all those stars align, I'm still going without.

It is fun to try to figure out all the things that would have to happen to make a flat tire the end of the world. Lifes too short to worry about all of them. So I won't, I'll be a risk taker. Next thing you know I'll be running into burning buildings or something.

[Davdeb1]

Originally Posted by Dixieray53

Driving my DP at 1am .... That is way past my bedtime... D

One of the first things I discovered about driving my MH, I really don't want to do it at night. When I travel in it, I will pull in somewhere by 5 or 6, and
Enjoy the evening out under the awning. If I do have to go anywhere at night, I will take the toad. This should lower my chance of being stranded somewhere by at least 90%.

Let face it, it is a comfort thing. If you feel safer and more comfortable with a spare, get one. But if you never thought about it, or just don't care, don't let someone talk you into it.

[camperkids]

Originally Posted by Rick Long

Check the service coverage of your cell phone in the state of Nevada.

I carry a mounted spare and everything I need to change it.

Me toooo I always have and always will it sits in the rear bumper slide out rack. It's a little awkward getting it out but manageable. Jim